Qatar National Library will organize several cultural, educational and artistic community activities in December to celebrate Qatar National Day. Visitors will have the opportunity to participate in discussions and activities related to the country’s environment, art, history, food and architecture.
The month will commence with a panel discussion “Qatari Youths’ Response to Environmental Issues” on 2 December. The discussion will shed light on two Qatari youth initiatives working toward environmental sustainability, one of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. The panelists will analyze Qatar’s current environmental sustainability and their expectations for the near future.
On 4 December, the Library, in collaboration with the Doha Environmental Actions Project (DEAP) and with support from SDGeneration, Greener Future and THIMUN Qatar, will invite families to “Contribute to Cleaning a Beach in Qatar.” DEAP is a voluntary organization in Qatar that focuses on the fight against plastic pollution to save and protect Qatar’s marine environment. Registrations are now open until 2 December.
On 5 December, the Library will host the third “Qatar National Day Wikithon,” an event in which members of the community can learn how to edit, improve and enrich the contents of Wikipedia. The Library’s Wikithon this year will focus on editing and enriching Arabic and English pages on Qatari-themed topics, including history, nature and more.
The Library will be hosting storytelling evenings this month called “Hazawi from Qatar,” featuring a traditional tale about a sea monster. Children can enjoy these stories of Qatari heritage from the comfort of their homes on 6, 8 and 13 December.
On 7 December, the Library will host Shaykh Sultan Duray', who will explore the history of Qatar's 19th-century religious scholars and their role in spreading and teaching religious knowledge in Qatar and the region. The program, “Qatar’s Religious Scholars,” will be hosted in English and Arabic.
On the same day, the Library will conduct a fun session of “Dot, Dot, Dot!” for children, where they will use the dotting technique to create beautiful art. The online event will see children engage with a variety of colored markers, pencils, white paper and erasers to prepare their art piece.
On 8 December, Qatar National Library, in cooperation with Msheireb Museums, will show a short film about Msheireb houses that were built by hands which strived to create a better future for Qatar. The stories about Mohammed Bin Jassim House, Bin Jelmood House, Company House and Radwani House aim to inspire Qatari youth to continue the path of growth and prosperity.
On the same day, participants can join Qatari Chef Hissa Al Sulaiti on the Library’s Instagram account to learn more about local cuisine and how one can prepare a special dish. The event will highlight traditional Qatari dishes that are still present in our time, despite the emergence of modern foods, such as Qatari coffee, which is indispensable in all Qatari homes and majlis. Participants and members can also access some of the Library’s electronic resources on Qatari recipes.
On 9 December, participants can join the “Qatar’s National Service Requirement: Conversation with Captain Jassim Al Jaber” session to learn more about the goals and requirements of national service and the guidelines for Qatari citizens to be part of Qatar’s national service.
The same day will witness the launch of the Library’s first “Qatar National Day Podcast.” His Excellency Sheikh Mohamed A. J. Al-Thani, author of the book Jassim, the Leader: Founder of Qatar, will talk about his experience in writing this important biography.
On 12 December, members can join the talk “Contemporary Architecture and Urbanism in Qatar” with Professor Ali A. Alraouf, who will provide a critical analysis of Doha’s urban mega-projects and iconic architectural landmarks, in addition to local and traditional architecture and urbanism. Projects presented will include Education City, the Museum of Islamic Art, the National Museum of Qatar, the Msheireb Cultural District, and the traditional souqs and neighborhoods.
The month will conclude with the “Qatar Art Exhibition for Young Adults,” in which talented young artists will be invited to showcase their appreciation for Qatari culture through painting and other art forms. The two-hour session on 18 December will give participants the opportunity to work alongside several members of Qatar’s arts community.
To stay updated on events related to Qatar National Day, please visit the Library’s dedicated events page https://www.qnl.qa/en/events/qnd. The Library is also gearing up with a lineup of exciting events for January 2022. For a complete list of events, please continue to check the Events page on the Library’s website (www.qnl.qa/en/events).
