Qatar National Library will organize several cultural, educational, and artistic community activities in December to celebrate Qatar National Day and World Arabic Language Day, with visitors having the chance to participate in discussions and activities related to Qatar’s art, history, culture and language.
The Library’s art exhibition, “Reesha” is open for visitors till 31 December. Under the slogan “We Welcome the World to Qatar 2022,” the exhibition showcases children’s artwork, inspired by Qatar’s 2022 World Cup™ stadiums, with audio-descriptive guides and high-contrast raised images also making it accessible for visitors with impaired vision.
On 3 December, to celebrate the Qatar-MENASA Year of Culture 2022 and in partnership with Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, the Library will host an exhibition providing a window into the life and work of the Algerian artist, Baya Mahieddine. The exhibition will showcase a selection of 18 works that are intertwined with Baya’s lifelong themes to reveal the fictional and nonfictional elements that continued to resonate throughout Baya’s work until the very end. The exhibition is set to run until 30 March 2023.
Continuing on the theme of Baya Mahieddine and again as part of the Qatar-MENASA Year of Culture 2022, the Library in partnership with Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, is organizing several painting workshops for adults and children. The workshops for adults will be held on 3 and 17 December, the workshop for children will be held on 5 and 7 December and finally, a mixed workshop for children and adults will be held on 14 and 19 December.
On 8 December, the Library in partnership with L'association Terres d'Orient and the HeRMA laboratory from the University of Poitiers, invites visitors to attend a day of online lectures and discussions on the topic: “Illicit Circulation and Laundering of National and Oriental Cultural Goods in the World of Art.” The program will bring together academics and archaeologists, members of heritage and research institutions, investigators, lawyers, and magistrates as well as representatives of the different ministries involved in the fight against the illicit traffic of cultural property. This multidisciplinary event will offer a pertinent look at the problem and the weakness of art markets in the face of traffickers.
On 8 and 10 December, the Library invites visitors to join in the Qatar National Day celebrations by playing and learning about a selection of fun-filled, traditional Qatari games, and then, on 14 and 15 December, the Library will host “Qatari Story Time,” for children and families to listen to the most beautiful Qatari stories and learn about Qatari identity and culture.
To celebrate World Arabic Language Day, the Library will host several events on learning, preserving and highlighting the beauty of the Arabic language.
On 26 - 28 December, the Library invites visitors to a workshop that will teach the basics of Arabic to non-native speakers in a number of intensive classes. The workshop is part of the activities for Arabic Language Week, organized by the Library in cooperation with the Tomouh Initiative, which targets beginner learners of the language.
On 27 December, to mark World Arabic Language Day, the Library will host a lecture on the Arabic language as an integral part of our culture, and the practical efforts of Qatar to enhance a sense of belonging to, pride in and preservation of the language. The lecture will be conducted by Dr. Basma Ahmad Sidqi Dajani, Professor of Arabic Language and Literature at Hamad Bin Khalifa University.
On 29 December, continuing the activities for Arabic Language Week, the Library will host a workshop to highlight the beauty of Arabic words and letters, and how they can be used to create artworks.
Finally, the Library invites visitors to join a lecture on 29 December, that will take them on a unique linguistic journey with Dr. Abdul Salam Al Majidi, Professor of Qur'anic Exegesis and Recitations, who will give insight into the language and eloquent diction of the Qur'an.
The Library will continue to host a variety of fun and engaging events in-person and online throughout December. For a complete list of events, please visit the Events page on the Library’s website (www.qnl.qa/en/events).
