Qatar National Library, in collaboration with the Qatari Authors’ Forum, recently hosted Saleh Gharib, a member of the forum, for a talk, “Qatar’s Old Tales.”
Reflecting Qatar’s rich storytelling and folklore tradition, Gharib based his lively lecture on the most popular literary traditions in Qatari society as a way of reviving and sharing memories of the nation’s heritage. He also sought to encourage a dialogue between Qatar’s age-old traditions, proverbs and legends in an evocative way to reveal their powerful messages and highlight their appropriate use.
Agnes Bach, who participated in the event, said: “The Library connects me with people and cultures. The event today gave me so much interesting information about Qatar’s unique traditions, past lifestyles and how these traditions are relevant in the present.”
“Stories, proverbs and sayings make up the oral tradition and heritage of a nation, which need to be maintained and recorded as its passed on from one generation to the other. Today’s event has provided me with a deeper insight into Qatari culture,” she added.
Another participant, Jacqueline Nottingham, a college counselor, said: “I enjoy the cultural and historical events taking place at the Library, and today’s lecture presented an interesting aspect of Qatar’s traditions. Events such as this help non-Qataris such as myself better understand the place where we live and its history and heritage.”
The Library and the Qatari Authors’ Forum continue to collaborate on events that encourage cultural awareness after signing a Memorandum of Understanding earlier this year to work together to serve the public, authors and writers through various literary programs and projects.
