Best Buddies Qatar, in collaboration with Apex Events and Marriott Marquis City
Centre Doha, brought together over 200 of its members with intellectual disabilities
to celebrate International Day of People with Disabilities. By Umer Nangiana
It was fun-filled day for them as they all came together to celebrate the importance of their social integration and its international recognition. At Marriott Marquis City Centre Doha, Sunday was all for the people with intellectual disabilities.
In a kind of grand get-together festival, Best Buddies Qatar (BBQ), in collaboration with Apex Events and Marriott Marquis, brought together over 200 of its members to celebrate International Day of People with Disabilities, which falls on December 3 every year.
The day that started with recitation of Holy Qur’an followed by the national anthem of Qatar, witnessed a course of exciting activities for the guest children and their guardians.
A huge reception area with round tables was set up in Al Areen Ballroom of the hotel where the participating children were engaged in games and other activities. First up, the children were shown a video clip detailing the history of Marriott International by their hosts, the Marriott Marquis City Centre Doha. It was followed by a welcome speech by Andreas Wissdorf, the General Manager of the hotel.
“One of the fundamental ideals of Marriott is to serve the communities where we live and work in, and through our partnership with Best Buddies Qatar, we support the persons with disabilities in the Qatari community and bring joy to their lives,” said Wissdorf.
The team of the Marriott Marquis created fantastic decorations made of colourful balloons and prepared numerous activities for children to enjoy the occasion.
They were involved in activities such as ‘making your own pizza’; shows of towel art, balloon twisting, making pictures of the students with a ‘cartoon picture booth’ to keep bright memories of the event; henna and face-painting arts; drawing, colouring and collecting puzzles.
Meanwhile, the students were entertained by a magician and mascots. The volunteers performed the Jungle Book Song and the Glowing Poi-Poi dance. The celebration culminated with a healthy buffet and granting the students Marriott Marquis gifts for the memorable celebration.
Best Buddies Qatar has been getting support from the Marriott Marquis for the past three years. The hotel has completely sponsored and organised a row of events for BBQ members and their families in the frame of its ‘Spirit to Serve.’
Apex Events joined the sponsorship programme in terms of providing their services free of charge to encourage and support Best Buddies Qatar’s noble mission to enhance the life of people with intellectual disabilities. “We call it ‘Support for good cause.’ It is our immense pleasure to work alongside Best Buddies Qatar in this initiative along with the Marriott Marquis City Center Doha Hotel towards their aim to care for children with intellectual disabilities in Qatar,” said Jawed Khatri, Managing Director, Apex Events. “We express our sincere thanks to the Marriott Marquis City Center Doha and Best Buddies Qatar to take us on board as event management associate partners and we had a wide plan to keep everyone entertained,” he added.
BBQ invited its members of the ages 7-14 years from the schools and centres that included Shafallah Center for Children with Special Needs, Qish Center for Special Needs, Al Tamakon School, Hand in Hand Center for Special Needs, Special Education Center (Hamad Medical Corporation), Rumailah Hospital (Al Maha Department), Al Issra Primary Independent School for Girls, Sumaiai Preparatory Independent School for Girls, Al Andalus Primary Independent School for Girls, Al Hidaya Primary Independent School for Girls, Um Salal Primary Independent School for Girls, Al Khansa Primary Independent School for Girls, Arabic Gulf Primary Independent School, Progress Center for Special Education.
All the guests together with BBQ, Marriott Marquis and Apex Events officials appreciated the friendly and warm atmosphere that brought fun and joy to the lives of students with intellectual disabilities on this day.
BBQ expressed its immense gratitude to the Marriott Marquis and Apex Events for their support to the mission to enhance the lives of people with intellectual challenges and stop their social isolation through integration into community.
