South African expats went on their first picnic at Al Dosari Park in Shahaniya recently. Also present were Ambassador of South Africa to Qatar Sa’ad Cachalia and park owner Mohammed al-Dosari. The embassy staff also attended the picnic, which featured traditional African dishes. Ambassador Cachalia said he has been in Qatar for the past three years now but this was the first time he was participating in such an activity. “We (South Africans) are very close to natural heritage and its conservation,” Cachalia said, adding, “Dosari garden is the blend of natural and artificial beauty.” He thanked Mohammed al-Dosari for his “incredible effort to build such a remarkable heritage site.” Vamah Shuku, in Qatar for the past seven months as a teacher, praised the initiative and said such activities will unify all South Africans in Qatar. Another participant, Joleen Scott, was amazed by the park’s greenery. There are about 5,000 South Africans living in Qatar. Seen in the photos is Ambassador Cachalia (in red shirt) and Al-Dosari (in thobe) with South African expats.
Text and photos: Usha Wagle Gautam
