By Updesh Kapur /Doha
The sixth edition of the Qatar International Food Festival (QIFF) has taken off in its usual splendour this week as one of the highlights of the country’s annual events calendar.
It truly engages the community with tens of thousands of visitors expected at the five-day food fest being held in the grounds of the Museum of Islamic Art until Saturday.
This year, it is the longest version of the popular event which has become a tourist attraction in its own right, drawing regional and international visitors. Part of Qatar Tourism Authority’s strategy to develop a sustainable tourism sector in the country, the festival has grown in stature year on year to boost not just visitor numbers but to promote food tourism and bring local and international cuisine to the fore.
Food helps bridge cultures, connect people and create a feel-good atmosphere. In a nation that is home to scores of nationalities from around the world, the food festival shows off the culinary delights of local restaurants and premium hotel establishments.
There are almost 50 stalls, cooking demonstrations from international celebrity chefs and a range of entertaining activities including multi-cultural dance performances. And there’s the ever-popular “Dine in the Sky” attraction where visitors are strapped in seats around a dining table suspended almost 200 feet in the air for them to enjoy a three-course meal and views across the city.
But this year, it is encouraging to see the need for people to lead healthy lifestyles become a priority in the promotion of food.
The current stop of the Yalla Natural Roadshow, an initiative of Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, is the Museum of Islamic Art Park.
Along with cookery demonstrations and exercise classes, the public is being offered health tips through free recipe cards and nutritional information packs, as well as personal health checks inside the trailer.
Aimed at educating nationals and expats about the importance of nutrition and exercise, there’s also a display of how organic food can play a vital role in healthy eating. With the relative luxury and comforts of living in Qatar, it is often difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
The temptation is high to eat in fast-food outlets or order home delivery. And with a lack of pedestrian walkways and outdoor activities, many pursue little or no daily physical activity to exercise and keep fit. This is also very true in many parts of the world as pressures at home and work create such an imbalance that people ignore or are unaware of how to take those key steps to develop healthy lifestyle habits.
Qatar is taking the issue of healthy living very seriously. The country is aggressively working towards the Qatar National Vision 2030 designed to create an advanced society capable of sustaining its development and providing a high standard of living for its people by the year 2030.
The National Vision has defined long-term outcomes for the country and provides a framework within which national strategies and implementation plans are being developed.
Building a vibrant, healthy and productive society is very much a core part of the Human Development pillar of the National Vision. Supporting a healthy population, both physically and mentally, is a government commitment.
Encouraging and promoting healthy lifestyles and providing a quality healthcare system are all part of the overall long-term goal.
It’s been well documented that obesity is a major problem in Qatar, named as one of the most obese countries in the world according to the World Health Organisation. The health of the country is highly dependent on the health of its people, hence the tremendous resources and energy being devoted to this vital area here in Qatar.
Events such as the Qatar International Food Festival are certainly one to enjoy and savour. But they also highlight the bigger picture of how people should prioritise to lead healthier lifestyles for themselves and for the sustainable future of the country they live in.
♦ Updesh Kapur (below) is a PR & communications professional, columnist, aviation, hospitality and travel analyst. He can be followed on twitter @updeshkapur
People visiting the Qatar International Food Festival on the opening day. PICTURE: Joey Aguilar
