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Ezdan Mall, one of the largest shopping centres in Qatar, was opened in Gharaffa yesterday. More than a hundred trainees from Shafallah Centre for Children with Special Needs joined the mall management in a rare show to make the occasion a memorable event.
The state-of-the-art mall, spread over 160,000 sq m, houses more than 180 retail outlets besides an under-construction hypermarket which will be operated by a major international chain. The mall is the latest addition to the new commercial developments in the fast-growing Gharaffa along the Shamal Expressway.
At the inaugural function Shafallah trainees unveiled a plaque commemorating the formal opening of the mall to the accompaniment of a symphony played by an orchestra consisting mostly of their colleagues.
“We are honoured indeed to have shared this memorable and significant day with the members of Shafallah Centre and are overawed by the skills of the children,” said Ezdan Mall general manager Malik Awan. A placement programme for Shafallah graduates would be announced soon, he said.
Throughout the day trainees held workshops on the art and crafts of aesthetic wrapping and packaging. Many of their creations were exhibited at a dedicated area on the basement, where a number of events were held to mark the mall opening. The children were presented with special gifts as a token of appreciation by many mall tenants.
At the opening the operators also announced the provision of a kiosk space for Shafallah Centre at the mall.
“Centrally located, housing an array of exciting brands, covering garments, food and many other things, Ezdan Mall will soon become a social place for the families in the country to meet, greet and shop,” said Awan while leading the guests on a tour of inspection across the massive mall.
Soon after the doors were formally opened, the mall operators led the guests, accompanied by scores of visitors, on a tour of the aesthetically-built and spacious mall, which has already housed retail outlets of a number of internationally-acclaimed brands, many of them making their debut in Qatar.
Still many more are expected to start operations in the coming weeks, according to the mall officials. Among those outlets opened included those of the global food chains and high-end garment, leather accessories and toy shops.
Besides the basement, a large car parking area is already built encircling the mall. The access to the mall is available from Gharaffa side and also from the northern direction of the Expressway coming from northern direction.
To coincide with the mall opening its owners unveiled their plans for launching “22mn trees by 2022”, which they described as an ambitious initiative for an environmental-friendly and green Qatar.
The mall management, through this mission, aspires to inculcate in the country’s residents the desire for healthy living and care for the environment. The initiative, they hoped, would be a springboard for developing a greener culture across Qatar and is very much in line with the widely proclaimed goals and objectives of the Qatar National Vision.
To mark the formal launch of the community-based project, Ezdan Holding CEO Ali al-Obeidly and Shafallah Centre trainee Abdel Rahman al-Haji planted the first tree. Hundreds of saplings were given free to the visitors.
