Qatar National Library will organise several cultural, educational, and artistic community activities this month to celebrate Qatar National Day and World Arabic Language Day, with visitors having the chance to engage in discussions and activities related to Qatar's art, history, culture and language.
The library's art exhibition, "Reesha" is open for visitors till December 31. Under the slogan "We Welcome the World to Qatar 2022," the exhibition showcases children's artwork, inspired by the World Cup stadiums, with audio-descriptive guides and high-contrast raised images also making it accessible for visitors with impaired vision.
On December 3, to celebrate the Qatar-Menasa Year of Culture 2022 and in partnership with Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, the library will host an exhibition providing a window into the life and work of the Algerian artist, Baya Mahieddine.
The exhibition will showcase a selection of 18 works that are intertwined with Baya's lifelong themes to reveal the fictional and nonfictional elements that continued to resonate throughout Baya's work until the very end. The exhibition is set to run until March 30, 2023.
Continuing on the theme of Baya and again as part of the Qatar-Menasa Year of Culture 2022, the library and in partnership with Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, is organising several painting workshops for adults and children.
The workshops for adults will be held on December 3 and December 17, the workshop for children will be held on December 5 and December 7 and finally, a hybrid workshop for children and adults will be held on December 14 and December 19.
On December 8, the library in partnership with L'association Terres d'Orient and the HeRMA laboratory from the University of Poitiers, invites visitors to attend a day of online lectures and discussions on the topic: "Illicit Circulation and Laundering of National and Oriental Cultural Goods in the World of Art."
The programme will bring together academics and archaeologists, members of heritage and research institutions, investigators, lawyers, and magistrates as well as representatives of the different ministries involved in the fight against the illicit traffic of cultural property.
This multidisciplinary event will offer a pertinent look at the problem and the weakness of art markets in the face of traffickers.
On December 8 and December 10, the library invites visitors to join in the Qatar National Day celebrations by playing and learning about a selection of fun-filled, traditional Qatari games, and then, on December 14 and December 15, the library will host "Qatari Story Time," for children and families to listen to the most beautiful Qatari stories and learn about Qatari identity and culture.
To celebrate World Arabic Language Day, the library will host several events on learning, preserving and highlighting the beauty of Arabic language.
From December 26-28, the library invites visitors to a workshop that will teach the basics of Arabic to non-native speakers in a number of intensive classes. The workshop is part of the activities for Arabic Language Week, organised by the library in co-operation with the Tomouh Initiative, which targets beginner learners of the language.
On December 27, to mark World Arabic Language Day, the library will host a lecture on 'Arabic language an integral part of our culture', and the efforts of Qatar to enhance a sense of belonging to, pride in and preservation of the language.
The lecture will be conducted by Professor of Arabic Language and Literature at Hamad Bin Khalifa University Dr Basma Ahmad Sidqi Dajani.
On December 29, continuing the activities for Arabic Language Week, the library will host a workshop to highlight the beauty of Arabic words and letters, and how they can be used to create artworks.
Finally, the library invites visitors to join a lecture on December 29, that will take them on a unique linguistic journey with Dr Abdul Salam al-Majidi, Professor of Qur'anic Exegesis and Recitations, who will give insight into the language and eloquent diction of the Holy Qur'an.
The library will continue to host a variety of fun and engaging events in-person and online throughout December.
QNL
