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Only 18 cities in the Eastern Mediterranean region (EMRO) of the World Health Organisation (WHO) have been awarded the “Healthy City” status since the inception of the initiative, and two cities from Qatar are among them in addition to Qatar Foundation's (QF) Education City, an official told *Gulf Times. The Doha and Al Rayyan municipalities were awarded the “Healthy City” designation and the QF’s Education City was designated “Healthy Education City” by the WHO on Sunday. “So far, 103 cities have registered for the title, and only 18 awarded the (status),” Dr Maha El-Adawy, the director of Division of Healthier Population at WHO, EMRO, told *Gulf Times at a press conference. Also present were QF City Operations executive director Hamad Mohamed al-Kuwari, Jaber Hassan al-Jaber from the Ministry of Municipality, and Dr Sadriya al-Kohji, assistant medical director for children and adolescent services at the Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC). “Qatar started the process in 2018 and due to the coronavirus (Covid-19), it got delayed,” Dr El-Adawy noted. “Qatar has come forward with a strong presence with three places – two cities and an educational institution becoming part of the ‘Healthy City’ initiative.” “Generally, the process of evaluation and awarding takes 2-3 years, and Qatar completed it soon despite the Covid-19 challenges,” she added. According to the EMRO official, there are nine different domains to be considered for the title of “Healthy City”, which include community participation and engagement, capacity building, and social and environmental issues. “We make the assessment with the all the stakeholders, government officials, city authorities and others, Dr El-Adawy explained. “We discuss all these aspects and make the assessment which leads to the final external evaluation with people from our office as well as experts from other organisations.” “In these assessments, each city has to achieve 80% of the criteria to be awarded the designation,” she added. “Both the cities in Qatar completed the criteria and scored over 80%. In the case of the Education City, it was much more than 80%, which is very encouraging and positive.” The status of “Healthy City” is valid for three years, after which there will be a reevaluation to make sure that the entire process is continuing. “The cities can add more parameters if they wish. Some cities have requested a five-year validity … we are discussing with them if it can be possible,” Dr El-Adawy said. “The Education City is the second institution in the region to be awarded the title. However, the Education City is much larger, and we have more institutes in the campus and so this can be termed as one of its kind,” she remarked. The PHCC’s Dr al-Kohji said that Qatar aims at getting all the eight municipalities awarded as “Healthy Cities” by the WHO. “From the beginning, the idea came as a project to building healthy cities to reduce the burden of obesity among children in the country,” she said. “It was one of the strategic goals to be achieved.” “We also want to reduce the communicable disease and provide a healthy environment,” Dr al-Kohji added. “We hope that this designation is a big step in that direction. As we have got two cities designated as ‘Healthy City’, we plan to add all the municipalities in the country in the project.”    

There will be three command groups to look after the medical services during the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2022, noted a senior official Saturday. “We have more or less a similar national health strategy for the upcoming FIFA World Cup as in the case of Covid-19 strategy. There will be three tactical command groups to look after the organisation of the whole medical services during the event,” disclosed Dr Muna al-Maslamani, medical director, Communicable Disease Centre, Hamad Medical Corporation. Dr al-Maslamani was speaking at the concluding plenary session of the Qatar Health 2022 and 2nd Qatar Public Health virtual conference on the topic ‘What is the future for mass gatherings, in the post-vaccine world?’ “Of the three groups, one will be looking at the acute service with the hospitalisation and isolation facility: another one will provide the community with quarantine facility as well as track and trace services. The final group will look into the public health information. Moreover, there will be a spokesperson related to FIFA World Cup,” explained Dr al-Maslamani. The other speakers at the panel discussion were Dr Dalia Samouri, WHO; Prof Pierre Carli, France and Dr Kristina Angelo, CDC, Atlanta and the session was moderated by Dr Roberto Bertollini from the Ministry of Public Health. Dr al-Maslamani also spoke about the lessons learnt during the Covid-19 pandemic and how it showed the importance of a proactive approach applied by Qatar during the pandemic. “We started the preparation even before the first case was reported in Qatar.We made all the preparation and in parallel, we also had an emergency plan preparation. Because of this, we got a prompt and efficient response when the crisis hit us. We had a central health command centre for smooth conduct of the process and got it connected with all the ministries and other stakeholders. The same will play an important role during the World Cup as well,” noted the official. Dr Samouri highlighted the need for aligned message and trust for the conduct of mega events. “We need to build trust and provide the right information to counter rumours. We need to build trust and the right message has to go to the public. Therefore we need to educate the public to get the right message from the right source. This will help to deliver the right message at the right time,” said Dr Samouri. She also noted that after the event, there should be a proper understanding of the whole process that has taken place. “We need to understand if we were acting in the right way; whether we were planning the interventions in the right way or did we have the right system. We have a lot of tools that can be used to review the response and review how the mass gathering has taken place. This will help generate the right legacy for the country,” she highlighted. According to Prof Carli, responses from different corners have to be synchronised and right message must be formed. “Medical coordination is an important point for any mass gathering. Communication is another one. There should be more interconnection between communication , services and the medical arrangements. We need to continue to share information among all stakeholders to create a core content of knowledge. It is extremely important to make mass gatherings efficient,” he said. Meanwhile, Dr Angelo focused on the travellers and the need to take them into spotlight as they are the people more affected by pandemics at the outset. “It is very important that we have public health emergency department for the mass gathering programme. Systematic surveillance is very important to contain the spread of any pandemic especially during any mega event. Economic data and the airline data is also crucial to identify new or emerging top destinations and to know more about the specifics of the places,” she added.

Qatar currently has the capacity to test about 2-3% of the population of the country for Covid-19 on a daily basis, as the national healthcare system is more resilient to meet any eventuality, noted a senior official on Friday. “In the beginning we could test only about 1000 people a day. Now it has grown to a capacity of about 70,000 which is about 2-3% of the total population of the country," said Dr Sheikh Mohamed bin Hamd al-Thani, director of Public Health at the Ministry of Public Health. "We can test the whole population within a month if necessary. Similarly, there has been great advancements in various fields as ICU capacity increased threefold. We have trained more people in public health and contact tracing to meet any future situation, making the system more resilient," he explained. Sheikh Mohamed was speaking at a plenary panel on ‘Emerging Stronger from the Pandemic: Building a more resilient system’ on the second day of Qatar Health 2022 and 2nd Qatar Public Health virtual conference. The other members of the panel were Dr Bassem Jarrar, Communicable Disease Centre, Atlanta, US; Prof Bart Haagmans, Erasmus University, New Zealand and Prof Carlos Castillo-Salgado from Johns Hopkins University, US. The session was moderated by Dr Hanan Abdul Rahim, dean of the College of Health Sciences, Qatar University. As for the upcoming World Cup, Sheikh Mohamed said that the healthcare system is well set to provide all the support for the mega event. “Qatar is well prepared and ready for the 2022 World Cup. Resilience is so important in future too as we were very resilient all through the pandemic and we have to be so during the upcoming World Cup. Our lessons from this experience are so important for us to meet any future eventuality and it can help us grow in a better direction,” explained, Sheikh Mohamed. The public health director also pointed out that Qatar has a national health strategy that comes to an end this year. “We are starting a new national health strategy soon. In Qatar investment in health has become well organised, leading to preventive measures and a resilient system. We are part of a global security system in healthcare as world leaders have agreed with transferring of data and other information to get more advanced healthcare. During Covid-19 we have seen the highest number of researches on one disease which is a positive outcome as countries were ready to share information with one another," he remarked. Prof Haagmans noted that resilient health systems are aware of early signals of any emerging diseases and can pick up preventive measures. “Healthcare systems must be ready with early detection systems in place to meet any future eventuality. This will further develop the importance of epidemiology. I also see the need for quick intervention for future outbreaks to develop intervention strategies for vaccines. This can be connected to early detection, epidemiology and the intervention strategies that one should look for,” he said. Prof Salgado noted that the collaborations from the scientists has never been so strong as in these times. "It has been so speedy and the national history of Covid-19 was developed so fast. I hope that the continuation of the collaborations between the nations around the globe will be enhanced. All the knowledge about a disease is very critical for the humanity and that collaboration is totally important,” he pointed out. “Lot of things gives me hope. This gives us a new opportunity to start new programmes to increase the number of people who are trained especially the frontline workers. To pick up the early warning signals, we need the people at grass root levels to be well trained,” concluded, Dr Jarrar.    

* New embassy building site located in Diplomatic Enclave, West Bay HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani and Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on Wednesday jointly unveiled the foundation stone for the new Indian embassy chancery building located in the Diplomatic Enclave, West Bay. HE ambassador Ibrahim Fakhro, director of Protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a number of Qatari officials, Indian ambassador Dr Deepak Mittal and several Indian community members were present on the occasion. HE Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, Dr S Jaishankar and Dr Deepak Mittal at the event Addressing the gathering, Dr Jaishankar said it was great to be a part of the foundation stone-laying ceremony for the Indian embassy’s chancery complex. “Qatar is second home to more than 750,000 Indians and a number of them who have been in Qatar for many years – some of them for about even 50 years -- are here taking part in the function today.” Thanking the Qatari leadership for facilitating the allotment of the land for the new premises, Dr Jaishankar said the participation of HE Sheikh Mohamed in the foundation stone-laying ceremony was a matter of great pride for all Indians in Qatar. “It also represents the growing strength and mutual trust in India-Qatar co-operation. The local Indian community will receive confidence from Qatar government’s affection and commitment to their welfare. I take this opportunity to convey my deepest gratitude to His Highness the Amir and His Highness the Father Amir for their continued support to the thriving Indian community in Qatar,” noted Dr Jaishankar. He also said the India-Qatar diplomatic relations are completing 50 years in 2023. “As India’s relation with Qatar grows from strength to strength, the embassy’s role in nurturing it will expand equally. I am pleased to see a flourishing Indian community in Qatar. Your presence here is a microcosm of India’s diversity and culture. I am impressed by the vibrancy and achievements of the community. I am proud to say that Indian community in Qatar has raised the prestige and reputation of India in this country through their tireless efforts,” he explained. “Your work ethics as well as law-abiding nature has set up high benchmarks. You are also continuing your historical legacy in modern times and providing strength to our bilateral relations. It is my pleasure to dedicate the foundation stone-laying ceremony to the vibrant and hardworking Indian community here in Qatar,” the minister said. He highlighted the efforts of the medical fraternity from the community during Covid-19. “The embassy represents the nation and it is your link with the Government of India. Through our embassies, the government is taking steps to deliver services promptly and more efficiently. We strive to work for the welfare of everyone. I am confident that the new embassy premises in its final form will reflect the new India and serve the community to the fullest,” he added. Dr Jaishankar welcomed the Indian community's enthusiastic participation in the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to mark India’s 75 years of Independence. He also highlighted the Indian government’s measures implemented for the welfare of the Indian community.

Holiday Homes, an initiative of Qatar Tourism, is getting enthusiastic response from the residents as more and more people are keen to rent out their properties. The project provides free of charge licence to individuals to rent out their properties to travellers from all over the world. Several people have got the licence within a very short time and they say that the entire process is very smooth and easy. Mohamed al-Ansari, director of Tourism Licensing, Qatar Tourism said that Qatar offers visitors authentic experiences rooted in service excellence. “With an award-winning hospitality sector, Qatar Tourism added a new offering to the market. The Holiday Homes initiative allows visitors to rent accommodation from local property owners, enabling them to more fully experience the destination,” al-Ansari told Gulf Times. According to al-Ansari, to take part in the initiative, property owners and tenants must apply for a Holiday Homes licence through Qatar Tourism’s corporate website under the e-services section.   He explained: “The properties are certified by Qatar Tourism, which ensures quality standards and safety requirements are met. Once the licence is awarded, homeowners can list their property on popular international websites such as Airbnb, Booking.com, Holidayhomes.com and Vrbo.” “The initiative aims at boosting the visitors’ experience through new accommodation options tailored to those looking for a true authentic experience. At the same time, it provides property owners with the opportunity to utilise unused residential spaces and facilities. As Qatar prepares to welcome the world for FIFA World Cup 2022, we are committed to providing visitors with safe, authentic experiences, that showcase the diversity of our offerings and the warmth of our people,” continued the official. Nishad Azeem, an Indian national, who has received the license to rent out his property said that he received the licence within10 days. “I came to know about the project from Qatar Tourism. It took around 10 days to get the licence. The application was made online and the process was easy and smooth. I have got licence to rent my one bedroom townhouse. Property owners are able to host their properties legally and get endorsement from Qatar Tourism authorities,” Azeem said. “We have registered with Airbnb and booking.com and we look forward to Qatar Tourism website for hosting our property. I will continue to offer the facility even after the World Cup and it is a good project that can boost the real estate business in Qatar,” he remarked. Al- Ansari highlighted that from our award-winning national carrier and airport to our lauded hospitality sector, state-of-the-art metro system, and a wide range of attractions, Qatar offers service excellence along each stage of the visitor journey. “This is complemented by Qatar Tourism’s digital assets, such as the Visit Qatar website and mobile application which features an up-to-date events calendar along with showcasing tourism offerings and 360-degree views of iconic sites around the country. These platforms are already available in multiple languages such as English, Arabic, German, French etc with Russian, Turkish, China to be added soon. The mobile app facilitates exploration of the destination and its offerings, thereby boosting the visitors experience,” he added.    

Avani Vijayakumar, a longtime resident of Qatar and a noted literary figure and social activist among the Indian community, is leaving Qatar for good. Several community organisations in Qatar recently felicitated Vijayakumar for his social and literary contributions. He is set to leave the country by early February. Popularly known as ‘Avani’ among his friends and community members, Vijayakumar reached Qatar in 1996 and has completed 25 years in the country. Prior to his stint in Doha, he spent about two decades in Bahrain. Vijayakumar is well known for his literary works and many of his works have been appreciated by the community in Qatar and back in India. He has written several poems and short stories, which have been published in several periodicals both in Qatar and India. Many of his works have been compiled into a book called ‘Avanikathirukal’ and was published by a leading publishing house in the Indian state of Kerala. Vijayakumar hails from Thakazhi, the birthplace of Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai, a leading Indian writer, who is also popularly known as Thakazhi. He fondly recollects his association with Pillai’s family in his early days and his long relationship with the family members of the writer. Vijayakumar feels that his literary talents were influenced by his association with the great writer in his childhood and young age until he left the country. However, he regrets that the busy work schedule in the Gulf prevented him from becoming a full-fledged writer. Vijayakumar has been working as the divisional manager of Al-Ghorairi & Partners in Qatar. He is associated with many of the leading community organisations such as Kerala Social and Cultural Organisation, Madhyamam Club, Friends Cultural Centre, KMCC Qatar and Pravasi Doha, among others. He is married to Ajitha Vijayakumar and the couple has a daughter, Anitha, and son, Vineeth. Vijayakumar plans to spend his retirement by travelling across India and other places as well as engaging in social and literary activities in his hometown.    

Graduated driver licensing (GDL), improved licensing and training, and improved young driver culture and attitudes are among the 12 recommendations to increase young and novice driver safety in Qatar, according to an article published recently. Published on Qscience.com last week from the 'Journal of Emergency Medicine, Trauma and Acute Care', a peer-reviewed journal, the study highlights that young driver behaviour and safety are key concerns in Qatar, where they are disproportionately represented among road victims and fatalities. QScience.com is the collaborative, peer-reviewed, online publishing platform from Hamad bin Khalifa University Press (HBKU Press). It offers a fast and transparent Open Access scholarly publishing process, which is centred on the author, bringing their research to a global audience. This paper summarises the proceedings of a workshop titled 'Enhancing the Safety of Young and Novice Drivers in Qatar', held as a pre-conference workshop of the 24th World Congress of the International Traffic Medicine Association in Doha. A guided discussion was conducted among a selected multi-sectoral group of 50 stakeholders, representing Law Enforcement, Health, Society and Education, Transport, and Road Safety. Each group discussed the best evidence and local realities of young driver safety in Qatar. Using a modified Delphi approach, key areas were identified and prioritised; consensus recommendations were obtained and summarised The authors, Rafael Consunji, Guillaume Alinier, Aisha Fathi Abeid, Lynda M Murray and Brian Fildes, have complied a dozen recommendations supported by relevant published evidence as well as expert opinion. The article also says these suggestions have been shared with the relevant authorities for future policies. Road traffic injury (RTI) rates have been decreasing steadily since 2006 but are still the leading cause of death for the population of Qatar, from ages 1 to 45 years. Young drivers, defined as less than 30 years of age, have been identified by various researchers as the highest risk population for RTI and motor vehicle crashes in Qatar One key recommendation is GDL, which is designed to provide new drivers with driving experience and skills gradually over time in low-risk environments. GDL appears to be most effective for those who are at initially the highest risk, such as young males and hence it would be a beneficial system to adopt in Qatar. Another recommendation is improved police enforcement with enhanced demerit points for young drivers and drug testing. The article explains, “Police enforcement can be achieved in several passive and active ways. The passive methods are already extensively implemented in Qatar and include fixed and mobile surveillance and speed cameras as well as occasional roadside monitoring by police officers. The active enforcement methods involve interactions between police officers and drivers.” Another major recommendation is improved licensing and training. “There have been several reviews performed evaluating the effectiveness of driver education and training on road safety, most of which show little support to traditional driver training. However, caution should be taken when interpreting these findings as many studies introduce numerous confounding variables by way of design,” says the article. Development and adoption of technology to make vehicles safer is another recommendation. It may include collision prevention technology, driver attention and situational awareness monitoring, as well as engineering or structural design features that protect vehicle passengers and pedestrians by absorbing the force of a collision and minimising passenger compartment intrusion. As for improved young driver culture and attitudes, the article says public education and media initiatives play a crucial role in fostering pro-safety attitudes and reinforcing enforcement practices. "Further research on young driver attitudes and culture-based behaviours along with the effectiveness of legislative, promotional and educational influences will benefit our understanding of the factors associated with young and novice driver crash involvement and risk." Driver fitness to drive with a greater focus on the functional outcome; improved roads and auditing; risk-based insurance; improved data and research; effective punishment; better access to rehabilitation; and alternative transport options are the other recommendations of the study. The article can be read at https://www.qscience.com/content/journals/10.5339/jemtac.2022.4    

The Indian embassy has been awarded a piece of land to build its own building in West Bay, the Indian ambassador said Wednesday. Speaking at the 73rd Republic Day celebrations, Dr Deepak Mittal said: “It is a matter of pride that the Government of Qatar has allocated a plot for us to construct our own embassy building. We hope to complete a spacious embassy building, which is our home away from home in the coming years. We hope to develop it with all the facilities as our new home for every Indian here in Qatar. I look forward to your support and we can have better facilities and bigger capacity to accommodate more fellow citizens to celebrate events such as this.” Dr Mittal told Gulf Times that “we have been allotted the land at the Diplomatic Enclave in West Bay. We have started the process of designing the building. We hope to complete the construction soon and have a permanent structure.” ______________________________ Read Also: Indians mark 73rd Republic Day with patriotic fervour ______________________________ The Indian envoy also said in an effort to involve more community members in the Republic Day and Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations, several activities will be held and as many members and sections of the community in Qatar will join in the celebrations. “We plan to visit maximum number of labour camps possible during the weekends and involve the community members in the celebrations. Depending on the free time of workers and following the Covid protocols, we will visit them and extend the Republic Day celebrations as well as Azadi Ki Amrit Mahotsav.” Dr Mittal also highlighted the efforts of the embassy to reach out to every Indian in Qatar through online platforms. “We have launched the 'India in Qatar' app on Android and iOS platforms so that every Indian can contact the embassy 24/7. This has enabled the community members to get in touch with the embassy at their own convenience and get their grievances or issues solved or redressed. This can help the community to get any of the services of the embassy as well as any other emergency needs. Our effort is to reach back to the persons concerned within 24 hours to consult and solve any issues raised by any Indian national,” he said. “We launched a call centre last year, which is Pravasi Baharatiya Sahayata Kendra here in Qatar. This is available in three languages and our effort this year would be to expand it further to more Indian languages to make it more robust and into 24/7. It will make sure that for any service or assistance we are just a phone call away,” added the ambassador.

The 73rd Republic Day of India was celebrated Wednesday with great enthusiasm and patriotic fervour in Qatar as Indian ambassador Dr Deepak Mittal hoisted the Indian national flag on the embassy premises. << Dr Deepak Mittal hoisting the Indian tricolour In the evening, during a reception at The Ritz-Carlton Doha, Dr Mittal was joined by HE the Minister of Labour Dr Ali bin Saeed bin Smaikh al-Marri and HE the Minister of Municipality Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Subaie in cutting the ceremonial cake. Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Protocol Department director, ambassador Ibrahim Yousif Abdullah Fakhro, was also present on the occasion. Patriotic fervour was palpable at the special event in the morning as a number of community members were present at the embassy early morning, following all the Covid-19 protocols. Several community leaders, including the office-bearers of apex bodies under the Indian embassy, were present. The number of participants at the event was limited and the ceremony was held in hybrid mode with different social media channels of the embassy streaming it online. Following the flag hoisting and rendering of the national anthem, the ambassador read out the message of the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, on the occasion of Republic Day. “It is an occasion to celebrate what is common to us all, our Indian-ness. It was on this day in 1950 that this sacred essence of us all assumed a formal shape. That day, India was established as the largest democratic republic and 'we the people' put into effect a Constitution that is an inspired document of our collective vision. The diversity and vibrancy of our democracy is appreciated world-wide. It is this spirit of unity and of being one nation which is celebrated every year as Republic Day,” the Indian president said in his message. A patriotic song presentation at the embassy event. “Patriotism strengthens the sense of duty among citizens. Whether you are a doctor or a lawyer, a shopkeeper or office-worker, a sanitation employee or a labourer, doing one's duty well and efficiently is the first and foremost contribution you make to the nation,” the president said. Dr Deepak Mittal along with Dr Alpna Mittal cutting a cake to mark the occasion. “India is an ancient civilisation but a young republic. For us, nation-building is a constant endeavour. As in a family, so in a nation; one generation works hard to ensure a better future for the next generation. When we won independence, the exploitation of colonial rule had left us in utter poverty, but in seventy-five years, we have made impressive progress. New opportunities await the next generation. Our youth have taken advantage of these opportunities and set new benchmarks of success,” the message added. A solemn moment during the event. Supplied picture Addressing the gathering, Indian envoy said he was happy to see the community members standing together to face the difficult times of the Covid-19 pandemic. He also appreciated Indian medical practitioners who have worked tirelessly and selflessly to provide all the care possible to needy members of the Indian community. From the cultural programme “I take this opportunity to thank the entire Indian medical fraternity for standing with the community in the most needed times of Covid-19. All the medical professionals have come forward extending support and assistance despite of their busy and tiring schedules. This is very commendable and let me take this opportunity to thank them,” said Dr Mittal. A traditional Indian percussion performance The Indian envoy also offered his gratitude to various apex bodies under the embassy, namely the Indian Cultural Centre, Indian Community Benevolent Forum, Indian Sports Centre and Indian Business and Professionals Council, for their efforts in helping the embassy reach out to the wider Indian community in several of its programmes and initiatives. He highlighted that each organisation has been instrumental in playing out its role in a constructive and befitting manner, which has been well appreciated by the leadership of Qatar. cultural programme at The Ritz-Carlton Doha The Sheraton Doha lit up in the colours of the Indian flag. PICTURES: Shaji Kayamkulam The function was followed by a recital of patriotic songs and other cultural programmes. At the end of the event, ambassador Dr Mittal, along with his wife Dr Alpna Mittal and the presidents of apex bodies, cut a cake to mark the occasion. Iconic Doha landmarks such as the Sheraton Doha, Khalifa International Stadium were lit up in the colours of the Indian national flag to celebrate the occasion. Sports quiz Indian Sports Centre, under the aegis of the embassy of India, will hold a virtual sports quiz titled ‘Inquizzite’ to mark the Indian Republic Day and Azadi Ka Amrit Mahostav tomorrow from 4pm to 6pm. The quiz will be held through the Zoom platform and registration for the programme will close at 10pm Thursday. The registered participants can participate with the Meeting ID, 479.101.9875, while the passcode is isc. The quiz will be conducted by Manzoor Moideen and is open to all. There will be a separate session for students.

An innovative concept in health, Fitness Box, was launched yesterday by Sahtak Awalan – Your Health First in co-operation with the Public Parks Department of the Ministry of Municipality. Sahtak Awalan – Your Health First has been the flagship public health campaign of Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) since 2012. Initially, two venues – Al Rayyan Park (Green Carpet) and Airport Park (Old Airport area) – are hosting sustainable, solar-powered Fitness Box installations crafted from upcycled shipping containers and equipped with giant screens to broadcast free fitness classes led by internationally renowned instructors to the community. The Fitness Box classes are being run from Sunday to Thursday (from 3pm-9pm), on Friday (from 7am-11am and from 3pm-9pm) and on Saturday (from 7am-9pm). More Fitness Box installations will be rolled out at other parks and venues across Qatar, giving more people access to healthy exercise classes. The launch event took place at Al Rayyan Park (Green Carpet) in the presence of a large number of dignitaries, with a live demonstration of the programme. The attendees included Public Parks Department director Mohamed Ali al-Khouri, Al Rayyan Municipality director Jaber Hassan al-Jaber, Public Parks Department assistant director Mohamed Ibrahim al-Sada, ExxonMobil Qatar vice-president and government affairs director Saleh al-Mana, Al Rayyan Municipality services affairs director Rashid Hamad al-Marri, Al Rayyan Municipality head of the Gardens Section Saleh Saad Alnabit, and WCM-Q dean Dr Javaid Sheikh. Speaking to *Gulf Times, Dr Sheikh said: “This is another project to help transform the health and wellness of the population of Qatar and make it a role model for the rest of the world.” “We are planning to replicate this project in other parks and it is already available in the Old Airport Park,” he said. “We will launch it in Qatar Foundation next week and are planning for a quite few places in the coming days.” “This facility offers everyone to get health tips for free,” Dr Shaikh added. “There will be video lessons in fitness, and all these venues are accessible to all the population. They can engage in the activities according to their convenience." The Fitness Box provides free exercise workouts, and the locations in parks provide a safe open-air space that allows participants to maintain social distancing while watching the fitness instructors on the giant screen. Each fitness class has been designed by popular fitness instructors according to criteria set out by Your Health First, with a focus on accessibility for all members of the community, no matter their age or fitness level. Classes are offered in three languages – English, Arabic and Urdu – to further enhance accessibility. Nesreen al-Rifai, chief external affairs and development officer at WCM-Q, said: “We know that Qatar places a very high priority on empowering the future generation to stay fit and healthy so they can contribute to Qatar’s amazing national journey as they grow older.” “With the Fitness Box, we are bringing opportunities for exercise and inspiration directly to the community, giving everyone the chance to come together to enjoy keeping fit in a sustainable way,” she added. Public Parks Department director al-Khouri said: “This collaboration with Sahtak Awalan – Your Health First is part of our recognition of the importance of social responsibility in which all efforts are united toward Qatar National Vision 2030.” “This excellent initiative supports the Ministry of Municipality’s goals to collaborate with health and sports entities to develop the entertainment areas at the public parks in order to encourage park visitors from all different age groups to exercise,” he added. “We are extremely proud and pleased to be part of this very important initiative that will allow our beautiful Al Rayyan Park to support the health of the community by hosting the Fitness Box,” Al Rayyan Municipality director al-Jaber said. “Giving people of all ages the opportunity to exercise in the fresh air and healthful surroundings of Al Rayyan Park will make a wonderful contribution to making Al Rayyan a healthy city and, therefore, will help us achieve the goals set out in Qatar National Vision 2030.” Sahtak Awalan – Your Health First is supported by its strategic partners: Qatar Foundation, the Ministry of Public Health, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, the Ministry of Municipality, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, and ExxonMobil Qatar.    

*Held under the slogan 'Knowledge is Light', DIBF featured literary works of local, regional, and international authors and publishers from 37 countries *US embassy participated as guest of honour marking the conclusion of the Qatar –US Year of Culture 2021 Doha International Book Fair (DIBF) 2022, held under the patronage of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, came to a conclusion Saturday at Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre with great participation from the general public despite strict Covid-19 restrictions. Held under the slogan 'Knowledge is Light', DIBF featured literary works of local, regional, and internationally-renowned authors and publishers from 37 countries across the globe. Organised by the Ministry of Culture's Qatar Cultural and Heritage Events Centre, the fair was opened on January 13. Nine embassies participated in the book fair while the US embassy participated as the guest of honour marking the conclusion of the Qatar –US Year of Culture 2021. Visitors were allowed only up to 30% capacity of the venue due strict implementation of the Covid-19 protocols and children under 12 were allowed entry to the venue only midway through the book fair. Only people with green Ehtheraz status were allowed inside the venue. Despite all the restrictions, participation from the public was very encouraging and the last days of the book fair witnessed longer queues. Launched in 1972, Doha International Book Fair marks its 50th anniversary this year, affirming Qatar's cultural leadership and its continuous efforts in spreading culture and knowledge. The pavilions of the book fair were uniquely designed, allowing 430 publishers, as well as 90 indirect agencies to Arab and foreign publishers to display their scientific treasures. All these made visiting the exhibition a real opportunity to learn about everything new in the world of creativity, literature and science. Speaking to Gulf Times, Khalid al-Sayed, manager of Katara Publishing House and the head of Culture and Events at Katara, said that the current book fair was a very special one for several reasons. “This year is very special for the book fair. This is the 50th year of the first book fair in Qatar. Doha International Book Fair is the oldest book fair in the Gulf countries. It is also special that this year a large number of publishers from 37 countries took part in the fair,” noted al-Sayed. One major feature of DIBF-2022 was the seminars and other workshops which not only discussed the books-related subjects but also several broader and current topics such as Covid-19 and new cultural developments in the Gulf landscape among other interesting topics. The book fair also witnessed the release of a number of interesting and highly anticipated books as well as the release of some of the translations of leading international books. Apart from books, the DIBF-2022 also hosted several sections for visitors to explore such as the Children's Creators Garden, Akkas Centre, Youth Hobbies Centre, and the Visual Arts Centre, among others. The fair also witnessed a large participation at the Gulf and Arab level, such as the participation of the GCC General Secretariat, the Ministry of Heritage and Culture of Oman, the Sharjah Book Authority, in addition to the ministries of culture of Morocco, Algeria, Sudan and Egypt, and distinguished participation of foreign publishing houses, mainly from the United States. PICTURES: Thajudheen The visitors were also very enthusiastic about the book fair as they got an opportunity to explore through some of the latest releases as well as many interesting titles. “It was a great experience to visit the Doha International Book Fair. I have been a regular visitor to the book fair over the years. It has once again been fantastic with the presence of a large number of publishers from so many countries,” added a longtime resident.

Three separate booths at the 31st Doha International Book Fair (DIBF) 2022, which concludes today, is showcasing the creations of a number of artists in Qatar highlighting the country's culture, environment among others. “We have three booths to display the artworks. At one booth, we have live paintings by artists while at the other one we have display of the works of more than 15 artists and at the third booth there are digital art works,” Fahd al-Maadeed, head of the Fine Art pavilion told Gulf Times. Qatari artist Dana al-Safar, engaged in a painting at the venue DIBF-2022, held under the slogan 'Knowledge is Light', features literary works of local, regional, and internationally-renowned authors and publishers from 37 countries across the globe. Organised by the Ministry of Culture's Qatar Cultural and Heritage Events Centre, the fair opened on January 13. Nine embassies are participating, while the US embassy is the guest of honour. Al-Maadeed said that all the works presented at the event display various aspects of life in Qatar. Qatari artist Fahd al-Maadeed at one of the art booths at DIBF-2022. PICTURE: Shaji Kayamkulam “All the paintings display different facts about Qatar, its heritage, society, culture, environment and beyond. The artists have painted His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and His Highness the Father Amir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani. We have also paintings about the book fair and the message convey by it,” explained al-Maadeed. The book fair has witnessed very strong participation from the general public. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, visitors are allowed only up to 30% capacity of the venue. However, large number of people had lined up at different booths to buy books as well as to have a glance of the latest books on display. A set of paintings "Different types of artworks are on display at our booths. The paintings include acrylate, oil colour, charcoal, pencil drawingamong others. We hope to add calligraphy works too in future. All these are works by Qatari artists as well as by some other artists who are born in Qatar,” said al-Maadeed. The paintings displayed at the fair are also for sale and the prices start from QR300. “The paintings at our booths are for sale and about 10 paintings are sold daily. Many of these paintings are also given as a gift to friends and relatives and it has become a culture,” noted al-Maadeed. A Qatari artist, Dana al-Safar, engaged in live painting at the booth said she tries to finish as many as possible."So far I have finished a few paintings. I also conduct painting workshops and I have a large number of followers on my Instagram account,” added al-Safar.

The Arab Centre for Research and Policy Studies is showcasing about 700 of its publications at the ongoing Doha International Book Fair (DIBF) 2022. “We have produced over 700 titles during the last decade, averaging about 70 books per year. Our books are academic productions mainly focusing on humanitarian aspects, media, economy, psychology, culture, politics, and philosophy among others. We produce high quality productions with top standards,” Mohamed Ibrahim, from the Arab Centre for Research and Policy Studies told Gulf Times. DIBF-2022, held under the slogan 'Knowledge is Light', features literary works of local, regional, and internationally-renowned authors and publishers from 37 countries across the globe. Organised by the Ministry of Culture's Qatar Cultural and Heritage Events Centre, the fair will conclude tomorrow (Saturday). "The Arab Centre for Research and Policy Studies has many projects and is working with many organisations. We have a project called Arab Index which is the largest index in the Middle East with surveys on different parameters. It also takes into consideration, social, political economic aspects of the Arab World and we are highlighting the Arab World to the rest of the world,” explained Ibrahim. Headquartered in Qatar, the Arab Centre has branches in eight countries including, the US, France, the UK, Jordan, Lebanon, Spain among others. “We are focusing on the Middle East, West Asia and North Africa. We also hold conferences on several continents and countries, including Asia, Europe, America, China, India among others. We highlight the Arab World and various topics related to it. At the same time we also discuss matters related to other countries. All our books are in Arabic, except one book by the director of our centre which is translated into English,” added Ibrahim.    

The embassies of Indonesia and Kyrgyzstan are highlighting various facets of their countries at the ongoing Doha International Book Fair ( DIBF) 2022. Held under the slogan 'Knowledge is Light', DIBF-2022 features literary works of local, regional, and internationally-renowned authors and publishers from 37 countries across the globe. Organised by the Ministry of Culture's Qatar Cultural and Heritage Events Centre, the fair will conclude on January 22. Nine embassies are participating in the event. Faisal Fouzan from the Indonesian embassy said the mission is showcasing an array of books covering a number of topics. Some of the books at the Indonesian embassy booth “We have a large number of books in different fields. We have books for kids, novels, books on politics, culture, history, sports as well as cooking. We have also a number of religious books on Islam. Some of our books give detailed account about visiting Indonesia. We have tourist maps as well as books on various tourist attractions of the country,” explained, Fouzan. Indonesian embassy highlights the country's culture and lifestyle “As a country with the largest Muslim Population, we have a number of books by Muslim scholars. We have many of them translated into Arabic and displayed here. We are also highlighting some of the works of the best writers of our country,” he continued. Fouzan said the Indonesian embassy works in collaboration with the Indonesian association of book publishers that was supposed to attend the event but could not make it due to Covid-19. Chinghiz Torekulovich Aitmatov's collections at Kyrgyzstan embassy booth “We are also showcasing Indonesian diversity. We have some books that give details of all the 30 provinces of Indonesia. We are also highlighting the topography and the best spots of attraction in our country. We have also the tourist maps for the people to explore the country. We hope to promote Indonesia as a tourist destination as many of the books give a vivid portrayal of the country,” he added. Indonesian embassy representatives at the embassy booth There is also a book at the book by the Indonesian diaspora in Qatar that gives all the details of the Indonesian expatriates in the country and their fields of engagement. Currently there are around 17000 in Qatar. Meanwhile, Baktybek uulu Edilbek, third secretary at the Kyrgyztan Embassy noted that it was the third time the embassy is taking part in the book fair. “This year, we are highlighting the books by Chinghiz Torekulovich Aitmatov, one of the most popular writers from Kyrgyzstan. He is a world famous writer. Many of his works are are translated into Arabic and are on display here,” said Edilbek. “ His works have been translated into over 150 languages. He writes fiction as well as on several other topics. Many of his works show the life during the Soviet Union times,” added the official.

*Our relations with Qatar are very strong and this is exhibited at the book fair too: US diplomat * USA guest of honour at the Doha International Book Fair  * Several events to celebrate 2022, the 50th year of Qatar-US diplomatic relations   The United States Embassy booth at the Doha International Book Fair ( DIBF) 2022 has 7,000 books as well as 3,000 other resources, an official from the embassy told Gulf Times. “We have a record inventory of over 7,000 books for purchase at discounted prices. In addition we have another 3,000 free resources for people who want to study and learn about the United States. Altogether we have more than 10,000 books at the book fair this year,” said Morgan Cassell, US diplomat /press attaché, US embassy. Cassell also disclosed that the year 2022 marks the 50th year of Qatar US diplomatic relations. “The whole year is exciting for us as we have several events to celebrate the milestone. There will be frequent events all through the year and many plans are in the pipeline to celebrate the occasion,” she said. As for the participation in the book fair, she said that it is a celebration of American literature and culture. "The book categories by renowned American authors include everything from children’s books to best sellers. We are the guest of honour at the Doha International Book Fair as the Qatar- US Year of Culture 2021 is coming to an end here in Qatar and the US,” she continued. The official said that the focus of the US booth at the book fair is on education, literacy and space exploration. “We have a long history of several successful space explorations in the US. We really encourage study of science and technology. Our booth is designed by a celebrated Arab-American designer Christina Khater, with a futuristic design showcasing how literacy and learning are key tools for innovation and enabling humanity to reach its highest potential. We are showcasing women empowerment, science and technology and the strength of our relationship with Qatar at the event,” explained, Cassell. She said that books on display at the booth range from fiction to biographies and other best sellers. “We have collections from some of the most renowned American authors including Asian Americans, Arab Americans, African Americans and others, a wide section of authors that the US has to offer. We have a true diverse collection of books. Though all the books are in English, we have books that discuss Arab culture, learning about Islam and several aspects of Arab heritage and traditions,” noted the official. As for Qatar-US Year of Culture-2021, the press attache said that the programme has shown the strength of the relationship between both the countries. She commented: “We have showcased Qatar all the way from New York to Los Angles and other cities in the US. Here in Qatar, we have had several events ranging from fashion to music, culture, culinary experience, information on education in the US among others. So we are constantly renewing and revitalising our ties with Qatar on many fronts. Our relations with Qatar are very strong and this is also exhibited in the book fair too.” "We are very proud to be the guest of honour at this prestigious event. Language and literacy is something that we hold very important. The values that we share with our Qatari partners are language, literacy and education. We are here to encourage and instill these values among the young readers and all others," added Cassell. ************ Children allowed from today evening Children under 12 will be allowed to attend the 31st Doha International Book Fair (DIBF) from today until it concludes on January 22, from 4pm to 9pm, according to information available on the DIBF 2022 website. This will be done while taking all necessary measures to ensure their safety, the Ministry of Culture said in a related statement on social media yesterday.    

Qatar Career Development Centre (QCDC), will hold the Career Guidance Stakeholders 2022 event today aiming to enhance comprehensive career guidance services with career guidance services at all levels of schools and to include people with special needs. “Our main desire is for the stakeholders to continue embracing the platform as a viable national networking and synergy building mechanism that can position career guidance in Qatar in its’ rightful place," Effrosyni Parampota, senior career programmes & Services Officer at QCDC told, Gulf Times. "Through this collaborative process, we want to further promote working on both key operational and strategic issues aligned with the QNV pillar on human capital development in the country,” she explained. “We want to capitalise on the experiences to strengthen career guidance services through multiple channels, streamline, and strengthen the provision of career guidance in schools that are currently limited to high school settings to both primary and secondary level. This also includes people with special needs who often complete their secondary education without adequate career management skills and deal with many challenges,” said Parampota. The official also said that by collecting evidence to address skills’ gaps and emergent future demands, QCDC hopes to boost the employability of higher education graduates who have been adversely affected by the pandemic, as well as support adult workforce transitioning and upskilling. With the theme, “Accelerating Human Capital Development through Career Guidance under the QNV2030,” the event aims to foster a much-needed dialogue among the stakeholders and to accelerate the human capital development process towards 2030 goals. “Special attention is paid also to people with special needs, their transition from secondary education, and how to encourage employers to create more inclusive workplaces. For this Focus Group we are fortunate to join hands with other international experts like Prof Stephen Shore, who is an acclaimed advocate for neurodiversity and autism globally,” the official said. Parampota said that based on the summary of recommendations produced in 2018, QCDC gained a new focus on developing impactful projects, producing literature based on research, and fostering strategic partnerships locally and abroad. “We developed a comprehensive national approach plan, that includes a set of national level projects, such as the National Career Guidance Framework and a Qualification Programme for Career Practitioners in collaboration with an international educational consortium. We accelerated the efforts to upskill local practitioners through an international course that has been contextualised to fit the local socioeconomic context and benchmark their skills against international standards,” she said. Meanwhile, Max Tunon, head of the ILO Office in Doha, said that as echoed recently by the Shura Council, there is a need to link education outputs to the needs of the labour market to facilitate a successful and equitable transition into the labour market. “Career guidance can also contribute to the structural transformation of the Qatari economy, including by facilitating the transition of Qatari nationals into the private sector, and promoting innovation and diversification. Guidance promotes the development of a more adaptative and resilient workforce, which can result in competitive gains for enterprises,” Tunon said. He commented that career guidance services and activities help people identify and seize training and job opportunities in line with interests and personal goals. “The provision of career guidance and employment services is one of the primary active labour market policies a government can adopt. To be effective, services must be human-centered and also take into account the evolving needs of the labour market, the availability of training institutions, and the broader national economic objectives,” he said. The ILO official also said that career guidance should assist individuals of any age and at any point throughout their lives in making educational, training and occupational choices. “Youth can be supported in choosing a profession that responds to existing and future skills needs in the economy, and to be autonomous in managing their careers. Higher education students can be supported in developing job-relevant skillsets and establishing contacts in the labour market. In line with the national strategy to increase female labour force participation, options for young women can be diversified, including in professions that have traditionally been male-dominated,” he added.    

Katara Publishing House is displaying over 60 new books at the ongoing Doha International Book Fair ( DIBF) 2022 at Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre. “Every year, we participate in the Doha International Book Fair. Katara Publishing House has different subjects and topics for its books. We are focusing on fiction mainly and there are more than 40 novels this time. In total, we have more than 60 new books on display at the fair,” Khalid al-Sayed, manager of Katara Publishing House and the head of Culture and Events at Katara, told Gulf Times. “Most of these fictional works were books submitted for Katara Publishing House's competition for novels. We give very attractive prizes for novels, with QR640,000 in total in various categories. We have books in Arabic, English and French,” al-Sayed added. According to al-Sayed, Katara Publishing House releases more than 40 books a year. “We also have books related to Qatar, heritage, culture, poems and several other subjects. Our books give a vivid portrayal of the subject they cover and highlight all the relevant facts in detail,” he noted. The official also said the current book fair is a special one for several reasons. “This year is very special for the book fair. This is the 50th year of the first book fair in Qatar. Doha International Book Fair is the oldest book fair in the Gulf countries. It is also special that this year around 400 publishers from 37 countries are taking part in the fair,” al-Sayed added. He said the real strength of this year’s book fair is the conferences and lectures that are being held along with the event. “We have a number of side activities at the book fair. The lectures and seminars at the fair provide great knowledge about various aspects of Arab culture and other topics to the participants. There are also several side events at the book fair that add more value to the event,” he added.    

Qatar National Library (QNL) has so far digitised more than 13mn pages in its digitisation project as the library is highlighting the process of converting information from a physical format into a digital one at the ongoing Doha International Book Fair 2022, a top official of QNL told Gulf Times. HE Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad bin Jassim bin Hamad al- Thani, Minister of Culture, attending a seminar at DIBF 2022. PICTURES Thajudheen “So far we have digitised more than 13mn pages and aim to continue this process to make Arab history accessible to the world. The pages include some of the rarest and most valuable manuscripts, printed books, maps, photographs and photo albums among others. The digitised items also include recent and modern documents and books from the mid-20th century,” disclosed Tan Huism, executive director, QNL at the book fair that is currently taking place at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre. Huism stated that QNL will be focusing on the Heritage Library and related activities at the ongoing book fair. Tan Huism, QNL director “Most people think of our library as a place to borrow and refer books, but we are also the guardian of Qatar’s and the region’s documentary heritage and hence want to give visitors a sneak peek into the effort that is being put by our staff behind the scenes.” According to Huism, the digitisation of the collection has two main purposes. “Just like libraries all around the world, we digitise the copies for preservation and want to make it accessible to everyone around the world. We have installed some of the best cutting-edge technologies in the library like 3D photography, to scan larger objects such as globes. The advanced equipment enables readers to view the objects very closely and explore the minutest details,” she pointed out. Alenka Blatnik at the digitisation machine in the QNL pavilion According to Alenka Blatnik, digitisation support technician at QNL, digitising a book involves many steps. "We ensure the copyrights and physical assessment check is completed before proceeding with the scanning process. After producing digital images, we ensure it goes through a stringent quality control protocol before processing . This process is optimised by a second level of quality control checks to ensure best results. Completed digital images finally go through Optical Digital Recognition (OCR) process that makes text searchable and editable by other word processing applications. We can use OCR for multiple languages including Arabic, Latin and ancient text as well," she explained. QNL booth at the DIBF 2022 QNL is an integral part of the 31st Doha International Book Fair, hosting activities and demonstrations that align with its 2022 theme “Knowledge is Light”. QNL has been taking part in the Doha International Book Fair since its inception to highlight its activities as well as the benefits of its membership and highlight the other activities of the library. A visitor going through the book collections at the DIBF 2022