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A panel discussion at the Global Security Forum( GSF) 2023 that got underway at Sheraton Doha yesterday explored the implications arising out of the Ukrain War.Titled ‘War in Ukraine: Impacts & Implications’ the discussion provided insights into what is currently happening at the warfront. The session reflected on the current state and future prospects of the ongoing war in Ukraine. In addition to the traditional military dimensions of the conflict, participants also discussed the role and impact of various state and non-state actors and the implications for global security.The participants at the session were: Ambassador Nathan Sales, senior fellow, the Soufan Centre; Dr Bilyana Lilly, chair of the Resilience Track, Warsaw Security Forum and Dr Kacper Rekawek, postdoctoral fellow, University of Oslo Centre for Research on Extremism. The session was moderated by Jason Blazakis, senior research fellow at the Soufan Centre.Ambassador Sales pointed that it is critical to defend Ukraine otherwise it could lead to many other areas. He said: “What happens in Ukraine will not stop there. But it is also critical to remind people why and how this war is critical to defending their own values and interests.”“ It is a war waged on the cyber world so fiercely. Russia has been targeting the supporters of Ukraine with cyber-attacks and phishing. Russia has increased its social media presence over the last one year through several social media handles in a number of languages,” explained, Dr Lilly."Phishing campaigns against NATO members supporting Ukraine have increased by 300%, which shows the vast activity that has been happening in cyberspace,” she added.According to Rekawek, there’s a huge community of humanitarians who provide all sorts of staff for Ukrainian frontline. He noted that the war if prolonged, could be far more problematic.“The longer the war goes on in Ukraine, the greater the risk of certain movements within Russia, where far-right groups dissatisfied with progress on the frontlines are likely to foment more violence and instability,” he added.

Several tests have been conducted as part of a study at Qatar Foundation’s (QF) Education City to continue making the place more sustainable and reduce carbon reduction, which later can be applied at the national level, revealed a top official."The advantage of Education City is that it is large place where we can conduct many experiments and the results can be applied in Qatar as a whole," Dr Gonzalo Castro de la Mata, executive director of Earthna Centre, a QF initiative, told the media recently."We have measured the carbon footprint in Education City. Now we know where the carbon is emitted and how to develop a strategy to lower the carbon emissions. We have the methodology and then we have the strategies to reduce the carbon emission.“We have identified the sources of carbon emission and what can be done about it. One of the areas of focus is efficiency of the buildings. So the buildings have to be well insulated. Another important area is lights that automatically go off. So installing those types of sensors is important and many of the buildings have that and we have to install them at places where such facility is not done already.“Another area is water. When you desalinate water, a lot of carbon dioxide is emitted because of the use of energy. Therefore, you need to conserve water to reduce emissions. Some people don’t think about water as a source of emissions. But in a country where water comes from desalination primarily, then of course you should consider it as source of emission,” continued the official."We have a strategy to continue making Education City more sustainable including the livability of the city, allowing people to walk with shade and introducing solar panels to provide shade and to generate electricity. Landscaping is one of the areas we are going to move forward and of course some green rooftops too. Then we are planning to have some pilots and after that we can apply it to Doha as a whole,” added Dr Castro de la Mata.

A Qatar-based study has advocated a family-centred care approach to support hospitalised children, their families, and the healthcare provision team in the delivery of paediatric psychosocial care.The study published on qscience.com suggests for improvements to be made in four main arenas concerning Qatar’s paediatric psychosocial care provision using a family-centred perspective.The article by Heba al-Fara from the Doha International Family Institute notes the four main areas as: education and training; healthcare environment; financial support and advocacy and future research and audits.“If improvements are made to these four main areas, Qatar’s paediatric psychosocial care programme would more effectively cater to evidence-based child and family-friendly approaches,” says the study.Considering the lack of data available on paediatric psychosocial care in Qatar as the main limitation, the author claims the study as a stepping stone toward future research on the topic.According to the study, life-threatening child sicknesses and related admission to hospitals are serious family dilemmas that may have undesired consequences for all family members. It points that the basic objective of paediatric psychosocial welfare is to advocate for the well-being of families and their members, to strengthen their adaptive skills in difficult medical situations, and to better their general quality of life.“Familial partings, shifting daily schedules, necessary frightening medical operations, alarming concerns about a minor’s future well-being, and overall familial welfare are possible sources of tension. As such, paediatric psychosocial care approaches are used more and more to advocate for family and child strength and durability during health scenarios and to improve the overall well-being of children impacted by fatal medical situations,” the article noted.As per the article, if better education and training services are provided to families, child patients, and their families’ experiences in the hospital would be improved, bettering child patients’ recovery and their families’ resilience which would better align the practitioner–patient–family connections.Next if the physical characteristics of the hospital setting were more visibly catered to children using colours and ease of access, as well as providing the necessary resources to provide effective care, the recovery of child patients and their family comfort levels would be improved.Furthermore, the study argues that if sufficient financial resources were included in hospital budgets for paediatric psychosocial care services to fill the gaps in healthcare services, such as translation services, child patients and their families would have ease of communication with hospital staff and better access to information.Lastly, if further research is provided on the experiences of child patients, their families, and hospital staff, miscommunication and ineffective service delivery would be mitigated which would offer an opportunity to build their connections within the highly stressful environment of paediatric psychosocial care.The article has also outlined the need for a family-focused care lens on pediatric psychosocial support in Qatar. Using secondary sources, this article advocates a family-centered care approach to support hospitalised children, their families, and the healthcare provision team in the delivery of paediatric psychosocial care.The article suggests that if the policy recommendations are applied properly, these would help Qatar’s paediatric psychosocial care programme to more effectively cater to evidence-based child and family-friendly approaches.

Qatar Foundation (QF) Chairperson Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser attended on Wednesday the opening of the inaugural Earthna Summit 2023 which focuses on hot and arid environments and blending today’s expertise with indigenous knowledge to identify climate solutions.Speakers at the summit, hosted by QF’s Earthna Centre for a Sustainable Future, included world renowned primatologist and anthropologist Dr Jane Goodall, QF Vice Chairperson and CEO HE Sheikha Hind bint Hamad al-Thani, HE the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Sheikh Dr Faleh bin Nasser bin Ahmed bin Ali al-Thani, Zambia's President Hakainde Hichilema, Sierra Leone President Dr Julius Maada, and Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland.Dr Goodall closed the first day of the summit with a discussion about biodiversity, ecosystems and values. The two-day summit is taking place at Msheireb Downtown Doha.Addressing the opening ceremony, HE Sheikha Hind, said: “At this inaugural Earthna Summit, we have deliberately placed a significant emphasis on exploring indigenous practices, in search of the fountains of accumulated wisdom tucked away in ordinary places. The purpose of seeking out indigenous wisdom is for us to discern and choose wisely that which resonates in our local environment, so that we may adopt simple whole solutions instead of complicating things. And so that, when we adopt new policies, we can attack the root causes of our modern issues, instead of getting lost in the branches.”HE Sheikh Dr Faleh noted that the Earthna Summit 2023 will provide an opportunity to build a community of environmental stakeholders that will contribute to shaping the future of sustainability in hot and dry regions.“The Summit provides us with a platform to highlight hot and dry countries that are often absent from global discussions related to climate change. It will also focus on the unique challenges faced by these countries with difficult weather conditions. And these are the challenges that Qatar is committed to addressing, and sharing the best solutions and practices on how to overcome them with neighbouring countries and other countries of the world,” explained the minister.The theme of the summit, 'Building New Sustainability Pathways for Hot and Arid Environments', brings together sustainability experts and policymakers including indigenous peoples to learn from each other and exchange knowledge. The event aims to renew focus on examining ancestral solutions to climate challenges and how these may support current plans for advancing sustainability.The Earthna Summit aims to make hot and arid environments – such as Qatar’s – more prominent in the global conversation by highlighting the critical adaptation needs of countries with such climates, and exploring options as the world moves towards energy transition.Earthna is hosting a variety of sessions, workshops and panel discussions based on themes of food and security adaptation; climate change and energy transition; resilient cities; and biodiversity.Throughout the summit, members of the public can visit the ‘Earthna Village’ at Barahat Msheireb, a sustainability-focused exhibition showcasing indigenous and sustainable practices. The agora section of the Earthna Village is hosting practitioners for short, interactive discussions with the audience about their exhibits.

Well known British primatologist and anthropologist, Dr Jane Goodall has commended Qatar’s conservation efforts and hopes that her initiative, 'Roots & Shoots' global youth programme will take off in Qatar.“Everywhere I go, I try to introduce the Roots & Shoots programme. That's why it's growing around the world. And I certainly hope, after my visit here, that the programme will take off in Qatar,” said, Dr Goodall, who is in town for the ongoing Earthna Summit 2023.“While I’ve been in Qatar, I went to see the sanctuary of the Oryx conservation programme. And there's no question that, in Qatar and the Gulf states, there have been major conservation efforts for the different animals in the region, and areas set aside for them,” Dr Goodall highlighted.The renowned primatologist is considered the world's foremost expert on chimpanzees, after 60 years studying the social and family interactions of wild chimpanzees.“There is a new awareness forming of the fact that driving motor vehicles across the desert is tremendously damaging to the very delicate desert ecosystem. I believe that, as in other parts of the world, the Gulf states are beginning to treasure and preserve their environment,” she continued.Dr Goodall noted that in different countries, sustainability can be introduced into the school curriculum in different ways, because the challenges each country faces are different. “In some schools where you find wealthy pupils, they can impose some standards about sustainability, which wouldn't be possible if you're in a very poor school, where the children come from sometimes broken or abusive homes. For them, the concept of sustainability will definitely be different, and different standards will have to apply,” she explained.The renowned primatologist feels that it is important for everybody to realise that all the problems faced today are interconnected. “The more disciplines we bring together, the more we will think about the effect of one solution on a different part of the issue, which will bring us better results. Too often, you solve one problem, but if you're not thinking of the whole picture, you're not realising you've created a problem in another area. So we need different disciplines to work together,” she pointed out.She also highlighted that one of the main goals of the Roots & Shoots programme is to reconnect people with the natural world, and specifically children to provide a real connection with the natural world.“Introducing organic gardening into schools to grow organic food, planting butterfly gardens, taking children out so that they can explore, are all important in igniting children’s curiosity towards nature. Young children absolutely love exploring earth, they love watching plants grow. And if you get them really young, they will always have that desire to be spending time out in the natural world,” added the legend.

Speakers at a panel discussion during the inaugural Earthna Summit on Wednesday highlighted the importance of traditional knowledge and indigenous practices to be incorporated in modern day practices and the need for them to be shared among different countries.Addressing a session titled ‘Global Challenges to Food Security: Indigenous Knowledge Systems and their Applications’, they noted that food security is rather a global issue and it needs to be addressed with serious urgency.The speakers also noted that countries need to balance advancements in technology with respect for “old knowledge” to tackle food security challenges that risk escalating global instability.President of Zambia Hakainde Hichilema, President of Sierra Leone Julius Maada Bio, Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland and UPL global CEO Jai Shroff were the members of the panel moderated by Dr Zeinab Bashir Elbakri, former vice president and international development expert, African Development Bank.Hichilema told delegates that the world cannot afford to “discount” traditional agricultural methods, and that the knowledge of the past should be woven into the framing of modern policies.“Our people knew how to manage land and read the weather, whether it would be a flood year or a drought was coming, which crops would survive in semi-arid areas,” he said. “In our modern quest to produce more food and tackle the risks of climate change, we need to make space for this knowledge, and then we can adapt that history and heritage and apply our modern technology and volumes of production.”“Food security is national security, it is regional, continental, and global security, and without it we are courting instability the world does not need,” he highlighted.Dr Maada highlighted that many of the indigenous methods of agriculture retain value. “But we have forgotten or neglected this, or used new technologies which can destroy such methods.Technology can help us leapfrog to a situation where we produce huge sums of agricultural products without polluting our environment, but we also need to preserve indigenous methods,” he explained.According to Scotland, one example of indigenous knowledge being revived to address today’s food security challenges is the ancient wells in Sri Lanka that irrigate land in times of drought.“In our modern arrogance, we had perhaps disregarded what indigenous people knew for many years,” she said. “This is a real moment for us to show respect for our old knowledge as well as respect for the new. Old knowledge can inform how we develop technologically, and allow us to take advantage of our history and future in a way that melds better for everyone.”Meanwhile, Shroff, stressed the importance of “farmer resilience”, saying: “There is no food security without resilient farmers – there is no way they will be able to feed the world if they cannot feed their families.”At the Earthna Summit, government representatives, QF’s Earthna Centre for a Sustainable Future, and other partners confirmed a renewed commitment to strengthening food production, storage, and supply chains across the developing world. They announced plans to develop a dedicated food security programme to improve food-system resilience between producing and importing countries in Africa, India, and Latin America.Summing up the major topics of discussion, Elbakri highlighted there is an urgency that has to be maintained. "We should understand that food security is not at national level but a global level issue that needs to be taken care of for global security. We can’t afford to mess it up.“The traditional values and indigenous practices which are really helpful have to be shared among different countries. They should also be digitalised so that it can be accessed at all levels across the globe. We must also make a distinction about what works and what does not and there should be international cooperation in these aspects,” she added.

International Trade Centre (ITC) launched the LDC Trade Report 2023: Improving Food Security Monday during the Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5).At a press conference, ITC officials said that trade can increase the availability and affordability of food in least developed countries where more than 60% of people deal with food insecurity – twice as much as in developing countries, and six times as much as in developed countries.In the context of increasing global instabilities, the new report by ITC and UNOHRLLS, the lead United Nations agency supporting least developed countries highlights trade policy options to help them work towards sustainable, trade-led development, in the face of crises.ITC executive director Pamela Coke-Hamilton explained that least developed countries continue to depend on commodity exports almost twice as much as other developing countries, and they continue to be more vulnerable to global instabilities."We as the global community have to do more, and we have to do better. This joint report highlights concrete policy actions we can take to make a difference for them,” she said.Heidi Schroderus Fox, executive secretary LDC5 conference and Julia Spies from ITC were present at the event. The report highlights two main groups of trade policies to help least developed countries strengthen their resilience: improving market access for food imports and tapping into alternative sources of food supplies.The reports suggests that trade, if well-managed, can be a tool to tackle the root causes of obstacles holding least developed countries back. Investing in building the capacity of small businesses – which make up 95% of jobs in LDCs to sell in regional and international markets that can drive trade-led development.According to the report, the least developed countries currently impose a 17% tariff on food imports, while developing and developed countries levy 15% and 8%, respectively. ITC surveys in 17 least developed countries from 2010-2022 show that regulatory and procedural obstacles can complicate food imports.Another aspect is that LDC food importers face challenges connected to customs valuations, customs surcharges and merchandise handling or storing fees. Tackling these challenges will reduce delays and costs and help channel essential items quickly to where they are most needed.Another aspect of the study is tapping into new resources of food supply. “While on average LDCs import food from 77 distinct suppliers, developing and developed countries source their food from 117 and 163 partners. For certain products, such as rice or vegetable oils, almost four-fifths of total LDC imports come from only one or two suppliers,” the report said.According to the report, policies aimed at improving the links between trade and food security would look at factors such as diversification of suppliers and strengthening of regional agri-food value chains to increase resilience in light of global instabilities.The report has suggested about strengthening LDCs’ trade through global partnerships. It continues that unfavourable import procedures, dependence on few suppliers, and the lack of regional value chains are all part of a wider problem as least developed countries only account for about 1% of global trade, despite the target to double their share of global exports by 2020.

The Doha Programme of Action (DPoA) has set a new target to enable additional 15 least developed countries to meet the graduation criteria by the end of this decade, a senior official noted Sunday.Speaking at a session of the fifth UN Summit of the Least Developed Countries (LDC5), Rabab Fatima, high representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States and the secretary-general of LDC5, said the UN formally recognised the LDCs in 1970 and a list was approved the next year.“This marked the beginning of the partnership between the LDCs and the developed partners. The conference happening in every decade has a common objective to put global attention on the most vulnerable countries. At the outset, there were only 25 LDCs and it peaked to 52 in 1991,” said Fatima.The official stressed that the delegates have gathered in Doha with the renewed determination to provide every person in every LDC a fair chance to succeed in life.“The Istanbul Programme of Action for the decade 2011-2022 set an ambitious target to graduate half of the LDCs by 2020. Although the target was not reached, remarkable progress was made. Four LDCs graduated in the time period and 15 more are in the pipeline for graduation. DPoA has set a new target to enable additional 15 countries to meet the graduation criteria by the end of this decade,” the official explained.She pointed out that progress took place in some other areas, too. “ In 1980, the average GDP growth in the LDCs was 3.1%, which reached 7.4% in 2005. However, it fell to 1.9% in 2021 due to the impact of Covid-19. From $284 in 1980, the GDP per capita of the LDCs reached $1,150 in 2021 and the total share of exports increased from 0.52% in 1990 to 1% now,” Fatima said.“Each one of these data represents real lives and livelihoods, hopes, dreams and opportunities. Although progress was made, it remains uneven within the group. Many LDCs, especially those in Africa, continue to face systemic challenges. And the inequalities between the developed world and the LDCs have further widened. The technological innovations and unfavourable global economic conditions have made the situation worse,” she lamented.According to Fatima, over 69% of the worldwide deaths caused by climate-induced disasters occurred in the LDCs. “And yet, the LDCs account for only 1.1% of the global emissions. Historically, the rules of development were stacked unfairly against the LDCs. Covid-19, conflicts in different part of the world and the cascading food impact and financial crisis are all affecting the LDCs most disproportionately."These overlapping crises have severally impacted the LDCs and delayed their journey towards achieving the 2030 agenda,” she noted.“Despite all the challenges, we arrive in Doha with the hope that solidarity will have its stay. Addressing the challenges of the LDCs is not a moral imperative but an economic and political one, too. We have come to the Doha conference with the DPoA already adopted in 2022 and in implementation for over a year. If we can bring to fruition the commitments, targets and the deliverables of the DPoA, we can put the LDCs to transformative journey towards rapid economic growth and sustainable development,” Fatima added.

The inaugural Earthna summit aims to raise global challenges in sustainability and provide directions in meeting these challenges and help build new sustainability pathways for countries with similar climate to Qatar.The Earthna Summit organised by the Earthna Centre of Qatar Foundation (QF) in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, is under the theme, ‘Building New Sustainability Pathways for Hot and Arid Environments.’The summit– aiming to be carbon-neutral – takes place from March 8–9 at Msheireb Downtown Doha. The details of the summit were disclosed Sunday at a press conference by Dr Gonzalo Castro de la Mata, executive director of Earthna; Saad al-Hitmi, acting director of the Climate Change Department at the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change and Habes Howail, external relations manager, CEO Office, QF.Al-Hitmi said:“The summit will provide a unique opportunity for the citizens and residents of Qatar to interact and promote sustainable practices and encourage their adoption. It will also focus on the unique challenges facing countries with difficult climatic conditions that are similar to the climate of Qatar. Hence, we will discuss these issues with such countries and work collectively to find solutions to the common challenges.”“I affirm the commitment of Qatar in addressing these challenges and continuing our search for the best ways to solve them. I like to highlight the distinguished record enjoyed by Qatar in the field of climate action, both at the local and global levels,” he added.The summit will see climate change and sustainability experts as well as policymakers, and those with indigenous knowledge of hot and arid climates from around the world, come together to share knowledge, ideas, and solutions on the planet’s most pressing environmental issues.“The Earthna Summit 2023 builds on our work in Qatar by convening stakeholders from across the world to share research and innovation, their lived experiences, their indigenous knowledge, and their ideas and solutions related to sustainability in hot and arid environments,” Dr Castro de la Mata, said.“Throughout the summit, there will be a focus on humanity’s historical connection with the environment, and how we can apply the indigenous practices that our ancestors used to address challenges that existed in their time, to current global thinking on sustainability and climate change,” he added.The summit will feature the Earthna Village, a public area at Baharat Msheireb displaying items and methods from different countries that are part of humanity’s cultural heritage, with an agora space hosting interactive talks and workshops.The summit aims to turn global sustainability conversations in the direction of hot and arid environments, reflecting that such global discussions have long been shaped by issues relevant to tropical and temperate countries – leading to a perception that hot and arid countries, and in particular those with desert environments, are less relevant to sustainability. It will seek to challenge this understanding and build new sustainability pathways for countries with similar climates to Qatar.It will also highlight the impacts of climate change on countries with hot and arid climates and their critical adaptation needs, and explore the positive contributions that countries such as Qatar can make towards energy transition and addressing climate change.“An area such as the Arabian Gulf is located in a desert environment and its biodiversity is different from others, so its path toward a sustainable future will also differ, and the journey of each country and each environment will be unique and requires pursuit in various paths, including cultural, environmental and social sustainability,” added, Howail.

Close on the heels of the highly-successful FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, the Qatar Football Association (QFA) is preparing to host a number of prominent football events in the coming period, including the AFC Asian Cup in January-February 2024.“Hosting the 2022 World Cup was the major milestone for us so far. The world continues to move and we continue with our efforts towards the next goals. We have lined up several events in the coming months and will be hosting the Asia Cup from January 2024,” said Mansour Mohamed al-Ansari, secretary-general, QFA.Al-Ansari was speaking to Gulf Times on the sidelines of the seventh Medical Conference organised by the Asian Football Confederation, QFA and Aspetar – Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital.“We are also going to hopefully host the Olympic qualifiers for the under-23s sometime soon. We are very proud to be a sports hub in the region as the sporting world is in continuous evolution and development and we are very excited about it,” he continued.The official said the Qatar national team will participate in several high-profile events in the coming months. “We look forward to the best participation of our national team in many competitions. Our national team is going to participate in the Gold Cup in the summer this year in North America, and is also getting ready for the Asian Cup in January next year. We also have a lot of plans, which will be revealed in due course,” he added.

The 7th Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Medical Conference began at Westin Doha Saturday with the participation of a large number of experts in sports medicine.Organised by AFC, Aspetar - Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital and Qatar Football Association (QFA), the opening ceremony was attended by several dignitaries, including Mohamed Khalifa al-Suwaidi, director-general, Aspetar; Mansour Mohamed al-Ansari, secretary general, QFA; Dr Abdualaziz Jaham al-Kuwari, CEO of Aspetar; Windsor John, AFC general secretary; Hani Taleb Ballan, executive committee member, QFA, and CEO of Qatar Stars League; and Dr Gurcharan Singh, chairperson, AFC Medical Committee, among others.Al-Suwaidi said Aspetar is playing an active role in supporting football medicine expertise. He explained: “Aspetar has worked closely with the AFC with the intent of raising the bar from a global perspective, to illustrate the importance of research, football medicine expertise and practices that will help support all football clubs to perform at the highest level. We hope that the expertise shared over these few days will even be the playing field so that all participants can learn and apply evidence-based football medicine practices and research that the many distinguished scheduled speakers present.”Themed 'Football and Sports Medicine – Celebrating Diversity', the conference aims to empower participants to manage numerous football-related medical situations.John said: “The AFC, through its Vision and Mission, has put the success of our players and teams, at the heart of all our efforts and the development of sports science and medicine and the well-being of our players are crucial to the success of Asian football. In recent times, we have seen greater focus placed on mental health and the use of big data and technology in strengthening the decision-making process. In essence, the latest trends further underline the need to adopt a multi-disciplinary approach in our efforts to ensure the best possible outcomes for our teams and players.”The event brings together close to 120 renowned sports medicine and science professionals from the AFC, FIFA, UEFA, CONMEBOL, Confederation of African Football, International Olympic Committee and Aspetar to share their knowledge on 150 of the latest scientific medical advances with physicians, allied healthcare practitioners, nurses and pharmacists, among others.“This conference is an impactful and valuable event from the AFC. Holding this conference shows Qatar’s commitment to the sports people in making available the best and latest practice in sports medicine,” noted al-Ansari from QFA.More than 600 delegates will learn more about sports science and medicine’s latest challenges, best practices and cutting-edge developments via keynote addresses, lectures, symposia, poster presentations and clinical workshops.“It is a great honour to host this conference for the first time in Qatar and continue to work for the development of football in the country. We are committed to provide the latest research, expertise and practices so that the footballers can perform their best. We believe that the speakers and experts in the conference will share their expertise and knowledge to help the participants to work for the realisation of the full potential of the players,” said al-Kuwari in his welcome address.The conference, endorsed by the United Kingdom’s 'British Journal of Sports Medicine' for the first time, will also highlight the return of football after the Covid-19 pandemic and the game’s progress in terms of diversity and inclusion.The 3rd AFC Medical Awards will be held in conjunction with the conference proper tomorrow to celebrate the efforts and contributions of medical professionals in pushing the game forward.

Over half a billion people globally are under the threat of starvation due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, Ukrainian ambassador to Qatar Andrii Kuzmenko said Monday.“Ukraine has been producing and supplying enough grains to most parts of the world, which has been affected severely now. The affected half a billion population is mostly from the least developed countries of Africa, some countries of the East and Middle East Asia among others,” the envoy told a press conference.“When the full scale war started, the export of these grains was totally blocked by Russia. Then under the UN intervention, Black Sea Grain Initiative was set up and accordingly the designated ports were covered by guarantees of the UN to supply grains to the needy countries,” he explained.Kuzmenko also said that Ukraine was the only country that has exported grains to other countries during a war and under occupation. “Since the beginning of the initiative, we have exported 50mn tonnes of grains. A total of 30 countries and EU has joined this programme and Qatar, which is very active in the initiative has contributed $20mn,” he said.The envoy also noted that Ukrainian GDP has shrunk by almost one third. “We appreciate the financial assistance provided by our partners and friends to keep the Ukrainian economy going and over $4.5bn has been provided to Ukraine since the beginning of the year,” he said.The ambassador also highlighted the energy crisis due to the war and how it had created problems for his country as over one third of the power generating facilities were hit during the peak of the war.As for any peaceful end to the ongoing war, Kuzmenko stressed that Ukraine is open to any negotiations and mediations but it can happen only after the Russian forces retreat from his country and all the occupied places are placed under the government of Ukraine.“We were ready to negotiate any issue with the Russia well before the start of the war. We are still ready for any negotiation; but only after the full and comprehensive retreat of the Russian forces from Ukraine,” he added.

The “J by Joelle” Jewellery brand, which has made its entry to the Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition (DJWE 2023), has already made a mark with some of its beautiful collections."We are very much excited about the exhibition which is truly amazing,” owner and designer Joelle Moughalian told *Gulf Times. “It is a great place and the visitors are very happy with our pieces.”Moughalian, who is at the booth for luxury piercing and providing customised earrings, explains that the idea is to pierce the ear with real gold and diamond stones."But the concept mainly focuses on the shape and the size of each client’s earm,” she said. “Sometimes we customise the pieces depending on the ear shape of the customer.”The brand, already available at Fifty One East, specialises in all kinds of jewellery, especially ear styling and luxury piercing with the main focus on comfort and beauty.“J by Joelle” offers high-quality modernist jewellery that is multifunctional, evoking power, creativity, and femininity all at once.Designed to be personalised, each piece in the jewellery collection, whether its earrings, smartwatch jewellery, necklaces, or bracelets, could be worn to elevate the look.The goal of the brand is to make ordinary products extraordinary.“We create comfortable, trendy, multi-functional pieces that will let the clients have a final product that they love and use day to night, whether they are attending a casual brunch, gym session, or a fancy night out,” Moughalian said. “We want to bring added value to every piece that we work on and to help people find the earrings, necklaces, bracelets, or anklets that are perfect for every occasion. Ear styling is a fun journey that the clients start by choosing their favourite items.”“We make sure to provide the best piercing experience for everyone by using the flat mechanism so they can add stylish earrings that suit their ear shape, and that they love on the spot,” she added.

The Fifty One East pavilion at Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition showcases several luxury brands with their latest range of jewellery and watches.In addition to Rolex, CHANEL,TUDOR and Boucheron, the other world class brands at the pavilion include, Azza Fahmy, David Yurman, Falamank by Tarfa Itani, Genesia, Piero Milano L_ÂME, The Little Frog, and Yvan Tufenkjian among others.In a series of collections inspired by nature and its life forms, Azza Fahmy reintroduces its most admired theme in preparation to launch its latest collection ‘Wonders of Nature Reimagined’. Composed of four artisanal chapters that fuse between Azza Fahmy’s classic style and a combination of eccentric gemstones, ‘Wonders of Nature Reimagined’ is both versatile and fun.As for David Yurman’s signature motif, Cable, began as a bracelet that he created for his wife, Sybil. Inspired by the bronze rods he used for his direct-welded sculptures, David twisted individual strands of metal into a helix and embellished the end caps with colored gemstones.One of the most iconic collections of the brand, DY Crossover Collection was first introduced in 1997. The collection explores the rhythmic weaving of lines to create form and movement. Other major collections of the brand are Pavéflex Collection and Lexington CollectionFalamank by Tarfa Itani matches its rich oriental heritage with traditional craftsmanship to produce unique and handmade pieces of fine contemporary jewellery. This jewellery design house produces collections and bespoke pieces that are worn by women throughout the world.Genesia jewellery is designed and hand-made in Italy with the aim of celebrating the timeless beauty of pearls as a wonderful gift of nature. The rarest and most precious pearls, South Sea Pearls come from the Indian and Pacific Oceans, Australia, Indonesia, Philippines, Tahiti and the French Polynesian archipelago. They are cherished for their big size and unique colours, which can vary from white to deep black.LAme, an in-house brand of Fifty One East, presents several novelty items such as Multicolor Gold Ring which is a ring in 18 ct yellow, white and rose gold, 7 g, paved with 61 round cut diamonds with a total weight of 0.53 ct.Piero Milano presents high-quality design, the manual workmanship, the combination of the traditional methods with the newest technologies, and the selection of the finest materials, gold, precious and semi-precious stones, all adhering to the highest and strictest law compliance. The passion and dedication of the fopunder of the brand, Piero Milano helped build a solid business that the following generation enhanced by expanding and creating original collections of fine jewellery.The Little Frog - Mother & Child Jewellery, founded in 2016 began operating in high-end baby and children's clothing. In 2021, a new entity was founded for mother & child jewellery. The Little Frog has always distinguished itself by a high level of creativity and innovation for babies' and children's clothing & jewellery. It is a very unique concept targeting gifts for mothers and children.Yvan Tufenkjian, began in 1909 and his first collections and simple creations found their audience, thus marking the beginning of a marvellous adventure. Driven by his creative pursuit of excellence, Yvan Tufenkjian draws inspiration from the power of jewellery and the significant place it holds in people’s lives.

The Swiss luxury watchmaker, TUDOR is showcasing its latest collections at the ongoing Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition at the Fifty One East Pavilion.The collections include the brand’s most reputable names, such as TUDOR Royal; Black Bay GMT S&G; Black Bay 31/36/39/41 S&G; Black Bay Chrono S&G; Black Bay Pro; Ranger, Pelagos 39 among others.TUDOR presents a new version of its Black Bay line in steel and yellow gold with a fixed bezel. All fitted with Manufacture Calibres, the models come in four sizes, with a five-link bracelet and clasp with rapid adjustment.The Black Bay 31, 36, 39 and 41 S&G models bring a unique aesthetic to the Black Bay line. Their curved cases, highlighted with polished yellow gold sections, offer a language that departs slightly from the brand’s iconic tool watch spirit to embrace a sophisticated, versatile one.Black Bay Chrono S&G in the Black Bay line in steel and yellow gold, with a self-winding Manufacture Calibre, featuring a column wheel and vertical clutch, follows in the purest tradition of sporting timepieces. The Black Bay Chrono S&G model combines the traditions in a sport- chronograph, with contrasting sub-counters and a high-performance automatic Manufacture Calibre, with column wheel and vertical clutch.The iconic Black Bay GMT model with integrated Manufacture Calibre GMT is also available in a S&G (Steel & Gold) version, featuring warm colours and a nostalgic touch.Black Bay GMT S&G is a model with multiple time zones, a highly functional complication that establishes local time without losing sight of the time in two other time zones. The Black Bay GMT S&G also gives a subtle aesthetic nod to the history of this watchmaking function.Black Bay Pro has a 39-millimetre diametre, a fixed steel bezel and a Manufacture Calibre with built-in GMT function. It is an entirely new model with a dual time zone feature, a technical complication that establishes local time without losing sight of the time in another time zone. Compact, robust and sporty, this model boasts many unique aesthetic details and celebrates the spirit of the technical watches that TUDOR has produced for professionals throughout its history.TUDOR Royal, with its integrated metal bracelet, notched or diamond-set bezel and automatic movement, is the epitome of versatile and affordable sport-chic. Royal is a name first used by TUDOR in the 1950s to emphasise the superior quality of its watches. With this heritage in mind, the TUDOR Royal range offers self-winding sport watches with integrated bracelets that are as affordable as they are uncompromising.TUDOR is also presenting the Ranger model launched in 2022 to mark the 70th anniversary of the British North Greenland Expedition, a tool watch celebrating the spirit of this daring adventure, complete with Manufacture Calibre MT5402, a 39-millimetre case and a clasp with rapid adjustment system. Meanwhile, with its new Pelagos 39 model, TUDOR offers a versatile watch at the crossroads between the world of technical diving and urban sophistication.

The CHANEL booth located at the Fifty One East pavilion is a major stopover for visitors with great demand for its latest exotic collections at the ongoing Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition 2023.The elegant booth of the iconic brand has been designed in a minimalistic style and houses some of the finest jewellery, watches and perfumes of the world class brand.CHANEL has released its new 2023 pieces with a campaign showcasing some of the must have designs. The necklaces open up many possibilities with four different lengths possible, thanks to an adjustable chain while the bracelets which have the option of being adorned with the diamonds can be combined and layered to form COCO, the brand's great product. These are an epitome of style and an encounter with the legendary icon.One of the major attractions at the booth is the ‘Collection N°5’ something very unique and exceptionally exotic.To celebrate the centenary of its iconic N°5 perfume, CHANEL has created the first high jewellery collection dedicated to a fragrance. A total of 123 pieces of high jewellery were designed around five facets of the legendary fragrance; the stopper, the bottle, the number, the flowers and the sillage.The highlight of the unprecedented collection is an emblematic and exceptional necklace set with a 55.55 carat diamond, yet every piece is a marvel of daring creativity noble materials and an accentuated feminity together with an inmate character and a powerful timelessness-just like its perfumed inspiration.“These are some of the latest collections released in 2023 and some of these iconic pieces are available at this exhibition. ‘Collection N°5' is an eepitome of luxury and fine jewellery. The prices vary and one of the most attractive pieces is QR23.5mn,” an official of CHANEL told Gulf Times.In addition to its jewellery collection, CHANEL also is showcasing some its latest collections of watches and perfume which are very unique and high on demand.

Renowned French luxury jeweller Boucheron is showcasing some of its latest collections at the ongoing Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition 2023. Housed at the Fifty One East pavilion, the beautiful and exquisite collections are attracting large number of jewellery lovers.“Boucheron generally releases its collections two times in a year. One in January which focuses more on pieces from the archives of the brand and the other one in July to coincide with the Paris Fashion Week. We have two pieces from the January collections,” a senior official of Fifty One East told Gulf Times. “The Lavallière Diamants Necklace paved with diamonds and onyx, with black lacquer, in white gold is one of them. It is a necklace in the tradition of the multi-wear which is three pieces in one. It costs QR4.5mn. The other one is History of Style, New Maharajahs High Jewellery collection which is also in the same price range,” he added.The History of Style, New Maharajahs High Jewellery collection pays homage to the largest special order in the history of Place Vendôme, which was commissioned to the brand in 1928 by the Maharajah of Patiala. In addition, the French Maison is also showcasing pieces from its 2021 History of Style, Art Déco High Jewellery collection which takes inspiration from the brand's Art Deco archives and celebrates the spirit and radical simplicity of a time when style was all about attitude.Boucheron has also unveiled its latest novelties from the Serpent Bohème Solarité collection including bold, statement pieces such as huge sun-like hoops, asymmetric earrings that unfold behind the ear, and a spectacular necklace with 360-degree motifs.Launched from the Boucheron workshops in 1968, the serpent bohème collection has transcended the ages and has made its mark as one of the maison’s iconic pieces. its emblematic codes, the diamond-studded droplet, and its honeycomb latticework or embossed gold, are testament to the high jewellery skills of the Boucheron artisans. The new collection sees a whole new chapter written in the history of this iconic range of jewellery, reinterpreting the serpent bohème codes, with a new identity, Solarité.Created by Frederic Boucheron in 1858, Boucheron is built through four generations of direct descendants. There are currently more than 84 Boucheron boutiques across the world.

World class luxury watchmaker, Rolex is presenting some of its iconic timepieces at the ongoing Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition (DJWE) 2023 at Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre.At Fifty One East Pavilion, Rolex offers a wide assortment of Oyster Perpetual and Cellini watches to suit any wrist, including some of the latest creations that were exhibited during Watches & Wonders - Geneva 2022. “Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition and Watches & Wonders – Geneva are the only exhibitions where Rolex showcases its collections. We are really lucky to have them here in Doha. There is huge demand for most models of Rolex and from day one we see huge rush of Rolex lovers at our pavilion,” an official from Fifty One East said.Rolex is presenting three new versions of the Oyster Perpetual Datejust 31 with striking floral-motif dials. Calling to mind wild summer meadows, the design comprises 24 flowers that stand out distinctly from one another thanks to their finishes – either sunray, matt or grained. Each of the flowers is lit from within by a diamond set into the centre.The new versions of the Datejust 31 are equipped with calibre 2236, a movement at the forefront of watchmaking technology, enabling them to display the hours, minutes, seconds and date. Like all Rolex watches, the Oyster Perpetual Datejust 31 carries the Superlative Chronometer certification, which ensures excellent performance on the wrist.Rolex has also released the Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 40 in 950 platinum – easily recognisable thanks to its ice-blue dial – with a fluted bezel for the first time. A cornerstone of Rolex’s aesthetic heritage, this striking component, which is found only on some Classic models in the Oyster Perpetual collection and until now has only been made in 18 carat gold, now exists in the most prestigious metal available.The Rolex collection of prestigious, high-precision timepieces shines the light of optimism and innovation on the watchmaking world. In its perpetual quest for excellence, Rolex constantly enhances the aesthetics and technologies of its emblematic timepieces. They are an invitation to push boundaries, to reach ever higher. With, as always, the same promise of outstanding quality thanks to the company’s complete, in-house mastery of watchmaking expertise.