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Qatar Youth Hostels (QYH) has announced the winners of Tourist Lens Competition and on this occasion Abdullah Saeed, head of Public Relations and Communications said, "The participants in the 2nd edition of the Tourist Lens Competition achieved its desired goals by promoting domestic tourism and highlighting the tourist attractions in the country. The participation took place on three social media platforms, namely Instagram, X, and Tik Tok, through the collection of the most beautiful pictures of tourist attractions in Qatar. The competition included around a hundred participants on the three platforms. The most beautiful picture was chosen from each platform that received the most likes from the public. A prize of QR3,000 was allocated to each winner, and the winners were announced in the celebration of the International Day of Creativity and Innovation.In conclusion, Abdullah Saeed said: "QYH aspires to advance young people in the field of tourism and in various ways of life, as tourism helps the individual in cultural, civilisational and intellectual exchange."

The Ministry of Culture’s (MoC) participation in Unesco’s celebration of the 20th anniversary of the 2003 Convention for the Preservation and Protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage, through a cultural heritage exhibition held from April 15 to 19 in Paris, provided an opportunity for visitors to learn about Qatari heritage.In this context, Simona Mirella Micolese, president of the Unesco General Conference, said: "In our celebration of the cultural heritage of Qatar, we also pay tribute to the richness of the cultural heritage of other member states from the Arabian Peninsula and beyond, which participate in these multinational nominations, as evidence of their common roots and human value."She thanked the Qatari MoC and the Permanent Delegation of Qatar to Unesco for the opportunity to share these touching moments.Vera al-Khoury, president of the Executive Board of Unesco, said: "Qatar displays its cultural assets and thriving arts to visitors who come from all over the world, through museums, monuments, markets and mosques. They experience this wonderful mixture of heritage, tradition and modernity."Lazar Assoumou, director of World Heritage at Unesco, said: "Unesco welcomes this opportunity to shed light on the richness and diversity of Qatar’s cultural heritage, which some of us have previously had the pleasure of knowing and visiting. Qatar, with its history spanning thousands of years, and its living culture, offers a rich and vibrant heritage that emerges from ancestral traditions, through art and knowledge that is passed down from generation to generation."The exhibition expressed the distinguished position that Qatar attaches to intangible cultural heritage, and its tireless work in preserving its heritage, as Qatar has hastened to register “The Majlis,” and “Arabic Coffee,” in the Representative List of the World Human Heritage by Unesco, and the MoC has been working with a group of countries for months to prepare the “Bisht” file to register it on the list as well.

The Qatar National Library (QNL) has announced on its website that it is hosting the 'Third Forum on Heritage Management: Digital Access and Artificial Intelligence Applications', on September 15-16, 2024. The forum aims to explore this important aspect of the digital transformation of archival materials and exchange experiences and ideas about it.Traditional archives around the world cover huge and increasing amounts of historical data and information, which poses great challenges in preserving them and making them available for sustainable use. Digital technology offers important opportunities to improve the management and accessibility of archives.The forum seeks to achieve the following objectives: To introduce the reality of digital documentary heritage within the broader international context and in Arab countries; Familiarise participants with models of digital repositories for documentary heritage in governmental and private institutions within the cultural sector in Arab countries; Explore future projects aimed at enhancing the reality of digital heritage in Arab countries as well as to build a collaborative community to support the digitisation of documentary heritage and facilitate its accessibility for researchers.The topics will revolve around exploring the paths of digital transformation and their potential implications for the future of traditional archives, examining models of digital repositories housing heritage resources within libraries, cultural institutions and heritage organisations. In addition, it will address the challenges posed by the digital era to heritage: identifying risks, devising overcoming mechanisms, and proposing solutions.It will also discuss the requirements to enhance the digitisation of heritage in Arab countries and outlining future perspectives and in enhancing digital information management for improved usability and accessibility of archives. It will also delve into the concept and reality of digital heritage, considering both theoretical and practical aspects in the context of the artificial intelligence (AI).Qatar National Library has invited those wishing to participate to submit the abstract of their contribution not exceeding one page by May 12, 2024.Participants will be notified of the acceptance of their abstracts no later than June 23, 2024. Research proposals are accepted in both Arabic and English. For more details visit the following website: https://events.qnl.qa/event/WLk2X/ENThe forum targets heritage and historical sources officials, directors of the archives, documents and rare sources sectors in various ministries, government and private institutions, officials of digitising documentary heritage in libraries and cultural institutions, and experts in archiving heritage materials and rare documents.

The Qatar National Library (QNL) has announced on its website that it is hosting the “Third Forum on Heritage Management: Digital Access and Artificial Intelligence Applications,” on September 15-16, 2024.The forum aims to explore this important aspect of the digital transformation of archival materials and exchange experiences and ideas about it. Traditional archives around the world cover huge and increasing amounts of historical data and information, which poses great challenges in preserving them and making them available for sustainable use. Digital technology offers important opportunities to improve the management and accessibility of archives.The forum seeks to achieve the following objectives: To introduce the reality of digital documentary heritage within the broader international context and in Arab countries; familiarise participants with models of digital repositories for documentary heritage in governmental and private institutions within the cultural sector in Arab countries; explore future projects aimed at enhancing the reality of digital heritage in Arab countries as well as to build a collaborative community to support the digitisation of documentary heritage and facilitate its accessibility for researchers.The topics will revolve around exploring the paths of digital transformation and their potential implications for the future of traditional archives, examining models of digital repositories housing heritage resources within libraries, cultural institutions and heritage organisations. In addition, it will address the challenges posed by the digital era to heritage: identifying risks, devising overcoming mechanisms, and proposing solutions. It will also discuss the requirements to enhance the digitisation of heritage in Arab countries and outlining future perspectives and in enhancing digital information management for improved usability and accessibility of archives. It will also delve into the concept and reality of digital heritage, considering both theoretical and practical aspects in the context of the artificial intelligence (AI).Qatar National Library has invited those wishing to participate to submit the abstract of their contribution not exceeding one page by May 12, 2024. Participants will be notified of the acceptance of their abstracts no later than June 23, 2024. Research proposals are accepted in both Arabic and English. For more details visit the following website: https://events.qnl.qa/event/WLk2X/ENThe forum targets heritage and historical sources officials, directors of the archives, documents and rare sources sectors in various ministries, government and private institutions, officials of digitising documentary heritage in libraries and cultural institutions, and experts in archiving heritage materials and rare documents.

Qatar is not only attractive for GCC visitors for family tourism but is also attracting more and more Europeans for the same brand and more.Gulf Times met Hungarian Janos Litvak, a mechanical engineer and a car enthusiast in trendy Msheireb Downtown Doha (MDD), who is visiting Qatar with his family this time following his daughter Hanga Litvak’s visit last year to Doha and other touristic attractions.Janos Litvak said: “After seeing the photos and videos brought back by my daughter in addition to what I saw on TV, the level of security and cultural events during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, I decided with my wife Melinda Litvak-Balla that we should treat ourselves to a nice holiday in Qatar this year. We flew on Qatar Airways in a direct flight from Budapest to Doha and we were very pleased with the quality of the timely service, the excellent food and the entertainment on board as well as the games and presents given to my young son Janos (Junior) for whom it is a dream come true. Upon arrival at the airport (Hamad International Airport, HIA) we were immediately met by our hotel limousine service and we were nicely surprised by the warm welcome and that what is in the catalog matches the truth."Some hours later we are in MDD talking to Gulf Times. I can’t wait to see the sports cars exhibitions. I found Souq Waqif amazing, it is like in the movies about Arab traditional towns but it is well preserved, clean, and people and visitors are so relaxed and I love it. After a traditional dinner in Souq Waqif, we strolled to MDD.”His wife Melinda Litvak-Balla, a professional photographer said: “We like the eating options in Souq Waqif, the popular souvenir stalls and its arcades as it is nearby our hotel we will come back to enjoy the sight of the gleaming white mosques, and we are also going to visit the history museums housed in Arabic-style mansions. To learn about Qatari family life in Radwani House, I am looking forward to taking some beautiful photos. It is for this reason that we brought along my mother Katalin Balla, and father Sandor Balla, because they like history and Arabic traditional buildings. They are already thrilled with Souq Waqif and its wonderful souvenir and gold shops. We are also looking forward to our visit to the desert to get a camel ride, experience the dune bashing and hopefully see the sunset there.”Their daughter Hanga said: “I am very pleased to be back in Qatar, I love the atmosphere in Souq Waqif and MDD and the easy going lifestyle, people look very happy and relaxed, it is a unique experience for me. I am also looking forward to visit some of the malls for shopping, MIA, Qatar Museums but most importantly the beach and the desert for camel riding. I also love the falcon tradition here, these birds are amazing and I want to show them to my younger brother Janos and take him to the Sports Museum.”

During the blessed month of Ramadan after breaking their fast Muslims rush to mosques for Isha and Taraweeh prayers. They seek to perform the Salah in congregation led by an imam who knows the Holy Qur’an by heart and who masters the right tones of reciting the Qur’an.Gulf Times spoke to imam Abdulrahman al-Akbari who is leading Isha and Taraweeh prayers at Hussein bin Ali Kamal Mosque in Doha’s Al-Hilal area. He spoke about his journey with the Qur’an.Al-Akbari, who hails from Chahmuslim in Bastak, Sunni southern Fars Province, Iran, was invited by friends to lead the Isha and Taraweeh prayers. He went to Qur’anic school at the age of six and finished learning the Qur’an by heart at eight. Then in the preparatory, and secondary education he went on to reinforce his learning of the Qur’an.He said: "After I got my high school certificate, I was admitted to the Faculty of Theology and Islamic Studies, Tehran University. I specialised in Tajweed (to perfect the reciting of the Qur’an) i.e. Hafs, al-Soussi, al-Duri recitations, as well as in Maqamat (tones), and scientific miracles in the Qur’an. Currently I run a Qur’anic school in Chahmuslim for boys and girls."He added: "The teaching of the Qur'an is based on its scientific miracles i.e. the use of numbers as well as the meanings of its words. For instance, children are taught to remember the number of Ayahs (verses) by mnemonics or prompts which are easy to remember. As the Holy Qur’an is divided into 30 parts, they are given this rule: To find in which page part 7 is, deduct one from seven, multiply 6X2= 12 add another 2 to the right of 12= 122. So part seven will begin on page 122. This helps them remember how to get quickly to the pages of the chapters or the parts they have learnt when revising or asked to revise or during tests or exams."Concerning the prompts about the meanings of the Holy Qur’an, for example, when we teach the chapter Surah Ya-Sin, we take its number in the order of chapters of the Qur’an i.e. 36, then the number of its Ayahs (verses) i.e. 83; multiply 36x83= 2,988 which is the exact number of Surat Ya-Sin’s letters in the Arabic version of the Qur’an. These prompts are also part of the miracles of numbers in the Qur’an. I love the Qur’an and teaching it, I get invited by many people in the region. I have been teaching for 27 years and I hope to keep at it until death,” concluded al-Akbari.

Ali bin Towar al-Kuwari, the 'Etqan' (Arabic for perfection) 3rd edition researcher and presenter on Qatar TV, gave an interview to the media and said that after the success of the 1st and 2nd editions, the Etqan 3rd edition was a challenge. Bin Towar said: “We were keen to present the programme in a distinctive form, unlike any other, by focusing on the future and what Qatar will be like, especially its great interest for future generations.” Bin Towar said that the programme was filmed on three continents. “Asia, Europe and North America, and we reached many innovating companies that led to changing the world, especially those who have partnerships with Qatar. We also introduced for the first time two basic elements, namely 'Etqan', a virtual character in which we relied on AI. He accompanied me in an interactive dialogue between me and him. It was integrated into this edition, and it can be developed during the coming ones.” It represents the second element after the bicycle, which attracts youth and excites them. Bin Towar valued the programme’s 46-strong work team. “The technical work crew is French, headed by Emmanuel Soler. He is famous in the world of photography.” He added: “The research team, consisting of 14 people focused over a period of 8 months purely on research.” He remembers that the first meeting of the entire work team was last August (2022), where he stressed to them the keenness to highlight “perfection” in all its forms. “So we were filming for approximately 17 hours a day, despite travelling for many long hours.” He pointed out that the “deep fake” episode is one of his distinctive episodes, as it was a prank for viewers, by presenting famous personalities, like Khaled Jassim, Abdullah al-Ghaferi. He highlighted another feature of the programme by asking whether anyone in the street has a desire to buy and own lands on Mars, and in the virtual world, “which are all worlds that are happening today. We monitored opinions about them, and we also raised 'alternative medicine,' and whether people have confidence in returning to it. It was filmed in hospitals in Korea, where we saw treatments by alternative medicine.” Regarding digital diplomacy and its role in enhancing Qatar’s international standing, Bin Towar said: "Qatar is one of the first countries to make great strides in the field of IT. The Executive Vice President of CISCO, a leading company in the field, has confirmed that Qatar is the most digital country in the world, as the Internet rate in Qatar has reached 94.1%, which is one of the highest global rates." The preview of this episode in English is available here. He added: "In the 'Etqan' programme, we filmed for the first time inside Microsoft, in a gesture that this company does not grant to others. This reception reflects Qatar’s soft power and its ability to be effective in international decisions in this sector." Bin Towar through the filming of 'Etqan' programme has learned closely about what Qatar offers to humanity, and its influential and inspiring role for many Arab scholars who have expressed their desire to be in Qatar as it has a stimulating environment for success and innovation. Bin Towar confirmed that the programme has received high viewership rates, according to a recent census. "We achieved 40% of what we aspire to achieve, and we aspire to more." Concerning the challenges, Bin Towar said it was “one of the most difficult seasons he has ever experienced, but with the support of the Qatar Media Corporation (QMC), all these challenges have been overcome." "The Corporation is a major supporter of the project, to the point that 'Etqan' has become its trademark. 'Etqan' continues to achieve many successes, and by following the programme’s 20 episodes, the direction to the future and the successes achieved will be sensed,” Bin Towar concluded. 'Etqan' programme episodes are being broadcast on Qatar TV at 6pm during Ramadan.

Turkish ambassador to Qatar Dr Mustafa Goksu held on Thursday at his residence an Iftar reception in honour of the media professionals in Qatar. On this occasion Dr Goksu valued the fruitful relations with the media and stressed the importance of their unremitting efforts made during the coverage of the war on Gaza calling on them to keep up this momentum to help our brothers in Gaza, until hopefully this war comes to an end. The Iftar reception was attended by Gulf Times Editor-in-Chief Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka, a number of editors from other publications, and media professionals.

HE the Minister of Culture Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad al-Thani, opened the 3rd Seminar Season by honouring the Qatari poet and diplomat Dr Hassan al-Naama, in recognition of his contribution to literature and poetry, and to consolidate the value of intellectuals in building the nation’s cultural identity.Dr al-Naama read his most recent poem, which was followed by a Nabati poetry evening in which the Qatari poet Saleh al-Nashira and the Kuwaiti poet Mazyad al-Wasmi were presented by journalist Ahmad al-Abdullah.The activities of the Seminar Season started Wednesday evening at the Sheraton Hotel, organised by the Ministry of Culture from March 6 to 9, with the participation of intellectuals, creators, thinkers, poets and media professionals from inside and outside Qatar.The season aims to enrich the cultural scene, to encourage creators, intellectuals and poets. As well as providing an incubating environment that embodies the cultural movement and expands the circle of comprehensive culture. The academic and novelist Dr Ahmed Abdelmalik attributed the importance of the Seminar Season to the fact that it creates an environment suitable for a culture of dialogue and reception.On the sideline of the poetic evening Dr al-Naama told Gulf Times that he was happy to be honoured. On the publication of his poetry collection, he said that he already published a first instalment at the opening of the Katara Publishing House. Pointing that “it is very big because I started writing poems about the Qatari history and events from the 1950’s up to date. I wrote many poems so it takes time to edit them prior to their publication, but a selection of poems was already published in one volume.”With regard to the young generations of poets Dr al-Naama said: “They have to work hard in order to be distinguished, literature is very important, so you have to give people food for their brain.”

A number of directors and heads of delegations participating in the 8th meeting of the GCC Standing Committee for Media Training Officials have confirmed that there is interest in training a new generation of broadcasters, editors and photographers to establish a consistent technical structure between the radio and television agencies of member states.They pointed out that the meeting contributes to strengthening co-operation between the GCC countries, learning about the state-of-the-art developments in the media sector, and intensifying co-operation in the field of joint radio and television production because of the strategic dimension it represents in media relations between the GCC countries, as well as in achieving distinguished programme production.Majri bin Mubarak al-Qahtani, director general of the Gulf Radio and Television Corporation, confirmed to the media that the agency aims to strengthen joint Gulf media work, in order to invest in youth and talents, and to create a new generation of young people capable of highlighting the Gulf identity and historical status.Al-Qahtani thanked HE Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Thani al-Thani, CEO of the Qatar Media Corporation (QMC), for his efforts in strengthening Gulf co-operation at the media level. He said that there is a strategy to provide qualitative training in line with the requirements of this stage and the challenges of the future, such as crisis management, artificial Intelligence, cybersecurity and other fields that qualify the youth to keep pace with the new media.Nasser al-Jaber, director of the Human Resources Department at QMC, indicated that this meeting aims to achieve integration between the media agencies in the co-operation countries, and to open channels of co-operation between media institutions. He also indicated that there is interest in training a new generation of media professionals to establish a consistent technical structure between the radio and television channels of the member states. Al-Jaber said programme production between the GCC countries is ongoing and has not stopped, and indicated that there is a plan to provide distinguished programme production by the end of this year.Maryam Swailam, head of the Training Center at QMC confirmed that media training at the Gulf Radio and Television Agency began after its approval at the meeting of information ministers of the GCC countries, held in the Sultanate of Oman on October 9, 2002. Since 2005, the agency has begun organising specialised training courses for staff in member institutions in the GCC countries. During this period, 62 courses were offered for 1,659 trainees from the GCC countries, including 181 Qatari trainees. Noting that this 8th meeting of the Standing Committee for Media Training Officials seeks to continue the joint media work that all media training officials in the ministries and organisations of the Arab Gulf states aspire to.Rasha al-Shajari, assistant director of the Development and Training Department at the Kuwaiti Ministry of Information, said that this meeting contributes to strengthening co-operation between the GCC countries and learning about the state-of-the-art developments in the media sector. In addition to achieving distinguished programme production and distinguished awareness programmes at a cost distributed among six countries instead of one country. She revealed the readiness of the Kuwaiti Ministry of Information to offer a course in the field of radio and television drama production.Asiya al-Balushi, director general of the Media Training Center in the Sultanate of Oman, explained that this meeting discussed ways and prospects for enhancing co-operation in the field of media training among the GCC countries. It was also noted that the Media Training Center in Oman had previously implemented many training programmes in co-operation with Gulf Radio and Television and member states. The most important of this was a course on applying artificial intelligence and employing it in media fields, and how to generate and create media content, in addition to ways of dealing with misleading news.

The Azerbaijan embassy Friday organised the opening ceremony of the Cultural Day celebrations in the presence of Qatar's Minister of Culture HE Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad bin Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani.Azerbaijan's Minister of Culture Adil Karimli, ambassador to Qatar Mahir Aliyev and a number of other dignitaries from various walks of life were present on the occasion. The Days of Azerbaijani Culture, organised by the Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan, concludes Saturday.Azerbaijan State Folk Musical Instruments Orchestra and Azerbaijan State Chamber Orchestra named after Gara Garayev performed. Under the leadership of Maestro Mustafa Ashurov, the ensembles performed folk songs, works of Azerbaijani and Arab composers together with soloists.All the performances were accompanied by a backdrop on a huge screen showing greenery, mountains covered with pristine trees, lakes, local horses, prosperous green suburbs, lakes and waterfalls, grasslands in spring with myriad flowers, colourful carpets, classic paintings, and concluded with a video of a peregrine falcon flying over the mountains to accompany the final national song about Azerbaijan deeply rooted culture.The concert started with the performance of "Cangi" from the opera "Koroglu" by Uzeyir Hajibeyli. Later, works by Fikret Amirov, Tofig Guliyev, Arif Malikov, Rauf Hajiyev, Emin Sabitoglu, Dadash Dadashov, Alakbar Taghiyev, Hasan Rzayev, as well as Ahab Abd al-Vahed, Farid al-Afrash and others followed.Soloists: People's Artist Azer Zeynalov, Honored Artists Nargiz Karimova, Babek Niftaliyev, Emil Afrasiyab (piano) and Chinara Mutallibova (law), as well as Peyal Azizov (balaban), Ibrahim Babayev (tar), Ali Guliyev (saz), Ilkin Dovletov, Fatima Jafarzade. , Idris Huseynov (oud), Elnur Mikayilov (kamancha) and Aytan Maharramova's performances were met with continuous applause from the audience.

The Qatar Press Center (QPC) celebrated at its headquarters recently the heroic role of journalist Wael al-Dahdouh, director of Al Jazeera’s bureau and its correspondent in Gaza. Al-Dahdouh tragically lost his entire family during his coverage of the events of the brutal Zionist aggression on the Gaza Strip.The Gaza correspondent was stationed in the conflict zone to discharge his duties, but he was personally targeted, and a serious injury forced him to be transferred to Doha to undergo urgent surgery and receive appropriate treatment.Al-Dahdouh was felicitated in Doha at a symposium titled 'Journalists in Gaza ... Dying for the Truth', organised by the QPC, in which he recalled his experience from the frontline covering the events of the ongoing aggression on the Gaza Strip. HE Saad al-Rumaihi, president of the QPC, said that targeting the family of al-Dahdouh and targeting him personally is an attack on the greatest, most beautiful and most prestigious national media platform in Arab history, the Al-Jazeera Channel, which had it not been for it, many facts would have been hidden from people’s eyes."Al-Dahdouh said: “I am happy and grateful for this opportunity that allowed me to meet with you at the QPC. You were accustomed to always watching us on television from the battlefield, but God destined that circumstances would develop and that I would arrive in Doha to receive treatment and meet you in this regard this evening.”He explained that the basic question before all Palestinian journalists in this place is that you have to decide whether you want to side with this humanitarian message? He said: The question that follows is: Will you continue, or will the decision be otherwise after you are harmed and withdrawn as a result of the psychological pressure?Al Dahdouh said: “As a human being and as a person, what I went through in the Gaza Strip during these four months was difficult, full of trials and pain, and full of questions, the answers to which were clear and you followed them, preferring not to delve further into this topic and those memories.”In his answer to a question about the policy towards journalists, especially in light of the Israeli occupation army’s targeting of journalists, al-Dahdouh said: “This new, old policy that the Israeli occupation army is pursuing towards journalists aims to intimidate people, cover up failure, and fear of the spread of information and real news.”He said: “What happened in the Gaza Strip is a very big event, and what happened on October 7 is a big and unexpected event, and therefore the aggression that occurred on the Gaza Strip was also greater than the expectations of the Palestinian and non-Palestinian media and journalists.He added: “Therefore, it seems that the Israeli occupation army does not want the eyes of the truth, namely the Palestinian journalists, to approach the course of events because it is a crime and because, in the end, if it is published on television, on platforms and elsewhere, it constitutes a great embarrassment for it in international forums and also in world public opinion, and therefore it began to target Palestinian journalists.”Al-Dahdouh confirmed that humanitarian aid is very important to the people of Gaza, regardless of its size, and is what keeps people alive because Israel closed all the crossings and none of the aid entered to the Gaza Strip through those crossings. Furthermore, Israel targeted the warehouses that contained food stocks that might help people withstand for a long time, by adopting a policy of drying up the sources, which put great pressure on the internal front.He noted that it is unfortunate that aid does not enter the northern part of the Gaza Strip, pointing out that the suffering of the people in the northern Gaza Strip is more severe than for the rest of residents of the southern Gaza Strip, although everyone is suffering in such a way that the citizen stands on the brink of starvation.He stressed that Qatar had a humanitarian role in Gaza even before the war. After previous wars in the Gaza Strip, there are Qatari projects in the Gaza Strip that have changed lives in the Gaza Strip, such as the Al-Rasheed Street and the Corniche project. Qatari hospitals and health centres are providing critical aid to suffering Gazans.

The National Archives of Qatar (NAQ) held an open meeting with various media outlets, in its building located in the Musheireb area, attended by Dr Ahmed Abdullah al-Buainain, Secretary-General of the NAQ, and Aisha Khaled al-Saad, Assistant Secretary-General.During the meeting, it was revealed that an annual forum would be held for the NAQ with the participation of ministries, government agencies, public bodies and institutions, private libraries and individuals, with the aim of strengthening joint cooperation. In addition to honoring those who played a prominent role in promoting documentary heritage, cooperation, and contributing to the documentary rooting of the national cultural identity.In this context, Dr Ahmed Abdullah al-Buainain mentioned that with the inauguration of the NAQ, the house’s exhibition and library were opened. The exhibition aims to introduce and educate the public about the history of the document, its importance, the role of the NAQ, its specializations, and the services it provides for the purposes of scientific research and to individuals, which will continue until next July of this year.Al-Bouainain added that since His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, inaugurated the NAQ in January last year, the NAQ has received support and participation from various state institutions and individuals, as the presence of the NAQ is supportive of all ministries and institutions that work to preserve the documentary heritage.The Secretary-General explained that ministries, government agencies, public bodies and institutions, and individuals are among the most prominent target groups for the NAQ, which are looking forward to cooperating with those entities to achieve the desired goals for which the NAQ was established. He also touched on private documents, which are in the possession of many members of our Gulf society, especially Qatar, as is known, as some families and tribes preserve a large part of Qatar’s historical documents. The presence of the NAQ guarantees the preservation of these documents, and we have noticed a large turnout from some citizens who took the initiative to provide the NAQ with the documents in their possession, whether by giving the original, or by loan, or giving copies of them. The NAQ provides services to owners or holders of private documents, such as restoring and sterilising documents, ensuring their integrity and preserving them.He added, “The role of the NAQ is to enable researchers and those interested in preparing historical research related to Qatar and the region by making documents available for use for the purposes of scientific research.” Memberships will also be provided to researchers to enable them to view documents, whether in the house or even those located outside the country in institutions with which we have signed memorandums of cooperation. As there are documents related to Qatar and the region present in international and regional archives such as the Ottoman and British archives, and we seek to cooperate with them to make them available for researchers, university students, and those interested in national history.Al-Bouainain noted that the digital transformation, which is considered one of the strategies the NAQ is working on during the coming period, as it will have an electronic website that will facilitate the process of searching and viewing documents.Aisha Khaled Al-Saad said in a statement to QNA: One of the strategic goals of the NAQ is to raise awareness in the field of documentary heritage in the country, as the public, individuals and private libraries are an essential element of the NAQ because of the important documents they possess, and we look forward to cooperation with them in order to preserve the historical memory of Qatar.She pointed out that the NAQ has various specialties, including collecting, preserving and classifying documents in the country, classifying their confidentiality, and mechanisms for controlling access to them, which aim to preserve the documents.Al-Saad explained that the NAQ’s specialisations are based on identifying what documents and archives are considered to be of historical value, organising the mechanism for preserving and reviewing them, protecting them from damage factors, and facilitating their use and benefit in the fields of historical research. In addition to collecting and documenting oral history. Collecting historical documents related to Qatar and the region from regional and international archives is one of the main goals of the NAQ.Regarding the stages undertaken by the NAQ to collect historical documents, she explained that the process of obtaining these documents goes through several stages, the first of which is searching for documents related to Qatar and the region in international archives and scientific centers, determining their importance and priority, and developing appropriate plans in coordination with these international and regional archives. In this regard, these stages were initiated through the visits that the NAQ recently made to a number of countries.Regarding cooperation with government agencies in the country, she explained that a working team has begun to be formed to coordinate with government agencies in the field of documents, as more than 35 entities have been contacted so far with the aim of studying and diagnosing the current situation of archives in all regions, and during the coming period we aim to reach more than 80 entities in the country.It is also worth noting that the NAQ is affiliated with the Amiri Diwan, and was reorganised pursuant to Amiri Resolution No. (29) of 2023. It aims to enrich intellectual activity, monitor the history of Qatar, organise and supervise the collection and preservation of documents and archives. In implementation of the provisions of Law No. (7) of 2023 regarding documents and archives. It also aims to enable access to information, records and documents, and facilitate their use, by setting standards and policies that regulate the process of managing public, private, historical and national documents in the country.

Al Mujadilah Center and Mosque for Women opened its doors to the community Sunday in an event that highlighted the facilities, introduced instructors, staff, and programmes.Members of the public explored Al-Mujadilah’s library, gathering spaces, café, and gardens, all of which are open for public use alongside its women’s mosque.Attendees were also able to sample Al-Mujadilah’s social, developmental, religious and research programmes through short classes and group activities. The classes explored the interconnectedness of the mind, body and soul in Islamic tradition. As part of the Islamic law session, led by executive director, Dr Sohaira Siddiqui, participants were invited to examine hadith (statements attributed to the Prophet PBUH) pertaining to women, to understand its context, its utility, and its relevance to the contemporary lives of women in today’s world.In another session, the historically significant contributions of Muslim women were explored, from their political and economic participation to their intellectual engagements and influential assertions of power. The session also examined how narratives about women in Islamic history have been put together and authored, and the various currents from Orientalism to colonialism that affect how women’s stories are told.Dr Siddiqui, stated: “Our programming was designed as the result of many focus groups that we had with Muslim women in Qatar, which helped us identify four main needs: first to build community, second a deeper religious understanding, third an overall Muslim women’s well-being and fourth to intellectually engage with contemporary issues. We designed programs for public education around these four areas, the social, the religious, the developmental and research, with the ultimate goal of addressing the multifaceted needs of Muslim women.”Kholood Nooh, programmes and impact specialist at Al-Mujadilah, said: “All our learning spaces have been designed in a way that facilitates conversation and discussion, which are key to all of our programmes, because we want to have Muslim woman engaged continuously. You can register for our programmes online at almujadilah.qa, and we hope that Muslim women take advantage of the range of programme we are offering. Registration is open and programmes will begin on February 6 until the end of April, with a total of 30 different programmes to choose from.”Al-Mujadilah will also open avenues to Islamic learning, research and the study of historical and contemporary Islam. One of its key features is a library with an extensive collection covering Islamic history, the history of women, and a collection of fiction and nonfiction books by Muslim female authors. Al-Mujadilah will have two book clubs that are always running; one in Arabic and another in English which will feature conversations with authors.Al-Mujadilah Center and Mosque for Women is founded by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation, with the aim of reinforcing Islamic identity among Muslim women and creating a space for their active participation in public debate and enriching contemporary Islamic discourse.While scheduled programs begin on February 6, women can also visit the center without registering for a programme between 10am and 8pm to enjoy the public facilities. More information on the Center and Mosque, including a full list of programs and activities can be found at www.almujadilah.qa Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn: @almujadilah.qa X: @almujadilah_qa

The Doha Institute for Graduate Studies (DI), represented by the Gulf and Arabian Peninsula Studies Unit organised a symposium titled “The Gulf novel: Parallel sociology” from January 20-21. The afternoon session on January 21, titled “The other in the narrative in Gulf societies: The other and the narrator,' was moderated by Faisal al-Mudahka, Gulf Times Editor-in-Chief.He said in his introduction that: “In this session, we will talk about Gulf literature, specifically the Gulf novel, which took a romantic turn at its beginning. The novel “Shahanda” by Rashid Abdullah from the Emirates may be one of the first clear examples of this trend."The Gulf novel touched on the transition from desert and sea life to city life after the discovery of oil, which moved Gulf society from the simplicity and harshness of life to the complexity, spaciousness and improvement of the city, as well as the standard of living and education."Such as the novel “Cities of Salt” by the Saudi novelist Abdul Rahman al-Manif, which is one of the most famous Arabic novels, which depicts life with the beginning of the discovery of oil and the rapid transformations that befell the cities and villages of the Arabian Peninsula.”" In this context, we are pleased to welcome Professor Mageb al-Adwani, Professor of Criticism and Theory in the Department of Arabic Language and Literature at the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at King Saud University in Riyadh. Professor Maisa al-Khawaja, Associate Professor of Literature and Criticism in the Department of Arabic Language at King Saud University in Riyadh."Professor Maisa said that her idea “revolves around how the novel can depict societal transformations and present a vision about a society, and among the questions and problems that such seminars can raise is the idea of identity and the other. "As for me, I said that we always present in our works or writers present others. So I thought about how others view us, and from here came a group of writers who go back to African origins, such as Eritrea and others."My paper concerns those who lived in Saudi Arabia, in Jeddah specifically, and wrote about Saudi society, and therefore the idea was about how to create their own identity, and also how to formulate an image of Saudi society. Is this picture imaginary or an approximate picture of what is happening in society, and is it exclusionary? All of this is included within the work of fiction and how it is presented through the characters, through cultural discourse or patterns that exist within the work of fiction."The period that I am studying is related to the transformation in Saudi society and the entry into what is called the awakening and the dominance of the clergy, etc., and how these people responded to some laws and some regulations related to dealing with others."But the idea is that they are the ones who are writing by themselves and trying to create an identity that distinguishes them or perhaps includes them under the dominant category of society in which they live. I was exposed more to cultural patterns related to religious discourse, racist discourse, the relationship between men and women, and self-discovery and identity and how he rediscovers himself by discovering his own identity, for example, that he is Eritrean and not Saudi or half-Saudi, as he expresses it.” Professor Maisa is interested in what is said behind the speech.Professor Mageb al-Adwani presented six literary works and stressed that the novel does not relate to reality at all, especially in relation to the representation of the Western or Eastern other. In the novel “Grandma Nina and I,” he pointed to the great symbolic aspect and how good triumphs over evil, stressing that the language of this novel was characterized by simplicity and was based on simple narration. The successful debate is the one that depends on simplicity, in this novel, which shows the relations between the Russian and the Jew among its characters, and openness to Russian culture.At the conclusion of the session, the speakers agreed that the other is a linguistic event or linguistic fact, so that the issue remains relative.

The Pakistani community in Qatar sent home about $1bn in remittances in 2023, a visiting senior official said in Doha Tuesday. Jawad Sohrab Malik, special assistant to the caretaker Prime Minister on overseas Pakistanis and Human Resources Development, is visiting Qatar from January 15-18 at the invitation of HE the Minister of Labour Dr Ali bin Smaikh al-Marri.Malik, who held a press conference yesterday evening at the Pakistani embassy, said that his meeting with HE Dr al-Marri focused on reviewing key issues of mutual interest. They reviewed aspects of co-operation between the two countries, and ways to enhance them in the areas of the labour sector, especially in the field of increasing job opportunities for the Pakistani workforce in the Qatari market.He praised the labour conditions in the Qatar and the care provided for workers in general and for the Pakistani community in particular. Malik stressed that the Pakistani government welcomes the tangible and purposeful labour reforms that Qatar has undertaken over the past decade, which makes Qatar one of the most popular destinations and a favourite one for workers in general and Pakistanis in particular.He said that he is on a mission to open avenues with Qatari employers and that he has signed two letters of intent with private companies.He pointed out that the number of the Pakistani community in Qatar is about 300,000 working mainly in the construction and hospitality sectors and other various professions, adding that Pakistan is constantly working to increase job opportunities outside the country in general and in Qatar in particular. Thus many training centres have been created for workers in Pakistan to suit global demand, especially in skills and soft skills needed in the service industry, hospitality, plus the language skills of the host country.Malik pointed out that 58,000 Pakistani workers came to Qatar between 2022-2023, and that the financial remittances from the Pakistani community in Qatar to Islamabad in 2023 amounted to about $1bn, which “we look forward to increase continuously to contribute to the development plans and comprehensive renaissance in Pakistan.”It annually receives about $27bn in remittances annually from its communities working abroad, which reached 12mn people, including 6mn in the Arab Gulf countries.Malik stressed that “the Prime Minister of Pakistan stated, that Qatar should be praised for its success in organising a huge and unprecedented event for the first time in the world, the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, noting that Pakistan was one of the largest contributors to the workforce involved in the preparations for the World Cup, which we are proud of."He stressed that Qatar implemented many reforms such as abolishing the sponsorship system, implementing the minimum wage, the WPS (wage protection system) paying wages and compensation, and responding to the reported labour problems regarding issues faced by our workers.

Since its establishment in 2004, the National Center for Cancer Care and Research (NCCCR) has undergone many improvements in its management, admission, treatment and follow-up of patients, a senior health official has said. "The centre diagnoses and treats cancer patients, we are treating them with radiotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy (a type of cancer treatment that targets the changes in cancer cells that help them grow, divide, and spread), and immunology therapy. We are looking forward to a new cancer hospital where all the cancer treatments will be done under one umbrella,” Dr Mohamed Salem al-Hassan, CEO and Medical Director of the National Center for Cancer Care and Research (NCCCR), said. "We are planning to create an up-to-date bone marrow transplant unit for treating up to 40 patients a year" The NCCCR has a team of experts in all aspects of cancer care, including medical oncology, surgical oncology, radiation oncology, and palliative care. In an interview with Gulf Times, Dr al-Hassan said: “Cancer is a growing problem in Qatar, as it is in many other parts of the world. In 2022, there were an estimated 1,300 new cases of cancer diagnosed in Qatar. Out of these, approximately 800 patients required ongoing treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The NCCCR has the most up-to-date treatments and therapies available. We are committed to providing our patients with the best possible care, and we are constantly working to improve our services. Our experts are constantly monitoring the latest developments in cancer treatment. We also have a strong research programme that is developing new and innovative treatments.” "We collaborate (for research and development) with a number of centres in the world like the Royal Marsden in England, Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, as well as many other centres in US and Europe" Dr al-Hassan said: “Since 2020 we improved the radio therapy department to state-of-the-art and we are proud to have one of the best departments in the world including the most recent equipment. For instance, in the radiation oncology department, we have installed ETHOS solution, a revolutionary approach that adjusts the radiation treatment plan based on changes in the tumor and surrounding tissues. This personalized approach enhances treatment efficacy while minimizing side effects, and setting a new standard in cancer care (lung cancer).” We increased the inpatient bed capacity substantially from 70 to 82 , the day care and short stay for cancer patients grew from 16 to 52 comfortable beds. We increased the number of clinics. We now approve appointments within two to three days. We treat all types of cancer patients, adults and children with radio therapy, but children who receive chemotherapy are treated at Sidra Hospital. We are planning to create an up-to-date bone marrow transplant unit for treating up to 40 patients a year. We also increased the number of research, and different types of treatment of cancer. We collaborate with a number of centres in the world, the Royal Marsden in England, Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, as well as many other centres in US and Europe. We increased the number of conferences and public awareness campaigns. "We set up a centre for chemotherapy production, it is called the Big Lab, which can produce 200 chemotherapy doses per day" We recently published a quarterly magazine “News and Views” in Arabic and English to educate the public about the treatment, and we provide patients with bulletins to raise the awareness about the disease and its treatment.” Dr al-Hassan highlighted : “We set up a centre of chemotherapy production, it is called the Big Lab; we are producing our chemotherapy, and it was opened recently , some three weeks ago. It is producing a more pure chemotherapy for the patient, quality and quantity wise. Our capacity has risen from 100 to 200 chemotherapy per day. In the radiation therapy department, in 2023 we replaced the radiation therapy device with a Truebeam system, which provides an enhancement in localized treatment equipment through Brachytherapy, and the installation of the ETHOS system for adaptive radiotherapy using artificial intelligence (AI). "To develop completely new treatment plans that suit the changing needs of patients, adaptive radiotherapy is customised using AI on a daily basis; to compensate for changes in the patient, and improve the ability to target the cancer, which leads to increased therapeutic effectiveness.” He said the new unit provides doctors with important information by tracking daily changes in the patient’s condition, suggesting improvements to be applied in the treatment process, adapting the distribution of radiation doses, and focusing on the area targeted for treatment, thus enabling doctors to provide appropriate treatment to ensure the quality of therapeutic results and reduce the chances of patients being exposed for drug poisoning. Dr al-Hassan indicated that the new system enabled doctors and specialists to conduct more targeted radiation therapy, and thus to increase the therapeutic effectiveness of certain types of cancerous tumors. He said: “The new technology used in the unit is considered a promising treatment method for patients, and adds a lot to the therapeutic capabilities. These are the achievements we have made so far.” Dr al-Hassan stressed that the “NCCCR remains devoted to research and development, with several research studies conducted by our scientists published in leading scientific journals in 2023". He said: "Our dedication is a testament to providing the best care for cancer patients in Qatar, aligning with our vision and fostering continuous progress in cancer treatment and patient recovery. This is of course in accordance with the Qatar Cancer Plan 2023–2026 which was developed in collaboration with key stakeholders in Qatar and with the support of World Health Organization experts.” Dr Mohamed Salem al-Hassan is a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland. He was formerly managing director of Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), chairman of surgery, chairman of emergency department, chairman of medical abroad, and director of medical education.

The Doha International Centre for Interfaith Dialogue (DICID) organised kast night a rally with the theme 'Together against the war in Gaza' at the amphitheatre in Katara – the Cultural Village.DICID chairman Prof Ibrahim Saleh al-Naimi led the event. Speakers at the rally included Elizabeth Marascalchi, Riva Group chief executive and “Andare Oltre” humanitarian foundation co-founder, Fr. Charbel Mhanna, Christian Churches – Patriarchal Envoy of the Maronites in Qatar Organising Committee chairman, Sheikh Abdullah Mohamed al-Naama, Imam Muhammad AbdulWahhab Mosque (Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs) preacher, Archbishop Makarios Mavrogiannakis, Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Church – Christian Churches Steering Committee, Sheikh Ahmed al-Buainain, director of the Family Reconciliation Office – Family Court, Fr. Beda Robles, Head of Anglican Church – Christian Churches Steering Committee, Sheikh Abdul Salam Bassiouni, Abdullah bin Zaid al Mahmoud Islamic Cultural Centre, and Maysa Wael Abu Hilal, member of the General Secretariat of the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad.The Katara amphitheatre was thronged by hundreds of Qatar citizens and residents of all faiths, who participated in the rally in solidarity with the Palestinian people, and against the war on the Gaza Strip.Representatives of many Qatar institutions, Arab and foreign embassies accredited in Doha, and a large number of imams and clerics, both Muslims and Christians, were present at the rally called for by the DICID.The call for the rally came from the DICID in an effort to take a clear religious and humanitarian stance against the war on Gaza, an expression of clear condemnation of what the Israeli occupation forces is committing, the shameful humanitarian crimes, bombing of hospitals, demolishing of homes, intimidating and killing of children, and the bold committing of war crimes and genocide, as well as the massacres of unarmed civilians.All the speakers called for an immediate ceasefire, and the two-state solution with East Jerusalem as the Palestinian capital.The participants raised Palestinian flags and banners supporting the Palestinians, Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the resistance in Palestine, and demanded an end to the war, holding the Israeli occupation forces accountable for the crimes being committing against the Palestinian people, and to stop the targeting and bombing of civilians in the Gaza Strip.They also raised many placards.Some read “You don’t have to be a Muslim to support Gaza – All you need is to be a human being”.Others read “No to the forced displacement of the population of Gaza” and “The Palestinian Kofia is the symbol of resistance”.A small boy held up a sign that read “Where are the international human rights organisations?”Those present wore both the Palestinian flag and Kofia.DICID chairman Dr al-Naimi said in the concluding statement that what is happening is “a brutal war against the Palestinian people in Gaza, lacking the lowest meanings of religious and human values”.“We must have a clear stance against this war and against the practices of the Israeli aggression,” he stated. “Against its brutal war machine that targets civilians, children and defenceless women, and its boldness to bomb homes and target hospitals, mosques and churches that shelter innocent people.”“These despicable practices have reached the point of not allowing the delivery of life-saving humanitarian aid, and attempting the forced displacement of the population of Gaza, and committing all kinds of war crimes and genocide,” Dr al-Naimi said.