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The Ministry of Culture, through the Music Affairs Centre (MAC) held a press conference on Sunday to launched the Nagam 2023 contest, in the presence of Maryam Yassin al-Hammadi, director of the Department of Culture and Arts.The contest aims to discover talent in the field of performing arts in music and singing, in order to achieve the objectives of the Ministry of Culture, especially the Department of Culture and Arts, to support the cultural and artistic movement in the country with the aim of sustaining it and giving the opportunity to talented people to discover their capacities and determine their paths."We thank all Participants, supporters and creators who participate in this competition. We appreciate the efforts of the Music Affairs Centre which provides more spaces for cultural expression by engaging communities to achieve cultural rights for all.”Khaled al-Salem, director of the MAC, said: “This is the third edition of the Nagam contest, a singing competition aimed to attract citizens and residents of Qatar, of all ages. The current edition will be full of talents worthy of respect and publicity.”Artist Ali Abdel Sattar, a member of the jury for the Arab category, said he is happy with this participation, hoping that he and the members of the jury will contribute to present singing talents worthy of the singing scene in Qatar.Artist Ghanem Shaheen said: “I am very honoured to be part of the jury, which was born big and brought out to the singing arena distinguished talents who were able to make a way for themselves through this competition.”Shaheen gave important advice to the talents participating in the competition that is to work hard on continuous development, saying: “We must continue to learn, perform, and work hard. We do not stop at this competition and winning it or participating in it only, but rather you, as young talents, you must see this competition as a starting point.”Artist Nasser Muhamed said that he was happy to participate in the Nagam contest in its third edition, wishing everyone success, stressing at the same time that his participation as an actor is not strange since acting and singing fall under the banner of art in general.”Dana Alfardan, a member of the foreign category jury, said: “It’s an honour to participate in this panel alongside two people who have been instrumental in the foundation of the organisation of the last two editions. I hope that together we also can continue to contribute to the music infrastructure of this country and to bring energy and inspiration to the incredible talent out there.”Dr Nasser Suhaim said: “I am happy with the experience, and this is not the first time I cooperate as a jury member with the Music Affairs Centre. I previously participated in the Awtar (strings) Instrumentation Competition, in cooperation with Qatar University. I will also invite the winners of the foreign category to participate in the Beautiful Time Classics, foreign version, as we previously did with the winners of the Nagham competition, in its first and second versions, when they participated in the Arabic version of the Beautiful Time Classics concert.”Giovanni Pasini said: “We found wonderful voices worthy for the competition, and I am personally pleased to meet them in the next stages.” Pasini concluded.The competition will be held in two versions, the first is the singing category for Arabic speakers, and the other is for non-Arabic speakers, where there will be two different judging committees for each of the two categories.

The Music Affairs Centre of the Ministry of Culture announced Thursday that the foreign music jury has finished sorting the participants for the 3rd edition of the 'Nagam 2023' competition, held under the slogan "Rhythm of Success".The foreign music jury members are composer and song-writer Dana Alfardan, artist and composer Dr Nasser Suhaim, and maestro Giovanni Basile. The foreign section has received more than 500 videos in diverse languages from Africa, East Asia, and Europe, including English, Hindi, Filipino, French, Italian and Turkish.

The Music Affairs Centre, under the umbrella of the Ministry of Culture, announced yesterday the members of the jury for the 'Nagham 2023' competition for Arab and foreign categories. The competition, in its third edition, has the slogan 'Rhythm of Success.'The Arab jury comprises artists Ali Abdel Sattar, Ghanem Shahen, and professor and flute player Yassin Ayari while the foreign category jury has composer and song writer Dana Alfardan, artist and composer Dr Nasser Suhaim, and maestro Giovanni Basile.The Music Affairs Centre also announced that the judges finished yesterday sorting the video clips of the participating talents, and 48 contestants were chosen, 24 each for either category. More than 500 videos each were received for the two categories, with the foreign section seeing diverse languages from Africa, East Asia, and Europe, including English, Hindi, Filipino, French, Italian and Turkish.

The Civil Service and Government Development Bureau (CSGDB) Monday announced the launch of the “Iskan” (housing) portal in its first phase.Present on the occasion were Jassim Mohamed Talfat, director of Housing and Government Buildings Affairs; Abdullah Issa al-Hammadi, director of the Housing Planning Department; Nasser Nasser al-Nuaimi, director of the Allocation and Follow-up Department, and Nouf Abdullah al-Marri, director of the Information Systems Department at the CSGDB.The officials indicated during a press conference that “Iskan” confirms the CSGDB's commitment to its pursuit of achieving the highest levels of organisational development and modernisation, and as part of its efforts to facilitate housing services for government sector employees and to consolidate digital transformation in its services.The “Iskan” portal is at the core of the mission and responsibility of the CSGDB to care for the civil servants, develop them, enhance their comfort, and invest in them, which ensures better-quality performance.They announced that the portal at this stage will be available to a number of government agencies, with other agencies to be added later. It currently includes all government agencies’ employees under the Human Resources Law No 15 of 2016, institutions that use the “Mawarid” (human resources) system. The CSGDB will gradually co-ordinate with the rest of the government agencies to update their employees’ data in the portal database to benefit from its services.The portal will also be updated later and new services added, in line with the efforts of the Housing and Government Buildings Affairs Department to provide digital services and make it easier for civil servants and landlords to benefit from them at all times.The speakers discussed the procedure for civil servants to benefit from “Iskan” services and its stages. Government agencies currently can address requests to the Department of Housing and Government Buildings Affairs for the allocation or change of housing via the government correspondence system (Tawasul), then the Civil Service and Government Development Commission will soon grant them the authority to enter the portal to register their employees’ requests directly. While employees of government agencies registered on the “Mawarid” system can use the portal directly.The speakers emphasised the advantages of the portal, in particular its contribution to achieving transparency. It allows all landlords to display their residential units, then the selection is made based on the needs of government agency employees. In addition, it saves time and effort and eliminates the need for complex government transactions.In addition, the “Iskan” portal enables real estate owners to register new properties directly and without intermediaries. The system has been developed so that landlords and real estate agents could inquire and obtain information immediately.

University of Doha for Science and Technology (UDST) recently held its International University Sport Week (IUSW), hosting a series of entertaining and engaging sports activities across campus. The week was an opportunity for the UDST community to participate in a diverse range of team games and physical exercise, helping to highlight the enormous role that physical activity plays in a healthy lifestyle.The dynamic five-day event coincided with the Unesco-recognised and globally renowned International Day of University Sport (IDUS), organised by the International University Sports Federation (FISU), of which UDST holds Platinum status.Dr Salem Al-Naemi, President of UDST, said: “IUSW is more than just a celebration of athleticism. We use sport as a platform for our University community and the wider public to come together, be active and have fun. It is part of every culture, and a powerful tool to encourage positivity, performance and teamwork. We have such a vibrant culture at the University that we celebrated for an entire week, meaning more people had the chance to participate.This reflects UDST’s commitment to health, wellness, and community engagement, and one of the reasons we are FISU Healthy Campus award winners. By bridging the gap between sport and academia, we aim to inspire future generations to adopt an active and healthy lifestyle, setting the precedent for post-secondary educational institutions in Qatar.”The resounding success and overwhelming positive feedback from last year’s inaugural IUSW ensured that this year's programme was equally as inclusive and exciting. Capturing the hearts of the audience, the Fun Olympics took centre stage - a friendly contest with 23 participants, each representing their country in games such as tug-of-war and lava rock.On the sideline of IUSW, Tony Martin, manager of sports and well-being, spoke to Gulf Times and said: “It’s a great experience for students, we teach and train them and they run all our events. We use our full time staff as mentors and supervisors. It is important for a country where sport events are at the fore, we are giving practical experience to these students.We are looking at what is called a co-curricular record, which allows for students when they show leadership in activities outside the classroom to be recognised. What happens is that employers expect that students are going to be good academically but what they are really looking for is leadership and team players who can work in organisations. For UDST wellness and wellbeing is crucial and important not only for students but also for faculty and staff. We are internationally recognised as the only FISU holder of a Platinum healthy campus in the Middle East and GCC. So it is very important to our campus, our president, and our board that we look at the wellbeing of students and our whole campus community. We have a multi-cultural campus and this event gives them an opportunity to compete. We are a strong academic campus but we believe in balance, we have fabulous facilities and a dedicated student affairs team. We try to make available to them any extra-curricular experience.”Mayar Mokhtar, a 4th year Human resources management student said: “It’s a great event that unites students from different countries. We represented our country Sudan we ranked second in female tug of war. It’s a fun event where all the students come together and enjoy the games and get a little break from our studies. Sport is very important in our life, UDST focuses on our physical wellbeing through various activities and among them fun Olympics.”Hussain al-Kharraz, a 2nd year data and cyber security student said: “My team represents Qatar in the fun Olympics. It is extremely fun, fascinating and magnificent, my team played well and our female team won the first place in tug of war. These fun games helped me to better manage my time and come to enjoy myself after I finished one of my academic test.” Al-Kharraz concluded.

‘The Winter King’, an exclusive series on TOD, showcases the timeless legend of King Arthur and his mythical knight's round table. Adapted from Bernard Cornwell's acclaimed Warlord Chronicles trilogy, the series portrays the drama and magic of the quest to reunite a then-fractured Britain. It portrays the high drama of friendships, rivalries, magic, myths, intrigue, and devastating betrayals.‘The Winter King’ viewers are transported to a realm of breathtaking landscapes, castles and kingdoms and epic adventure escapism where Arthur Pendragon transforms from a humble exile to a reluctant leader. While the first episode sets the stage, the full story quickly unfolds with heart-pounding action and heroic battles."It's got all the familiar mythical characters – Merlin and Nimue - but in a more human way. There are sword fights, horses, big set-piece landscapes, and romance. Themes and emotions in this story are timeless,” said Iain De Caestecker, who portrays Arthur Pendragon.At its core, ‘The Winter King’ revolves around Arthur's unwavering quest to reunite Britain. His journey is filled with all the challenges and self-discovery which has enraptured generations down the ages.Otto Bathurst, director and executive producer, encapsulates the series’ essence, stating: "My ultimate ambition is for people to watch this and go 'Oh, so that was the real Arthur story.' What we're doing is going back to the story’s roots and telling the truth of this legendary King in a more authentic, believable, accessible, and raw version."Kate Brooke, the series’ writer, and executive producer says: “This is full on a wonderful epic soap opera. This is love. This is revenge. This is a betrayal of best friends. This has romance at the heart of it between Nimue and Derfel, the two key characters. It's obviously got Arthur and Guinevere. So, although we've talked about the historical realism of it, it is also fantastic entertainment. I would say switch on for a rollercoaster ride.”

The forthcoming The Ivy series is a 16 episode drama and all its shooting was done in Turkey. The lead actress Burcin Terzioglu, who portrayed the character of Ruya in Turkey’s first Netflix original series called ‘The Protector’, was also the leading role of digital series called ‘Hukumsuz’ streaming on Exxen. This series was about women murderings in Turkey. Terzioglu will come together with the audience as Ezgi. This series will be the launch project of new digital platform TOD in Turkey. The preview showed Ezgi, happily married with a job she loved, starts to question everything she believes in when a stranger came across her one day. What kind of person was her husband Kerem? Their seemingly happy marriage was perhaps on the verge of falling apart. Ezgi didn't know whether to believe what she heard, saw, or felt. As a result of her inquiries, Ezgi would find herself in a police station. Could Kerem have killed a woman?While most of the scene are shot in a lush and trendy neighbourhood where life seems to be so posh, serene and the perfect place for happy professional families. Ezgi is a gripping character in the series played to perfection by Burcin Terzioglu who is a well-known and globally popular Turkish actress. Being raised in a family working in cinema industry, she started her career as a child-actor at a very earlier age.Terzioglu has successfully portrayed various roles in many Turkish TV series and movies.The second female role is played by Hazal Türesan who was the character of Begüm in the highly anticipated The Ivy series, which will soon be broadcast on TOD. She is also in the Barber series, which is in the shooting phase to be broadcast on Netflix. She is in the leading cast of the festival movie Bildiğin Gibi Değil, directed by Vuslat Saraçoğlu, which will be released soon.While actor Yigit Kirazci is taking part in the series The Ivy on TOD won the "Best Supporting Actor" award for his performance in the film "Baba Neredesin Kayboldum" which competed at the International Milan Film Festival. Kirazcı, also played the main role in the movies İyi Oyun and Ask Tesadufleri Sever 2, is currently starring in the phenomenal series Kızılcık Şerbeti.To a question: Yigit, Hazal and Burcin, could you provide some insight into how your characters' personalities and relationship dynamics evolve as the series progresses? Burcin Terzioglu said: “Since the episodes have not yet been aired, I will choose my words very carefully so as not to spoil your viewing pleasure and excitement. As the episodes move forward, you will watch a woman who has normalized her experiences, who endures everything for her son, who loves her husband, who is loved or thinks so, who is constantly manipulated, wakes up to a nightmarish life in which she does not even know whether she is a victim or a murderer in the face of what she hears and sees.”Yigit Kirazci said: “My character, Özgür is married and divorced, has a daughter. He is a commissioner in the homicide bureau, so he is a very responsible, down-to-earth person. In the following episodes, the realities of his personal life and office work will become entangled. The biggest reason for this spiral is Ezgi.”While Hazal Türesan said: “I play the role of Arzu who becomes more complex and mysterious as the series progresses. While her relationship with Ezgi deepens, her already distant relationships with other characters become even more insurmountable with prejudices. While all this is going on, Arzu is going through a great transformation.”To another questioned Burcin, how did you prepare for your role as the wife battling the fear of a mental illness while discovering unsettling truths? Burcin Terzioglu said: “I just empathized with Ezgi. When such things happen to a woman, when she doesn't know who she can trust and who she can't, when she feels so helpless, everything can turn into a mind game for her between the walls she is trapped in. Knowing this was the biggest part of the preparation.”"TOD" is a subscription-based OTT platform that delivers its subscribers exclusive access to unrivalled live sports content, and 40,000+ hours of premium entertainment content. A family-friendly and personalised platform, TOD offers the best blockbusters and top Arabic, Turkish, and international content, as well as children's programming. It also holds a range of new original content productions through "TOD Originals".

The Qatar Press Centre is currently hosting an exhibition (until September 2) on the art of journalistic caricature. It includes about 40 coloured works by Qatari cartoonist and illustrator Abdulaziz Sadiq. The exhibition encompasses various topics covered by the artist, who presented caricatures on societal issues, expressing them in a comic way, as is the custom of caricature artists.Abdulaziz Sadiq gave an exclusive interview to Gulf Times. He said: “The current exhibition came at the invitation of the Qatari Press Centre from Sadiq al-Ammari, the director-general of the centre. The idea was to present a personal exhibition of journalistic caricatures. Since I have been publishing my works on a daily basis for more than 35 years in the Qatari press, the caricatures on display represent the old and the new works on numerous social issues. The exhibition includes 40 caricatures, the drawings of which were previously published in the Qatari newspapers.”Sadiq added: “My artistic career started with the local Arabic daily 'Arrayah' in 1984. I was publishing in the black-and-white weekly then. I was encouraged by Nasser al-Othman, the editor-in-chief at that time. I continued to draw in the same newspaper for 10 years until I became the main illustrator. I issued the first book of caricatures in Qatar in 1988. I also published in the local Arabic daily 'Al-Sharq'.”Sadiq expressed his enthusiasm about this art and said: “Caricature is one of the most difficult arts, especially if it is done on a daily basis. With practice, the process of drawing becomes easier, and the difficulty remains in pursuing the idea. As daily cartoonists, we draw inspiration from ideas from the street, television, or the Majlis (Arabic for saloon)."We must put a comic touch on the subject so that it is accessible to and loved by the recipient."He continued: “There are types of journalistic caricatures, which are daily, and these types can be political, social, or economic. Humour and seriousness are related to the artist’s personality in presenting the idea and producing it in his style and signature.”Sadiq is of the view that “Caricature in Qatar enjoys a good standard, and there are unknown cartoonists who still need someone to encourage them and give them a hand to draw in the press. I do not mind giving advice and guidance to beginners in this art, and I do that periodically, either through advice or through training courses,” Sadiq concluded.The exhibition has been attended by a large audience and has been a great opportunity for caricature lovers to learn more about what Abdulaziz Sadiq drew and published in the Qatari press over the course of his long career.He reviewed some of his drawings in his huge archive, which he published throughout his artistic career. During his presentation, he explained how he was able to translate people's concerns in a sarcastic manner, and to exercise criticism with high eloquence that sometimes exceeds words.

University of Doha for Science and Technology (UDST) has embarked on a new academic year with more than 7,000 students enrolled for the Fall 23/24. New and returning students have joined five Colleges offering more than 60 programmes in the fields of Business, Computing and Information Technology, Engineering and Technology, Health Sciences and General Education.The University organized “Ahlan”, a two-day event to celebrate more than 1,700 new joiners and provide them with guidance and support. The Student Engagement Department, a division of Student Affairs, held many interactive sessions to introduce new students to the campus life and facilities. Students had the opportunity to interact with faculty members and deans from the Colleges in addition to connecting with their peers and various Student Affairs divisions such as Sport and Wellness, Counselling and Accessibility Services, Admissions and Registration and Student Central Services.In addition to academic advising, new joiners were also introduced to extracurricular activities and programmes, notably the different student clubs they can join to engage in and experience university life.Addressing the students, UDST president Dr Salem Al-Naemi, said: “Welcome to a university that embodies inclusivity, integrity and innovation at its core. You are now part of a strong community that will empower you and push you to new heights. Do not shy away from challenges, but consider them as an opportunity to learn and grow. We are pleased to see many new enthusiastic faces who are eager to integrate UDST and graduate as sought-after professionals who will contribute to the innovation and sustainable development of the State of Qatar and the global community.”UDST is starting the academic year with eight new programmes created to address the market needs and contribute to economic growth in Qatar and the world. These are Bachelor’s degrees in Marine Engineering, Smart Manufacturing Engineering, Software Engineering, and Midwifery; Post-Diploma Bachelor in Midwifery, a Master’s programme in Sustainable Tourism Management, a Post-Graduate Diploma in Interprofessional Neonatal Intensive Care, and a Post-Graduate Diploma in STEM/TVET Education.At UDST both Qatari citizens and children of Qatari women are exempt from the payment of tuition fees for Bachelor’s degree and diploma programmes.On the sideline of the “Ahlan” event, Gulf Times spoke to Student Affairs vice president Christopher Bridges, who said: “Today’s event is for student engagement, student life and academics, so they have the chance to meet their academic adviser and if they want to make any changes, they can do so. It is also to get connected to other students in clubs or in sports. We have a first year experience programme which will be working with our new students all year to make sure they are integrated into the university well and getting set up in all aspects in their life. UDST is fully committed to the full development of the student.”Ali Rashid, a new student said: “I enrolled to study AI. I expect to work in this industry and intend to be excellent in this major. The “Ahlan” event is very good, everything well organised. The UDST environment is superb. I hope to enjoy my studies here too.”Noor Mohamed, another new student said: ‘I enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering, telecommunications and network. I like to study engineering because I love physics and mathematics. It was my dream to study engineering. I strongly recommend UDST to other students because they have special programmes that are not available in other institutions,” Noor concluded.

The Qatari Youth Hostels (QYH) concluded with distinction its summer programmes, which started from July 4 with seven streams for different age groups from 10 to 29 years.Abdullah Saeed, head of Public Relations and Communication at the QYH said in a statement: “The 2023 summer was special and exceptional in the QYH. The programmes were diverse in thought, content and implementation in cooperation with various government and private agencies, including Qatar museums, the Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change. There were 181 participants in the all the programmes combined."The programmes helped empower children and youth in refining their skills and training them to become young promoters of tourism projects and leaders in this field. We aimed to cultivate in them a love of exploration and learning about the world.”Muhammad Ali al-Hail, a participant in the Youth Camp for Aware of a Better Future, said: “I benefited a lot from my participation in the camp, as I had the opportunity to explore my beloved country, Qatar, such as visiting the marine aquarium and the Olympic Sports Museum 3-2- 1, in addition to the workshops that helped refine my skills.”Ibrahim Ahmed al-Janahi, who participated in the “Your Game is My Idea” programme, said: “My participation helped me me create a game that promotes tourism in Qatar.”Saeed extended his thanks and appreciation to the QYH team and the 30 male and female volunteers for their support.

The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has identified a number of important health procedures that must be followed for the safe disposal of household medical waste.The ministry warned against disposing of the materials along with regular household waste or in public wastewater.The ministry, in a guideline titled “Household Medical Waste”, identified household waste as that generated from healthcare activities at home, including single and multiple lodgings, hotels and hostels, camps, and schools.Providing home health care takes two forms, by accredited health facilities, or by personal care.The ministry warned against disposing of medical waste such as sharp tools, solid infectious waste, medicines that are no longer needed, toxic cells such as impenetrable metals (thermometers containing mercury) along with regular household garbage or into public sewage.Disposing of these items with regular household garbage or into general sewage water exposes the waste collectors to the risk of infection, and also results in the contamination of the environment, the ministry cautioned.It stressed that medical waste resulting from a health care service provided at home must be separated and collected in accordance with Resolution No. (8) of 2006 and the guidelines of the MoPH and transferred to health care facilities (clinics, health centres, hospitals) for handling and disposal.The guidelines said medical waste generated from a personal care service should be managed at home as follows:Sharp wastes for diabetics must be collected in containers provided by government healthcare facilities and must be delivered to the nearest health centre for disposal through the medical waste disposal system.For infectious waste and sharp waste for non-diabetics, it should be placed in a solid, puncture-proof, and leak-proof container.Containers must be labelled "biological hazardous waste", shut tightly and it should be ensured that the outside of the containers is not contaminated. Then the container should be taken with its contents for disposal to the designated place and must not be disposed off by placing it in a recycling waste containers.With regards to pharmaceutical waste and personal care products, these should not bedisposed off in the sewage or in municipality containers except which is permitted, such as vitamins, cough medicines, intravenous fluids, and saline drops.Here again the waste should be placed in a solid, puncture-proof, and leak-proof container and should be clearly labelled 'Pharmaceutical waste.'The ministry pointed out that the guidelines are intended to provide a framework for medical waste management strategies and to help manage daily and long-term medical waste disposal.The unified application of these guidelines will help reduce the lack of knowledge to deal with medical waste disposal it added.

Qatar Career Development Centre (QCDC), founded by Qatar Foundation, celebrates International Day of Friendship Sunday, to reflect on the impact of friends in guiding their peers and determining the professional experiences of young individuals who need direction and guidance in shaping their future careers.Ola Abulla, Senior Career Development Specialist at QCDC, told Gulf Times that the influence of peers surpasses that of parents when it comes to career guidance for teenagers.She conducted a study in 2015 with 220 12th grade high school students in Qatar (residents and Qataris) on the most influential factors in career decisions. The study revealed that friends were the most influential factor, as 180 students chose the same career path as their peers. While some students were influenced by their peers and parents, others were impacted by different factors. However, friends emerged as the most significant factor in these students' career decisions.Ola Abdulla said: "I followed up on the research by conducting interviews with 20 students to understand why they chose the same field as their peers. Some of them felt at ease following the same career as their family peers (cousins or relatives), without considering the rationale behind their choices. Meanwhile, four students stated that they chose their preferred majors based on their parents' influence."Ola continued: "The situation may have changed now, but I read a study ago about the influence of peers on career decisions among youth in Arab countries. That study also concurred with my findings, citing friends and peers as the most influential factor in career decision making."Ola emphasised that the influence of peers on career decisions generally starts during adolescence, around the age of 12, particularly among boys who tend to follow their peers more than girls, as girls often possess a more independent and well-formed identity by that age.She pointed out that the influence of peers on their colleagues' career choices is mostly positive, but it can occasionally lead to undesirable outcomes, whether in meeting the demands of the job market or aligning career choices with personal skills and capabilities.Ola said: “This can happen when there is a lack of proper career guidance, as people have diverse abilities, skills, knowledge, and financial resources. All these factors need to be carefully considered when selecting a career to avoid putting oneself at difficulties. For example, if someone lacks the financial means to study abroad, they cannot simply follow their friend who chose to study abroad. Moreover, certain individuals possess skills in paying attention to intricate details, qualifying them for careers in engineering for example, while others excel in creativity and innovation, making them less compatible with professions like medicine or later specializing in surgery. Therefore, the importance of career guidance and counseling becomes obvious.”Ola with her 15-year-plus experience, further explained that “the goal of career guidance is to help individuals identify clear paths, plans, and goals that align with their skills and capabilities, enabling them to make the right decisions for their professional future. QCDC's work revolves around assisting youth in pursuing career paths that suit their abilities and skills, based on various psychometric assessments that help them discover their skills and the connection between those skills and their career paths.”This is vital to prevent blindly following peers and to foster a deep understanding of one's career choices.Ola firmly believes in the saying "You are who your friends are," and that choosing the right friends plays a role in career development. Therefore, it is essential to surround oneself with successful and purpose-driven individuals who contribute to personal growth and professional achievements. This can be achieved through enlightening discussions and knowledge sharing, which are hone very healthy aspects. As individuals spend more time at work than with their families, fostering friendships in the workplace creates a stronger bond to the organization and generates happiness and a willingness to work even after hours, without any mandatory obligations, thanks to the strong connections and understanding among colleagues. This cultivates a distinct work culture and enhances productivity.Ola stressed that "every situation has its pros and cons. One of the downsides may arise when boundaries blur, and colleagues find it challenging to separate professional and personal aspects due to friendships. However, adhering to professional ethics is the foundation of maintaining a pleasant work environment, which is not excessively informal. Striking this balance can only be achieved by respecting boundaries and acknowledging that coworkers are there to collaborate and work together and not just coexist."

The Kazakh Almaty City Council, in cooperation with the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Doha, held an event for the local media in order to promote tourism in the city of Almaty.Moqbal Abdulqadir, an official in the city's tourism authority, said in exclusive statements to Gulf Times on the sidelines of the event: “There are increasing numbers of Qataris especially families who are keen to spend their holidays in the city, due to its charming nature and mild atmosphere.”She stressed that the purpose of the event is “to encourage more Qataris to visit our city, which is called the city of apples, as it provides an integrated tourist experience in terms of exempting Qataris from the visa, as well as it has a modern and luxurious tourism infrastructure, whether from hotels or means of transportation, restaurants and wonderful resorts, as well as the environment.The charming city has a thousand mountain peaks that are able to instill all its details in the memory of visitors.” At the same time calling on Qatari investors to explore opportunities for establishing investment partnerships in the city, which is located in southern Kazakhstan and enjoys an attractive climate for tourism investment, in her presentation at the event that was held at the Sharq Hotel.Moqbal Abdulkader said: “Almaty is the largest financial, cultural, tourist and educational city in Kazakhstan, with a population of more than 2 million people. It is a tourist city par excellence, where tourists can go for walks, witness the beauty of nature, and relax in a ski resort in the tourism region. Almaty is proud that it has great tourist options, as there are 337 tourist facilities of hotels, resorts and other distinguished tourist infrastructure.There are 12 mountain hotels in Almaty, for skiing and mountaineering enthusiasts, and adventures, and tourists can also take master lessons in archery and horseback riding, or in cooking national Kazakh dishes. Tourists can watch horse shows and how to play the national games.”From a cultural point of view, Moqbel confirmed that Almaty is rich in its ancient history and distinguished culture, as there are two museums and two theaters in the city, and “we would like to reassure our visitors from Qatar that we have many restaurants and hotels that provide authentic Arabic and Gulf dishes,” she added.HE Bayzan Khamzin, Deputy Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Qatar, said that “Kazakhstan has recently become a favourite tourist destination for Qataris, adding that in recent years Kazakhstan has firmly imposed itself on the world tourism map as a country that must be visited by those who love eco-travel. By choosing one site, a tourist in Kazakhstan can fully experience all seasons. These unique tours are actively offered in the vicinity of Almaty, East and South Kazakhstan.”He told reporters that this event is dedicated to Kazakhstan's main tourist city - Almaty, which is located in the foothills of the Almaty Mountains, where you can see mountain peaks from almost anywhere in the city. The Deputy Ambassador stated that “Qatar has also become an attractive tourist destination in Kazakhstan, as 17,000 Kazakh tourists visited Doha this year.”He continued: “We are grateful to Qatar for opening direct daily flights by Qatar Airways to Almaty, and we welcome the decision to increase it to 14 flights per week. We also hope to open direct flights to our capital, Astana.” On the other hand, the Deputy Ambassador confirmed that the Kazakh companies "Fly Aristan" and "Skat" have opened direct flights to Doha since this year.Noting that “thanks to these steps, in addition to the mutual cancellation of visas, we expect that the tourism potential of Kazakhstan and Qatar will be fully revealed on a larger scale to the population of our two countries. This will certainly give impetus to our cultural, human, economic and commercial relations.” Khamzin concluded.

The Kazakh Almaty City Council, in co-operation with the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Doha, held an event for the local media in order to promote tourism in the city of Almaty. Moqbal Abdulqadir, an official in the city's tourism authority, said in exclusive statements to Gulf Times on the sidelines of the event: “There are increasing numbers of Qataris especially families who are keen to spend their holidays in the city, due to its charming nature and mild atmosphere.” She stressed that the purpose of the event is “to encourage more Qataris to visit our city, which is called the city of apples, as it provides an integrated tourist experience in terms of exempting Qataris from the visa, as well as it has a modern and luxurious tourism infrastructure, whether from hotels or means of transportation, restaurants and wonderful resorts, as well as the environment. The charming city has a thousand mountain peaks that are able to instill all its details in the memory of visitors.” At the same time calling on Qatari investors to explore opportunities for establishing investment partnerships in the city, which is located in southern Kazakhstan and enjoys an attractive climate for tourism investment, in her presentation at the event that was held at the Sharq Hotel. Moqbal Abdulkader said: “Almaty is the largest financial, cultural, tourist and educational city in Kazakhstan, with a population of more than 2 million people. It is a tourist city par excellence, where tourists can go for walks, witness the beauty of nature, and relax in a ski resort in the tourism region. Almaty is proud that it has great tourist options, as there are 337 tourist facilities of hotels, resorts and other distinguished tourist infrastructure. There are 12 mountain hotels in Almaty, for skiing and mountaineering enthusiasts, and adventures, and tourists can also take master lessons in archery and horseback riding, or in cooking national Kazakh dishes. Tourists can watch horse shows and how to play the national games.” From a cultural point of view, Moqbel confirmed that Almaty is rich in its ancient history and distinguished culture, as there are two museums and two theaters in the city, and “we would like to reassure our visitors from Qatar that we have many restaurants and hotels that provide authentic Arabic and Gulf dishes.” She added.Bayzan Khamzin, Deputy Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Qatar, said that “Kazakhstan has recently become a favourite tourist destination for Qataris, adding that in recent years Kazakhstan has firmly imposed itself on the world tourism map as a country that must be visited by those who love eco-travel. By choosing one site, a tourist in Kazakhstan can fully experience all seasons. These unique tours are actively offered in the vicinity of Almaty, East and South Kazakhstan.” He told reporters that this event is dedicated to Kazakhstan's main tourist city - Almaty, which is located in the foothills of the Almaty Mountains, where you can see mountain peaks from almost anywhere in the city. The Deputy Ambassador stated that “Qatar has also become an attractive tourist destination in Kazakhstan, as 17,000 Kazakh tourists visited Doha this year.” He continued: “We are grateful to Qatar for opening direct daily flights by Qatar Airways to Almaty, and we welcome the decision to increase it to 14 flights per week. We also hope to open direct flights to our capital, Astana.” On the other hand, the Deputy Ambassador confirmed that the Kazakh companies "Fly Aristan" and "Skat" have opened direct flights to Doha since this year. Noting that “thanks to these steps, in addition to the mutual cancellation of visas, we expect that the tourism potential of Kazakhstan and Qatar will be fully revealed on a larger scale to the population of our two countries. This will certainly give impetus to our cultural, human, economic and commercial relations.” Khamzin concluded.

The 32nd Doha International Book Fair (DIBF), which featured 37 countries and 505 publishing houses and Saudi Arabia as the guest of honour, concluded yesterday after attracting about 300,000 visitors and hosting more than 500 cultural activities and launch of 198 books across 10 days, director Jassim Ahmed al-Buainain said."About 15,000 children who visited the exhibition enjoyed the activities and events especially prepared for them in the "Children's Oasis". It included 10 sections with artistic workshops, spaces for children's activities, and a puppet theatre. We were very pleased with the great demand by children and families for the children's spaces in the DIBF and the special atmosphere they experienced throughout the days of the exhibition“The DIBF has always represented a pioneering cultural event and a gathering forum for intellectuals, creators, and those interested in reading and books,” al-Buainain pointed out while observing that the Ministry of Culture was interested in organising a distinct edition of the DIBF in terms of its layout, quality and quantity, which were admired by the various segments of visitors to the exhibition.From Qatar, many national authorities participated in the DIBF, such as the Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs, the Ministry of Municipality, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, the National Human Rights Committee, the Supreme Judicial Council, the National Cyber Security Agency, the Planning and Statistics Authority, Al Jazeera Network, Al Rayyan TV and Qatar National Library. The embassies of South Korea, Japan, Russia, the US, Indonesia, Palestine, Syria and Azerbaijani were among the participants.The Saudi Arabian pavilion presented a cultural experience that reflected the rich heritage and authentic culture of the Kingdom. The activities showcased at the Saudi pavilion included a package of seminars, interactive lectures, dialogue sessions, poetry evenings, and workshops that covered several aspects in the fields of culture, art, literature and knowledge.On show were a wide variety of publications and a collection of archaeological replicas and figures discovered in the Kingdom, as well as live presentations of handicrafts.The DIBF also witnessed participation from the Unesco, Oman's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth; the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication of Morocco; the Algerian Ministry of Culture; the National Council for Culture, Arts and Literature of Kuwait; the Palestinian Ministry of Culture; the Abu Dhabi Centre for the Arabic Language; the Sharjah Book Authority; the Egyptian General Book Authority; the General Book Authority of Yemen; the Iranian House of Arts and Books; the Jordanian Publishers Union; and the Emirates Publishers Association.The DIBF organized 24 training workshops in the Thought Hall and 24 training workshops in the Knowledge Hall, in addition to a number of activities in the Children's Oasis, with 87 theatre performances, in addition to the 116 activities of the Cultural Salon, which included lectures, seminars and book launches, and 37 seminars in the main theater, and other cultural events such as Al-Mutanabi Street, which included six libraries and live cooking performances.

The 32nd Doha International Book Fair (DIBF) concluded Wednesday after a 10-day long successful run at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre.Dr Ghanem bin Mubarak al-Ali al-Maadeed, Assistant Undersecretary for Cultural Affairs at the Ministry of Culture, said: “The 32nd session of the DIBF witnessed an unprecedented cultural, intellectual and literary movement. Its success was based on several factors, most notably the wide and valuable participation of local, Arab, and international publishing houses, whose roles have integrated to provide an exceptional experience for visitors and those interested in literature, art and culture, as well as a variety of titles, books, collectibles, manuscripts and other exhibitions that enriched the taste of the public and gave them wider options to read recent publications in various fields of thought and creativity.”“We are very happy with the great turnout of visitors for the DIBF from inside and outside Qatar. We are even happier with the positive and distinguished cultural activities and events presented daily and widely praised by various groups."Dr al-Maadeed explained that the DIBF - as a leading cultural beacon in Qatar and the region - embodies the vision of the Ministry of Culture seeking to enhance the cultural scene by supporting efforts to make the book a national asset together with the writing and publishing industry and to provide a live interactive platform that brings together authors, publishers and readers under one roof.“The exhibition has achieved its objectives par excellence that are to be added to the series of valuable events organised by the Ministry this year, such as the seminar season, the Ramadan Book Fair, the Doha Theatre Festival and the Universities Poet Competition, in order to achieve the Ministry’s strategy based on supporting intellectuals and creators.”

The Kuwaiti Dar Shaghaf Publishing House (DSPH) has a special pavilion at the 32nd Doha International Book Fair (DIBF), which concludes Wednesday at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre.Abdulrahman Shehab, the general manager, DSPH, speaking to Gulf Times said: “I see that the Doha International Book Fair (DIBF) is very attractive, especially after the great and strong achievement realised by Qatar in organising the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. Certainly, the DIBF is very strong."The organisation is excellent in all respects. We always say that Doha has raised our heads in the World Cup, and represented us in a great way. It is expected that the DIBF will be at this level of strength, as well as the accompanying activities such as lectures, poetry, children's oasis, and seminars. It is very nice that the exhibition includes such events. The organisation is wonderful, as usual in Doha, it is beautiful and elegant at the same time.“Shaghaf is a Kuwaiti youth publishing house launched in 2019. From the first year, the position of the publishing house was strong in terms of business and participation in exhibitions. Our team has considerable experience, especially in the private sector. Considering that the marketing of books has become completely different from the past, we utilise all channels."We employ 12 people, and this is the third participation in the DIBF, and the number of our publications has reached 165. I am a graduate of the College of Education, majoring in library and information management. I gathered experience working in several commercial fields for a period of 12 years and then we entered this field with friends who have previous experience in the field of publishing and distribution, all of whom are mainly writers with more than 10 years in this field. They had energy and morale, and we launched this house.”With regard to the technological development, Abdulrahman Shehab believes that the paper book is in demand in the Gulf countries and that for e-books it is still weak. "Even many e-book platforms could not continue. They opened for a year or two and suffered a definite loss. Most of them closed. So far, the paper book is what is required, and we are marketing the book electronically through social media. Currently, there is no danger to the paper book from the e-book in the Middle East. As for Dar Shaghaf, we are present in all countries and we try to maintain prices, by country, because printing costs in Kuwait are high compared to prices, for example in Lebanon or Egypt, where it should be sold at an affordable price, unlike the prices in Gulf countries,” Shehab concluded.

On the sidelines of the University of Doha for Science and Technology (UDST) graduation ceremony, Abdullah al-Ahmadi, holder of the President’s Award for Academic Excellence, spoke to Gulf Times. “I graduated with a degree in mechanical and maintenance engineering with the President’s Award,” he said. “This is one of the highest achievements in our university. I am so excited I cannot express my feelings about this success.” “I read the valedictorian address for my batch. It is very hard to get this opportunity,” al-Ahmadi added. “I congratulate all the students and wish them best of luck. I really recommend the UDST because it provides students with a good mix of theoretical and practical studies.” Ali al-Khalid, another holder of the President’s Award for Academic Excellence, also spoke to *Gulf Times “I am an information technology graduate with the President’s Award,” he said. “Today, I am proud that the four years journey came to an honourable conclusion.” “My family is proud too, it has been a long and hard journey, but I finally made it and I am very happy for this,” al-Khalid added. “I recommend the UDST for students who want to get applied knowledge, hands on experience on almost every aspect of information technology, hardware and software, robots, etc.”