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The Doha Institute for Graduate Studies (DI)’s Administrative and Financial Department has organised a lecture on social responsibility and sustainability, in collaboration with the Seashore Group.It was presented by Seashore Group sustainability co-ordinator Lolwa Mohamed Ali and moderated by Dr Rania Mansour, assistant professor in the Social Work Programme at the DI.In her introduction, Dr Mansour stressed that social responsibility is a commitment that affects every individual or institution, as it ensures a balance between the economy and the environmental systems and contributes to addressing some issues affecting societies.The relationship of social responsibility with sustainability enhances the ability to preserve the quality of life in the long run and guarantees it for future generations through the optimal and responsible use of the environmental resources.Ali spoke about the history of recycling, noting that it dates back to thousands of years.Although it may seem like one of the modern concepts associated with the environmental movements in the 1970s, recycling was used by some individuals thousands of years ago.However, it emerged in the 1930s and 1940s as one of the important concepts that would help achieve a sustainable future.Corporate social responsibility, in its simplest sense, refers to a type of self-regulation for organisations with the aim of social accountability and making a positive impact on society.Organisations can implement social responsibility initiatives and programmes through several ways, with the most important being the use of clean technologies, promoting equality and diversity in the workplace, as well as respecting employees and clients.Ali explained that the Seashore Group is involved in the recycling of materials, including batteries, medical and industrial waste, used cooking oil, iron, copper, aluminium, plastic and paper.A number of initiatives have been launched with partner institutions such as the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, the Ministry of Municipality, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, Ooredoo, and Qatar Museums.Ali concluded that a good institutional organisation based on planning, development and innovation will have a positive impact on society, helping raise awareness about recycling, and establishing values related to sustainability in its various indicators.

The curtain came down on the second edition of the Ramadan Book Fair Sunday at the Darb Al Saai headquarters in Umm Salal. The event was held under the auspices of HE Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad al-Thani, Minister of Culture..text-box { float:left; width:250px; padding:1px; border:1pt white; margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 20px;}@media only screen and (max-width: 767px) {.text-box {width: 30%;}}**media[15854]**Organised by the Ministry of Culture, the book fair saw the participation of 79 publishing houses from within and outside Qatar, including 18 publishing houses specialised in children's literature and books.The participating entities included 31 publishing houses from Qatar and 48 from 14 Arab and other countries: Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Kuwait, Egypt, Jordan, the UAE, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Tunisia, Algeria, Canada, the UK and Australia.The book fair featured various accompanying events, including religious lectures, intellectual, cultural and poetic sessions, various theatrical and artistic performances, and entertainment activities that attracted families and children.The exhibition witnessed, from its beginning on March 30 until the last day, a wide public turnout.Commenting at the conclusion of the event, Ramadan Book Fair director Jassim Ahmed al-Buainain said: "The second edition of the book fair succeeded at all levels and by all standards, which prompted us to extend the exhibition until April 9, at the request of the public.”The official noted that the exhibition was a destination for book enthusiasts, intellectuals and writers, who found on the shelves of publishing houses a variety of books that met the needs of everyone.He added that the accompanying activities such as religious seminars, discussion and cultural sessions, and children's workshops and games attracted families and children, who enjoyed the atmosphere of the exhibition.The Ramadan Book Fair director stressed that the participation of Qatari and Arab publishing houses enriched the exhibition.Their distinguished involvement contributed to the provision of all kinds of books, including literary, cultural, scientific, religious and children's books, among others.Al-Buainain explained that the Ministry of Culture sought to make the exhibition an opportunity for visitors to benefit from the accompanying cultural and religious events, and enrich their experience in line with the atmosphere of the holy month, amid the presence of a large number of publishing houses from Qatar and abroad.The Ministry of Culture was keen to hold this edition to promote the participation of a large number of publishing houses specialised in books for children and young adults in both Arabic and English.He expressed thanks to the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs (Awqaf) and the Ministry of Social Development and Family for their contribution to the success of the exhibition.(QNA)

The second edition of the Ramadan Book Fair on Saturday hosted a majlis on the importance of the role of poetry in promoting values in Qatari society.Poets Shabib bin Arar al-Nuaimi, director of the Qatar Poetry Centre (Diwan Al Arab) and Mubarak al-Khalifa, director of the Publications and Artistic Works Department at the Ministry of Culture, participated in the majlis that was moderated by media figure Jassim Salman.Al-Nuaimi said, "Poetry is considered an essential component and a fundamental pillar of the civilisations of nations, before the advent of Islam period up to the modern era. It has a role in advancing the values of society, and the poetry immortalised in history is the one that carried the values of its societies and protected them.”He noted that the message of the Diwan Al Arab centre, which was established by HE the Minister of Culture’s Decision No. 94 of 2016, is to spread the culture of poetry and create a generation of creative poets in the country by sponsoring young Qatari talents, supporting and guiding them, and contributing to raising their intellectual and literary level.It does so while adopting poetic projects that improve the discernment of society and preserve its cultural identity, and work to define general standards and frameworks for poetry in a way that is commensurate with the cultural nature of Qatari society.Al-Nuaimi spoke about the many activities and poetry competitions held by the centre, the most prominent of which is the Universities Poet Award, and how it succeeded in creating a generation of poets who uphold positive and moral values in society.He said the Diwan Al Arab centre is about to announce, at a press conference, the largest poetry competition in the Gulf open to all poets in Qatar, the Gulf and Arab countries. On the future activities of the centre, al-Nuaimi said it will launch a university poet competition after Eid.Al-Khalifa stressed the importance of poetry in adopting many societal issues, highlighting the great role of poets in community issues. Qatar is currently distinguished by the most important poetry awards that adopt Islamic values, most notably the Katara Award for the Prophet’s Poet, the Al Arabi Poetry Award ('Mothers of the Believers') and others that achieve these principles and values.Al-Khalifa touched upon the arrival of great Qatari poets along with the emergence of Qatar TV, which had an influential role in promoting the local poetic scene, referring to the contribution of the Doha Cultural Festival, which constituted another qualitative leap in the march of poetry.

The Doha Institute for Graduate Studies (DI) has announced the start of preparations for the graduation ceremony of the seventh cohort of master’s students on May 18 in the St Regis Doha.Of the total of 196 graduates, 129 are from the School Social Sciences and Humanities and 67 are from the School of Economics, Administration and Public Policies.Dr Ibrahim Freihat, dean of Student Affairs, said that the DI has adopted, since its inception, international academic standards of an advanced level in all the disciplines and thereby qualify the master’s degree graduates to move on to doctoral disciplines in other prestigious international universities.Eman al-Sulaiti, executive director of the Administrative and Financial Division, stated that the DI celebrated the graduation of six cohorts already.Since its inception, the total number of graduates has reached 1,040 with 18 internationally accredited master's programmes that the DI offers.The DI also offers eight programmes in the PhD track: Development Economics, Public Administration, Politics and International Relations, Linguistics and Arabic Lexicography, History, Sociology and Anthropology, Media Studies, and Critical Security Studies.

Lusail University Press (LUP) has made its debut at the Ramadan Book Fair, which runs until April 9. LUP director Dr Muriel Haj Nahas said its first publication, 'Introduction to Qatari Law' by Dr Hassan Hassan al-Barawi, a professor at Lusail University, is showcased at the event.A second publication is to be launched next week.LUP is preparing to participate in more book fairs, the official explained. Dr Nahas expressed her happiness at the turnout at the Ramadan Book Fair organised by the Ministry Culture and lauded the organisation of the event and the variety of entertainment and cultural activities. The LUP director added that the publishing house will contribute effectively to highlight the Qatari and Arab culture, with academic works on Qatar and the region.

The ongoing Ramadan Book Fair organised by Ministry of Culture is supporting a number of Qatari productive families.Entrepreneur Aisha Sultan Malallah, who transforms old tyres into furnishings used in homes, camps, schools and parks, said that the diversity of the projects enriches the experience of visitors.Malallah, who started her project two years ago and participated in many exhibitions, described the Ramadan Book Fair as a unique opportunity to support Qatari productive families, especially in the atmosphere of the holy month.She appreciated the support by the Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Social Development and Family for the projects of the Qatari productive families.“I hope that these efforts will be strengthened by various parties and the authorities concerned to enhance the role of entrepreneurs in supporting the national economy,” Malallah added.Noura al-Ali, owner of a project for the manufacture of ceramics and Garangao gifts, said that she aims to support the revival of the heritage through the manufacture of pottery and gifts.She said the Ramadan Book Fair is an ideal platform to market such products, which were hitherto promoted through the social media.Amna al-Dahnim, who sells kits for handicraft products so that buyers can make the items themselves, thereby encouraging creativity and innovation, said that the process develops skills and provides a unique experience for young people and children.She also praised the management of the Ramadan Book Fair for providing the pavilion and the support extended to Qatari productive families.Mashael al-Kuwari, owner of a project specialising in limited edition *abayas, said that there are specific designs for the Ramadan season and holidays.She nurtured her hobby for designing clothes by attending courses about fashion to hone her skills.Al-Kuwari said that Qatari entrepreneurs and the productive families receive continuous support from the Ministry of Social Development and Family and the Ramadan Book Fair organised by the Ministry of Culture.“I hope that the support provided to entrepreneurs will inspire Qatari productive families to boost their role in the development process,” she said.

HE the Minister of Culture Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad al-Thani, HE the Minister of Municipality Dr Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Subaie, and HE the Minister of Social Development and Family Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser al-Misnad attended the Ramadan Majlis seminar Sunday.The seminar in the evening was held as part of the activities accompanying the ongoing Ramadan Book Fair.Leading architect Ibrahim Mohamed Jaidah was the speaker at the seminar moderated by journalist Jassim Salman.Jaidah spoke about his educational journey, the challenges, as well as his residence in the Al Jasra area near Souq Waqif, which formed his idea about authentic Qatari style.He studied in the UK, where he got acquainted with different civilisations, followed by his studies in architecture in the US, where he noticed a lack of understanding of Islamic architecture.Jaidah returned to Doha in 1988 and, while working at the Ministry of Municipality, grew fond of taking photographs of mud buildings and writing books about them.His fondness for design prompted him to make a sketch for Al Dana Club, while his passion for architecture led him to dedicate his career to studying the rich Qatari style, indicating that the old National Museum is a reference for the Qatari architectural style.He said that the Gulf style stopped with the refining of oil and the emergence of modernity, but he was keen to employ it in different buildings as it evoked authentic Qatari architecture.After working in the ministry for four years, Jaidah left for the private sector with the aim of preserving old architecture.The architect said that he had a dream of restoring the Qatari architectural style, blending it with modernity, and accordingly he devoted his efforts to achieving this by forming a team.He said that that a global architectural boom appeared with Qatar Museums through contact with international architects, who accomplished works inspired by the Qatari environment and style, as evidenced with the Museum of Islamic Art and the National Museum of Qatar, until the country became a model of modern Islamic architecture.Jaidah praised the architectural experience in Msheireb, which took into account the nature of the climate in its implementation, and was the most beautiful expression of the elements of Qatari architecture.The architect said that he dreams of “establishing a freej” (Arabic for a small neighbourhood) that carries the elements of Qatari architecture “in a way that preserves our identity after the absence of many elements as a result of modernity”.He also referred to “the absence of the liwan, i.e. the courtyard, in modern architecture”, and how the door became isolated from what was behind it.“We need our neighbours ... let’s return these features to our Qatari architecture,” he said.Jaidah also touched upon the most important stage in his career, which is designing Al Thumama Stadium, one of the venues of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.Architects from around the world were invited to submit designs inspired by the gahfiya – a traditional headpiece worn by men across the Arab world – for the stadium.“I received a call telling me about my nomination to participate with a group of international architects to design a stadium with details from our Qatari environment,” he recounted.“I could not sleep that night, and went to Souq Waqif in the morning to buy all kinds of gahfiyas, from which I was inspired,” the architect said.“At that time I had a great determination to win the competition, especially since I know our gahfiya better than foreigners, for whom it is considered strange and unfamiliar,” Jaidah added.“I focused on the external appearance, given that I had no prior experience of designing stadiums, but with the help of a team of consultants, we were able to present the best design that won the confidence of officials,” he said.“From this standpoint, we affirm that we can design in a modern way, but at the same time carry the mark of history and embody our heritage, which is what we seek to achieve and impart to future generations of Qatari women architects who graduate from Qatari universities,” he concluded.

A seminar titled 'The Importance of Family Structure in Islam' was organised Saturday by the Ministry of Culture, in co-operation with the Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs, as part of the Ramadan Book Fair, which is currently being held at Darb Al Saai in Umm Salal.Preacher Sheikh Muwafi Azab said that ever since the creation of Adam (peace be upon him) human progress has been concerned with family structure.God created Adam and his spouse to dwell with her and be a helper to overcome the challenges of life on earth."Islam has paid attention to married life, which is considered a social institution and the first building block of society,” the preacher said.Azab added the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was a role model in his family life."The Holy Qur’an established the basic component of the family, male and female, and their roles were defined,” Dr Sakhr al-Ghazali said. “The criteria for choosing a husband or a wife were set as stated in the authentic hadiths.”The Prophet (pbuh) was a practical example in dealing with the members of his household.Al-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah narrated on the authority of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her): "The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: 'The best of you is the best to his family, and I am the best of you to my family'.”Dr al-Ghazali stressed that if the family is based on these standards, then it provides the children with an educational incubator, contributing greatly to their not deviating from the right path.He noted that Islam laid the foundations for building the family to protect society.

Writer Asma al-Kuwari, director of Dar Nabga for Publishing and Distribution, said their participation in the Ramadan Book Fair is an extension of their efforts to spread science, knowledge and culture in society.The large public turnout and children's eagerness to read books provide satisfaction and encouragement to those participating in the fair, and make them optimistic about a brighter future."We have a distinguished number of books in Arabic and English, which are related to the holy month of Ramadan, in addition to organising some programmes for children," she said Saturday.Al-Kuwari noted that Dar Nabga is the first Qatari publishing house specialised in children's books, and was launched in January 2020 under the slogan 'Our product is a legacy for our children'.The company's name was derived from the fruit of the Sidra tree and the word is originally 'Nabq'. However, the 'q' in it turned into a 'g' based on the Qatari dialect, and became 'Nabga'.She stressed that the publishing house seeks to give local writers and illustrators a platform to showcase their creativity aimed at children.

Researchers at Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI) led by Dr Fouad Alshaban have made great advances in autism diagnosis and treatment, providing a new lease of hope for children who are suffering from the neurological disorder that affects one out of every 100 kids worldwide.Speaking exclusively to Gulf Times on the occasion of World Autism Awareness Day (April 2) 2023, Dr Alshaban said his team has achieved a major breakthrough in diagnosing Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) which is easier to carry out and is assisted by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning.'The other important study which we are almost concluding is 'eye tracking' for which we had a collaboration with a Cleveland Clinic scientist. We have been doing this for the past four years, we have finished the first phase, using the long version, and in that part we created our own stimuli that mimic the American version, which fits the Qatari culture and society. It is also in Arabic language, so that it can be understood by Arab families' Explaining the recent advances, Dr Fouad Alshaban, Principal Investigator, Neurological Disorders Research Center (NDRC), Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), said: “The progress concerning the Argus Cognitive research project is very important for us in Qatar, since it is funded by an external agency, a company called Argus Cognitive to the sum of $300,000 for two years to try to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning to the 'gold standard autism diagnostic tool' known as ADOS-2 (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule- Second edition). This is the second year of research, we have great results, and a few months are left to conclude this project with the company and with Rush University of Chicago with whom we are collaborating. The ADOS-2 depends on the experience of the person administering the test. Introducing machine learning and AI will give it more objectivity, and will help in the final evaluation and scoring which help in the diagnosis of autism. This is as far as the Argus- Cognitive study has gone.”'In the coming year we will reach the commercialisation phase after we get the patent and other required formalities, to make it available in clinics' Dr Alshaban stressed that “the other important study which we are almost concluding is 'eye tracking' for which we had a collaboration with a Cleveland Clinic scientist. We have been doing this for the past four years, we finished the first phase, using the long version, and in that part we created our own stimuli that mimic the American version, which fits the Qatari culture and society. It is also in Arabic language so that it can be understood by Arab families; we finished the first phase. We have published two papers and the results were as good as the Cleveland ones, which means that it is validated, and it can be used and commercialised later on.”'At QBRI, we are trying to make it very short, if we make the eye tracking device available, it will stop all the waiting lists for any one, whether for screening or diagnosis' Dr Alshaban added: “The other phase consists of using the shorter version which has less than half the number of stimuli which means it takes less than half the time of the long version i.e., between 4 to 5 minutes for the whole test. This will be more helpful since it is not easy to keep an ASD child to sit and watch the stimuli for a longer time because he is always agitated, and does not pay attention, so, it is easier to perform the test using the shorter version compared to the longer version. And the results were much better than the longer version, we are now discussing this with Cleveland, as they asked us to help them in developing this version.”Dr Alshaban said: “I hope that in the coming year we will reach the commercialisation phase after we get the patent and other required formalities, to make it available in clinics. The good thing about this device is that it is affordable, it does not cost more than $5,000. We can train any nurse to administer this test, because it completely relies on AI and the machine itself, it is a 100% objective test. It will give you the results immediately, to see if there is any risk of autism. We can screen newborns 6 months old and above. The sensitivity of the test is 87%, which is better than any other tool available at present. This is going to be a game changer in the screening and diagnosis of autism.”'Our diagnostic services are available to all families i.e., any family who suspect a developmental problem with their child as young as one year, let them come here, we will do the eye tracking and the ADOS-2 tests for them free of charge, and it is available for anyone, and our waiting list is less than two weeks'Dr Alshaban is keen to help families . “The main problem for families who have a child with a neuro-developmental problem or a developmental abnormality is to find help in diagnosing their kid within a short time, in order to know if she/ or he is suffering from autism or any other neuro-developmental disorder, because the waiting list is too long, not only here, but everywhere, in the USA, Europe, Canada. It is very difficult to get an appointment in a period shorter than six months or a year. Here, at QBRI, we are trying to make it very short, if we make the eye tracking device available, it will stop all the waiting lists for any one, whether for screening or diagnosis.”Dr Alshaban is confident that the second project, the ADOS with Argus Company, is going to help because it is going to make the screening more objective and it helps with the diagnosis as well."My advice for families is that the earlier you detect autism the better, especially if you start the intervention after the diagnosis as early as possible. The results will be amazing i.e. within a couple of years, you can see the difference as a prognosis, the progress of the child development will be much better. I have seen kids after receiving intervention and different types of therapy, whether behavioural, speech, or occupational therapies. They developed very well and they can communicate now and behave almost like their normal peers. So early diagnosis is very important in order to start intervention, and not only an autism diagnosis, but if you detect for instance any delay in any development like speech or any developmental issues. Once you start the treatment and the intervention early you will get a better result. This is very true for ASD, so my advice to families is to seek advice as early as possible with their pediatrician, who can refer them to neuro-developmental physicians to give them the diagnosis."The next step after you diagnose an individual with autism especially is to do the evaluation so that you can plan your intervention and treatment accordingly. If he needs more behavioural therapy, you will allocate more time on that, and it depends on if he needs more occupational or speech therapy, etc. This is the next step after the diagnosis; then you need to be referred to the treatment and intervention."At QBRI, our diagnostic services are available to all families i.e., any family who suspect a developmental problem with their child as young as one year, let them come here, we will do the eye tracking and the ADOS-2 tests for them free of charge, and it is available for anyone, and our waiting list is less than two weeks. By the time they send us their documents, we will schedule an appointment in a week to ten days, never more than two weeks."Moreover, the eye tracking test can also be used to show the progress they are getting through therapy when we repeat it after six months to one year. It shows us the degree of improvement to see whether we are on the right track regarding intervention. When it becomes available we are going to recommend the eye tracking test once every six months,” Dr Alshaban concluded.

The Student Affairs Department at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies (DI) organised the 5th edition of the Cultural Day, held annually during the holy month of Ramadan to celebrate the cultural, social and linguistic diversity.Students from many nationalities participated in the event which included activities that reflected the cultural heritage, customs, food, history, languages and other salient features of their countries. There were performances and various artistic shows such as: the Prophet's Praise Band (Al Madih al Nabawi), Qatari crafts, shipbuilding and poetry. Iman al-Sulaiti, executive director of the Administrative and Financial Department at the DI, described the event as an ideal expression of the richness and diversity of cultures that distinguishes the environment of the institution.The cultural day stems from the importance of culture as a bridge of communication and understanding between people. It is aimed at enriching the values of diversity and interacting closely with cultures, customs and traditions of other countries, through recreational activities that are characterised by fun. It provides a great opportunity for harmony and synergy in the holy month, as students present their countries, and introduce each other to their mutual cultures.Nasima Abdeen, director of Student Affairs Department, pointed out that this event is the best illustration of the richness and variety in cultures that marks and differentiates the DI’s environment. “Ramadan has a special atmosphere in Qatar, full of love, friendship, tolerance and affinity among everyone,” she said, while adding that the DI hosts more than 40 Arab and foreign nationalities, and it is important to hold community activities within the campus, to increase and enrich cultural values and knowledge.

The Doha Institute for Graduate Studies (DI) organised a Social Work Forum recently to mark the International Day of Social Work, which was attended by representatives of a number of partner training institutions, students and graduates.The forum was introduced by student Dalal al-Mulla.College of Social and Human Sciences associate dean Dr Basil Salloukh, in his welcome address, lauded the social institutions for their effective partnership in providing substantial training to the students of the programme, and said he hoped a national day will be organised for social work.The head of the Social Work Programme, Dr Hamoud al-Aleimiyat, focused on the importance of the professional intervention by specialists during crises, disasters and wars, and in developing social policies and societies.Brigadier-General Dr Ibrahim al-Samih, director of the Community Police Department, promoted the value of specialising in social work, especially at the level of postgraduate studies provided by the DI.Highlighting the importance of social work in various fields, whether in raising awareness, intervention or rehabilitation, he outlined his experience in the educational field during a career covering schools, universities and mosques.Sheikh Ahmed al-Buainain, director of the Office of Family Reconciliation, delivered a paper on Social Work in the Judiciary: A Pioneering Experience.He focused on the role of social work in the Office of Family Reconciliation and Foster Affairs, and commended the efforts of the trainees from the Social Work Programme who proved their worth among Family Reconciliation Office halls in the Family Court.Second-year students of the Social Work Programme presented their experience during the session on Our Students on the Platform: Experiences Inspired by Training Outside Qatar.They described it as a pioneering practice in the field of training, which went beyond the local, Arab and regional levels through the vocational training programme in Jordan.It gave them the opportunity to identify new problems that enriched their knowledge and skills as the students had to test the methods they learned in the classroom on real cases.Graduate students also presented their experience in the session on Brilliant Graduates: Voices from the Field.They spoke about the academic, professional knowledge, and experiences that the DI provided them with and which they used to serve their communities.The most prominent were the recollections of the graduate students of the leadership in research management and impact measurement in Qatar Foundation for Social Work, the Community Police, and the Qatar Red Crescent Society, and the Family Court.The forum concluded with an event congratulating social workers, a tour of the presentations of services and goals of field contribution of partner institutions highlighting the importance of the specialist’s role in social work.

The Social Work Programme at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies (DI) organised the Social Work Forum on Sunday to mark the International Day of Social Work. It was held in the presence of a number of partner training institutions, students and graduates of the programme. The forum was introduced by student Dalal al-Mulla, then Dr Basil Salloukh, Associate Dean of the College of Social and Human Sciences, gave a welcome speech and praised the efforts of social institutions in their effective partnership that provides substantial training spaces for the students of the programme, hoping that a national day will be organised for social work.It was followed by a welcome speech given by the head of the Social Work Programme, Dr Hamoud al-Aleimiyat, who focused on the importance of the professional intervention carried out by specialists in social work wherever they are during crises, disasters and wars, and in developing social policies and societies.Brigadier General Dr Ibrahim al-Samih, Director of the Community Police Department, took the floor and promoted the value of specialising in social work. Especially at the level of postgraduate studies provided by the DI. Highlighting the importance of social work in various fields, whether in raising awareness, intervention or rehabilitation. He proposed his unique experience in the educational field since his professional beginnings in schools, universities and even in mosques.Sheikh Ahmed al-Buainain, Director of the Office of Family Reconciliation, delivered a paper titled 'Social Work in the Judiciary: A Pioneering Experience'. He focused on the role of social work in the Office of Family Reconciliation and Foster Affairs, and commended the efforts of the trainees from the Social Work Program who proved their worth among Family Reconciliation Office halls in the Family Court.Then, the students of the second year of the social work program presented their experience: "Our Students on the Platform: Experiences Inspired by Training Outside the State of Qatar." They described it as a pioneering practice in the field of training, which went beyond the local sphere to the Arab and regional one through the vocational training programme in Jordan. It gave them the opportunity to identify new problems that enriched their knowledge and skills as the students had to test the methods they learned in the classroom on real cases. The graduate students also presented their experience: "Brilliant Graduates: Voices from the Field." They talked about the academic, professional knowledge, and experiences that the Institute provided them with, which they used to serve their communities. The most prominent of which was the leadership in research management and impact measurement in Qatar Foundation for Social Work, the Community Police, and the Qatari Red Crescent Society, and the Family Court.The forum concluded with congratulating the social workers on this day, a tour of the presentations of services and goals of field contribution of partner institutions highlighting the importance of the specialist's role in social work.

Computer scientist, academic, researcher, keen squash player, doting husband and father. Professor Rachid Benlamri, vice-president of the University of Doha for Science and Technology (UDST) is a multi-faceted researcher and a distinguished academic administrator who has left an indelible mark on all the positions he has held and the different roles he has played, endowed with resourceful enthusiasm and abundant energy to lead younger generations to push boundaries to even greater heights.'Gulf Times' met with Prof Benlamri, a well-versed academic with a passion for sports who discovered the virtues of leadership, good organisation and time management at a young age during scouts’ camps.He says, “I strongly believe that success starts from a young age, a number of characteristics shaped my life and made me successful. Resiliency, creativity, optimism and sociability. I see them as a must for any youth in order to be successful."I was lucky to join the boy scouts, the school of life, and this made me work hard, be at the top of my class. I got my BSc in computer science from the University of Constantine in Algeria. I was top of my class, this got me a scholarship to study at one of the top schools in computer science, Manchester University, where the world’s first stored program digital computer was designed and built by the late Tom Kilburn and Freddie Williams."I was fortunate to be in the research group of one of the leaders in computer science, professor David Aspinall, who worked under the supervision of Tom Kilburn and designed the fastest computer in the world in 1962, namely Atlas Computer."Being there gave me the opportunity to get an international experience, to work with scholars and leaders who made the first footprints in computer science. This gave me the extra mile to innovate, and to be with the big players in this field.”Prof Benlamri has previously held academic and leadership positions in the UAE for 25 years, and transformed a number of small institutions into big ones.“The unique turning point in my life was when I joined the UAE University in 1996, as the head of the computer science department."This mindset has always accompanied Professor Benlamri. He contributed to academia in Canada for 16 years, mainly in research, “where I built research centres in the health informatics sector, computing and healthcare, developing smart healthcare systems using AI, IoT and knowledge engineering to address crucial healthcare challenges; thus impacting the health of people and programs that are still used in the healthcare system in Canada.”This enhanced his international experience after working as an academic in Algeria, a researcher in the UK, along with the UAE know-how, to give him a rich experience and a different approach to understand challenges and work from the experience he gained. This consequently impacted his joining of College of the North Atlantic-Qatar, which is now UDST. He sees this as “a lifetime opportunity in terms of joining a technical college that was in the transition of becoming the first national applied science and technology university in Qatar.”Talking about the last one-and-a-half years of being here, Prof Benlamri said: “We made a fantastic transition. We are also making our partners very active in the delivery of our technical programmes that address Qatar’s needs, which are aligned with the strategic goals of Qatar National Vision 2030. These are a very good fit for the needs of the industry, with which we create very close relationships to be unique in this area.”He stressed that “the mindset about applied science institutions has completely changed. The world is about jobs now - startups, creating new industries; therefore, technical skills, competencies, innovation, leadership and being sustainable in your way of thinking are the major drivers of the landscape in education in the future. We are witnessing an era where many big companies are falling down. The leading ones in terms of job creators are the companies who were not herefive or 10 years ago, such as Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Google, Amazon, etc. These are the main players of the future industries."In the knowledge economy, students equipped with leadership skills, soft skills and professional competencies are the main assets for developing and accelerating the building of a new wealth for our nations.”Prof Benlamri said he is grateful to “the presidents of universities I worked with, who shaped my life and provided me with opportunities to take up new leadership positions and make a change. In Canada, I worked with president Brian Stevenson, I built many projects there. In Qatar, I am fortunate to work with Dr Salem Al-Naemi, who has an inspirational vision for applied education and long, rich experience in industry. We met the challenges and put large perspectives for UDST, set high goals for it and made progress in this big project.”The UDST vice-president is of the view that applied research is a major driver: “We promote STEM/STEAM education building on our legacy of 20 years of TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) excellence. We strongly believe that there are many new creative industries that mix arts with technology, especially in the media, digital communications, and artistic production, where we can lead and be unique. We try to inspire our youth that the future jobs are vocational, professional, and the challenge of the future is to be able to compete, get a job, and make a change. We strongly believe that digital technologies - AI, IoT, Cloud computing, data science, cybersecurity and 5G+ - are the major enablers of change in the future, in industry, and they are also vital to support the healthcare system and its sustainability. That’s what we are teaching our students at UDST.”Prof Benlamri grew up in Constantine, Algeria, and talked about his hobby and family. “My favourite sports are squash and swimming. I have been raised in a family of nine kids, I am the middle one, my grandfather was an entrepreneur, and he owned a successful construction company in the east of Algeria, Constantine. My father took over from him after being a teacher and went into business. That is why I am inspired about achieving and not shunning challenges. We are a typical middle-class family who values culture, and our Islamic values. I am also a young grandpa. I have two successful daughters, we gave them all the support."One is a doctor, a neo-natal specialist at the University of Calgary, and the second specialised in mental health and works at a hospital in Ottawa, Canada. They were raised in the Gulf and then went for higher education to Canada. We nurtured them well and they are very successful. They follow the footpaths of their parents, I am very proud of them.”He also reflected on the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. “I think the World Cup has been a worldwide lesson, and brought about a change in mindsets the world over. Many of the de facto western perceptions in general towards the Arab and Muslim world have changed because of what was witnessed during the World Cup - the ability to run a mega project with excellence, and people in our region have the leadership and are able to run such a scale project in all its aspects. Also, the cultural perspective, that this part of the world is a very safe place. Those who came here experienced a very social and friendly atmosphere, and discovered the real Islamic values, a safe and hospitable society and a wealthy nation."From our perspective, making Qatar a regional educational hub and to promote study in Qatar, where we provide education, empower youth to make a change, and a very safe student life."

The UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, launched its fifth annual report on Islamic philanthropy on Thursday during a forum held in partnership with HE Sheikh Thani bin Abdullah bin Thani al-Thani, UNHCR’s Eminent Advocate, at the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies in Doha.The report aims to highlight the important role of Islamic philanthropy tools in responding to the humanitarian needs of the most vulnerable forcibly displaced people worldwide.The forum included a presentation of the report’s top findings, which indicated that UNHCR was able to help more than 1.5 million people in 2022.Bringing the total refugees and internally displaced persons benefiting from the Zakat and Sadaqah (Arabic for charity) contributions received by the Refugee Zakat Fund, to more than 6 million people in 26 countries since its launch in 2017.HE Sheikh Thani bin Abdullah bin Thani al-Thani’s significant contributions assisted more than half of this number.The report also states that UNHCR has distributed 100% of the received Zakat contributions to the most vulnerable refugees and displaced families without any deduction, in the form of cash or in-kind assistance such as shelter support materials, medicines and personal hygiene supplies, in addition to providing resources to establish small businesses.Dr Ayedh Dabsan al-Qahtani, Chief Executive Officer for the Thani bin Abdullah Foundation for Humanity and UNHCR’s Patron, said: “Assisting people most in need is one of the priorities of HE Sheikh Thani bin Abdullah bin Thani al-Thani.Refugees and internally displaced persons have long been the focus of his attention, and he generously supported the most disadvantaged refugees and internally displaced persons around the world through UNHCR.” Al-Qahtani added: “As the holy month of Ramadan approaches, we stress the need to continue supporting those who were forced to flee, and we call on philanthropists around the globe to support them.In conclusion, we hope this report will inspire others and make a difference in the lives of those forced to flee their homes.”Khaled Khalifa, Senior Adviser to the High Commissioner for Islamic Philanthropy and UNHCR’s Representative to the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, expressed his gratitude to HE Sheikh Thani bin Abdullah bin Thani al-Thani and his role in the strategic advancement of Islamic Philanthropy in response to the displacement crises, and stated: “UNHCR is able to provide humanitarian assistance to thousands of refugees and displaced persons worldwide through our close partnerships with individuals and partners, including Qatar Charity and Eid Charity, and many philanthropists who have trust in our work, and those who belief in the role of philanthropy tools in responding and alleviating the suffering of refugees, displaced persons, and their host communities.” Khalifa added: “There is no doubt that our partnership with HE Sheikh Thani bin Abdullah bin Thani al-Thani is a model to follow, and we appreciate his continuous support and commitment to advocate for refugees and displaced persons and raise public awareness about their situation and their humanitarian needs, which are growing year after year.”The report also noted that during 2022, UNHCR obtained several additional fatwas to endorse the Refugee Zakat Fund, bringing the total number of fatwas and endorsements issued by prominent Islamic scholars and institutions from around the world to 16.Thereby enhancing UNHCR’s access to and distribution of Zakat to eligible refugee and displaced persons, through the Fund.Professor Dr Sheikh Ali al-Qaradaghi, participated in the event and expressed his support of the Sharia’h compliance of the Refugee Zakat Fund, as a measure that restores confidence in Islamic Philanthropy programmes through the United Nations.

In the presence of HE Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad al-Thani, the activities of the “Seminar Series 2023” continued yesterday, at the Wisdom Hall of the Ministry of Culture under the title “History of Andalusia” with the participation of critic and novelist Dr Nizar Chakroun, cultural adviser at the Ministry of Culture, and members of the “Himma” team.“Himma” was recently produced by the Ministry of Culture on Andalusian history. The members of the team are Saudi journalist and poet Badr Lami, Qatari media figures Saud al-Kuwari and Mohamed al-Shahrani. The seminar was moderated by Iman al-Kaabi, director of the Qatari Media Center.Dr Nizar Chakroun presented a paper titled "What is the necessity today for the study of Andalusian history" (92 AH - 711 CE / 798 AH - 1492 CE). He emphasised that “returning to Andalusian history constitutes an essential step for understanding the elements of the Arab-Islamic identity. It is not possible to exclude more than eight centuries of civilisation from thinking about the cultural identity of the Arabs today. Just as the Andalusian cultural heritage cannot remain away from the Arab generations who have the right to see the symbolic wealth left by the Andalusian civilisation in Arab civilisation first and in human civilisation second.”He pointed out “the need for a new discourse regarding that rich civilisation, so that this discourse will enable us to determine its components and its role in creating a model of progress in a period when the West was mired in its darkness.” Indicating that Spanish intellectuals have recently awakened to their neglect of the "Andalusian civilisation" as a component of their identity, so they returned to studying it, although its features are visible in their language, lifestyles, and urbanization.Dr Nizar Chakroun, pointed out that many Spanish writers in the nineteenth century suffered from the consequences of dealing with the Arab presence in Spain due to the entry into force of the Inquisition Courts law, which was abolished in 1824 CE. While its content continued to be worked on in the norms of Spanish society for years. Chakroun stressed that the conquest of Andalusia in 711 AD was not just a geographical expansion or the spread of the Islamic religion only in the Iberian Peninsula, but rather it was a starting point for the establishment of a civilization.Chakroun stressed out that the Andalusian culture was influenced by the scientific, intellectual and literary production of the Muslim Arabs in the East. It took many of its components, but was distinguished from it, as Andalusia became, after less than two centuries, the destination of the people of the East. He continued: “Andalusian poetry was not the only literary form that reflected the spirit of renaissance in the Andalusian literary and intellectual movement, and it was not the only influential one in Europe. Ironically, since the thirteenth century CE, Europe has benefited from the fruits of the Andalusian intellectual and scientific renaissance, while the Arabs outside Andalusia in those centuries and beyond did not pay attention to the importance of Andalusian culture.”Chakroun said that ‘the most important gains of the Andalusian civilization is that it dealt with the Arab cultural heritage that preceded it in a critical manner. The Andalusians realized that each stage of civilization has its challenges, and the present cannot be measured by the emptiness. Their concept of time was different from what previous cultures looked at, which made Western modernity later adopt this concept. Thinking about the present prevails over thinking about the past, and this is a concept that we should adhere to and think about our present more than thinking about the past, in order to learn from this civilization that is still in need of research and discovery.Dr Nizar Chakroun called for the importance of establishing a center dedicated to the study of Andalusian civilization to be a new civilized starting point.The journalist Badr Lamy talked about the "Himma" program, explaining that the program tried to answer in a simple way many questions such as the reason for the conquest of the Iberian Peninsula, and what are the challenges that Muslims faced regarding the conquest? In order to understand the history of this period. The idea came from the Culture Minister, HE Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad al-Thani, in order to focus on the aspiration of the men who conquered Andalusia, based on the aspiration that the Islamic faith placed in the hearts of these conquerors.The two Qatari journalists, Saud al-Kuwari and Mohamed al-Shahrani, talked about their role in preparing and participating in the “Himma” program. Stressing that the efforts of the work team, sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, yielded filming from the same events sites to bring information closer to the viewers.The seminar was accompanied by comments from of the poet Dr Hassan al-Nama, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Sheikh Hamad Award for Translation and International Understanding, who appreciated the efforts of the Ministry of Culture in promoting societal culture, pointing out that Qatar's interest in the history of Andalusia is not recent, but rather an inspiration for a legacy dating back to the history of the former ruler of Qatar Sheikh Ali bin Abdullah al-Thani, who was the first to direct the interests of the Arab region and the Gulf to the study of Andalusia out of his admiration for its heritage, and that was at a time of scarcity of information.

At the end of the three-day conference on Social and Human Sciences, held by the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies in Doha from 11-13 March 2023, Dr Abdel-Wahhab al-Afandi, Chairman of the “Arab Award for Encouraging Research in the Social and Human Sciences” Committee, presented the 2021/ 2023 session results and announced the committee’s decision to award the Arab Prize to three of the twenty research papers, ten of which were shortlisted.The award was distributed to the winners by the Qatari Minister of Culture, HE Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad al-Thani, and Dr Azmi Bishara, Director General of the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies.Dr Ahmed Abu El-Ela won the Arab Prize for his research “The Political Culture of Nubian Youth in Egypt: The Nubian Movement Towards the Issue of Return as a Model.” The Scientific Reading Committee for the Prize considered it as one of the best research work received by the Committee of the Conference of Social Sciences and Humanities. This research goes directly to the core of the subject of political culture, thanks to its harmonious structure, its objectives, clear problematics, consistency of method and topic, valuable study results, and the importance of the references on which it was based, as well as writing the text in sound language.The Arab Prize for this session was also won by Dr Saeed al -Haji for his research "Consensus in the Culture of the Moroccan Political Elite: On the Relationship between the Determinants of Consensus and Democratic Transformation in Morocco." The Scientific Reading Committee of the Award confirmed its consistence with the objectives of the Center stipulated in Article 1 of the Statute of the Award. It enters into the core theme of the conference, and contributes to introducing the Arab reader specifically to the Moroccan experience, and it confirms the results previously reached by Moroccan researchers in interpreting the existing political structure in Morocco.The third winner of the Arab Award was Dr Mohamad Naimi for his research " ' Political Culture ' and Protest Collective Action in the Context of the Arab Uprisings (2011-2019)." The Scientific Reading Committee of the award confirmed that it is characterized by a great intellectual effort to formulate the problem at the theoretical level. A serious attempt to understand a complex and changing reality that concerns some Arab countries.The Arab Award for Social Sciences and Humanities is a competitive award launched by the Arab Center since 2011, in order to encourage Arab researchers to conduct creative scientific research on issues and problems that deal with the process of development of Arab societies in the field of social and human sciences. It is held every two years to allow sufficient time for researchers to complete their research. The Arab Award for the Encouragement of Research in the Social and Human Sciences awards a maximum of three papers submitted to the Social Sciences and Humanities Conference. The award consists of three components: an award certificate, an encouraging financial reward of ten thousand dollars, and a research grant of forty thousand dollars, to support the researcher in developing the study. More than 250 papers competed for the Arab Award in its nine sessions, and more than 50 researchers from various Arab countries won it, namely Egypt, Jordan, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia, Sudan, Iraq, Bahrain, Kuwait, Palestine, Syria and Algeria.At the conclusion of the Arab Award ceremony, the Director General of the Arab Center, Dr Azmi Bishara, spoke about the role of the Center in encouraging research in the social and human sciences, whether through the Arab Award or other programs of the Center. Then he introduced the theme for the tenth session for the Social and Human Sciences Conference and for the Arab Award for Encouraging Research in the Social and Human Sciences, which is “Social Media: Dialectic of Freedom of Expression, Censorship and Regulation.” Calling on male and female researchers to contribute to this session, for which the invitation to write for it and its background paper will be announced soon, on the center’s website Arabic and its social media.

The activities of the Ministry of Culture’s Seminar Series 2023 continued Sunday at Qatar University (QU) with Qur’anic Studies professors Dr Abdulrahman Hallali (QU) and Dr Joseph Lombard (College of Islamic Studies, Hamad Bin Khalifa University) talking about Islam and modernity.Dr Hallali stressed that Islam has never been in conflict with modernity except in certain cases that may undermine religion. Muslim philosophers and thinkers have constantly addressed it. There are many aspects of modernity present in the Western and Islamic worlds in varying degrees.“Modernity, from the perspective of theorists, is to create your own modernity without affecting the modernity of others. But this modernity should not be used in a wrong place, whether in experience or in theoretical vision.“Some see postmodernism as a breach that produced alternative theories and carried within them a denial of the facts that the eras of modernity ended with. That success necessitates reaching the best by having the will and the ability to change, which has been achieved theoretically, but is still missing on the practical level.”Dr Hallali saw there are obstacles in acquiring the necessary knowledge regarding modernity and postmodernity, bearing in mind that the context in the perspective of the West is not the modernity that people in the Arab world are talking about, and therefore should be defined properly.Dr Lombard said: “We must focus on making our reality in harmony with our culture and our Islamic religion. Modernity is different in the West from Islam, as it became related to science. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was sent as a mercy to the world. Therefore, our officials as Muslims should deliver mercy, and make it closely related to modernity, and present an Islamic model to the world.“There is a need to invest resources in our Islamic world for the benefit of advancement by applying the teachings of Islam for the benefit of humanity. Abu Hamid al-Ghazali realised the incoherence of philosophers who were governed by a liberal human model. But the spirit of religion means looking at our responsibility and at the same time to build the future.“The spirit of modernity makes us look only at the future and then we make excuses for failure. Postmodernism is a concept that has more than one definition. However, the developments of modernity in Europe have taken different forms according to their different social, political and religious circumstances. There should be Islamic definitions that are not only related to the past but are also compatible with the present, contemporary people,” he concluded.The session was moderated by journalist Iman al-Kaabi, director of the Qatar Media Centre, the Ministry of Culture.