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The Qatar Press Centre (QPC) held a seminar in co-operation with the Media Development Department at Qatar Media Corporation (QMC) on the 'Russian-Ukrainian war and its impact on the global economy'.The seminar saw the participation of speakers Abdullah al-Khater, an economist; Dr Mohamed al-Sharkawy, a political analyst; and Dr Sultan Barakat, a strategic expert, while Mohamad al-Ansari was the moderator.Dr al-Khater explained that there are economic repercussions of the Russia-Ukraine war, the most important of which are the energy crisis and the impact on global supply chains, in addition to inflation as well as rising prices and interest rates, which have caused multiple shocks for the global market and affected the international economy negatively.Dr al-Khater said the significant rise in energy prices, especially in Europe, had a significant effect on the European economy. He added that the war presented a number of political and economic intersections, which led to a set of transformations in the global system - that it is moving from an old system to a new one, led by BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) that introduces different economic concepts, especially with regard to trust and financial stability in stock exchanges and global markets.Dr Barakat regarded the Russia-Ukraine war, which was, according to him, “artificial because this conflict existed in 2010, but Volodymyr Zelensky’s advent contributed to the signing and implementation of a number of agreements, indicating that the Europeans dealt incorrectly with the Russia-Ukraine crisis because they dealt with it as a bloc". It was safer to make some countries neutral for a number of historical and political reasons”.Dr Barakat said the war increased the problems that the world was already going through as a result of the repercussions of Covid-19 and its direct impact on production and food, which doubled the threats and raised prices dramatically around the globe.Dr al-Sharkawi pointed out that the real war is an economic-political one, especially after the emergence of political disagreement between Russia and China over dealing with the US iIn light of the emergence of the BRICS alliance, which will form a new economic system. He believed that the war in Ukraine is not being run by military forces, but is rather an economic-political battle, and so it is difficult to determine its time span.It is a war of economic camps in which there is a financial investment in the war, and its weapons are grain and oil.At the conclusion of the seminar, QPC honoured 'Al Sharq' newspaper and a number of local media organisations for supporting its work and for their continuous partnership to enrich the Qatari media scene.

On the sidelines of the Qatar Real Estate Forum, promoter Abdulaziz al-Yazidi co-founder of Aradi.qa with colleague Abdullah al-Fadala spoke to Gulf Times as the youngest honoured participants in the forum.“The first edition of Qatar Real Estate Forum was a really nice experience. It is a promising event for the real estate market, companies, local and foreign investors keen to invest in Qatar. It has provided the audience with more information on the real estate in Qatar so that it will grow for sure to meet the Qatar National Vision 2030. It is a helpful opportunity for promoters since we have attendees and representatives from the GCC, i.e. Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, and Kuwait. The provided information will be an added value that will help not only Qatar but the region as well and encourage investors to invest in the region.”Al-Yazidi continued: “The real estate market is growing rapidly especially after the World Cup, it is booming. The market remains very promising and many project will grow. As I told you they are all related to the Qatar National Vision 2030, and when the prices go up that means that the country is doing well and for investors it is good news to invest in the country as the prices are growing. We always look at the bright side,” al-Yazidi concluded.

A seminar on Qatari military music was held at Katara Drama Theatre on Monday evening under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture, represented by the Music Affairs Centre (MAC), in in co-operation with the Ministry of Defence and Qatar Armed Forces Band Regiment.Major-General Salem Fahad al-Hababi, Commander of the Military Performances and Music Centre, was a key speaker at the symposium, which was moderated by MAC deputy director and poet Abdul Hameed al-Youssef.The seminar is the first of its kind in Qatar and part of the Music Salon seminars presented by the MAC.It was preceded by an open-air military parade at Katara, announcing the seminar with 50 brass musicians.On the stage, there were 45 musicians who presented special military music melodies much to the delight of the audience.The seminar was presented by journalist Abdul Hameed al-Youssef. Major-General al-Hababi reviewed the history of military music in Qatar, which was founded in early 1949."We started with the trumpet, which was used in military procedures such as gathering, leaving, raising the flag, lowering the flag and saluting the leader. The brass band, bagpipers and percussions were formed in 1954 to begin a new phase under the name of the 'Music Unit of the Armed Forces', and then it became the Qatar Armed Forces Band Regiment," he recalled. "The first and second bands were formed in 1982, and from 1998 to 2010 it became four integrated music bands, in addition to the Symphony Band Music School.”Major-General al-Hababi continued: “The music school has a major role in the battalion, as it trains the soldier through a group of musical courses, on top of which is the foundational music course, which lasts for two years."There are also several courses such as the progressive course and the leadership of small bands, wherein the school trains the musician to perform at all kinds of ceremonies, including marches, waltzes, selections and common pieces."There is no doubt that the band regiment shoulders a great role, the most important of which is the Amiri Diwan ceremony to receive the guests of His Highness the Amir, the celebration of Qatar National Day, and the graduation of the Armed Forces' training colleges and institutes. It also contributes to the graduation ceremony of male and female students of Qatar University and Doha University for Science and Technology, the Scientific Excellence Day, and sports events in Qatar."A regular soldier needs 8-10 years of training to be able to play the national anthems of different states and a range of selections of melodies, he added.The speaker stressed that band regiment has participated in several international festivals in countries such as the US, France, the UAE, Oman, Italy, Germany, China, Russia and Bahrain."The band regiment won the admiration of people in those countries, especially with their Qatari melodies and Western instrumentals using bagpipes. We also saw the participation of the Armed Forces Symphony Orchestra in the 2022 World Cup. The orchestra has also been competing with orchestras from other countries in performing international instrumentals, and state officials have praised it."The Armed Forces Band Regiment performed several melodies at intervals during the seminar and crowned the show with two popular songs, 'Oh Qatar, You Are the Life' and 'God, O My Life, Qatar', which won the admiration and enthusiasm of the spectators.Maryam Yassin al-Hammadi, director of the Culture and Arts Department at the Ministry of Culture, and Khaled al-Salem, director of the MAC, honoured all those in charge of organising and implementing the seminar, both civilians and military, at the end of the event.

The sponsors, partners and participants of the first Qatar Real Estate Forum were honoured Sunday by HE the Minister of Municipality HE Dr Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki al Subaie at a dinner at Fairmont Doha. The entities honoured included Gulf Times, which is a media partner of the forum. HE Dr al-Subaie presented a memento to Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka, Editor-in-Chief of Gulf Times, on the occasion. Present on the occasion were Mutlaq Naief Omar Abu Raqaba al-Otaibi, Kuwait's Minister of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy and Minister of State for Housing; engineer Hamad Ali Sulaiman al-Nazwani, undersecretary of Oman's Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning for Housing, engineer Abdullah Saud al-Hammad, CEO of the Saudi Real Estate General Authority and other dignitaries from Qatar and the region. A group of senior officials and businesspersons, leaders, decision makers, experts, and stakeholders in the real estate sector from Qatar and the region were honoured by HE Dr al-Subaie.

On the occasion of the “Festa della Repubblica” – Italian National Day, ambassador Paolo Toschi hosted a ceremony at the St Regis Doha on Tuesday in memory of the Republic Day, which was celebrated for the first time in 1947.The Italian envoy welcomed Qatar's Minister of Commerce and Industry HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Qassim al-Abdullah al-Thani, HE the Minister of State and Qatar National Library president HE Dr Hamad bin Abdulaziz al-Kawari, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Department of Protocol director ambassador Ibrahim Fakhro and a number of other dignitaries.Ambassador Toschi began his welcome address in Arabic and then switched to English to stress the excellent bilateral between Italy and Qatar and the record 2022 trade exchanges.Speaking to Gulf Times on the sidelines of the event, the Italian envoy said: "It is a pleasure to celebrate the “Festa della Repubblica”, the National Day, in Doha among many Italian and Qatari friends. We celebrate a strong friendship, many important achievements including a record in our trade plus a 140% last year (2022) on the previous record which was 2021 and a stronger relationship blessed by the visit of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani in Rome in February meeting with President Sergio Mattarella. We had a very busy year full of initiatives and you can count on the embassy of Italy as a friend and as partner.”Having arrived in Qatar on the opening day of the FIFA World Cup 2022, ambassador Toschi recalled that big success of the event. "We celebrated with our Minister of Defence coming here and lauding the Qatari organisation and signifying that we respected the work and the achievement as an international tournament that have no precedent. Our armed forces were here to help guarantee security, and we are very proud of the work they did.”Ambassador Toschi urged Qatari tourists to visit Italy. "This is a fantastic season of tourism in Italy with many new offers in the cultural world, on the coast, in our cities, in our little villages, on the Alps. I encourage in particular tourists to visit the region of Amelia Romania that was hit by floods and storms over the last month, but being rebuilt successfully. It is the place where the amazing cars and motorbikes that are on display tonight are designed, dreamed and made,” he concluded while referring to an exhibition of Italian automobiles at the event venue.

The first edition of the International Conference on Debate and Dialogue (ICDD) and the accompanying exhibition organised by QatarDebate Centre concluded at the Qatar National Convention Centre Tuesday.The conference saw the participation of more than 800 individuals from all over the world, and six agreements were signed at the event.The agreements, inked with the Jordanian Crown Prince Foundation, Al Jazeera Institute, Education Above All Foundation, University of Windsor, Canada and the universities of Utah and Louisville, US, aim to enhance co-operation with QatarDebate Centre and expand its programmes in those countries.Over two days, the conference discussed a number of academic issues through four main themes: 'Argumentation: Frameworks and Applications', 'Debate and Education', 'Debate in Islamic Tradition', and 'Dialogue: Social and Cultural Dimensions'.The conference included a number of accompanying activities, including two sessions for keynote speakers; two speakers from the Qatar Debate Research Fellowship Programme; the 'Oasis of Dialogue' - which discussed the 'Fluidity of Human Relations: The Family’s Resilience in the Face of Globalisation Challenges'; panel discussions on 'The Debate Experience in Arabic for Non-Arabic Speakers' and the 'Concept of Debate between the Past and the Future'; and specialised sessions on the four themes of the conference.The event also witnessed the presentation of a number of research posters, as well as a space for social interaction and interactive stations, with the participation of Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, Al Jazeera Media Network and others.The conference aimed to direct scientific research towards finding solutions by discussing academic issues and benefiting from research results to develop knowledge production in the fields of debate and dialogue, in addition to expanding research programmes and spreading this culture to serve the debate community around the world.QatarDebate Centre graduates were also honoured on the occasion, numbering more than 50 teams to represent Qatar.

In the presence of Qatar Foundation (QF) Vice-Chairperson and CEO HE Sheikha Hind bint Hamad al-Thani and a number of sheikhs and ministers, the first edition of the International Conference on Debate and Dialogue (ICDD) and the accompanying exhibition, organised by the QatarDebate Centre, got under way Monday.The two-day conference at the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC) aims to be an open platform for discussing academic issues specialised in the global debate community of researchers, interested people and academics, and exchanging training and educational experiences in a way that contributes to the development of knowledge production in the fields of debate, dialogue, argumentation and interrelated disciplines.The conference will focus on four main themes: 'Argumentation: Frameworks and Applications', 'Debate and Education', 'Debate in Islamic Heritage' and 'Dialogue: Cultural and Social Dimensions".The opening session of the conference included a speech by HE Lolwah bint Rashid AlKhater, Minister of State for International Co-operation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and another by Dr Hayat Abdullah Maarafi, executive director of QatarDebate Centre.HE AlKhater, in her speech, attention to the arts of debate in poetry and literature and between Muslim scholars and Orientalists, and how these debates were like "intellectual wars" that enriched cultural life, deepened awareness of various issues and contributed to the development of skills, arts, sciences and language.She noted the role of the QatarDebate Centre in reviving the culture of debate, extending platforms and expanding partnerships, while highlighting its role in disseminating the culture of debate in the Arabic language in various countries of the world, spreading the Arabic language among non-native speakers and raising the level of language and logical arguments among Arabs and others from other nations, as well as its role in establishing academic programmes in many countries.HE the Minister of State for International Co-operation hoped that this conference will bear fruit and achieve its goal of being a comprehensive platform for researchers and those interested in the science and art of debating.Dr Maarafi noted that the centre has become one of the most important institutions concerned with debate and dialogue in the whole world. It contributes to enriching dialogue and empowering minds by organising and hosting the largest international and continental championships in school and university debates in both Arabic and English.She stressed that the centre is determined to continue its competitive debate programmes and allow society to obtain the greatest possible benefit following the great success achieved in the field of competitive debates and the expansion in the number of beneficiaries of its educational programmes and activities to include more than 500 universities and schools in 80 countries and thousands of participants.She continued, “We started five years ago to conclude partnerships with universities within and outside the country to offer university courses on the art of debate and critical thinking, including a debate course for students of the Police College in Qatar, and co-operation with well-established American institutions to offer courses that apply debate to teach Arabic to non-native speakers.”She said these efforts culminated in a qualitative partnership with Tunisia's University Ez-Zitouna to design and launch a masters programme, the first of its kind, titled 'The Art of Debate in Comparative Jurisprudence'.The Qatar Debate Research Fellowship was also launched to sponsor researchers interested in developing knowledge in the field of debate in an integrated programme that extends for two years and provides them with all the resources necessary to devote efforts to practical, interdisciplinary research.Dr Maarafi expressed happiness at launching the first edition of the conference, which will serve as a forum for researchers, academics, trainers and debaters, and the nucleus of an academic network that studies the past and present of dialogue experiences.She highlighted QF's great support aimed at empowering generations, discovering talents and capabilities and employing them to bring about the positive change needed by the State and its institutions, noting that the centre has worked to build an Arab model for debate and dialogue that is open to different cultures."We contributed to training teachers to employ the strategy of debate in classrooms, trained workers in the health sector, including doctors and nurses, contributed to the development of communication skills among security personnel, and provided specialised programmes for workers in the diplomatic corps," she added.Speakers at a panel discussion titled 'Debate institutions around the world: role and impact', stressed the importance of the art of debate in "confronting argument with argument", critical thinking, discussing current topics and issues, and analysing and understanding evidence. They praised QatarDebate for the establishment of their centres and benefiting from it in adapting their activities according to the requirements and conditions of their communities.They noted the role of QatarDebate in spreading the culture of diversity, difference, argumentative debate and constructive dialogue, and how it contributed to helping them transfer dialogue and debate from an elite society to the general public.The speakers reviewed their experiences in establishing debate centres in their countries, while referring to the awards they obtained locally, regionally and internationally and their ability to include the art of debate in educational curricula in schools and universities and to widely spread this culture in co-operation with educational, social and governmental institutions.

Giving the gift of life through organ donation is a good deed and regarded as the highest form of charity, a senior medical official has said.Dr Yousef al-Maslamani, medical director of Hamad General Hospital and head of the Kidney Transplant Section - Surgery Department, Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), made the observation while delivering a lecture on organ donation at Al Jasra Club on Saturday.“Organ donation is the only time when the donor undergoes an operation for the benefit of another person. Does this affect the donor’s life, in case he donates a kidney? Well, the body maintains itself," he said.The Qatar Organ Donation Centre (HIBA) was established in 2012 to lead, manage and supervise all activities related to the organ donation process, as well as to supervise the implementation of the Doha Agreement for Organ Donation and Organ Transplantation.The first organ transplantation in Qatar took place in 1986. Before that, around 68% of citizens who availed of kidney transplants abroad were exposed to health complications, and some 12% died as a result of getting organs from certain countries. This eventually led to the promulgation of Law No. 21 of 1997 and Law no. 15 of 2015, which prohibit and punish any illegal transplantation of organs in Qatar.Replying to a query from the audience about the Shariah fatwa on organ donation, Dr al-Maslamani said: “The transplantation of organs from a living person to another is allowed under the Shariah law. Giving the gift of life through organ donation is a good deed and regarded as the highest form of charity in the eye of Allah.”Dr al-Maslamani explained the organs that can be donated from a living donor, namely the liver and kidneys. As for the organs that can be donated after death, these are the lungs, heart, pancreas, gall bladder, liver, kidneys and bones. He stressed that citizens and residents have confidence in doctors, and therefore the family of the clinically deceased person must be consulted if he was a donor, whether they agree to donate his organs to another patient.Organ transplantation is a person-to-person transfer procedure from a donor to a recipient. He stressed that the first kidney transplant for children in Qatar took place in 2014, the first liver transplant in 2011, and the first lung transplant in 2021.The Qatar Organ Donation Centre annually has carried out awareness campaigns on the benefits of organ donation at various public locations as well as universities, malls, in more than 15 geographically distributed locations, and during events of the Indian and Filipino communities. Field campaigns have been conducted to spread awareness and the culture of organ donation.Dr al-Maslamani said the Donor Registry showed a rise in the number of donors from 2,424 in 2012 to 500,000 in 2023.More than 500,000 donors of different nationalities have been registered in Qatar until now. "Organ transplantation helps the patient lead a semi-normal life, and the values of this process stipulate that if you are a donor, you may take an organ without any effect. No nationality or religion affects that except for precedence on the waiting list according to the World Health Organisation," he added.

The Darb Lusail mass festivals are back in their renewed form and with a carnival event of an unconventional nature. The Darb Lusail Roses’ Festival offers an enchanting experience for visitors of all ages, citizens, residents and tourists.This event is organised by the Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Company in Darb Lusail, Lusail City, for three consecutive days, starting from Thursday, May 25, until Saturday, May 27, daily from 7:00 pm until 11:00.On this occasion, Engineer Khaled al-Hammadi, Director of Asset Management at Qatari Diar Company, said: “The organisation of the Rose Festival in Lusail Trail comes within the continuous events organised by Qatari Diar Company in Lusail Trail. This has proven to be a well-deserved destination, both during the World Cup period and the multiple events that it has held periodically, thus becoming one of the important attractions of this destination in the country. A family event par excellence that promises all family members a unique experience within the framework of various innovative events and the first of its kind in Qatar to celebrate the spring atmosphere in a different way. All members of society are invited to visit the festival and enjoy the various activities in it and share this wonderful experience with us. "The Lusail Trail Rose Festival is an unmissable opportunity to attend dazzling carnival events that transport visitors to a world of roses, imagination and colours. The festival includes a number of events:• Route of Roses:A dazzling, full of life and joy event, which will be presented twice daily at 7 pm until 7:30 pm and repeated at 9:30 pm until 10:00 pm. It consists of:*The 15 moving decoration platforms of different shapes and patterns ornate with wonderful rose decorations.*Character walk and performers of 140 fun and interactive characters*Lusail Trail stations, which are decorated with wonderful flowers and contain a local market, food and beverage kiosks, various entertainment activities, and souvenir kiosks.*Diverse and attractive theater performances, which include folkloric and cultural shows, and DJ performances.During the Rose Festival, Darb Lusail B will be covered with an amazing decoration embellished with unique flowers and paintings with impressive designs, where visitors can enjoy, photograph and watch flower decorations of bright colours and amazing shapes. The artistic events also include distinctive performances that use flowers as a means of artistic expression, and provide visitors with an opportunity to enjoy the amazing artistic experience.The festival is an ideal destination for families, as it provides, in addition to the amazing pink shows, entertainment areas and games for children. It will be an ideal opportunity for children to enjoy games, drawing and other activities. The festival also includes a local market and areas designated for food and drinks.Just as the Lusail Trail Festivals have brought us back by re-launching one of the sports icons that were used in previous international tournaments, which will be unveiled to participate in the Darb Lusail Roses' Festival on the first day of the festival.Throughout the days of the festival, the Lusail Trail will be designated for pedestrians only, which will give festival visitors a unique opportunity to enjoy the atmosphere of roses in one of the most famous tourist destinations in Qatar.The concerned authorities at the Ministry of the Interior appeal to the honourable public to cooperate with traffic staff and abide by traffic diversions to ensure the security and safety of all festival-goers, and recommend the use of alternative roads designated for vehicles.It is worth noting that Lusail City is considered one of the largest projects of Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment, a living embodiment of Qatar National Vision 2030 in the field of real estate development.

HE Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad al-Thani, Minister of Culture, honoured on Sunday evening luminaries of Qatari theatre during the 35th Doha Theatre Festival at the Katara Drama Theatre.The audience and theatre lovers were treated to a memorable night that had a distinct musical and theatrical character, during which the Theatre Affairs Centre presented a show titled 'Fifty Years of Theatre'.It was composed by Talal al-Siddiqi and directed by Nasser Abdelridha, featuring singers Rehab Malouk and Mishaal al-Dosari, as well as music arrangement and execution by Nader Abdel-Salam.The recording was done at Al Matar Studio, the graphics by Abdelkarim Abu Tayem, the lighting by Omar Atrous and the sound design by Aziz.The ceremony began with the screening of a documentary film chronicling the history of the theatrical movement and its beginnings in the seventies. A set of photographs and videos were displayed that showcased the creativity of the first artistes.Then, a group of Qatari theatre icons presented a special show, in which they reviewed their journey in words, and this was accompanied by short artistic scenes with the help of a number of artistes.The ceremony witnessed the honouring of a group of pioneers of the theatrical movement in Qatar, as well as some artists from the civil groups participating in the festival.Those honoured included Mohamed Abu Jasoum, Ghazi Hussein and Hamad Abdelridha from Qatar Theatre Group, Dr Hassan Rashid, Saad Bakhit, Rashid al-Shaib and Ali al-Khalaf from Doha Theatre Group, Youssef Sultan and Saadi al-Shammari from Al Watan Theatre Group.A number of Gulf and Arab theatre stars who were guests at the festival were also honoured: Khalil al-Rumaithi, Hassan Rajab, Sulaf Jalil, Mohamed al-Hamli, Ibrahim al-Zadjali, Khaled al-Muzaffar, Abdulaziz Safar and Youssef al-Jarrah. A concert by Khaled Abdul Karim al-Hammadi highlighted a wonderful artistic balance through the theatrical works in which he participated.

Al Jazeera Media Network Thursday renewed the demand for accountability for the assassination of its journalist Shireen Abu Akhleh's by Israeli Occupation Forces on May 11, 2022 in the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank.The call was issued at a seminar organised in Doha to commemorate the first anniversary of Shireen being shot dead while reporting on the Israeli military raids.The seminar panel was composed of Al Jazeera director general Mostefa Souag, director of news Asef Hamidi, Al Jazeera Public Liberty and Human Rights Centre director Sami al-Haj, Al Jazeera+ managing director Dima Khatib with Arabic channel's principal presenter Mhamed Krichen as moderator.The panellists spoke about the professional commitment and dedication of their colleague as well as her humane qualities and stressed their personal and institutional determination to demand accountability for Shireen Abu Akleh’s assassination.Reporting live from Al Jazeera’s office in Ramallah in Palestine, journalist Walid al-Omari said that “Ramallah Municipality and Al Jazeera laid the foundation stone today for a museum dedicated to the departed journalist Shireen, and her office will be transferred there”.In the presence of members of her family, her brother Antoine said “the culprits should be held accountable. Though Shireen is an American citizen, the US Administration did not do anything, neither the EU.”Despite Israel's attempts to mislead and deny responsibility, the murder of Shireen sparked a global outcry. Independent international investigations have unanimously confirmed that Shireen was targeted by an Israeli Occupation Forces soldier, despite her wearing a blue helmet and vest clearly identifying her as a member of the press.Al Jazeera Media Network remains committed to its pledge to Shireen’s family and colleagues to seek justice for Shireen by pursuing all possible avenues to ensure her killers are held accountable, including through the International Criminal Court in The Hague.The Network renews its appeal to international human rights and press freedom organisations to continue to support Shireen's case and help end impunity for crimes against journalists.On the one-year anniversary of Shireen’s assassination, the Network paid tribute to her memory and contribution to journalism through an International Day of Action. Her colleagues, along with other journalists and human rights activists, held vigils and solidarity stands in key capitals, Al Jazeera headquarters in Doha and at the network's offices around the world.

Al-Faisal Without Borders Foundation (ALF) has organised an awards ceremony to honour students who won prizes in its educational programmes, 'Destination Imagination' and 'Farm your Country'. While 'Destination Imagination, is implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE), 'Farm your Country,' is in co-operation with the Ministry of Municipality, represented by the Public Parks Administration, with the support of the MoEHE during the 2022-2023 academic year.The 'Destination Imagination' being implemented by the ALF for the ninth consecutive year, has been implemented for 40 years in more than 30 countries and about 50 states in the US. The programme aims to empower children and students of all ages, focusing on developing 21st century leadership and consolidate skills.The ceremony at the Qatar National Convention Centre was attended by HE Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim al-Thani, founder and chairman of the Board at ALF, Maha Zayed al-Rawili, Assistant Undersecretary for Education Affairs at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, and other officials from educational institutions.Approximately 700 students representing around 30 government and private schools were honoured for achieving the top three positions in various challenges of the programme out of a total of 70 schools that competed during the 2022/2023 academic year.The 'Farm your Country' programme, being implemented for the eighth consecutive year, aims at teaching students to grow vegetables and ornamental plants, thereby promoting self-reliance, initiative, and utilising their potential to manage their own resources for future generations.A total of 120 students, representing 12 winning schools, were honoured for achieving the top positions out of a total of 34 schools that competed during the current academic season. HE Sheikh Faisal stated that the ALF programmes have always aimed to provide students from all categories with the basic scientific, engineering, and technological skills that will help them in their academic and future lives.He congratulated the winners and wished success to the teams that qualified in the 'Destination Imagination' programme to participate in the World Championship in Kansas, US, at the end of this month. HE Sheikh Faisal also announced a special prize that will be implemented from the next academic season in the 'Farm your Country' programme, by establishing a botanical garden in the school that wins the excellence award.Maha Zayed al-Rawili, expressed her thanks and appreciation to HE Sheikh Faisal who always supports students and education through important programmes and activities.Engineer Abdulatif Ali al-Yafaei, general manager of ALF, said the programmes have benefitted more than 10,000 students in the various stages of education.

On the occasion of the 100th Anniversary of the National Leader of Azerbaijan, Heydar Aliyev, the Embassy of Azerbaijan in co-operation with Qatar Ministry of Municipality's 'Planting 10 million trees' initiative, Monday organised a ceremony for planting 100 trees at the Old Airport Park in Doha.Muhammad Ali al-Khoury, director of the Public Parks Department of the Ministry of Municipality and Secretary General of Qatar Horticultural Expo 2023 represented the Qatari side at the ceremony. Heads of 27 diplomatic missions accredited in Qatar, officials from the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, representatives of Doha Municipality and the Municipality of the Airport Park district joined the event.At the outset National Anthems of both countries were performed by students of a Qatari primary school. In his welcoming speech, the ambassador of Azerbaijan Mahir Aliyev briefed the guests about the personality of Heydar Aliyev who made an invaluable contribution to the establishment and development of the modern democratic Azerbaijan and thus has become a National Leader of Azerbaijan.He pointed out that with the aim to perpetuate the National Leader’s memory on the occasion of the 100th anniversary also in Qatar, the embassy took the initiative to plant 100 trees in Doha in solidarity with the 'Planting 10 million trees' initiative implemented in Qatar.The envoy expressed his gratitude to the Qatari side and especially to the leadership of the Ministry of Municipality for supporting the idea and the implementation of this project.

In order to expedite appointments at various hospitals under Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), a decentralised system has been set up, Nasser al-Naimi, deputy chief, Quality for Centre for Patient Experience and Staff Engagement, and director of Hamad Healthcare Quality Institute, told Qatar TV Sunday."Each hospital now has its own team for referrals and booking appointments, instead of the earlier centralised facility, and the decentralisation has improved communication with doctors, executives of outpatient clinics and also hospital administration," he explained.The decision was taken after studying the problem of transfers and booking appointments. Since the past four months, the booking of appointments within a week has increased to 118%. The booking of appointments for patients to meet a doctor within two weeks has increased to 150%."Subsequently, we received directives from HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs to speed up the mechanism for organising appointments, especially for citizens and residents."The plan was drawn up and approved by HE the Minister of Public Health Dr Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari, and we started the implementation in stages, including evening clinics, after the Ramadan vacation, last week."There are 481 clinics in the Ambulatory Care Center with a capacity to serve about 10,000 patients within 90 days. Today, the second phase was launched, and a week later, in the Orthopedic Center with 20 clinics,” al-Naimi concluded.

Qatar Press Centre (QPC) Monday hosted a seminar in co-operation with Qatar Media Corporation (QMC), in the presence of the latter's CEO HE Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Thani al-Thani, on 'Qatar World Cup 2022 the Idea, Legacy and Sustainability', at the Drama Theatre in Katara - Cultural Village.In his welcome address, QPC chairman HE Saad bin Mohamad al-Rumaihi reviewed the achievements and the legacy of the hosting of World Cup since Qatar winning the bid and the establishment of the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC) which did a tremendous job at the highest international standards, with the support of Qatari officials who managed all the preparation phases."The unprecedented success of the hosting of the World Cup was not only a success for Qatar, but for all Arab countries. This success was mentioned by international media referring indirectly to voters in a BBC Sport poll in which as many as 78% selected FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 as the best of this century."HE al-Rumaihi concluded by praising the performance of young Qatari officials who represent part of the legacy with competencies acquired through their experience of hosting the mega event in addition to the sustainable infrastructure which is going to live long.Broadcaster Khaled Jassim (Al Kass TV) was the moderator. The panellists were Jassim Abdulaziz al-Jassim, chief operating officer, FIFA World Cup 2022, (SC); Major Hamad al-Ali on behalf of the tournament security force; engineer Bader al-Meer, chief operating officer, Hamad International Airport (HIA); Najat al-Jaber, head of Land Transport Regulations and Policies, Ministry of Transport, and engineer Youssef al-Emadi, director of Projects Affairs, Ashghal.Al-Jassim said that the SC worked on the legacy based on Qatar National Vision 2030, in particular the infrastructure, the stadiums, the parks and their use after the World Cup with a particular emphasis on the accumulated expertise of all the Qatari cadres who worked very hard to achieve sustainable international standards.Major Hamad al-Ali said the tournament security force has acquired international experience through co-operation projects with friendly countries and active participation in South Africa and Russia World Cups, which led to devising a specific security concept in line with the procedures in Qatar. He also stressed the legacy of the expertise acquired by the staff which can be tapped for forthcoming major events that will be hosted by Qatar and the rapid and readiness of the deployment of this force.Engineer al-Meer said that the preparations began eight or nine years before the tournament through intensive meetings, workshops and tests of operations. The expansion of HIA and the use of Doha International Airport helped receive 48,000 passengers in Doha daily during the tournament. This capacity building is a legacy that is going to be sustainable for years to come with an open mind to further development.Al-Jaber said that Qatar World Cup was a zero carbon footprint tournament. Transport facilities and logistics enabled spectators to attend multiple matches per day. The longest distance between two stadiums was 40 minutes. The waiting time for the metro was reduced to three minutes and this helped with mobility. The electric buses also contributed to environmental sustainability, and this is part of the Ministry's 2030 strategy to shift to clean energy.The legacy is to ensure continued benefit from the 2022 comprehensive transportation plan, resulting from Qatar’s strategy based on demand for transportation according to realistic simulations of the population’s need. This was launched in 2008 with the comprehensive urbanisation plan, with expansion targeting 2050. The transportation system is an essential support for the economy with the variety of networks.Engineer al-Emadi said that the last ten years were a period full of achievements for the state. The planning authorities based the implementation of the infrastructure on international standards, and the level of performance at the highest standards of specialised companies in the world.He stressed that the time factor was very important for Ashghal. "Our goal was to encourage industries in the country to become producers of materials needed by the Qatari market after the tournament. We have constructed, for the tournament and post-tournament, systems for transportation and use of state facilities such as hospitals, schools, utilities, pedestrian bridges, and stairways, all of which have been completed according to business quality specifications at the highest standards.”QMC's Media Development Department director HE Sheikh Khalid bin Abdulaziz al-Thani said in a statement that the seminar helped to benefit from the legacy of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 to build on it in order to host major sporting tournaments and events in the future.The QMC played a significant role in refuting Western lies during the seminar, "The unfair view of some Western media towards Qatar’s organisation of the World Cup," held during the tournament.The QMC official observed that the QPC's discussions on key issues such as the World Cup contribute to advancing journalism and media and strengthening its position inside and outside Qatar. He urged continuation of such dialogue spaces between the public and decision-makers to discuss societal issues for their important role firstly in education and awareness, and secondly in providing recommendations or proposals that support institutional efforts in the country.The director of Media Development Department also praised the QPC's recent statements on Arab issues, such as that of Palestine and expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people against Israeli violations.At the end of the seminar HE Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Thani al-Thani, and HE Saad bin Mohamad al-Rumaihi, honoured the speakers.

The Qatar Press Centre (QPC) has issued a statement on the unfortunate events taking place in the brotherly Sudan.The statement said: "The QPC expresses its regret over the repercussions of the recent events in the brotherly Sudan, and affirms the official position of Qatar, which calls on all parties to renounce arms, sit at the dialogue table, and stop bloodshed during the last 10 days of the blessed month of Ramadan."The statement noted the damage caused to civilians and the occurrence of deaths and injuries, including children, women, the elderly and innocent people, and the crisis in the health sector, which is unable to treat the injured. This, and the destruction of more infrastructure in brotherly Sudan, calls for sadness at the outcome of matters and the setbacks suffered instead of making progress in the political process, and this means that the Sudanese citizen is the one who always pays the price, the QPC statement noted."The Sudanese brothers have been known for their love of peace, brotherhood and affection, and despite all the political events that their country has witnessed over the years, the last word has always been for reason, logic and love," it added.The QPC has called on the "global conscience to stand with the Sudanese people and not to deal with political interests at the expense of an entire people. We ask God Almighty for goodness and peace for all Arabs and the world," the statement concluded.

There are no discussions about imposing income tax in Qatar and the date for implementing the value-added tax (VAT) is yet to be studied, HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani said on thursday.Speaking to Qatar TV in a live interview, his first after taking charge as the Prime Minister, HE Sheikh Mohamed pointed out that the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 was the starting point for the country’s great plans and ambition to open up the economy and tourism.“For example, in the first two months of this year, nearly 730,000 tourists visited Qatar. This is a number that Qatar could have achieved in a whole year in the past, but it was achieved after the World Cup in just two months,” he explained.“The month of March also witnessed an increase in the number of tourists, explaining that tourism is one of the main pillars of Qatar’s action plan in the next stage. Apart from the World Cup and other international sporting events, Qatar also hosts international events in a variety of ways, whether in topics of diplomacy or economy.**media[17007]**“Qatar has accrued great experience over the years and the success of hosting the World Cup, the largest sporting event, shall be a foundation for successfully hosting other events and tournaments.”HE the Prime Minister recalled that ever since Qatar won in 2010 the bid to host the World Cup, many talked about the volume of related investments and unfortunately there was a confusion of messages. “The infrastructure that was achieved in the country and its availability for the championship was within the plan set for Qatar National Vision 2030. The World Cup contributed significantly to accelerating the pace of that plan and its implementation. With regard to the extent of benefiting from the tournament, Qatar always measures the volume of related investments directly.”HE Sheikh Mohamed pointed out that investments by Qatar would have happened irrespective of whether the country hosted the World Cup or not. What Qatar has achieved by hosting the event has far exceeded the tournament itself and its success.“This is a recognition of Qatar as a small Arab, Muslim country that was able to successfully manage an event of this size. Qatar achieved it with the help of God and the support of citizens and residents, in a way that dazzled the whole world.“The tournament showed the image of Qatar to the whole world, as the World Cup fans confirmed their admiration for the Qatari culture and now they know what Qatar is worth. What happened after the impressive organisation of the tournament was the most prominent evidence of the benefit.“In opinion polls in international magazines and websites such as the BBC, although it sided against Qatar’s bid for the championship, the poll confirmed that the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 was the most successful in the history of the World Cup.”Citing The Economist magazine, HE Sheikh Mohamed pointed out that no country that hosted the World Cup has benefited financially or made profits as a commercial project. But what has been achieved after the World Cup in Qatar in terms of economic growth in the tourism sector would not have happened without organising an event of this magnitude .“His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani’s words that Qatar, a country that was subject to crises, will prove with all its citizens and residents how it is an open, welcoming and hospitable people, has already been achieved as proven by everyone’s testimony.”On how Qatar can benefit from the legacy of the World Cup, HE the Prime Minister said it was a major factor on how the country could benefit from all the projects that were implemented for the tournament. “Today, we find that the infrastructure is within the framework of Qatar National Vision 2030. The facilities and stadiums not only benefit Qatar, but also the least-endowed countries. Therefore, the return from the legacy of the tournament is great, whether at the level of the national economy or on other countries in need of development.“Qatar has thus set a good example and precedent for future championships. There are many elements that have been achieved in establishing Qatar as a distinctive brand. This is something that has economic returns as well as in the tourism field, and it is something that can be built upon and we can maximize the benefit from it in the largest possible way.”The health system in Qatar today is a competitive system, and this has helped in confronting Covid-19 with unprecedented success, HE the Prime Minister noted. “But we recognise that there are challenges and problems, and administrative shortcomings that we acknowledge. The negligent ones will be held accountable, but the health ministry has so far been working, with direct follow-up from us, to address the administrative shortcomings firsthand, and you will see the results soon, God willing,” he said.“We have spoken with the Ministry of Public Health to improve the level of services, and the results will appear after the month of Ramadan,” HE Sheikh Mohamed said, adding that there will be programmes to facilitate medical appointments.In response to a question about health insurance, he said implementation of the system will relieve the pressure on government hospitals. He referred to the State spending on the health sector at present, which is 11% of the budget, noting that the health sector budget amounts to QR21bn. The health insurance system aims to provide distinguished medical services in line with the financial obligations of the State.According to the relevant law, health insurance is compulsory for a foreigner, and there are a set of laws attached to the health insurance law so that it will be applied as soon as possible. The State’s commitment is still to provide the best medical services to citizens in government hospitals, and this will relieve the pressure on government hospitals in the first stage and provide treatment for citizens abroad if they need to do so.The government is responsible and striving to provide the best service to citizens at its hospitals, so that the citizens will feel the difference when health insurance is fully implemented. It will greatly reduce the pressure on the available hospitals.Qatar exerts soft powerHE the Prime Minister said some may question the need for soft power or soft diplomacy, whether in sport, economy or otherwise.“In the end we are a small country and the issue of soft power is part of proving our existence and ensuring our security. It contributes greatly to consolidating the country’s position as a major and important player for the countries of the region and the world.“Soft power contributes in a very important way to the protection and defence of the state, and we have seen this in many stages, and how Qatar has proven that it is a country that is important in all global events, and this is the role that we aspire to and strive to achieve.”Greatest efficiency and productivityWith regard to his message in the first meeting of the Council of Ministers that it is necessary to work to provide the highest level of performance and services, HE Sheikh Mohamed said that His Highness the Amir’s directives in this regard are clear.“The government’s mission is to manage the state and its resources and achieve the greatest efficiency and productivity. Part of the government’s tasks is to provide services to citizens, residents, investors or tourists, which are supposed to achieve returns for the state and maximise resources.“The challenges we are talking about face any government, but we must recognize the size and expectations of the state and the government. As Qatar is a young state founded 52 years ago, and human resources are limited, as the number of citizens is not large, the accumulation of knowledge and institutional experience is a journey that requires time and continuous and permanent development. Excellence is our goal in providing services to the public.“What is happening now in the provision of services is that it has become focused on the customer himself, whether he is a citizen, resident, investor or tourist. How can the best service be provided with the highest efficiency.“There are great initiatives that were launched last year and this year, such as the Government Excellence Award that stimulates government departments to provide the best level of services. As well as the “Sharek platform” (Arabic for participate), which will be launched soon, to evaluate performance in government institutions by beneficiaries, and how to speed up these procedures using Artificial Intelligence.“The initiatives to improve the level of services are continuous. If we talk about Qatari citizens in the labour market, we find that 90% of them work in the government, so they have the responsibility of contributing with their efforts to provide these services at the highest level for all.”Relevance of private sector employment of citizensHE the Prime Minister referred to the issue of employment in the government, especially since Qatar is a small country and government institutions have a limited capacity to absorb staff. “Last year 7,127 citizens were employed, out of whom 5,200 were in the government sector and the rest in the private sector. This is a percentage that is considered a leap especially in the private sector, which has begun to absorb such numbers.“If we focus only on the government employing citizens, this will be unsustainable and the government will reach saturation at some point or the situation will turn into disguised unemployment in government institutions. Therefore it will not be in favour of providing the best level of services.“The government will provide jobs annually, but people must open up to the private sector, which must provide opportunities for citizens. There should be personal initiatives by Qatari citizens to work in the private sector, and everyone should be keen to enter the field of business and entrepreneurship, which has become a necessity, not a luxury.“The state has provided a special platform to facilitate and provide job opportunities and present them to citizens in a transparent manner, and will always strive to provide the best levels of education and training for the national cadres to be competitive in the labour market.**media[17008]**Sovereign fund to be one of the five largest sovereign fundsIn his response to a question about the sovereign fund, and if there a specific mechanism to supplement the fund and a specific goal to reach in the coming years, HE the Prime Minister said there is a financial framework mechanism that depends mainly on surpluses, so that the sovereign fund is one of the aspects of disbursing financial surpluses.His Highness the Amir’s directives are that revenue from the expansion of gas fields goes into investments for future generations, and after it enters into production, it will be a major source for the fund, he noted. “We always set interim target numbers for returns from the fund’s investments, and we aspire for the Qatari sovereign fund to be one of the five largest sovereign funds soon.”Qatar’s position on Syria in Arab LeagueQatar has a clear position and reasons to support the suspension of Syria’s membership in the Arab League, HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani said yesterday in his first interview with Qatar TV.He pointed out that the recent events in Jerusalem are a serious threat, and Qatar has supported Palestinian steadfastness. There is intense communication with Jordan, Egypt and the US to deter the Israelis from their violations at Al-Aqsa MosqueRegarding diversifying the economy, HE Sheikh Mohamed stated that Qatar has made great strides. “Within two months, we will launch the third development plan for Qatar National Vision 2030,” he said.Referring to the Qatar Investment Authority, HE the Prime Minister described it as one of the major funds in the world.“The Qatar Investment Authority will replace oil wells in the future. Funds are not withdrawn from the Qatar Investment Authority except by higher decisions as it is for future generations and it will be an oil well in the future. We aspire to be among the five largest sovereign funds in the world.*”Encouraging the national product is on our list of priorities, and we will develop incentive programmes for investors. Qatar has achieved a 38-fold economic leap in 30 years.Health services to improve“We have spoken to the Ministry of Public Health to improve the services, and the results will appear after the month of Ramadan.“It is normal for administrative problems to occur, but this does not mean that the health service is not at the required level, and it has achieved what the old system could not. “There will be programmes to facilitate medical appointments within the same month.“The budget for the health sector is QR21bn. Implementing health insurance will relieve pressure on government hospitals. About 20% of Qatar’s budget is dedicated for health and education.“There will be social guarantees to support job security in the private sector by stimulating it to ensure success. Increasing the direct income of citizens will drain the budgets.“The education sector is an essential tributary for all competencies in the country. We will address the challenges of the education system,” HE the Prime Minister added.

The Qatar Press Centre has issued a statement to express its strong condemnation of the continued practices of the Israeli occupation forces against the brothers in Palestine and Islamic holy sites, amid international silence and global political clout, which made the occupying state succeed in impunity and evade its responsibilities every time.Every year, during Ramadan, the occupation authorities begin to provoke the feelings of Muslims with their repeated storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the resulting attacks and crimes committed by the occupation forces against defenseless worshipers, in addition to other crimes targeting the civilian population in the cities of Palestine, the latest of which occurred on Tuesday 20 Ramadan 1444 AH, corresponding to April 11, 2023. This caused dozens of Palestinians to suffocate, during clashes with the Israeli occupation forces, in a camp in the occupied West Bank. The occupation forces stormed the camp and fired rubber-coated metal bullets, stun grenades, and tear gas at the citizens and their homes. This led to clashes, during which dozens suffocated, and settlers, under the protection of the occupation forces, attacked a house in al-Kheder town, south of Bethlehem.In response to the hate speech adopted by the occupation authorities, dozens of settlers gathered in the "Umm Rukba" area and threw stones and empty bottles at a house and shops, chanting "Death to the Palestinians". This is in contrast to the continuous provocations, psychological pressure and skirmishes that the occupation causes in the Gaza Strip.While the Qatar Press Centre confirms its condemnation of the criminal acts against the brothers in Palestine, it holds the international community responsible for pressuring the Israeli occupation authorities to stop such practices that amount to war crimes and threaten the region and the world with insecurity and stability.