HE Minister of Interior and Commander of Lekhwiya Force Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, HE Minister of Municipality and Chairman of the National Committee to host the Expo 2023 Doha Horticultural Exhibition Dr Abdulla bin Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Subaie and HE President of the Public Works Authority (Ashghal) Dr Engineer Saad bin Ahmad al-Muhannadi Thursday visited the site of the Expo 2023 Doha in Al-Bidda Park in the Doha Corniche area.The visit aimed to stand on the ongoing preparations and arrangements for Qatar's hosting of the Expo, which will be held under the slogan (Green Desert, Better Environment), from October 2, 2023 to March 28, 2024.

With less than ten days to go until the opening of the Formula 1 Qatar Airways Qatar Grand Prix, Lusail International Circuit (LIC), the home of motorsports in Qatar, reveals an exclusive first look at the extensively remodelled venue.Led by Qatar’s Public Works Authority 'Ashghal’, a suite of new, state-of-the-art facilities have been built as part of the renovation of the 5.38km Circuit, designed to enhance the experience for drivers and racegoers. While the popular track layout remains, expanded seating capacity, five-star VIP zones and new viewing areas are just some of the new features introduced as part of the upgrade, which sees LIC primed and ready to host the biggest event in motorsports from October 6-8.Abdulrahman bin Abdullatif al-Mannai, President of Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation and Lusail International Circuit, said: “This stunning and extensive remodelling is the product of months of hard work, ambition, and imagination, and is a fitting introduction to what promises to be a thrilling weekend of motorsports. Our long-term agreement with F1 marks a significant advancement for Qatar, which is rapidly gaining a reputation as a renowned host for some of the world’s most prestigious sporting events, that are sure to serve fans on all fronts.”Lusail International Circuit: What’s New?The new features include:Larger Fan Zone & New VIP Areas: The venue now offers a larger public fan zone, in addition to several sparkling new five-star VIP areas. This includes the Formula 1 Paddock Club which offers unbeatable racing views from above the team garages on the main straight and world-class hospitality. In selected VIP areas, fans can enjoy exclusive opportunities to enjoy pit lane walks and hear from F1 drivers throughout the race weekend.Larger Pit Boxes: Fifty pit boxes have been introduced as part of the remodelling project, which makes LIC home to the largest number of pit boxes among all international circuits participating in F1.Lusail Hill: Lusail Hill has been launched at Turn 1, a grand public elevated viewing area that provides spectacular views for fans at an affordable price. Set amongst lush green space, Lusail Hill is accessible for General Admission ticket holders, and allows for a unique, up-close-and-personal perspective of the weekend’s high-octane events.Increased Capacity: Following the upgrade, LIC’s grandstands can now accommodate 40,000 people, and parking capacity has been expanded to 15,000, making the circuit even more accessible for motorsports fans.New Buildings: A host of new buildings have been constructed as part of the project including an ultramodern media centre, a new medical centre, a paddock area, a pit building and various new VVIP buildings and hospitality areas. Major renovations to the LIC Academy (Qatar Motorsports Academy) – a haven for aspiring racing drivers - are also currently underway, with work scheduled to complete later this year.Extensive Landscaping: 180,000 square meters of green space have been created as part of the refurbishment, including 2,577 trees and nearly 27,000 other varieties of shrubs, succulents, and foliage. 85 spectacular screens have been installed across the venue for fans to keep abreast of the latest action, including a giant screen on the underside of the paddock area. Three tunnels have also been built for smoother access across the venue, including a pedestrian tunnel. Ashgal has also facilitated major works to 21km of surrounding roads and intersections to improve public access and ease of entry to main roads around the Circuit.Qatar Airways Qatar Grand: The DetailsThis year’s race will mark the second edition of the Formula 1 Qatar Airways Qatar Grand Prix, which first took place at the original LIC in 2021.With Qatar hosting the fourth F1 Sprint weekend of the season, on-track action will kick off on Friday, October 6 with a free practice session, followed by a Qualifying session which will set the grid for Sunday’s Grand Prix. On Saturday, October 7 fans will be treated to two highly competitive sessions with the “Sprint Shootout” which will set the order for the F1 Sprint later in the day. Finally, the weekend will culminate under the floodlights on Sunday, October 8.And recently, LIC announced an exciting and varied line up of entertainment throughout the weekend, with exclusive performances from Amr Diab (October 6), Alesso (October 7) and Bruno Mars (October 8). For more information, visit the official LIC website.Tickets for the weekend are selling out fast, but fans can still get their hands on tickets for a few select categories by visiting the official website: https://tickets.lcsc.qa/

A considerable number of local productive families have stressed their readiness to welcome visitors at Expo 2023 Doha by providing a wide range of products for visitors from across the world. Popular foods, spices, incense, perfumes, souvenir gifts and traditional clothing just a few of the items. Speaking to local Arabic daily Arrayah, representatives of some productive families explained that they have prepared a good number of locally-made products that reflect Qatari heritage and customs, and the traditions of the community. The aim is to introduce visitors to the country's heritage, similar to what happened during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. They also highly appreciated the efforts of the Expo 2023 Doha organising committee for dedicating booths that enable them to showcase their products, even on a rotational basis among the families, with the event set to run from Monday (October 2, 2023) to March 28, 2024. The productive families have proven their worth and excellence over the past years in offering distinctive products, packaged and presented professionally. The productive families are proficient in both Arabic and English. This facilitates communication with both participants and visitors from all countries attending the exhibition. Yousef al-Linjawi, owner of homemade food products, said he is ready to serve the visitors of the global event with excellent local flavours made of 100% natural ingredients. He expects the event would be excellent opportunity to present homemade products to a global audience. Mona Zayid, owner of a perfume project, has a collection of 100% Qatari made perfumes and incense blends that will provide a good introduction to such products for the different visitors. Layla Ali, owner of Qatari traditional clothes project, has prepared a special collection of locally made traditional dresses, especially for children, and hope they would appeal to the taste of the different visitors. Sheikha al-Mohannadi, owner of accessories business, has a wide range of locally made exquisite accessories and gifts with some of these closely linked to Qatari culture themes. Turfa al-Zarraa, owner of a apparel unit, expects that the local productive families will show a high level of professionalism at Expo 2023 Doha, building on at their successful experiences at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.