Qatar
Students dream up cars of the future
Students dream up cars of the future
By Sarmad Qazi/Staff Reporter
Qatari painter Yousuf Ahmed, one of the two judges, watches participants as they draw their designs in the Toyota Dream Car Art Contest
More than 100 students from over 40 schools participated in the first-ever Toyota Dream Car Art Contest held in Qatar yesterday evening.
Organised by Abdullah Abdulghani & Bros Co (AAB), the sole agents for Toyota and Lexus vehicles in Qatar, the Toyota Dream Car Art Contest is an annual worldwide competition organised by Toyota Motor Corporation, Japan. The 15 winners in Qatar will participate in the global contest.
Armed with brushes, stencils, acrylics and other drawing material, students drew cars of their imagination, as parents and teachers watched.
AAB had invited over 120 schools in Qatar to nominate students, AAB Sales & Marketing director R K Vel Murugan said.
The students were grouped in three age categories: under 10, 10-12 and 13-15 years.
The event was held at the Toyota Showroom (Al Abdulghani Tower), with the vehicle display lobby being cleared of cars.
"We have great pleasure to welcome you all to this drawing competition. As children are the hope of the future, Toyota, as the leading manufacturer of automobiles in the world, would like to involve them in the vision of the concept cars of the future,” Murugan said while welcoming the participants.
At the global competition, there will be three winners under each category of Gold, Silver and Bronze. The winners will go to Japan to receive their prizes.
"The goals of the Dream Car Art Contest are to strengthen the relationship with local communities and customers, and to make children interested in Toyota vehicles and to create a tie with them,” Murugan said.
The drawings were evaluated by renowned Qatari painter Yousuf Ahmed and Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar’s Graduate Studies director Prof Constantin Boym.
Speaking to Gulf Times, Ahmed said: "As a Qatari artist, it is heartening to see private sector companies such as AAB encourage activities of this nature. Qatar now is booming with cultural, sports and media-related events.”
Boym said: "We see design as part of everyday life and improving lives. This event brings children’s everyday experience forward.”
The winners will be announced tomorrow.