By Ayman Adly/Staff Reporter

Some 155 male and female students from different Independent Schools gave a fascinating musical performance yesterday evening at the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC) as part of the Supreme Education Council (SEC) National Day celebrations.
HE the Minister of Education and SEC secretary general Saad bin Ibrahim al-Mahmoud attended the operetta titled Watan al-Ula (The country of glory). He also toured an exhibition held as part of the event.
“Qatar is living the most glorious age and celebrating its National Day under a wise leadership,” said Aisha Jassim al-Kuwari, director of the communication and media office at SEC.
She urged the students to follow the principles and values propounded by the founder of Qatar Sheikh Jassim bin Mohamed bin Thani, and HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani and HH the Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani. She called on all students to collaborate with each other and work hard to show their love to their country.
The operetta, whose text was written by Dr Maryam al-Nuaimi, professor of literary criticism and rhetoric at Qatar University, included five scenes covering Qatar’s history: the sea and pearl diving, the land and different activities in the past, Dukhan and the discovery of oil and the development of education and progress in the country.
“The poetic scenes of the operetta focused on the main features of Qatari life in the past and present,” said al-Nuaimi, adding the scenes stressed the original Qatari values and achievements.
The operetta featured a group of boys and girls of different ages gathering around an old man holding a book. In each scene he opens the book and tells the story of a different stage of Qatari history, while in the background the screen displays related images and scenes. The story is told through songs of classical Arabic but in between comes a young man to speak in the local dialect.
The opening scenes featured pearl divers and seamen at work in dhows leading up to events culminating in the modern day Qatar with images of the different developments experienced in all fields in the country with a special focus on education.  
The colourful show with superb musical recital rendered by disciplined performers enthralled the audience, young and old, who were seen waving the Qatari flags.
All other schools in Qatar also had their own individual celebrations to mark the occasion which included folk dance and music, culture and art contests and the distribution of brochures and flyers presenting images of the Qatari history.