By Hamza Jilani/Staff Reporter

The  first Youth Scientific Forum, organised by the Qatar Scientific Club (QSC) under the auspices of HE Dr Hamad bin Abdulaziz al-Kuwari, Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage concludes today with a prize giving ceremony for the winners in different categories.
The pioneering three-day event was enjoyed by over 100 participating youth who showcased their ideas and inventions to judges with hopes of winning cash prizes up to QR20,000.
The first, second and third place winners of the three sections of the forum – Inventions, Research and Software and Robotics – will be chosen by two judges for each section today at the programme’s closing ceremony. The Forum’s goals were to support and encourage the culture of invention for the community, create a platform where inventors and investors could meet each other and ultimately educate inventors on the importance of patenting their creations.
“We need to use the power of our youth. We have many inventions here. The hall is full and it looks great. We want to give the youth direction and platform to help them get their ideas out. And to show them how to improve and market themselves to other organisations and businesses,” said Ahmad al-Kuwari, organiser of the event and an active QSC member.
Participants were accepted under strict criteria with a requirement that they must either be a Qatari or born in Qatar or be students in one of the educational institutions in Qatar, and between the ages of 15 to 30.
Young male and female scientists stunned each other, judges, organisers and their audiences as they explained their detailed and new ideas ranging from health, traffic safety, renewable energy, ‘green’ machines and assistive technology for people with disabilities.
“This event was the first of its kind. The Minister was very happy when he inaugurated the forum on its opening day. Everyone is excited. The judges are very happy and impressed. This exceeded our expectations,” al-Kuwari said, adding that while he didn’t participate this time, he would do so next year. “I am definitely going to bring my inventions here next year!”
Particularly impressive were inventions like solar and compressed air powered cars, stair-climbing wheelchairs, renewable clean energy relating to
water-hydrogen combustion, conceptual workout equipment to charge capacitors for stored energy and biodegradable pots for the forestation of Qatar’s deserts.
“Free and clean energy is all around us. Why not take advantage of it?” questioned an excited Ahmad Hassan, 17, a student at the Ahmad ibn Hanbal School.
Participants from universities also joined the event with their innovative ideas and inventions. Among the participants were also graduates and employed.
individuals.
“We plan on doing these programmes in the future. We have the ministries’ and everyone’s support and a lot of encouragement. We are being pushed to make it bigger next year. We have many suggestions and we’ll try and turn it all into reality in the future,” al-Kuwari said.