Doha College primary students enjoying the special occasion
A number of schools have joined the UK and Commonwealth countries around the world to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee this week, marking the monarch’s sixty year reign at various locations across Qatar.
The UK has been transformed over the past week, with hundreds of thousands of people turning out to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of HM Queen Elizabeth II.  The sense of pageantry and patriotism has not been ignored by British expatriates and schools in Qatar, who have also organised a number of events to mark the occasion.
   Doha College celebrated the day throughout both the primary and secondary year groups, with representatives of the student council releasing 60 balloons with messages of support and congratulations. Students were dressed in red white and blue and took part in a number of activities and competitions to mark the jubilee.
“Queen Elizabeth II has little direct relevance for a large part of our college community but the occasion of her diamond jubilee has managed to capture their attention nevertheless,” said vice-president of student services, Mark Hunter adding “Queen Elizabeth II has managed it all with dignity and resolve and we cannot fail to recognise the achievement of 60 years service”. “Our children, our children’s parents and the majority of staff at the college weren’t even born when Queen Elizabeth II took to the throne but today, sporting the colours of the union flag, we watched 60 red, white and blue balloons drift into the blue sky above Doha,” he said, adding “we felt a connection to those immediately around us and to other communities finding ways to celebrate and record this historic occasion”.
Prizes were presented to the best decorated classrooms and the school hosted street parties for both primary and secondary students.
Doha English Speaking School students also marked the special occasion yesterday. A spokesperson for the school explained: “Our small gym was set up as a street party, with long tables adorned in the colours of the Union Jack.  All children attended at scheduled times during the day, dressed in red, white and blue creating a wonderfully vibrant scene.”
“We had a hat competition and the headgear was superb, with amazing creations adding to the already colourful display. After the children finished their picnics, our wonderful PTA parents brought in special cakes, which the DESS parents had supplied,” she said, adding “these were masterpieces in their own right, with the Union Jack flag featured on much of the confectionary”.
“As a lasting token, the PTA gave each child a commemorative mug as a reminder of this wonderful celebration,” she added.The children joined together to sing the UK’s national anthem, while headmaster, Andy Yeoman gave a speech to round off the morning’s celebrations.“DESS is proud to have joined the British public worldwide in celebrating this auspicious occasion,” added the spokesperson.