Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF) will take part in this year’s National Day celebrations at Darb Al Saai from today until December 20 by hosting an array of activities.
The QF tent, where up to 5,000 visitors are expected to attend each day, will highlight the important works of the Foundation.
A QF passport will be distributed at the welcoming counter to guide visitors through the inspirational activities that have been specially-designed to provide stimulating learning opportunities. The tent will have five categories: Education and Lifelong Learning; Research and Innovation; Health, Sport, and Wellbeing; Cultural Development and Heritage; and Preservation and Sustainability.
A number of academic institutes and science and research centres are participating in the tent under the umbrella of Education and Lifelong Learning, including Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q). The university is set to organise a knowledge-based game that will educate visitors about different countries.
Sidra Medical and Research Center will play host to two activities. The first game will teach children about healthy food items, while the second will educate children on the different parts of the body.
Texas A&M University at Qatar’s (TAMUQ) ‘Lego Mindstorms’ activity will enable visitors to build robots and learn how to programme them, while Reach Out To Asia’s activities will reflect real-life situations of countries in need.
The Research and Innovation category will create a platform for the youth to foster their skills for key industries in Qatar contributing to the nation’s development. TAMUQ will demonstrate how to make artificial snow that is non-toxic and lasts for days, while Stars of Science will display a video of the award-winning work by season six winner, Mohamad al-Housani, who will also give a talk about his journey.
There will be activities and events for raising awareness of the importance of adopting healthy, active lifestyles. One such activity will be a game conducted by Qatar Diabetes Association that teaches children to identify the different food groups. Additionally, Weill Cornell Medicine – Qatar will highlight ‘Sahtak Awalan’ (Your Health First), an on-going campaign.
The Cultural Development and Heritage Preservation section will feature various activities that reflect QF’s pride in supporting national identity and nurturing a sense of belonging in Qatar. As a school of international affairs, GU-Q will provide flag tattoos for children, Qatar National Library will present a puppet show to educate children about traditional stories and songs, and TAMUQ students will present video interviews with family members discussing Qatar’s historical development.
The exhibits and activities to promote sustainability include a hands-on activity by TAMUQ where different age groups will observe and experiment with alternative green energy sources. A workshop by Qatar Solar Technologies will require visitors to put together a Qatari flag lantern using solar energy, stationary items, and recycled material.
