On behalf of the nearly 450,000 strong Nepalese expatriate community in the country, a well-attended event was hosted in Doha to declare solidarity with Qatar.
The event, under the slogan “We love Qatar, We support Qatar, We are in Qatar, and Qatar is our Second Home,” was held on Thursday.
The participants said they do not tolerate any encroachment on Qatar’s sovereignty by the blockading nations.
Rashid al-Dehaimi, assistant director of Asian Department at Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs was chief guest and Fahad Saleem Almarri, from the Asian Department, was the guest of honour.
Representatives from Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan and Filipino communities also participated in the programme chaired by Dr Dev Kaji Dangol, chairman of Nepalese Community in Doha. 
Participants first signed their names and signatures on a banner with a portrait of His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani to declare their solidarity with Qatar. The programme kicked off with a Holy Qur’an recital, and the playing of national anthems of Qatar and Nepal.
Artist Ramesh Shrestha, a council member of Nepal Academy of Fine Arts and head of Department of Painting, painted a portrait of HH the Emir, which was later handed over to al-Dehaimi. 



A section of the audience at the event.

Shrestha, who is on his first visit to Qatar, expressed his happiness to join the Nepali community of Qatar to show solidarity with Qatar.
Construction worker Iswor Raj Adhikari praised Qatar which provided him with a secure and rewarding working and earning environment. Another worker, Ragunath Sharma, came on stage with an apron and a bucket of paint to thank Qatar for promoting him to managerial post. 
A short documentary on Nepal-Qatar relationship was presented by Shiba Raj Gautam. The production featured visuals of official meetings and high-level visits made by officials of the both countries and the social service and philanthropic activities carried out by the Nepalese community in Qatar. 
School students Sandhya Sharma and Kamala Chaulagain recited poems, paying their respects to the country.
Nepalese community leader Sagar Nepal reiterated that the sanctions imposed on Qatar are unjustifiable, adding that the programme meant to press the blockading countries to lift the sanctions. He thanked Qatar for providing secure and rewarding jobs to Nepalese brothers and sisters who support their families and the country.
Entrepreneur RK Sharma praised Qatar's contribution towards Nepalese workers, and stated that the Non Resident Nepalese Association (NRNA) — a global organisation of non-resident Nepalese — stands with Qatar in the ongoing Gulf crisis.
Entrepreneur Raj Regmi said the demands put forward by the blockading countries were unjustified and the Nepalese community stands with the Qatari government.
Community leader Narendra Bhatt praised Qatar for being the first Arab country to host the prestigious FIFA World Cup, for reducing crime rate to almost nil, and assisting poor Nepalese families to survive. 
Community leader Binesh Tamang said that Nepalese will always be on the side of Qatar. Another leader TB Karki praised Qatar for its beauty and peace-loving nature.
Delegates from Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan and Filipino communities also called Qatar as their “second home”.
Fahad Almarri thanked the Nepalese community for hosting the programme to show their support to Qatar. He said Qatar and Nepal have a very strong relationship and the event made it even stronger.
“Qatari government is always there to support Nepalese and other communities,” the official added.
The programme was hosted by Bijaya Raj Adhikari, a journalist, writer and programme host.
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