QU conference discusses education’s role in promoting national identity

Qatar University, represented by the Social and Economic Survey Research Institute, held the National Identity Conference 2019, with the participation of researchers from the University and a number of government agencies in Qatar and in the presence of a large number participants.The conference discussed two main scientific topics, the national identity and the role of education in promoting national identity in Qatar, as well as a set of public policies based on field information.In his inaugural speech, the President of Qatar University, Dr Hassan Rashid al-Derham, stressed the importance of the conference as the “national identity” is the basis for the establishment and continuity of modern societies and countries in the modern world, pointing out that modern societies and countries, while differentiated by national identity, should open up to each other in the base of their “humanitarian” and “civilisational” origins.For his part, HE the Minister of State Dr Hamad bin Abdul Aziz al-Kuwari said that identity involves a system of cultural values and it is a sign of a group affiliation with each other.The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education Dr Ibrahim al-Naimi tackled the role of the Ministry in instilling the concept and value of national identity.The Director of Social and Economic Survey Research Institute at Qatar University Dr Hassan al-Sayed said that the importance of the National Identity Conference 2019 is to identify and define the components of national identity in Qatar.Al-Sayed stressed the importance of the subject of national identity at this time when the Qatari society is undergoing major changes in light of globalisation and economic and technological development. –  QNA