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Design Doha, Qatar's premier contemporary design platform, has announced the 20 finalists of the Design Doha Prize 2026, recognizing outstanding design talent from across the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (MENASA) and its diasporas. Selected from more than 500 applications, five finalists have been selected in four categories: Craft, Product Design, Furniture Design and Emerging Talent. The four winners will be announced on Nov. 7, 2026 at the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA), concluding the Design Doha Biennial's three-day opening program, taking place from Nov. 5 to 7, 2026. Chaired by HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Museums, the Prize is overseen by a 24-member international jury led by Iranian-French architect and designer India Mahdavi.The jury also includes renowned architects Frida Escobedo and Lina Ghotmeh, among other leading figures in design and architecture. The full jury list is available on the Design Doha website. Returning for its second edition, the Prize supports designers at different stages of their careers, with the four winners will each receive QAR 200,000 (approximately USD $50,000), a two-week mentorship at the Vitra Campus in Weil am Rhein, Germany, and one year of studio space at Liwan Design Studios and Labs in Doha.Additional support includes retail opportunities through Liberty London at Liberty Home Msheireb in Doha and logistical assistance and business mentorship from DHL. Finalists were selected following an open call and a multi-stage review process and they will showcase their work to the jury at MIA on November 6. Their projects span traditional craftsmanship, furniture and product innovation, with several addressing contemporary challenges such as material waste, water scarcity and sustainable production. Fahad Al Obaidly, Director of Design Doha, said: "The Design Doha Prize exists to back the designers shaping the future of our region. This year's finalists show what that future looks like: practices rooted in craft and inherited knowledge, yet bold in how they rethink materials, tackle waste and respond to the places they come from. But recognition is only the beginning. Through mentorship, studio space, retail partnerships and industry expertise, the Prize gives designers the tools to grow their practices and take their work to audiences far beyond Doha." India Mahdavi, Head of the Jury, said: "What makes this Prize particularly exciting is the breadth of creative thinking across the region. The finalists approach design from different cultural and material perspectives yet share a strong understanding of craftsmanship and experimentation. We are looking for work that combines originality with purpose, and for designers whose ideas have the potential to develop further and contribute to the future of design." 

Katara Cultural Village has opened “Bisht House” – a new heritage space dedicated to preserving and promoting the traditional craft of bisht-making. Katara general manager Prof Dr Khalid bin Ibrahim al-Sulaiti attended the opening, along with officials and heritage enthusiasts. The venue offers visitors an insight into the various stages of producing the bisht, from selecting fabrics to intricate embroidery using gold and silver zari threads. The bisht is a traditional, luxurious men's cloak worn over a thobe in the Arab world, symbolising high status, royalty, and prestige. Bisht House aims to highlight one of the region's most refined traditional crafts, known for its precision and artistic detail, and to reinforce its cultural and historical significance. Founder Sami al-Hawaj said the bisht is not merely a garment but a work of art that reflects Gulf identity, elegance and heritage. He added that the centre also displays historic bishts dating back more than 50 years, alongside traditional Qatari garments.

The Ministry of Social Development and Family (MSDF) held the sixth edition of the Productive Families Incentive Award, and the Productive Families Exhibition — From the Homeland, where the winners of the award for the year 2025 were announced. **media[381115]** The ceremony was attended by Her Excellency the Minister of Social Development and Family Buthaina bint Ali al-Jabr al-Nuaimi, His Excellency the Minister of Public Health Mansoor bin Ebrahim al-Mahmoud, Her Excellency the Minister of Education and Higher Education Lolwah bint Rashid bin Mohammed AlKhater, a number of senior officials and representatives of supporting entities, in addition to productive families, media professionals and guests of the exhibition, which reflects national creativity in the field of home and craft products, and embodies the journey of empowering productive families in Qatar. **media[381116]** Assistant Undersecretary for Family Affairs at the MSDF Sheikha Shaikha bint Jassim al-Thani delivered a speech in which she indicated that the journey of productive families in Qatar extends for more than three decades since the launch of the first market dedicated to them in 1986, noting that the MSDF has supported more than a thousand productive families through training, empowerment and marketing, and the number of direct beneficiaries has now reached 680 families, in addition to the families that have established independent brands known today as “ministry-friendly families.” **media[381117]** Sheikha Shaikha emphasised that the incentive award represents an important milestone in the journey of supporting and empowering productive families, in line with the National Strategy for Social and Family Development 2025-2030, which is based on the slogan “From Welfare to Empowerment,” noting that the ministry is continuing to empower families and open new horizons for them to actively participate in the national economy. Dr Nadia Hamad al-Mannai, owner of the Al Mashmom Clothing Workshop project, also gave a speech on behalf of the participants, in which she expressed her gratitude to the MSDF for its continued support for productive families, noting that her passion for Qatari heritage products was the driving force behind the establishment of her project, which has developed to participate in local and international events. She emphasised that the MSDF’s support has been a fundamental pillar in empowering Qatari women and enhancing the presence of national products. The support of the Social and Sport Contribution Fund (Daam) for this award comes as an extension of its role in promoting social and economic development initiatives in the country. Daam has contributed through its support to providing award allocations for productive family projects, believing in the necessity of relying on local energies among members of society and enabling them to produce, in line with its vision of supporting people and investing in their capabilities, to be an active partner in achieving comprehensive development in Qatar. The ceremony included a video presentation introducing the winning projects, which showcased the families’ experiences and products, and concluded with the announcement of the winners in the categories of Best Productive Family and Best Product, where HE the Minister of Social Development and Family honored them amidst a festive national atmosphere. Fatima Yousef al-Sulaiti’s project won the first place in the Best Productive Family Award, receiving a prize of QR100,000. Nawal Hilal Ramadan’s project came in second with a prize of QR70,000, while Saud Mubarak’s project came in third place with a prize of QR50,000. She also crowned the winners of the Best Product Award, where the Juma Mubarak al-Kuwari’s project won first place with a prize of QR100,000. Iman Abdullah Ali al-Kuwari’s project won second place with a prize of QR70,000, while the Al-Jazi Fahd al-Hajri’s project won third place with a prize of QR50,000, in recognition of their creativity and the quality of their production, according to precise judging criteria that included quality, innovation, creativity, and professional presentation. Following the honouring ceremony, Her Excellency inaugurated the accompanying exhibition, “Productive Families Exhibition — From the Homeland,” at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre, which runs until Nov 15 and includes a range of distinguished national projects.