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The Al-Watan Theatre Troupe is preparing to present its play The Black Pearl as part of the 38th Doha Theatre Festival.The work is a fantastical journey inspired by the elements of the Gulf's marine environment, reinterpreting tales of pearl diving within a dramatic framework imbued with human and intellectual dimensions.The play is written and directed by artist Shua'il al-Kuwari, featuring a group of young members of the troupe.Its plot revolves around “the Black Pearl”, a rare and deep pearl diving site that becomes a symbol of the struggle between humanity and the unknown, and between the desire to reach one's dreams and the fear of the path to them.The story begins when a father stipulates that a man wishing to marry his daughter must bring him a pearl from this mysterious pearl diving site as her dowry.Thus begins a journey filled with challenges, during which the characters reveal multifaceted aspects of ambition, love, sacrifice, and willpower.Al-Kuwari affirmed that The Black Pearl uses heritage as a vehicle to express broader human issues, noting that the sea in the Gulf's collective memory has been a space brimming with stories, experiences, and situations that have shaped the community's consciousness.He explained that the choice of the pearl as the play's central theme stemmed from its symbolic significance, as the search for pearls becomes an introspective journey for individuals to discover their capabilities and confront their fears.He pointed out that the play blends reality and imagination to present a contemporary vision of heritage.Al-Kuwari indicated that preparations for the performance began some time ago, focusing on character development, acting and movement training, and attention to visual elements and scenography to enhance the atmosphere of the sea and the imagined world in which the events unfold.The outline has been finalised, and the play is currently refining the details and elevating all aspects of the production.Al-Kuwari added that the participation of a group of young people in the play represents an opportunity to showcase new talent on stage, emphasising that teamwork among the cast members was one of the most important factors in achieving the play's final form.The team also agreed on the importance of participating in the Doha Theatre Festival as a platform for testing and developing theatrical experiences, especially given the competition among diverse productions representing local theatre groups.The Black Pearl is expected to offer an experience that blends popular memory with a modern theatrical vision, through a story that evokes the atmosphere of the sea and pearl diving, but at its core poses questions about humanity, its choices, and its ability to confront the unknown. 

Qatar continues to strengthen its position as one of the world’s most important habitats for dugongs, hosting the second-largest population of the marine mammals globally.The country’s coastal waters provide an ideal environment for dugongs to feed and reproduce, supported by extensive seagrass beds that are essential to their survival.On the occasion of World Dugong Day, celebrated annually on May 28, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the species through ongoing monitoring and conservation programmes.Dugongs, often referred to as “sea cows,” play a vital role in maintaining the balance of marine ecosystems by grazing on seagrass and supporting healthy coastal habitats. The relevant environmental specialists are using advanced monitoring techniques to track dugongs, including identifying unique markings on their tail fins. These natural patterns help researchers distinguish between individual animals and monitor mothers and calves over time, providing valuable data on breeding, movement, and population health.Accordingly, Qatar’s marine ecosystem has become a regional centre for dugong conservation due to its biodiversity and protected coastal zones. Conservation teams regularly conduct field surveys and awareness campaigns to preserve the species and reduce environmental threats.The ministry stressed that protecting dugongs is part of Qatar’s broader environmental sustainability strategy, which focuses on safeguarding marine biodiversity and enhancing climate resilience. Further, the ministry highlighted the importance of community awareness and scientific cooperation in ensuring the long-term survival of dugongs in the Arabian Gulf.Dugongs are classified as globally vulnerable to extinction, making conservation efforts in Qatar increasingly significant to regional and international marine protection initiatives.Current research indicates that Qatar supports one of the largest dugong populations in the world outside Australia. However, exact numbers vary due to seasonal movement and aggregation behaviour. Some estimates suggest that the largest seasonal aggregations of dugongs amounted to more than 1,000 individuals. 

Old Doha Port capped off Tuesday the third Seabed Cleaning Initiative, underscoring its steadfast commitment to safeguarding the marine environment and amplifying community awareness of sustainable practices. In a statement, the Port highlighted that since its inception in 2023, the initiative has emerged as a core environmental pillar, strategically reinforcing the national agenda's priorities on sustainable development and the preservation of Qatar's ecological resources.This year's initiative witnessed integrated collaboration between certified divers, governmental functionaries, and private-sector partners, within a coordinated operation extending across the entire waterfront of the Port, the statement read.It further pointed out that divers successfully operated to remove accumulated waste from the deep water reaching 6 meters, which included plastic materials, fishing lines, nets, and heavy debris that pose a threat to marine life and navigation safety, noting that the intervention areas were identified based on precise seabed surveys conducted prior to the operation.The initiative has received substantial backing from partners, with the Ministry of Municipality providing operational mechanisms and support, while the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change conducted environmental oversight and provided essential technical guidelines, the statement continued.The statement clarified that ExxonMobil Qatar also undertook the role of strategic contributor, while Tanzifco carried out onsite waste sorting operations and ensured that recyclable materials were directed to the competent authorities, with the Qatari Coast Guard ensuring the safety of divers throughout the seabed cleaning operation.It remarked that the Arab Center for Engineering Studies (ACES) organized workshops and interactive activities for children on sustainability to contribute to strengthening awareness about the importance of protecting the environment. Other key participants included Environmental and Green Energy Services, Athar Alfardan, Alfardan Marine Services, Hai Wash, and Mr. Valet.As such, CEO of the Old Doha Port, Eng Mohamed Abdullah al-Mulla, asserted that this initiative is a testament to the Port's responsibility toward the coastal environment in the State of Qatar, emphasizing that the nation's marine environment constitutes a time-honored part of its national identity and preserving it is a duty on the part of all.This initiative has become an annual landmark with concrete positive impact that corrals the community's enterprises and individuals toward one goal, as long as holding each one of these initiatives reinforces the collective responsibility in safeguarding the nation's natural resources for the generations to come, Al Mulla stressed.Vice President and Manager of Public and Government Affairs at ExxonMobil Qatar, Rashid al-Hajri, underlined that collaboration with the Port in this initiative underscores an all-hands-on-deck approach in protecting the environment and marine life, as well as promoting sustainability for the next generations.Noteworthy, the initiative comes in alignment with the environmental development pillar within Qatar National Vision 2030, which includes a pro-environment appeal for the protection of natural resources and environmental equilibrium, in addition to bolstering environmental governance and societal partnership.Since its launch in 2023, the Initiative has been incrementally expanded, emerging today as one of the Port's core pillars in the long-term sustainability agenda amid plans to enlarge its scope and broaden the engagement of the community members in the years ahead. 

The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change's Environmental Monitoring and Inspection Department, in cooperation with the Marine Protection Department, have carried out 56 field visits since the beginning of this year, as part of the monthly marine environment monitoring programme.During this period, 2,240 variables were documented. The programme covers seven marine sites to monitor physical, chemical, and biological variables, which are regularly observed throughout the year. The aim is to track environmental changes in marine waters and provide accurate and periodic scientific data that help assess the status, in addition to monitoring biological indicators that reflect the health and sustainability of marine ecosystems.The ministry affirmed that the programme serves as a fundamental tool to support the country’s efforts in protecting marine resources and preserving biodiversity, in addition to enhancing research studies that assist in developing policies and strategic plans to address environmental challenges.

The marine Protection Department at the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change has been making several achievements to maintain the well-being of the local marine environment and ecosystems and protect the biodiversity in the country.During the second quarter of this year, the department spent 20 hours in tours in deep sea diving across various key locations in the local waters. It also spent 68 hours in various surprise inspection tours within the sea, besides 3,361 hours spent on daily field inspection tours.The department spent a total of 3,404 hours during the second quarter of the year carrying out various intensive and regular inspection and monitoring tours across various sites in the local waters.The department spotted 148 different violations during the same period, in addition to 25 violations regarding fishing cages, 11 violations for using long fishing lines, two regarding fishing tools, 86 fishing nets, and six violations for using non-standard spotlights and illegal lights. There were a total of 278 related violations spotted during the period.Further, the department conducted five study surveys on related issues, issued 829 reports through the various marine units it has, with a total of 834 reports made during the period.The department received 36 calls and requests that included 17 regarding encroachments and violations, 11 reports, five applications for services, and three inquiries.The department also took part at 14 different public workshops and campaigns to raise public awareness in different related topics. These included three training workshops, four cleaning campaigns, three inspection campaigns and four work meetings.