Halal Qatar Festival begins at Katara

The activities of 11th edition of Halal Qatar Festival, organised by Katara – the Cultural Village Foundation, started Thursday.
Katara general manager Prof Khalid bin Ibrahim al-Sulaiti inaugurated the event, which runs until February 24, from 9am to 12 noon and 4pm-10pm.
The festival features two segments – Al Mazain and Al Mazad Auction – in addition to a variety of accompanying educational and entertainment activities.
The initiative is part of Katara's strategy to preserve elements of the Qatari heritage and promote it among the young people.
Prof al-Sulaiti said that the Halal Qatar Festival has succeeded in reviving the heritage as well as enriching the local market and encouraging breeders to improve quality of livestock.
"The festival also opens a wide knowledge window for participants to see the distinguished specifications of Halal," he said, while asserting that the event has made a big leap in awareness of the importance of Halal, especially among young people.
On Thursday, Halal Qatar Festival witnessed strong competition in the Arab category between livestock owners.
The auction also saw a great turnout from Halal breeders.
The programme includes several recreational activities and school trips to the venue, which were put on hold in the previous edition due to the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
The pavilions for productive families, workshops for children, and horse and camel rides are among the attractions.
Alongside the Halal Qatar Festival, Katara has launched a plastic arts competition, in which Qatari and expatriate artists are participating.
There is a drawing competition on a large canvas with nine artists joining daily.
The venue, at Katara's southern side, includes a tent for traditional industries and handicrafts related to sheep and goat products.
A number of shops offer popular foods produced by Qatari families, while other outlets display traditional products.