International Horticultural Expo 2023 Doha celebrated Wednesday the National Day of Somalia, featuring a variety of cultural and artistic activities showcasing Somali culture.
HE the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Dr Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Subaie, and Minister of Health and Social Care of Somalia Dr Ali Haj Adam, along with several ministers, officials and heads of diplomatic missions accredited to Qatar attended the event.
The Somali National Day festivities began with the playing of the national anthems of Qatar and Somalia. Attendees enjoyed musical performances featuring traditional musical instruments.
The Somali pavilion takes visitors on a journey through the country's past, present and future. It highlights Somalia's history as a commercial and economic centre and showcases its deep-rooted customs, traditions and culture.
The pavilion explores Somalia's ancient civilisation, its trade and agricultural ties and the bustling commercial activity at its famous seaports. It also delves into the country's ancient name, "Land of Punt," and the types of trees from which perfumes were extracted, including aromatic gum, resin, frankincense and myrrh. The Somali pavilion also focuses on the country's nomadic lifestyle, which revolves around livestock herding, including sheep, camels and cows. It highlights how livestock products are used as a source of food and income, and how approximately 65% of the country's workforce is employed in this sector, with livestock exports accounting for a significant portion of the country's exports.
The pavilion also emphasises Somalia's agricultural wealth, which is a key component of food security, job creation as well as income and foreign exchange generation. The sector employs 80 % of the workforce.
Somalia's pavilion also highlights the future opportunities available in the energy sector and other fields. Somalia has one of the highest wind energy production potential in Africa and one of the highest daily solar radiation averages in the world, making it an ideal location for solar energy production.
The national and pride days at Expo Doha are occasions to celebrate each of the over 80 international participants. They highlight cultures, achievements and showcase their pavilions and programmes. Each national and pride day includes a flag-raising ceremony in a dedicated celebration area in the Expo House area, followed by speeches and cultural performances. Expo Doha runs until March 28, 2024, and has invited visitors from all over the world to join in creating a new world in a six-month celebration of human creativity, innovation, progress and culture.
