Qatar Reads, an initiative under Qatar National Library (QNL), has launched the third edition of its 'One Book, One Doha' Festival, celebrating the richness of Arabic literature by featuring some of the region's most influential books and authors.
The festival at Katara Cultural Village will run until November 16 promoting love of reading and a shared sense of community based on literature and cultural heritage.
This year’s featured book, Men in the Sun by the Palestinian author, Ghassan Kanafani, delves into themes of resilience, solidarity, displacement and the quest for a better life through the lens of three Palestinian refugees trying to reach Kuwait. The book is of particular relevance given the ongoing war in Gaza, reminding the public of the need to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people.
Fatema al-Malki, manager of Qatar Reads and acting manager of the Children's and Young Adults' Library at QNL, said the festival is the culmination of the One Book, One Doha campaign and provides learning experiences for visitors of all ages, allowing them to appreciate and connect with the content of the novel on a variety of levels. Qatar Reads has published three different versions of Men in the Sun – a rhyming picture book for young children, a graphic novel for teenagers, and a special edition incorporating poetry, art and an analytical introduction for adults.
The festival offers an array of activities to bring the novel’s themes to life. These include discovery stations with hands-on activities that explore pivotal moments in the story and the lives of its characters; a maze symbolising the characters' quest for a home; a photo gallery showcasing powerful images by Palestinian photographer Belal Khaled that capture moments of hope; an immersive room playing videos of Palestinian children sharing their thoughts on what reading means to them; and the Water Tank Art Installation, a real water tank transformed into an artwork that reflects the themes of the book.
The festival will be held at Katara until November 16
