Author

There are no discussions about imposing income tax in Qatar and the date for implementing the value-added tax (VAT) is yet to be studied, HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani said on thursday.Speaking to Qatar TV in a live interview, his first after taking charge as the Prime Minister, HE Sheikh Mohamed pointed out that the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 was the starting point for the country’s great plans and ambition to open up the economy and tourism.“For example, in the first two months of this year, nearly 730,000 tourists visited Qatar. This is a number that Qatar could have achieved in a whole year in the past, but it was achieved after the World Cup in just two months,” he explained.“The month of March also witnessed an increase in the number of tourists, explaining that tourism is one of the main pillars of Qatar’s action plan in the next stage. Apart from the World Cup and other international sporting events, Qatar also hosts international events in a variety of ways, whether in topics of diplomacy or economy.**media[17007]**“Qatar has accrued great experience over the years and the success of hosting the World Cup, the largest sporting event, shall be a foundation for successfully hosting other events and tournaments.”HE the Prime Minister recalled that ever since Qatar won in 2010 the bid to host the World Cup, many talked about the volume of related investments and unfortunately there was a confusion of messages. “The infrastructure that was achieved in the country and its availability for the championship was within the plan set for Qatar National Vision 2030. The World Cup contributed significantly to accelerating the pace of that plan and its implementation. With regard to the extent of benefiting from the tournament, Qatar always measures the volume of related investments directly.”HE Sheikh Mohamed pointed out that investments by Qatar would have happened irrespective of whether the country hosted the World Cup or not. What Qatar has achieved by hosting the event has far exceeded the tournament itself and its success.“This is a recognition of Qatar as a small Arab, Muslim country that was able to successfully manage an event of this size. Qatar achieved it with the help of God and the support of citizens and residents, in a way that dazzled the whole world.“The tournament showed the image of Qatar to the whole world, as the World Cup fans confirmed their admiration for the Qatari culture and now they know what Qatar is worth. What happened after the impressive organisation of the tournament was the most prominent evidence of the benefit.“In opinion polls in international magazines and websites such as the BBC, although it sided against Qatar’s bid for the championship, the poll confirmed that the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 was the most successful in the history of the World Cup.”Citing The Economist magazine, HE Sheikh Mohamed pointed out that no country that hosted the World Cup has benefited financially or made profits as a commercial project. But what has been achieved after the World Cup in Qatar in terms of economic growth in the tourism sector would not have happened without organising an event of this magnitude .“His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani’s words that Qatar, a country that was subject to crises, will prove with all its citizens and residents how it is an open, welcoming and hospitable people, has already been achieved as proven by everyone’s testimony.”On how Qatar can benefit from the legacy of the World Cup, HE the Prime Minister said it was a major factor on how the country could benefit from all the projects that were implemented for the tournament. “Today, we find that the infrastructure is within the framework of Qatar National Vision 2030. The facilities and stadiums not only benefit Qatar, but also the least-endowed countries. Therefore, the return from the legacy of the tournament is great, whether at the level of the national economy or on other countries in need of development.“Qatar has thus set a good example and precedent for future championships. There are many elements that have been achieved in establishing Qatar as a distinctive brand. This is something that has economic returns as well as in the tourism field, and it is something that can be built upon and we can maximize the benefit from it in the largest possible way.”The health system in Qatar today is a competitive system, and this has helped in confronting Covid-19 with unprecedented success, HE the Prime Minister noted. “But we recognise that there are challenges and problems, and administrative shortcomings that we acknowledge. The negligent ones will be held accountable, but the health ministry has so far been working, with direct follow-up from us, to address the administrative shortcomings firsthand, and you will see the results soon, God willing,” he said.“We have spoken with the Ministry of Public Health to improve the level of services, and the results will appear after the month of Ramadan,” HE Sheikh Mohamed said, adding that there will be programmes to facilitate medical appointments.In response to a question about health insurance, he said implementation of the system will relieve the pressure on government hospitals. He referred to the State spending on the health sector at present, which is 11% of the budget, noting that the health sector budget amounts to QR21bn. The health insurance system aims to provide distinguished medical services in line with the financial obligations of the State.According to the relevant law, health insurance is compulsory for a foreigner, and there are a set of laws attached to the health insurance law so that it will be applied as soon as possible. The State’s commitment is still to provide the best medical services to citizens in government hospitals, and this will relieve the pressure on government hospitals in the first stage and provide treatment for citizens abroad if they need to do so.The government is responsible and striving to provide the best service to citizens at its hospitals, so that the citizens will feel the difference when health insurance is fully implemented. It will greatly reduce the pressure on the available hospitals.Qatar exerts soft powerHE the Prime Minister said some may question the need for soft power or soft diplomacy, whether in sport, economy or otherwise.“In the end we are a small country and the issue of soft power is part of proving our existence and ensuring our security. It contributes greatly to consolidating the country’s position as a major and important player for the countries of the region and the world.“Soft power contributes in a very important way to the protection and defence of the state, and we have seen this in many stages, and how Qatar has proven that it is a country that is important in all global events, and this is the role that we aspire to and strive to achieve.”Greatest efficiency and productivityWith regard to his message in the first meeting of the Council of Ministers that it is necessary to work to provide the highest level of performance and services, HE Sheikh Mohamed said that His Highness the Amir’s directives in this regard are clear.“The government’s mission is to manage the state and its resources and achieve the greatest efficiency and productivity. Part of the government’s tasks is to provide services to citizens, residents, investors or tourists, which are supposed to achieve returns for the state and maximise resources.“The challenges we are talking about face any government, but we must recognize the size and expectations of the state and the government. As Qatar is a young state founded 52 years ago, and human resources are limited, as the number of citizens is not large, the accumulation of knowledge and institutional experience is a journey that requires time and continuous and permanent development. Excellence is our goal in providing services to the public.“What is happening now in the provision of services is that it has become focused on the customer himself, whether he is a citizen, resident, investor or tourist. How can the best service be provided with the highest efficiency.“There are great initiatives that were launched last year and this year, such as the Government Excellence Award that stimulates government departments to provide the best level of services. As well as the “Sharek platform” (Arabic for participate), which will be launched soon, to evaluate performance in government institutions by beneficiaries, and how to speed up these procedures using Artificial Intelligence.“The initiatives to improve the level of services are continuous. If we talk about Qatari citizens in the labour market, we find that 90% of them work in the government, so they have the responsibility of contributing with their efforts to provide these services at the highest level for all.”Relevance of private sector employment of citizensHE the Prime Minister referred to the issue of employment in the government, especially since Qatar is a small country and government institutions have a limited capacity to absorb staff. “Last year 7,127 citizens were employed, out of whom 5,200 were in the government sector and the rest in the private sector. This is a percentage that is considered a leap especially in the private sector, which has begun to absorb such numbers.“If we focus only on the government employing citizens, this will be unsustainable and the government will reach saturation at some point or the situation will turn into disguised unemployment in government institutions. Therefore it will not be in favour of providing the best level of services.“The government will provide jobs annually, but people must open up to the private sector, which must provide opportunities for citizens. There should be personal initiatives by Qatari citizens to work in the private sector, and everyone should be keen to enter the field of business and entrepreneurship, which has become a necessity, not a luxury.“The state has provided a special platform to facilitate and provide job opportunities and present them to citizens in a transparent manner, and will always strive to provide the best levels of education and training for the national cadres to be competitive in the labour market.**media[17008]**Sovereign fund to be one of the five largest sovereign fundsIn his response to a question about the sovereign fund, and if there a specific mechanism to supplement the fund and a specific goal to reach in the coming years, HE the Prime Minister said there is a financial framework mechanism that depends mainly on surpluses, so that the sovereign fund is one of the aspects of disbursing financial surpluses.His Highness the Amir’s directives are that revenue from the expansion of gas fields goes into investments for future generations, and after it enters into production, it will be a major source for the fund, he noted. “We always set interim target numbers for returns from the fund’s investments, and we aspire for the Qatari sovereign fund to be one of the five largest sovereign funds soon.”Qatar’s position on Syria in Arab LeagueQatar has a clear position and reasons to support the suspension of Syria’s membership in the Arab League, HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani said yesterday in his first interview with Qatar TV.He pointed out that the recent events in Jerusalem are a serious threat, and Qatar has supported Palestinian steadfastness. There is intense communication with Jordan, Egypt and the US to deter the Israelis from their violations at Al-Aqsa MosqueRegarding diversifying the economy, HE Sheikh Mohamed stated that Qatar has made great strides. “Within two months, we will launch the third development plan for Qatar National Vision 2030,” he said.Referring to the Qatar Investment Authority, HE the Prime Minister described it as one of the major funds in the world.“The Qatar Investment Authority will replace oil wells in the future. Funds are not withdrawn from the Qatar Investment Authority except by higher decisions as it is for future generations and it will be an oil well in the future. We aspire to be among the five largest sovereign funds in the world.*”Encouraging the national product is on our list of priorities, and we will develop incentive programmes for investors. Qatar has achieved a 38-fold economic leap in 30 years.Health services to improve“We have spoken to the Ministry of Public Health to improve the services, and the results will appear after the month of Ramadan.“It is normal for administrative problems to occur, but this does not mean that the health service is not at the required level, and it has achieved what the old system could not. “There will be programmes to facilitate medical appointments within the same month.“The budget for the health sector is QR21bn. Implementing health insurance will relieve pressure on government hospitals. About 20% of Qatar’s budget is dedicated for health and education.“There will be social guarantees to support job security in the private sector by stimulating it to ensure success. Increasing the direct income of citizens will drain the budgets.“The education sector is an essential tributary for all competencies in the country. We will address the challenges of the education system,” HE the Prime Minister added.

The Qatar Press Centre has issued a statement to express its strong condemnation of the continued practices of the Israeli occupation forces against the brothers in Palestine and Islamic holy sites, amid international silence and global political clout, which made the occupying state succeed in impunity and evade its responsibilities every time.Every year, during Ramadan, the occupation authorities begin to provoke the feelings of Muslims with their repeated storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the resulting attacks and crimes committed by the occupation forces against defenseless worshipers, in addition to other crimes targeting the civilian population in the cities of Palestine, the latest of which occurred on Tuesday 20 Ramadan 1444 AH, corresponding to April 11, 2023. This caused dozens of Palestinians to suffocate, during clashes with the Israeli occupation forces, in a camp in the occupied West Bank. The occupation forces stormed the camp and fired rubber-coated metal bullets, stun grenades, and tear gas at the citizens and their homes. This led to clashes, during which dozens suffocated, and settlers, under the protection of the occupation forces, attacked a house in al-Kheder town, south of Bethlehem.In response to the hate speech adopted by the occupation authorities, dozens of settlers gathered in the "Umm Rukba" area and threw stones and empty bottles at a house and shops, chanting "Death to the Palestinians". This is in contrast to the continuous provocations, psychological pressure and skirmishes that the occupation causes in the Gaza Strip.While the Qatar Press Centre confirms its condemnation of the criminal acts against the brothers in Palestine, it holds the international community responsible for pressuring the Israeli occupation authorities to stop such practices that amount to war crimes and threaten the region and the world with insecurity and stability.

The 'Qalam' Arabic calligraphy exhibition opened on Tuesday at Eiwan Al Gassar Gallery, The St Regis Doha, with the participation of artists from nine countries to celebrate the aesthetics of Arabic calligraphy. The exhibition features the works of 32 artists from Qatar, Palestine, Iraq, Syria, Oman, Lebanon, Iran, Bahrain and India. These works have been created across various media, including pottery, cloth, carpets and others.The exhibition coincides with the holy month of Ramadan, as a celebration of the association of the roots of Arabic calligraphy with Islamic art since its inception. It is derived from the fluidity of Arabic calligraphy lines, the complexity of its designs and the advantage of its permanent renewal. On choosing the topic of the exhibition, Eiwan Al Gassar Gallery founder Tariq al-Jaidah said: “It is natural for us to be interested in Arabic calligraphy, as it is a major component of our culture. In my opinion, one of the main reasons for its popularity and spread is its ability to penetrate and adapt, as it has repeatedly demonstrated its enormous potential to redefine itself within new artistic templates. We see this in the works of contemporary artists such as those we chose to participate in the 'Qalam' exhibition.”The 'Qalam' exhibition comes as part of an artistic research project on the efforts of contemporary artists to present a new reading of Arabic calligraphy within innovative forms and templates. Al-Jaidah believes that "the specificity of Arabic calligraphy does not only lie in the aesthetics of its forms that make it attractive to the eye". Rather, it goes beyond that to various levels of its implementation, ranging from easy drawing to extreme complexity. Artists’ reliance on it has expanded in various fields, leading to a deep connection with iconic architectural, historical and cultural landmarks, before it became an independent art in itself.The exhibition is curated by Bachir Mohamed, artist, interior designer and archaeologist, who believes that the influence of Arabic calligraphy as an art continues. He said, “Unlike some artistic schools that reached their peak in certain periods of time before their spread and influence receded, Arabic calligraphy continued to redefine itself - transcending its geographical borders and proving its exceptional ability to inspire generation after generation of artists whose works are still full of uniqueness and distinction.”The 'Qalam' exhibition continues until May 15.

The Doha Institute for Graduate Studies (DI)’s Administrative and Financial Department has organised a lecture on social responsibility and sustainability, in collaboration with the Seashore Group.It was presented by Seashore Group sustainability co-ordinator Lolwa Mohamed Ali and moderated by Dr Rania Mansour, assistant professor in the Social Work Programme at the DI.In her introduction, Dr Mansour stressed that social responsibility is a commitment that affects every individual or institution, as it ensures a balance between the economy and the environmental systems and contributes to addressing some issues affecting societies.The relationship of social responsibility with sustainability enhances the ability to preserve the quality of life in the long run and guarantees it for future generations through the optimal and responsible use of the environmental resources.Ali spoke about the history of recycling, noting that it dates back to thousands of years.Although it may seem like one of the modern concepts associated with the environmental movements in the 1970s, recycling was used by some individuals thousands of years ago.However, it emerged in the 1930s and 1940s as one of the important concepts that would help achieve a sustainable future.Corporate social responsibility, in its simplest sense, refers to a type of self-regulation for organisations with the aim of social accountability and making a positive impact on society.Organisations can implement social responsibility initiatives and programmes through several ways, with the most important being the use of clean technologies, promoting equality and diversity in the workplace, as well as respecting employees and clients.Ali explained that the Seashore Group is involved in the recycling of materials, including batteries, medical and industrial waste, used cooking oil, iron, copper, aluminium, plastic and paper.A number of initiatives have been launched with partner institutions such as the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, the Ministry of Municipality, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, Ooredoo, and Qatar Museums.Ali concluded that a good institutional organisation based on planning, development and innovation will have a positive impact on society, helping raise awareness about recycling, and establishing values related to sustainability in its various indicators.

The curtain came down on the second edition of the Ramadan Book Fair Sunday at the Darb Al Saai headquarters in Umm Salal. The event was held under the auspices of HE Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad al-Thani, Minister of Culture..text-box { float:left; width:250px; padding:1px; border:1pt white; margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 20px;}@media only screen and (max-width: 767px) {.text-box {width: 30%;}}**media[15854]**Organised by the Ministry of Culture, the book fair saw the participation of 79 publishing houses from within and outside Qatar, including 18 publishing houses specialised in children's literature and books.The participating entities included 31 publishing houses from Qatar and 48 from 14 Arab and other countries: Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Kuwait, Egypt, Jordan, the UAE, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Tunisia, Algeria, Canada, the UK and Australia.The book fair featured various accompanying events, including religious lectures, intellectual, cultural and poetic sessions, various theatrical and artistic performances, and entertainment activities that attracted families and children.The exhibition witnessed, from its beginning on March 30 until the last day, a wide public turnout.Commenting at the conclusion of the event, Ramadan Book Fair director Jassim Ahmed al-Buainain said: "The second edition of the book fair succeeded at all levels and by all standards, which prompted us to extend the exhibition until April 9, at the request of the public.”The official noted that the exhibition was a destination for book enthusiasts, intellectuals and writers, who found on the shelves of publishing houses a variety of books that met the needs of everyone.He added that the accompanying activities such as religious seminars, discussion and cultural sessions, and children's workshops and games attracted families and children, who enjoyed the atmosphere of the exhibition.The Ramadan Book Fair director stressed that the participation of Qatari and Arab publishing houses enriched the exhibition.Their distinguished involvement contributed to the provision of all kinds of books, including literary, cultural, scientific, religious and children's books, among others.Al-Buainain explained that the Ministry of Culture sought to make the exhibition an opportunity for visitors to benefit from the accompanying cultural and religious events, and enrich their experience in line with the atmosphere of the holy month, amid the presence of a large number of publishing houses from Qatar and abroad.The Ministry of Culture was keen to hold this edition to promote the participation of a large number of publishing houses specialised in books for children and young adults in both Arabic and English.He expressed thanks to the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs (Awqaf) and the Ministry of Social Development and Family for their contribution to the success of the exhibition.(QNA)

The second edition of the Ramadan Book Fair on Saturday hosted a majlis on the importance of the role of poetry in promoting values in Qatari society.Poets Shabib bin Arar al-Nuaimi, director of the Qatar Poetry Centre (Diwan Al Arab) and Mubarak al-Khalifa, director of the Publications and Artistic Works Department at the Ministry of Culture, participated in the majlis that was moderated by media figure Jassim Salman.Al-Nuaimi said, "Poetry is considered an essential component and a fundamental pillar of the civilisations of nations, before the advent of Islam period up to the modern era. It has a role in advancing the values of society, and the poetry immortalised in history is the one that carried the values of its societies and protected them.”He noted that the message of the Diwan Al Arab centre, which was established by HE the Minister of Culture’s Decision No. 94 of 2016, is to spread the culture of poetry and create a generation of creative poets in the country by sponsoring young Qatari talents, supporting and guiding them, and contributing to raising their intellectual and literary level.It does so while adopting poetic projects that improve the discernment of society and preserve its cultural identity, and work to define general standards and frameworks for poetry in a way that is commensurate with the cultural nature of Qatari society.Al-Nuaimi spoke about the many activities and poetry competitions held by the centre, the most prominent of which is the Universities Poet Award, and how it succeeded in creating a generation of poets who uphold positive and moral values in society.He said the Diwan Al Arab centre is about to announce, at a press conference, the largest poetry competition in the Gulf open to all poets in Qatar, the Gulf and Arab countries. On the future activities of the centre, al-Nuaimi said it will launch a university poet competition after Eid.Al-Khalifa stressed the importance of poetry in adopting many societal issues, highlighting the great role of poets in community issues. Qatar is currently distinguished by the most important poetry awards that adopt Islamic values, most notably the Katara Award for the Prophet’s Poet, the Al Arabi Poetry Award ('Mothers of the Believers') and others that achieve these principles and values.Al-Khalifa touched upon the arrival of great Qatari poets along with the emergence of Qatar TV, which had an influential role in promoting the local poetic scene, referring to the contribution of the Doha Cultural Festival, which constituted another qualitative leap in the march of poetry.

The Doha Institute for Graduate Studies (DI) has announced the start of preparations for the graduation ceremony of the seventh cohort of master’s students on May 18 in the St Regis Doha.Of the total of 196 graduates, 129 are from the School Social Sciences and Humanities and 67 are from the School of Economics, Administration and Public Policies.Dr Ibrahim Freihat, dean of Student Affairs, said that the DI has adopted, since its inception, international academic standards of an advanced level in all the disciplines and thereby qualify the master’s degree graduates to move on to doctoral disciplines in other prestigious international universities.Eman al-Sulaiti, executive director of the Administrative and Financial Division, stated that the DI celebrated the graduation of six cohorts already.Since its inception, the total number of graduates has reached 1,040 with 18 internationally accredited master's programmes that the DI offers.The DI also offers eight programmes in the PhD track: Development Economics, Public Administration, Politics and International Relations, Linguistics and Arabic Lexicography, History, Sociology and Anthropology, Media Studies, and Critical Security Studies.

Lusail University Press (LUP) has made its debut at the Ramadan Book Fair, which runs until April 9. LUP director Dr Muriel Haj Nahas said its first publication, 'Introduction to Qatari Law' by Dr Hassan Hassan al-Barawi, a professor at Lusail University, is showcased at the event.A second publication is to be launched next week.LUP is preparing to participate in more book fairs, the official explained. Dr Nahas expressed her happiness at the turnout at the Ramadan Book Fair organised by the Ministry Culture and lauded the organisation of the event and the variety of entertainment and cultural activities. The LUP director added that the publishing house will contribute effectively to highlight the Qatari and Arab culture, with academic works on Qatar and the region.

The ongoing Ramadan Book Fair organised by Ministry of Culture is supporting a number of Qatari productive families.Entrepreneur Aisha Sultan Malallah, who transforms old tyres into furnishings used in homes, camps, schools and parks, said that the diversity of the projects enriches the experience of visitors.Malallah, who started her project two years ago and participated in many exhibitions, described the Ramadan Book Fair as a unique opportunity to support Qatari productive families, especially in the atmosphere of the holy month.She appreciated the support by the Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Social Development and Family for the projects of the Qatari productive families.“I hope that these efforts will be strengthened by various parties and the authorities concerned to enhance the role of entrepreneurs in supporting the national economy,” Malallah added.Noura al-Ali, owner of a project for the manufacture of ceramics and Garangao gifts, said that she aims to support the revival of the heritage through the manufacture of pottery and gifts.She said the Ramadan Book Fair is an ideal platform to market such products, which were hitherto promoted through the social media.Amna al-Dahnim, who sells kits for handicraft products so that buyers can make the items themselves, thereby encouraging creativity and innovation, said that the process develops skills and provides a unique experience for young people and children.She also praised the management of the Ramadan Book Fair for providing the pavilion and the support extended to Qatari productive families.Mashael al-Kuwari, owner of a project specialising in limited edition *abayas, said that there are specific designs for the Ramadan season and holidays.She nurtured her hobby for designing clothes by attending courses about fashion to hone her skills.Al-Kuwari said that Qatari entrepreneurs and the productive families receive continuous support from the Ministry of Social Development and Family and the Ramadan Book Fair organised by the Ministry of Culture.“I hope that the support provided to entrepreneurs will inspire Qatari productive families to boost their role in the development process,” she said.

HE the Minister of Culture Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad al-Thani, HE the Minister of Municipality Dr Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Subaie, and HE the Minister of Social Development and Family Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser al-Misnad attended the Ramadan Majlis seminar Sunday.The seminar in the evening was held as part of the activities accompanying the ongoing Ramadan Book Fair.Leading architect Ibrahim Mohamed Jaidah was the speaker at the seminar moderated by journalist Jassim Salman.Jaidah spoke about his educational journey, the challenges, as well as his residence in the Al Jasra area near Souq Waqif, which formed his idea about authentic Qatari style.He studied in the UK, where he got acquainted with different civilisations, followed by his studies in architecture in the US, where he noticed a lack of understanding of Islamic architecture.Jaidah returned to Doha in 1988 and, while working at the Ministry of Municipality, grew fond of taking photographs of mud buildings and writing books about them.His fondness for design prompted him to make a sketch for Al Dana Club, while his passion for architecture led him to dedicate his career to studying the rich Qatari style, indicating that the old National Museum is a reference for the Qatari architectural style.He said that the Gulf style stopped with the refining of oil and the emergence of modernity, but he was keen to employ it in different buildings as it evoked authentic Qatari architecture.After working in the ministry for four years, Jaidah left for the private sector with the aim of preserving old architecture.The architect said that he had a dream of restoring the Qatari architectural style, blending it with modernity, and accordingly he devoted his efforts to achieving this by forming a team.He said that that a global architectural boom appeared with Qatar Museums through contact with international architects, who accomplished works inspired by the Qatari environment and style, as evidenced with the Museum of Islamic Art and the National Museum of Qatar, until the country became a model of modern Islamic architecture.Jaidah praised the architectural experience in Msheireb, which took into account the nature of the climate in its implementation, and was the most beautiful expression of the elements of Qatari architecture.The architect said that he dreams of “establishing a freej” (Arabic for a small neighbourhood) that carries the elements of Qatari architecture “in a way that preserves our identity after the absence of many elements as a result of modernity”.He also referred to “the absence of the liwan, i.e. the courtyard, in modern architecture”, and how the door became isolated from what was behind it.“We need our neighbours ... let’s return these features to our Qatari architecture,” he said.Jaidah also touched upon the most important stage in his career, which is designing Al Thumama Stadium, one of the venues of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.Architects from around the world were invited to submit designs inspired by the gahfiya – a traditional headpiece worn by men across the Arab world – for the stadium.“I received a call telling me about my nomination to participate with a group of international architects to design a stadium with details from our Qatari environment,” he recounted.“I could not sleep that night, and went to Souq Waqif in the morning to buy all kinds of gahfiyas, from which I was inspired,” the architect said.“At that time I had a great determination to win the competition, especially since I know our gahfiya better than foreigners, for whom it is considered strange and unfamiliar,” Jaidah added.“I focused on the external appearance, given that I had no prior experience of designing stadiums, but with the help of a team of consultants, we were able to present the best design that won the confidence of officials,” he said.“From this standpoint, we affirm that we can design in a modern way, but at the same time carry the mark of history and embody our heritage, which is what we seek to achieve and impart to future generations of Qatari women architects who graduate from Qatari universities,” he concluded.

A seminar titled 'The Importance of Family Structure in Islam' was organised Saturday by the Ministry of Culture, in co-operation with the Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs, as part of the Ramadan Book Fair, which is currently being held at Darb Al Saai in Umm Salal.Preacher Sheikh Muwafi Azab said that ever since the creation of Adam (peace be upon him) human progress has been concerned with family structure.God created Adam and his spouse to dwell with her and be a helper to overcome the challenges of life on earth."Islam has paid attention to married life, which is considered a social institution and the first building block of society,” the preacher said.Azab added the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was a role model in his family life."The Holy Qur’an established the basic component of the family, male and female, and their roles were defined,” Dr Sakhr al-Ghazali said. “The criteria for choosing a husband or a wife were set as stated in the authentic hadiths.”The Prophet (pbuh) was a practical example in dealing with the members of his household.Al-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah narrated on the authority of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her): "The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: 'The best of you is the best to his family, and I am the best of you to my family'.”Dr al-Ghazali stressed that if the family is based on these standards, then it provides the children with an educational incubator, contributing greatly to their not deviating from the right path.He noted that Islam laid the foundations for building the family to protect society.

Writer Asma al-Kuwari, director of Dar Nabga for Publishing and Distribution, said their participation in the Ramadan Book Fair is an extension of their efforts to spread science, knowledge and culture in society.The large public turnout and children's eagerness to read books provide satisfaction and encouragement to those participating in the fair, and make them optimistic about a brighter future."We have a distinguished number of books in Arabic and English, which are related to the holy month of Ramadan, in addition to organising some programmes for children," she said Saturday.Al-Kuwari noted that Dar Nabga is the first Qatari publishing house specialised in children's books, and was launched in January 2020 under the slogan 'Our product is a legacy for our children'.The company's name was derived from the fruit of the Sidra tree and the word is originally 'Nabq'. However, the 'q' in it turned into a 'g' based on the Qatari dialect, and became 'Nabga'.She stressed that the publishing house seeks to give local writers and illustrators a platform to showcase their creativity aimed at children.

Researchers at Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI) led by Dr Fouad Alshaban have made great advances in autism diagnosis and treatment, providing a new lease of hope for children who are suffering from the neurological disorder that affects one out of every 100 kids worldwide.Speaking exclusively to Gulf Times on the occasion of World Autism Awareness Day (April 2) 2023, Dr Alshaban said his team has achieved a major breakthrough in diagnosing Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) which is easier to carry out and is assisted by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning.'The other important study which we are almost concluding is 'eye tracking' for which we had a collaboration with a Cleveland Clinic scientist. We have been doing this for the past four years, we have finished the first phase, using the long version, and in that part we created our own stimuli that mimic the American version, which fits the Qatari culture and society. It is also in Arabic language, so that it can be understood by Arab families' Explaining the recent advances, Dr Fouad Alshaban, Principal Investigator, Neurological Disorders Research Center (NDRC), Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), said: “The progress concerning the Argus Cognitive research project is very important for us in Qatar, since it is funded by an external agency, a company called Argus Cognitive to the sum of $300,000 for two years to try to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning to the 'gold standard autism diagnostic tool' known as ADOS-2 (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule- Second edition). This is the second year of research, we have great results, and a few months are left to conclude this project with the company and with Rush University of Chicago with whom we are collaborating. The ADOS-2 depends on the experience of the person administering the test. Introducing machine learning and AI will give it more objectivity, and will help in the final evaluation and scoring which help in the diagnosis of autism. This is as far as the Argus- Cognitive study has gone.”'In the coming year we will reach the commercialisation phase after we get the patent and other required formalities, to make it available in clinics' Dr Alshaban stressed that “the other important study which we are almost concluding is 'eye tracking' for which we had a collaboration with a Cleveland Clinic scientist. We have been doing this for the past four years, we finished the first phase, using the long version, and in that part we created our own stimuli that mimic the American version, which fits the Qatari culture and society. It is also in Arabic language so that it can be understood by Arab families; we finished the first phase. We have published two papers and the results were as good as the Cleveland ones, which means that it is validated, and it can be used and commercialised later on.”'At QBRI, we are trying to make it very short, if we make the eye tracking device available, it will stop all the waiting lists for any one, whether for screening or diagnosis' Dr Alshaban added: “The other phase consists of using the shorter version which has less than half the number of stimuli which means it takes less than half the time of the long version i.e., between 4 to 5 minutes for the whole test. This will be more helpful since it is not easy to keep an ASD child to sit and watch the stimuli for a longer time because he is always agitated, and does not pay attention, so, it is easier to perform the test using the shorter version compared to the longer version. And the results were much better than the longer version, we are now discussing this with Cleveland, as they asked us to help them in developing this version.”Dr Alshaban said: “I hope that in the coming year we will reach the commercialisation phase after we get the patent and other required formalities, to make it available in clinics. The good thing about this device is that it is affordable, it does not cost more than $5,000. We can train any nurse to administer this test, because it completely relies on AI and the machine itself, it is a 100% objective test. It will give you the results immediately, to see if there is any risk of autism. We can screen newborns 6 months old and above. The sensitivity of the test is 87%, which is better than any other tool available at present. This is going to be a game changer in the screening and diagnosis of autism.”'Our diagnostic services are available to all families i.e., any family who suspect a developmental problem with their child as young as one year, let them come here, we will do the eye tracking and the ADOS-2 tests for them free of charge, and it is available for anyone, and our waiting list is less than two weeks'Dr Alshaban is keen to help families . “The main problem for families who have a child with a neuro-developmental problem or a developmental abnormality is to find help in diagnosing their kid within a short time, in order to know if she/ or he is suffering from autism or any other neuro-developmental disorder, because the waiting list is too long, not only here, but everywhere, in the USA, Europe, Canada. It is very difficult to get an appointment in a period shorter than six months or a year. Here, at QBRI, we are trying to make it very short, if we make the eye tracking device available, it will stop all the waiting lists for any one, whether for screening or diagnosis.”Dr Alshaban is confident that the second project, the ADOS with Argus Company, is going to help because it is going to make the screening more objective and it helps with the diagnosis as well."My advice for families is that the earlier you detect autism the better, especially if you start the intervention after the diagnosis as early as possible. The results will be amazing i.e. within a couple of years, you can see the difference as a prognosis, the progress of the child development will be much better. I have seen kids after receiving intervention and different types of therapy, whether behavioural, speech, or occupational therapies. They developed very well and they can communicate now and behave almost like their normal peers. So early diagnosis is very important in order to start intervention, and not only an autism diagnosis, but if you detect for instance any delay in any development like speech or any developmental issues. Once you start the treatment and the intervention early you will get a better result. This is very true for ASD, so my advice to families is to seek advice as early as possible with their pediatrician, who can refer them to neuro-developmental physicians to give them the diagnosis."The next step after you diagnose an individual with autism especially is to do the evaluation so that you can plan your intervention and treatment accordingly. If he needs more behavioural therapy, you will allocate more time on that, and it depends on if he needs more occupational or speech therapy, etc. This is the next step after the diagnosis; then you need to be referred to the treatment and intervention."At QBRI, our diagnostic services are available to all families i.e., any family who suspect a developmental problem with their child as young as one year, let them come here, we will do the eye tracking and the ADOS-2 tests for them free of charge, and it is available for anyone, and our waiting list is less than two weeks. By the time they send us their documents, we will schedule an appointment in a week to ten days, never more than two weeks."Moreover, the eye tracking test can also be used to show the progress they are getting through therapy when we repeat it after six months to one year. It shows us the degree of improvement to see whether we are on the right track regarding intervention. When it becomes available we are going to recommend the eye tracking test once every six months,” Dr Alshaban concluded.

The Student Affairs Department at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies (DI) organised the 5th edition of the Cultural Day, held annually during the holy month of Ramadan to celebrate the cultural, social and linguistic diversity.Students from many nationalities participated in the event which included activities that reflected the cultural heritage, customs, food, history, languages and other salient features of their countries. There were performances and various artistic shows such as: the Prophet's Praise Band (Al Madih al Nabawi), Qatari crafts, shipbuilding and poetry. Iman al-Sulaiti, executive director of the Administrative and Financial Department at the DI, described the event as an ideal expression of the richness and diversity of cultures that distinguishes the environment of the institution.The cultural day stems from the importance of culture as a bridge of communication and understanding between people. It is aimed at enriching the values of diversity and interacting closely with cultures, customs and traditions of other countries, through recreational activities that are characterised by fun. It provides a great opportunity for harmony and synergy in the holy month, as students present their countries, and introduce each other to their mutual cultures.Nasima Abdeen, director of Student Affairs Department, pointed out that this event is the best illustration of the richness and variety in cultures that marks and differentiates the DI’s environment. “Ramadan has a special atmosphere in Qatar, full of love, friendship, tolerance and affinity among everyone,” she said, while adding that the DI hosts more than 40 Arab and foreign nationalities, and it is important to hold community activities within the campus, to increase and enrich cultural values and knowledge.

The Doha Institute for Graduate Studies (DI) organised a Social Work Forum recently to mark the International Day of Social Work, which was attended by representatives of a number of partner training institutions, students and graduates.The forum was introduced by student Dalal al-Mulla.College of Social and Human Sciences associate dean Dr Basil Salloukh, in his welcome address, lauded the social institutions for their effective partnership in providing substantial training to the students of the programme, and said he hoped a national day will be organised for social work.The head of the Social Work Programme, Dr Hamoud al-Aleimiyat, focused on the importance of the professional intervention by specialists during crises, disasters and wars, and in developing social policies and societies.Brigadier-General Dr Ibrahim al-Samih, director of the Community Police Department, promoted the value of specialising in social work, especially at the level of postgraduate studies provided by the DI.Highlighting the importance of social work in various fields, whether in raising awareness, intervention or rehabilitation, he outlined his experience in the educational field during a career covering schools, universities and mosques.Sheikh Ahmed al-Buainain, director of the Office of Family Reconciliation, delivered a paper on Social Work in the Judiciary: A Pioneering Experience.He focused on the role of social work in the Office of Family Reconciliation and Foster Affairs, and commended the efforts of the trainees from the Social Work Programme who proved their worth among Family Reconciliation Office halls in the Family Court.Second-year students of the Social Work Programme presented their experience during the session on Our Students on the Platform: Experiences Inspired by Training Outside Qatar.They described it as a pioneering practice in the field of training, which went beyond the local, Arab and regional levels through the vocational training programme in Jordan.It gave them the opportunity to identify new problems that enriched their knowledge and skills as the students had to test the methods they learned in the classroom on real cases.Graduate students also presented their experience in the session on Brilliant Graduates: Voices from the Field.They spoke about the academic, professional knowledge, and experiences that the DI provided them with and which they used to serve their communities.The most prominent were the recollections of the graduate students of the leadership in research management and impact measurement in Qatar Foundation for Social Work, the Community Police, and the Qatar Red Crescent Society, and the Family Court.The forum concluded with an event congratulating social workers, a tour of the presentations of services and goals of field contribution of partner institutions highlighting the importance of the specialist’s role in social work.

The Social Work Programme at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies (DI) organised the Social Work Forum on Sunday to mark the International Day of Social Work. It was held in the presence of a number of partner training institutions, students and graduates of the programme. The forum was introduced by student Dalal al-Mulla, then Dr Basil Salloukh, Associate Dean of the College of Social and Human Sciences, gave a welcome speech and praised the efforts of social institutions in their effective partnership that provides substantial training spaces for the students of the programme, hoping that a national day will be organised for social work.It was followed by a welcome speech given by the head of the Social Work Programme, Dr Hamoud al-Aleimiyat, who focused on the importance of the professional intervention carried out by specialists in social work wherever they are during crises, disasters and wars, and in developing social policies and societies.Brigadier General Dr Ibrahim al-Samih, Director of the Community Police Department, took the floor and promoted the value of specialising in social work. Especially at the level of postgraduate studies provided by the DI. Highlighting the importance of social work in various fields, whether in raising awareness, intervention or rehabilitation. He proposed his unique experience in the educational field since his professional beginnings in schools, universities and even in mosques.Sheikh Ahmed al-Buainain, Director of the Office of Family Reconciliation, delivered a paper titled 'Social Work in the Judiciary: A Pioneering Experience'. He focused on the role of social work in the Office of Family Reconciliation and Foster Affairs, and commended the efforts of the trainees from the Social Work Program who proved their worth among Family Reconciliation Office halls in the Family Court.Then, the students of the second year of the social work program presented their experience: "Our Students on the Platform: Experiences Inspired by Training Outside the State of Qatar." They described it as a pioneering practice in the field of training, which went beyond the local sphere to the Arab and regional one through the vocational training programme in Jordan. It gave them the opportunity to identify new problems that enriched their knowledge and skills as the students had to test the methods they learned in the classroom on real cases. The graduate students also presented their experience: "Brilliant Graduates: Voices from the Field." They talked about the academic, professional knowledge, and experiences that the Institute provided them with, which they used to serve their communities. The most prominent of which was the leadership in research management and impact measurement in Qatar Foundation for Social Work, the Community Police, and the Qatari Red Crescent Society, and the Family Court.The forum concluded with congratulating the social workers on this day, a tour of the presentations of services and goals of field contribution of partner institutions highlighting the importance of the specialist's role in social work.

Computer scientist, academic, researcher, keen squash player, doting husband and father. Professor Rachid Benlamri, vice-president of the University of Doha for Science and Technology (UDST) is a multi-faceted researcher and a distinguished academic administrator who has left an indelible mark on all the positions he has held and the different roles he has played, endowed with resourceful enthusiasm and abundant energy to lead younger generations to push boundaries to even greater heights.'Gulf Times' met with Prof Benlamri, a well-versed academic with a passion for sports who discovered the virtues of leadership, good organisation and time management at a young age during scouts’ camps.He says, “I strongly believe that success starts from a young age, a number of characteristics shaped my life and made me successful. Resiliency, creativity, optimism and sociability. I see them as a must for any youth in order to be successful."I was lucky to join the boy scouts, the school of life, and this made me work hard, be at the top of my class. I got my BSc in computer science from the University of Constantine in Algeria. I was top of my class, this got me a scholarship to study at one of the top schools in computer science, Manchester University, where the world’s first stored program digital computer was designed and built by the late Tom Kilburn and Freddie Williams."I was fortunate to be in the research group of one of the leaders in computer science, professor David Aspinall, who worked under the supervision of Tom Kilburn and designed the fastest computer in the world in 1962, namely Atlas Computer."Being there gave me the opportunity to get an international experience, to work with scholars and leaders who made the first footprints in computer science. This gave me the extra mile to innovate, and to be with the big players in this field.”Prof Benlamri has previously held academic and leadership positions in the UAE for 25 years, and transformed a number of small institutions into big ones.“The unique turning point in my life was when I joined the UAE University in 1996, as the head of the computer science department."This mindset has always accompanied Professor Benlamri. He contributed to academia in Canada for 16 years, mainly in research, “where I built research centres in the health informatics sector, computing and healthcare, developing smart healthcare systems using AI, IoT and knowledge engineering to address crucial healthcare challenges; thus impacting the health of people and programs that are still used in the healthcare system in Canada.”This enhanced his international experience after working as an academic in Algeria, a researcher in the UK, along with the UAE know-how, to give him a rich experience and a different approach to understand challenges and work from the experience he gained. This consequently impacted his joining of College of the North Atlantic-Qatar, which is now UDST. He sees this as “a lifetime opportunity in terms of joining a technical college that was in the transition of becoming the first national applied science and technology university in Qatar.”Talking about the last one-and-a-half years of being here, Prof Benlamri said: “We made a fantastic transition. We are also making our partners very active in the delivery of our technical programmes that address Qatar’s needs, which are aligned with the strategic goals of Qatar National Vision 2030. These are a very good fit for the needs of the industry, with which we create very close relationships to be unique in this area.”He stressed that “the mindset about applied science institutions has completely changed. The world is about jobs now - startups, creating new industries; therefore, technical skills, competencies, innovation, leadership and being sustainable in your way of thinking are the major drivers of the landscape in education in the future. We are witnessing an era where many big companies are falling down. The leading ones in terms of job creators are the companies who were not herefive or 10 years ago, such as Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Google, Amazon, etc. These are the main players of the future industries."In the knowledge economy, students equipped with leadership skills, soft skills and professional competencies are the main assets for developing and accelerating the building of a new wealth for our nations.”Prof Benlamri said he is grateful to “the presidents of universities I worked with, who shaped my life and provided me with opportunities to take up new leadership positions and make a change. In Canada, I worked with president Brian Stevenson, I built many projects there. In Qatar, I am fortunate to work with Dr Salem Al-Naemi, who has an inspirational vision for applied education and long, rich experience in industry. We met the challenges and put large perspectives for UDST, set high goals for it and made progress in this big project.”The UDST vice-president is of the view that applied research is a major driver: “We promote STEM/STEAM education building on our legacy of 20 years of TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) excellence. We strongly believe that there are many new creative industries that mix arts with technology, especially in the media, digital communications, and artistic production, where we can lead and be unique. We try to inspire our youth that the future jobs are vocational, professional, and the challenge of the future is to be able to compete, get a job, and make a change. We strongly believe that digital technologies - AI, IoT, Cloud computing, data science, cybersecurity and 5G+ - are the major enablers of change in the future, in industry, and they are also vital to support the healthcare system and its sustainability. That’s what we are teaching our students at UDST.”Prof Benlamri grew up in Constantine, Algeria, and talked about his hobby and family. “My favourite sports are squash and swimming. I have been raised in a family of nine kids, I am the middle one, my grandfather was an entrepreneur, and he owned a successful construction company in the east of Algeria, Constantine. My father took over from him after being a teacher and went into business. That is why I am inspired about achieving and not shunning challenges. We are a typical middle-class family who values culture, and our Islamic values. I am also a young grandpa. I have two successful daughters, we gave them all the support."One is a doctor, a neo-natal specialist at the University of Calgary, and the second specialised in mental health and works at a hospital in Ottawa, Canada. They were raised in the Gulf and then went for higher education to Canada. We nurtured them well and they are very successful. They follow the footpaths of their parents, I am very proud of them.”He also reflected on the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. “I think the World Cup has been a worldwide lesson, and brought about a change in mindsets the world over. Many of the de facto western perceptions in general towards the Arab and Muslim world have changed because of what was witnessed during the World Cup - the ability to run a mega project with excellence, and people in our region have the leadership and are able to run such a scale project in all its aspects. Also, the cultural perspective, that this part of the world is a very safe place. Those who came here experienced a very social and friendly atmosphere, and discovered the real Islamic values, a safe and hospitable society and a wealthy nation."From our perspective, making Qatar a regional educational hub and to promote study in Qatar, where we provide education, empower youth to make a change, and a very safe student life."

The UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, launched its fifth annual report on Islamic philanthropy on Thursday during a forum held in partnership with HE Sheikh Thani bin Abdullah bin Thani al-Thani, UNHCR’s Eminent Advocate, at the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies in Doha.The report aims to highlight the important role of Islamic philanthropy tools in responding to the humanitarian needs of the most vulnerable forcibly displaced people worldwide.The forum included a presentation of the report’s top findings, which indicated that UNHCR was able to help more than 1.5 million people in 2022.Bringing the total refugees and internally displaced persons benefiting from the Zakat and Sadaqah (Arabic for charity) contributions received by the Refugee Zakat Fund, to more than 6 million people in 26 countries since its launch in 2017.HE Sheikh Thani bin Abdullah bin Thani al-Thani’s significant contributions assisted more than half of this number.The report also states that UNHCR has distributed 100% of the received Zakat contributions to the most vulnerable refugees and displaced families without any deduction, in the form of cash or in-kind assistance such as shelter support materials, medicines and personal hygiene supplies, in addition to providing resources to establish small businesses.Dr Ayedh Dabsan al-Qahtani, Chief Executive Officer for the Thani bin Abdullah Foundation for Humanity and UNHCR’s Patron, said: “Assisting people most in need is one of the priorities of HE Sheikh Thani bin Abdullah bin Thani al-Thani.Refugees and internally displaced persons have long been the focus of his attention, and he generously supported the most disadvantaged refugees and internally displaced persons around the world through UNHCR.” Al-Qahtani added: “As the holy month of Ramadan approaches, we stress the need to continue supporting those who were forced to flee, and we call on philanthropists around the globe to support them.In conclusion, we hope this report will inspire others and make a difference in the lives of those forced to flee their homes.”Khaled Khalifa, Senior Adviser to the High Commissioner for Islamic Philanthropy and UNHCR’s Representative to the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, expressed his gratitude to HE Sheikh Thani bin Abdullah bin Thani al-Thani and his role in the strategic advancement of Islamic Philanthropy in response to the displacement crises, and stated: “UNHCR is able to provide humanitarian assistance to thousands of refugees and displaced persons worldwide through our close partnerships with individuals and partners, including Qatar Charity and Eid Charity, and many philanthropists who have trust in our work, and those who belief in the role of philanthropy tools in responding and alleviating the suffering of refugees, displaced persons, and their host communities.” Khalifa added: “There is no doubt that our partnership with HE Sheikh Thani bin Abdullah bin Thani al-Thani is a model to follow, and we appreciate his continuous support and commitment to advocate for refugees and displaced persons and raise public awareness about their situation and their humanitarian needs, which are growing year after year.”The report also noted that during 2022, UNHCR obtained several additional fatwas to endorse the Refugee Zakat Fund, bringing the total number of fatwas and endorsements issued by prominent Islamic scholars and institutions from around the world to 16.Thereby enhancing UNHCR’s access to and distribution of Zakat to eligible refugee and displaced persons, through the Fund.Professor Dr Sheikh Ali al-Qaradaghi, participated in the event and expressed his support of the Sharia’h compliance of the Refugee Zakat Fund, as a measure that restores confidence in Islamic Philanthropy programmes through the United Nations.