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The Gas Processing Centre (GPC) at the College of Engineering, Qatar University (QU,) recently concluded the 8th Gasna Competition for Schools for 2021-2022, sponsored by ExxonMobil. The closing ceremony was attended by Dr Khaled Kamal Naji, dean of the College of Engineering, and Dr Mohamed Ali Saleh Saad, director of the GPC, representing Qatar University, Rashid al-Hajri from ExxonMobil, Noora al-Mannai from the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, as well as the winning schools, the competition's judges and event organisers. Dr Naji said in his speech, “The competition aims to enhance understanding and awareness of the importance of the gas industry in Qatar’s economy and future. Therefore, we need today's youth to be passionate about studying engineering and technology to qualify them to lead this vital field for Qatar and the world. This competition will help students achieve that dream and encourage the next generation of engineers and scientists to embrace Qatar’s vision and translate it into reality.” Dr Naji thanked the event sponsor, ExxonMobil, and the Ministry of Education and Higher Education for their continuous support. “ExxonMobil is pleased to be part of the 8th Gasna Competition. We became a supporter of this wonderful programme in 2010 and in the years since, we have seen it grow to reach many students who have gone on to work in Qatar’s energy sector and contributed to its development,” said al-Hajri, facilities adviser at ExxonMobil Qatar. “The Gasna competition provides insight into the energy sector and how it operates, as well as the technology that is used in real life situations related to production and environmental protection. As a pillar of Qatar’s economy and also one of the largest in the world, the energy sector is vital to the lives of people across the globe. Thanks to the dedication and efforts of the nation’s educators and programmes like this competition, Qatar is nurturing a skilled workforce for strong, sustainable and balanced growth,” he added. In her speech, al-Mannai said: “We are concluding++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ our Gasna competition in a collaboration among all segments of the society. This competition is one of the important steps in developing scientific and practical skills, developing future generations, and enhancing their knowledge on the main natural resources in Qatar. This competition contributes to encouraging students to study and participate in the field of natural gas and associated technologies related to its products. Therefore, we hope that such competitions will be the good seed to spread awareness of the importance of natural resources and their components for Qatar in its quest to achieve sustainable development. "These components works in harmony to achieve distinct integrated learning outcomes based on projects that combine culture and education, and link them with the local and international community in order to achieve the basic values, goals and objectives of the national framework of the Qatari curriculum.” ???????????????????????????????????????Dr GPC director said, “The competition displayed (SAW) ______________________________ participation from students at different levels in different format such as videos, models and posters as well performances. The contributions showed the potential of students in developing ideas pertaining to gas usage and indicated the awareness of young generation to environmental issues related to the gas industry.” Two-hundred schools registered for the competition, and 144 schools participated in four categories: students from KG to grade 4; grades 5 and 6; grades 7 to 9; and grades 10 to 12. The first category included plays that were videotaped and sent to the judging team, while the second category involved prototypes that were presented via previously recorded videos. Students in the third and fourth categories participated with either an educational poster or a prototype of a project related to gas processing and environment conservation. The first place in category 1 was won by Amjad International School, followed by Philippine School Doha in second and Al-Khuzama Kindergarten and third. In the second category, Philippine School Doha won the first place, followed by Amjad International School in second and DPS-Modern Indian School in the third place. In the third category, Al-Aqsa Preparatory School for Girls won the first place for the poster track, followed by Al-Manar International School, Al Thameed branch in second and Rufaidah Bint Kaab Preparatory School for Girls in third place. In the third category for the prototype track, Palestinian School won the first place, followed by Philippine School Doha in second and Elite International School in the third place. The Next Generation School won the first place in the fourth category, poster course, followed by Shantiniketan Indian School in second and Al Furqan Private Secondary School in the third place. In the prototype track, Philippine International School won the first place, Qatar Technical Secondary School for Girls was ranked second, and Ali Bin Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani Secondary School ranked third. Eighteen schools were selected as winners in the four categories and a total of QR140,000 was awarded as prizes.    

Graduates, Mariam al-Meer ’12 and Maryam al-Mannai ’17 from Qatar Shell returned to the Texas A&M University at Qatar (Tamuq) campus in Education City to give guest lectures in dean César Malavé's Economic Analysis of Engineering Projects class. Al-Meer - Tamuq’s 2019 Alumnus of the Year - and al-Mannai, along with Robin Tan and Dale Iranon of Qatar Shell's economics team, presented two lectures on the topic of value-based decision making. “This course teaches engineering students the basics of evaluating an engineering project in terms of its economics,” Malavé said. “It was a pleasure to have the Qatar Shell team in class to teach my students real-world applications of what they’re learning in this class. That two of those presenters are graduates of this university is even more meaningful to our students.”    

Birla Public School recently hosted separate ceremonies to distribute the Board exam admit cards for Grade XII and hall tickets for grade X students. Grade XII students received their admit cards in the presence of chairman Gope Shahani, director C V Rappai, management representatives Chindu Rappai and Neville Lukose, school officials and teachers. The ceremony began with English department head Lakshmi Devi welcoming the guests, followed by a prayer by Shyamanti Bhowmik (grade XII) as the traditional lamp was lit by the dignitaries. Academic director-principal Harish Sanduja encouraged the students to raise the bar higher than their seniors. Shahani inspired students not to give up when facing challenging circumstances. Rappai wished them success in their journey. Vice principal (academics) Edna Fernandez delineated the methods to study well. Students spoke on behalf of all the three streams: Science by Oorie Nivesh, Commerce by Abin Varghese and Humanities by Athira Santhosh. Passing the light was the highlight. The song, ‘Showers of Blessings’ was followed by a special prayer by vice principal (co-scholastics) Rajesh Pillai. Thereafter, class teachers placed candles in the receptacle and blessed the students as they placed their candles, in turn, to the accompaniment of the song, ‘Lead Kindly Light’ sung by music teacher John. The words of gratitude were delivered by Biology department head Sandhya M R. Sreepuja and Shahid Ali were the masters of ceremony. The grade X hall ticket distribution ceremony had the theme 'Believe you can and you’re halfway there'. The event was hosted by the secondary section, under the leadership of headmistress Lissy Mathew. Sanduja, Fernandez, Pillai, non-academics head Vinod and other officials were present. The masters of ceremony were English department deputy head Ranchini Binu and grade X year co-ordinator Indhu Anilkumar. The ceremony commenced with a prayer by French department head Maria Phentalia. Secondary section headmistress Lissy Mathew gave a foreword. The lamp lighting was followed by the a rendition of ‘Song of Togetherness’ led by the music teacher and the school choir. After the principal’s address, class teachers of each division were handed over the files and stationary for the board exam. Secondary teacher Leena Jerome invited student representatives Trivikram Sunil and Lea Mathews to share their experiences.    

‘Miles Away from Home’, a teenage science fiction, written by Indian student Aditya Jain, was recently released at a virtual function. A grade X student of DPS-Modern Indian School, Aditya is the son of Girish and Nisha Jain. The 188-page work is the maiden attempt by the budding writer. The book takes readers to the year 2121, a black year to be remembered as the 'The Great War, when aliens attacked earth and heavy fighting wiped out most of Asia, central Europe, Africa and America by nuclear radiation. Planet earth defeats the aliens, but most countries struggle for many years to cope with the trauma of war. This forces the remaining world to unite by removing borders around countries and creating a single country called 'Amerope'. The book releasing event was attended by more than 100 persons including dignitaries from various walks of life. Major highlights of the book were presented by expert panelists at the event. DPS-MIS principal Asna Nafees, Loyola International School principal Pramod Kumar, Indian Cultural Centre president P N Baburajan, and prominent community members Nilangshu Dey and Rajeswar Sundaresan were among the attendees.    

The 102nd birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and the National Children’s Day of Bangladesh were observed by the Bangladesh MHM School & College recently. On the occasion, the school also held its annual prize distribution ceremony. Toppers and position holders from KG I to grade 12 were honoured. All GPA-5 holders in the SSC and HSC examinations were awarded prizes and certificates. Later, the budding artistes of BMHM School showcased their talents by rendering songs and performing dances. The Bangladesh embassy in Doha also organised a speech competition for children to mark the day. The competition attracted over a hundred students from the Bangladesh community as well as from the Bangladesh school. Students spoke on the significance of Children’s Day and paid tribute to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as part of the commemorative festivities. Bangladesh ambassador and school chairman Md Jashim Uddin was the chief guest. He paid rich tributes to the memories of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and said Bangabandhu is recognised as among the greatest Bengali and urged the students to continue following the values that guided Bangabandhu’s life. The director of the school, Lt. Cdr. Md Anwar Khurshid (Retd), stated that the sacrifice and contribution of Bangabandhu for the independence of Bangladesh was incomparable. "We owe to his charismatic leadership for making us a free nation," he said. Congratulating the students for their enthusiastic participation and contributions, BMHM principal Md Zulfiker Azad, urged them to uphold the practice of universal brotherhood as advocated by Bangabandhu. He also recited a poem he wrote. Vice principal Mohamed A T M Asadusjaman highlighted the outstanding achievements of the school in both academic and co-curricular activities. He thanked all teachers for making the day an eventful and memorable one for the students.    

The batch 2021-22 of Grade 12 students of Birla Public School were recently hosted a farewell by their juniors. Academic director-principal Harish Sanduja spoke. The students of Grade 11 entertained the audience with dance and music performances. Student representatives from the Science, Commerce and Humanities stream of the outgoing batch shared their memories and thanked the management and staff. A special memento was presented to each outgoing student by the Senior Leadership Team. A compiled video presentation of all the teachers wishing the students was showcased. The coronation of Prince and Princess was one of the highlights of the evening.    

DPS Modern Indian School alumnus Govind Haridas, from the Class of 2008, enlightened a gathering of 200 students virtually on the topic ‘Planning for your future in a strange VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity) World.’ The webinar was a part of the ‘Alumni Talk Series’, a platform that connects the alumni with the alma mater. Haridas debunked the myth that "once a failure, always a failure" in his interactive session, explaining that "life is a marathon, not a sprint," and “if you have to fail, fail fast and move on.” He stressed on the need of being adaptable, have genuine concern for others, and to develop a personal network. He shared his life journey from his school days to his current position as an AGM in UltraTech Cement in India, to demonstrate how important an institute can be and advised to opt for the fundamental courses such as mechanical engineering, computer science engineering, and undergraduate programmes.    

Ideal Indian School bid a grand farewell to the outgoing students of Class XII recently. The ceremony was held in the school campus maintaining Covid protocols. Having received an opportunity to organise a physical ceremony to bid adieu to the seniors, the enthusiastic Class 11 prepared a colourful programme. The students of Class XII presented 'Reflections'. Recounting their days in the school, they thanked the alma mater for moulding them into responsible human beings. They said that the school had given them the finest teachers, wonderful friends for life and a platform to prove themselves. In his keynote address, principal Syed Shoukath Ali wished the outgoing students good luck and reminded them of their responsibilities as students and future citizens of the world. On this occasion the students were honoured with special awards for their outstanding performance in curricular and extracurricular activities. Principal gave away the awards. The winners are: Girls' Section - Best Girl–Science: Samiya Qureshi, Best Girl –Commerce: Aryananda Devi, Best Girl –Humanities: Fatma, Best in Conduct –Science: Amrutha V, Best in Conduct –Commerce: Zahrah Sainudin, Best in Service–Science: Asiya Raj, Best in Service – Commerce: Zoya Khan, Best in Sports – Science: Tasneem Mohad. Ismail, Best in Sports – Commerce: Fatma Ibrahim, Best in Talent – Science: Gayathri Satheesh, Best in Talent – Commerce: Neha Ashraf, Best Girl Prefects: Devika Sanil & Chinaza Prosper, Special Jury Award: Zainab Mujeeb, Najla K.S and Nurul Izzati. Boys' Section: Best Boy–Science: Aswin Arunkumar, Best Boy –Commerce: Noble Mathew, Best in Conduct –Science: Mohamed Nabeeh and Aadil Juman, Best in Conduct –Commerce: Sriram R and Ahmed Khaled, Best in Service – Science: Hesham Ahsan, Best in Service – Commerce: Abdul Basith M J, Best in Sports – Science: Mohamed Anas Izzudhin, Best in Sports – Commerce: Neshank Shetty, Best in Talent – Science: Chris Jo Zijo, Best in Talent – Commerce: Abdul Basith K Ali, Best Boy Prefects: Ali Mohd. Haneefa and Paul Simon, Special Jury Award: Akshay Satishkumar and Mohamed Sajid. As a parting token, the school presented each of the outgoing students with a souvenir. Heads of sections and departments, teaching and non-teaching staff attended the function. The day was great, filled with nostalgia and excitement.    

MES Indian School conducted a three-day orientation programme for teachers. The theme was ‘Empowered Teachers Empower Students’. The session began with a motivational speech by principal Hameeda Kadar. Mohammed Ilias, vice principal/head of Boys’ Section; Annamma Shammy, vice principal/head of Girls’ Section; Uzma Fatimee, head of Junior Section and Suja Mathew, acting head of Kindergarten briefed the teachers on strategies to be inculcated during the teaching-learning process for the new academic year. Academic inspection and quality management head Baby Shana Shameer conducted a session on ‘Teachers as Learners’ and ‘Induction to QMS’ for the newly-joined teachers. The topics covered by the teaching faculties during the orientation sessions were: safety first (Heena Sandal, Afreena Mymoonath), story telling in KG (Jesna Siju, Dollete Jesudasan, Renu Raturi), first day of kindergarten - creating love for learning (Neema Ummukulsu, Ashina Ashraf), cognitive development in kindergarten (Safna Shafeek, Marva Fasal), understanding different types of learners (Farsha Ashraf, Hanan Mufeesh), teaching Swar (Althea Nazareth), developing skills for effective leadership (Aleena Angel), fun and creative learning (Riswa Fathima), tricks in teaching slow learners (Bindu Shaji, Celci Sebastian), effective implementation of science lessons in classrooms (Krishna Rajeev), storytelling in classroom teaching (Rasiya Muneer), steps to improve Islamic education (Manasul Ansari, Shaheen). Teaching optional subjects-strategies and devices-Hindi (Roopa Rahul, Bitty Varghese), teaching optional subjects-strategies and devices-Malayalam (Blessy Peter, Hajara), effective Arabic teaching for non-Arab students (Rassia Hamza, Mohammed Athar), Ameliorer la participation des eleves en classe (Cherifa Sahraoui), anger management (Jisha A G), basic information regarding the health & documentation of the health related records (Gincy Wilson, Presilla A Augustine, Shiju Sebastian), challenges of teaching and learning english in the 21st Century (Mary Sini), joyful mathematics (Aboobacker Siddique, Shaheena Nowshad), effective use of apps for conducting classroom quiz (Sanooja Shymala), teaching strategies in social science (Jeevan P), preparation of attainment tests for Qatar history and citizenship (Nadeera Begum), automation with Google apps (Ahmed Shahid, Hiba Ayesha), teaching strategies in the changing scenario (Sameer Pande), Amma malayalayum Aadunika Malayalikalude Bhashavimukhathayum (Harshan V), pronunciation of letters (Jayanti Suresh), integrating Qatar national promoting activities in language classes (Habeebullah), activity based French language learning (Hayat Kara), activity based teaching in statistics (Fousiya Beegum), principles of management (Haseeb Pathan), art integration (Renitta R R) and students’ discipline outside the classroom and inside the campus (Akbar Ali). The sessions also covered physical exercise, zumba and yoga sessions for the teachers by the department of physical education. The orientation in-charges were Jency George (boys’ section), Mary Cynthia (girls’ section), Resmi Ajithkumar, Shemeera and Kokila Srinivasan (junior section) and Althea Nazreth ( kindergarten).    

Four students from Pakistan International School, Qatar (PISQ) have won prizes in three competitions organised by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). Saif Ahmad (Class VIII) was first in the article writing competition, Javeria Sabir (class VI) second in drawing and Dua Fatima (class XII) and Aqsa Shahid (class-XI) bagged the second and third places, respectively, in scientific research. They received certificates and gift vouchers in a ceremony arranged by NHRC. PISQ principal Nargis Raza Otho received a Certificate of Appreciation on behalf of the school. She congratulated the award winners and appreciated the teachers who trained them. The competitions were part of an awareness campaign for Arab and foreign schools in Qatar. The slogan of the campaign was ‘Education as Duty and Human Right’.    

Said Ali, a Pakistan International School Qatar (PISQ) student, who bagged the second position in Commerce group of HSSC-II in the FBISE Annual Examination 2020-2021, was awarded a cash prize, laptop, medal and a merit certificate at the 36th Annual Prize Ceremony organised by the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education in Islamabad, recently. PISQ principal Nargis Raza Otho also attended the ceremony. The event, which hosted eminent figures from the Pakistani political and academic fields, was held to honour the first, second and third place winners at the matriculation and intermediate levels for academic year 2020-2021. The chief guest was Shafqat Mahmood, federal minister for education and professional training, Pakistan. Education secretary Naheed Shah Durrani, also graced the occasion. Among all overseas schools affiliated with FBISE, only two institutions, including PISQ, received the honour of being invited to the prestigious event. Said Ali has raised the name of the country abroad with his untiring efforts and this, no doubt, is a gratifying moment for the student, his parents, teachers, institution and all Pakistani expats living abroad, a PISQ statement said. Principal Otho expressed deep satisfaction over the performance of the school and also congratulated Said Ali, his parents and teachers for this momentous achievement and wished him the best for all his future endeavours. Ambassador of Pakistan to Qatar ,Syed Ahsan Raza Shah, also commended the high achiever and praised the school and teachers for their admirable role in bringing honour to the country.    

The Qatar General Electricity & Water Corporation's (Kahrmaaa) National Programme for Conservation and Energy Efficiency - or Tarsheed - recently held a session on energy management at MES Indian School. The attendees were welcomed by Institute of Engineers India (IEI) - Qatar Chapter honorary chairman Abdul Sathar. Dr Sahil Kumar, first secretary (Economic & Political), embassy of India, was the chief guest.  Abdul Karim, president of the MES governing board; Abdulla al-Baker, vice-president of LCI, Qatar; Ahmed Jassim Jolo, former president, Arab Engineers Federation; Abdulla al-Hajiri, SCM specialist, oil & gas sector; Mohamed al-Hasimi, Sustainability expert, Qatar; Tamer Y Naguib, president, Engineers Association Australia, Qatar Chapter; Jaffar Us Sadiq, president, Indian Business and Professionals Council; Dr Maqbool Ahmed, head of Research Quality, Qatar University; Dr S M Ali, vice-president, Solar Energy Society of India; Hameeda Kadar, principal, MES Indian School; Bazeeth Ahmed, co-founder & director, Conserve Engineering Solution; and Manmmadhan Mambally, administrator, MES off-campus & chief co-ordinator for students’ activities, were the guests of honour at the session. Dr Kumar emphasised the need for such initiatives by Indian professional engineering groups such as IEI to promote social awareness among school students, which is "essential and most significant". Karim highlighted the strong association of MES with IEI in organising such youth activities over the last many years. All the guests of honour panel members enthralled the audience with their motivational speeches and guidance on energy management. The keynote speaker, Bazeeth Ahmed elaborated the concept of the United Nations SDGs and the importance of 'triple R' and solutions. As part of the honouring of high achievers among Indian school students, IEI felicitated IIT-JEE winners Arup Biswas, who is pursuing computer engineering at ITI, Tirupati; Kamaruzaman, who is doing mechanical engineering at NIT Kozhikode; and Amreen Iskander, who is doing B Arch at CET with the second rank in the KEAM entrance exam from the last batch of Grade 12. In his closing note, Mambally said these students have achieved the goals along with their final year of high school studies at the school. Sathar, during IEI’s honouring session, took pride in honouring all the dignitaries, including Qatari delegates and Indian delegates who attended the hybrid webinar on the topic of energy management.

 Renée Vongai Mutaree was born and raised in the small town of Gweru, a vibrant farming and business community in the heart of Zimbabwe, where she has dedicated her efforts raising awareness for a host of issues in her community. Leaving home for the first time to start her college career at Qatar Foundation (QF) partner Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q), Renée, a young Black woman, hopes to connect global solutions to local problems, and gain the skills and experience she will need to continue fighting for the issues she cares about. Renée learned the importance of social support systems in disadvantaged communities from her parents, and would often go to work with her mother, a nurse, to spend time with children with developmental disabilities who were “abandoned at the hospital by families unsure of how to care for them”, she said.  At 14, Renée experienced a painful loss of her own. “My mom's sister died during childbirth from complications caused by high blood pressure. Her high risk condition should have been monitored, but she was living in a rural area and had no access to the regular health appointments available in urban areas.”  That moment of grief drove Renée into deep contemplation of the connection between poor healthcare and adverse health outcomes, and the global reality, according to the World Health Organisation, that Black women face higher risk of death during pregnancy. “I felt so powerless at that moment. I resolved then that the health sector is where I belonged.”  She became involved in healthcare related campaigns to raise awareness and as a foundation for her future plans to work in the healthcare field. She felt an added responsibility to advocate for her community, knowing that racism drives many of the inequalities in healthcare. While an intern in the US embassy in Zimbabwe, Renée met medical staff who introduced her to a field she hadn’t considered before: international medical volunteering. “One of the doctors was telling me about his experience during the ebola crisis. Despite the risks, he was so happy in his work, and I realized that this is what I want to do. When I’m passionate about something, I give 110%.” Globally, Renée notes, there is a shortage of healthcare workers and resources. The greatest impact is felt by low-income countries, and Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) in particular. According to the UN, volunteer efforts will be essential to meeting SDG Goal No. 3 to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. Renée is committed to that effort, and plans to apply to medical school after graduating from GU-Q with a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service degree in International Economics. Her education plans are helping to carve out a unique skill set that could help address medical as well as policy-driven structural problems.  “I come from Zimbabwe. Everyone knows about the 2008 economic crisis. We have so many economic issues, and the problems in health and unemployment are all connected to it. If I can understand how it’s falling apart, maybe I can do my part in rebuilding it one day.”  In 2022, the Georgetown community is celebrating the Spirit of Georgetown, a 500-year old educational tradition. Renée lives the values of that tradition through her fearless and inspirational dedication to overcoming roadblocks to equity and justice, and to improving the health and welfare of her community at home and around the world.    

MES Indian School hosted the kindergarten graduation ceremony for students of 2022. The programme kicked off with a dance performance by the tiny tots of KG I. School president Abdul Karim was the chief guest. Governing board officials Ahmed Isham, Dr Najeeb K P, Khaleel A P, Kashif Jaleel, Faisal Mayan, Abdul Fathah P O, and principal Hameeda Kadar spoke. An Arabic dance by KG I and a group song by KG II followed. Deshani Vijayananda of KG II spoke on behalf of all the graduates. Imaan Mashkoor from KG I bade adieu to the little graduates. Earlier the audience was welcomed by Lalitha Srinivas, head of Kindergarten section. Mohsina P Ajumal proposed a vote of thanks. Among those present were special invitees, parents, school officials and students.    

For those wondering about the role and relevance of design in our shared or individual futures, Tasmeem Doha 2022: Radical Futures was a tangible, visual statement that our paths ahead are, indeed, driven by design. The Tasmeem Doha 2022 entrance For four days, Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUarts Qatar), a Qatar Foundation partner university, played host to some of the best creative, and radical minds in fields as varied as forensic architecture, sustainability, media and communications, critical worldbuilding, computational art, typography, materials’ future, bio-art, art and conflict, and post-petroleum societies, to name a few. Eyal Weizman (left, on stage), the keynote speaker at Tasmeem Doha 2022, takes questions from the audience. Image courtesy: Raviv Cohen Virtual attendees from the public joined the VCUarts Qatar community to discover, discuss and learn new, and in some cases even rediscover old, pathways, methods and strategies that not only elevate existing creative practice, but also address escalating material and humanitarian concerns. An exhibition titled ‘Futurisms’, organised by The Gallery at VCUarts Qatar and Tasmeem Doha 2022: Radical Futures, and curated by renowned design innovator and Afrofuturist Ingrid LaFleur, was part of the conference. 'Futurisms', an exhibition curated by Ingrid LaFleur, was held at The Gallery at VCUarts Qatar in conjunction with Tasmeem Doha 2022. Image courtesy: Raviv Cohen Eyal Weizman from Forensic Architecture based at Goldsmith’s University in the UK delivered the keynote address. Forensic Architecture is a research agency that investigates human rights violations including violence committed by states, police forces, militaries and corporations. From left: Diane Derr, Basma Hamdy, Denielle Emans and Maysaa al-Mumin. Image courtesy: Raviv Cohen Findings from its investigations have been presented in national and international courtrooms, parliamentary inquiries, and exhibitions at some of the world’s leading cultural institutions and in international media, as well as in citizen’s tribunals and community assemblies. In his address, Weizman talked about how the agency uses cutting-edge techniques in spatial and architectural analysis, open-source investigation, digital modelling and immersive technologies, as well as documentary research, situated interviews and academic collaboration to carry out investigations with and on behalf of communities and individuals affected by conflict, police brutality, border regimes and environmental violence. One of the workshops at Tasmeem Doha 2022. Image courtesy: Raviv Cohen Prior to the keynote talk, the directors of Tasmeem Doha 2022 – Basma W Hamdy, Diane C Derr, Maysaa al-Mumin and former VCUarts Qatar faculty member Denielle Emans – spoke to the audience, sharing their thoughts on the theme of the conference from their own perspectives. Denielle Emans asked the audience: “Design creates solutions, highlights opportunities, seeks justice all the while leading the narrative of our human legacy on earth. Painting, sculpture, film, typography, music, architecture, language – those are the legacies that reflect the beauty and intellect of humanity. But we also left other legacies: war, slavery, colonisation, genocide, apartheid and economic greed. What do we want our future legacy to be?” Tasmeem Doha 2022: Radical Futures wasn’t only about the serious or the solemn; the debates and discussions. The masterclasses and workshops were interspersed with performances by artists, ‘jam sessions’ by Sonic Jeel, a VCUarts Qatar-based collective, and booths where attendees could try their hand at block-printing on textiles or learn how to trap stray cats. VCUarts Qatar attendees registering for the in-person sessions were presented with colourful lanyards designed exclusively for the conference by ‘Rapture’, a Kuwaiti design company, and ‘Radical Recipes’, a compilation of nostalgia-driven ‘comfort’ food recipes from contributors from across the globe.

DPS Modern Indian School (MIS) junior girls made their mark in Qatar Preparatory Schools Debate League II organised by QatarDebate recently. Team Abhinaya Kannan, Aamina Abedi and Tanisha Paul bagged the fifth position, winning all three rounds, whereas Team Vyusti Singh, Gargee Kanade, and Jonah Kirupakaran and Team Anushka Alurkar, Disha Patel and Sharvi Patwardhan cliched the 17th and 23rd positions, respectively. The school's ace debaters Anah Merchant, Manjushree Magesh, Drishti Tibrewal and Victoria Honoridez, participated as judges in the event. The 13 participants were coached by Jaya Majumder and Sandhya Gopalakrishnan. DPS-MIS junior boys bagged top position in the 2nd Qatar Preparatory Schools Debate League. DPS-MIS junior boys bagged the top position in the 2nd Qatar Preparatory Schools Debate League. The tournament hosted 120 debaters and 40 teams from 28 different institutions across Qatar. DPS-MIS debaters remained unbeaten throughout and earned the highest cumulative points. Team - Aadi Amol Pimple, Aryaman Adhlakha, Mukunth Madhavan secured the first position followed by Team - Prithwiraj Purkait, Aryan Shrivastava, Ashwath Karthikeyan and Team - Surya Kauthik, Archit Chhikara, Nikkil Dcruz in the third and fourth positions, respectively. DPS-MIS debaters bagged top position in the Inter-School Debate Competition In the individual speaker’s category, Prithwiraj Purkait and Aryaman Adhlakha shared the top position followed by Aadi in 10th position, Nikkil and Mukunth in 16th, Ashwath in 23rd position and Aryan, Surya, Archit in 32nd position. The seasoned debaters of DPS-MIS, Victoria Apolonio Honoridez, Azhar Jaleel Mohamed, Aryan Dubey and Krish Nagrani joined the tournament as a judge and their coach. The team of DPS–MIS debaters bagged the top position in the Inter-School Debate Competition conducted by Friends Cultural Center in collaboration with Qatar Charity. Tejaswi Manoj (XI-B), Janvi Ranish (XI-D) and Venus Rinith (IX-D) emerged as winners followed by Stafford Sri Lankan School and MES Indian School. Opening speaker Tejaswi Manoj bagged the Best Constructive Speaker award. Jaya Majumder was the coach.

In order to inculcate research skills among students, Pak Shama School and College held an internal scientific research fair competition, in adherence to the Supreme Education Council (SEC) criteria. Enass Shatat from the SEC Research Department guided the researchers. The research projects were categorised into primary, preparatory and secondary. Different types of projects were displayed. The effect of expired medicine disposal on aquatic life, impact of e-learning on primary stage students' intellectual level, use of vegetable oil for reducing evaporation of indoor and outdoor plants, cyber threats in online class learning, skipped and overdose medication reminder android app, impact of quarantine on the mental health of students, oxyhydrogen generator for respiratory aid, role of contactless charging of public transport and utilisation of magno–wind energy to generate electricity were among the projects. Mohamed Irshad, Ismatullah, Bindiya Babanna, Syeda Asma, Mohamed Omer, Tahmina Naz, Nadiya Abdul Kareem, Ammara Rafiq and Abid Hussain were the supervisors of the winning projects. Principal Nabila Kaukab, vice principal Zahoor Ahmad and research co-ordinator Amjad Ali monitored the entire research projects and guided the students and subject teachers and supervisors. Department heads Iqbal Mohal, Sajjad Hussain, Azahar Hayat, and Muzaffar Hussain evaluated the research projects. Nimra Hafeez, Emaan Shahid, Alya Tarek, Hilm Wissam, Tahreem Fatima, Muqaddas Fatima, Aleemah yasirt Rizwan, Eman Fatima, Maira Zafar, Hamrah Raza, Mohamed Ahmed, Mummad Muqaddam, Mohamed Ahmed, Nayab Ali, Mohamed Usman Shahzad were the winners. Principal Nabila Kaukab appreciated the students and all participants. She lauded their efforts to complete the projects in accordance with the outlines given by the SEC Research Department.    

DPS-Modern Indian School observed ‘School Safety Day’ on February 15 with the aim of reinforcing safety rules and promoting a happy and safe school culture. A pledge-taking ceremony was conducted for students of Nursery to Grade VIII, which urged everyone to give due importance to safety in day-to-day life. The students of Grades I and II were engaged in a colouring activity, highlighting the importance of safety at every step of life. Principal Asna Nafees, in her message, gave safety guidelines to the students and advised them to remain alert, maintain discipline and to abide by the rules and regulations to support a conducive learning atmosphere. The students participated in the productive activities enthusiastically and went back home strengthening their bond with safety forever, the school said in a statement.    

    Qatar University (QU) witnessed the closing ceremony of the first edition of the Green Technology Competition 2021, organised by the College of Engineering (CENG), and in co-ordination with the Department of Electrical Engineering (EE) and the student branch of Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) at QU. The competition launched in the first semester of the current academic year 2021-2022, aimed to engage secondary school students to enhance their technical and basic programming skills through designing a solar energy tracker and exploring the aspects of engineering design. There were 50 students participating from 10 different teams of Qatari independent schools. The closing ceremony was preceded by specialised workshops to aid them in their engineering design process, which included basic workshops in Arduino microcontroller, and another in 3D-printing. At the closing ceremony, the competing teams presented their solar tracker models to the competition jury for the purpose of evaluating the models based on pre-defined criteria, such as design complexity, system response time, creativity and originality of the design, and explanation of the difficulties that the teams face and how they were mitigated. The jury consisted of four members affiliated with the CENG, including Prof Rashid A al-Ammari (faculty member, Department of Electrical Engineering and former dean), Prof Nader M Meskin (faculty member, Department of EE), engineer Abdulrahman H Abunada (R&D engineer, Barzan Holdings), and engineer Yahya M Alhomsi (general manager and co-founder of Voltaat). At the end of the ceremony, in the presence of Prof Abdelmagid Hamouda, associate dean for Academic Affairs at CENG, the top three winners of the competition were announced and honoured. Jassim bin Hamad Secondary School ranked first, followed by Abdullah bin Ali al-Misnad Secondary School in second place, and third place went to Al Wakra Secondary School. Prof Hamouda described the competition as proof that the Qatari schools’ system is following latest international standards and developments, and said the impacts of this advancement were reflected in the presented models. Dr Mohamed A al-Hitmi (head, Department of EE) and Prof Nizar Zorba (faculty member, Department of EE and adviser for the student branch of IEEE) lauded the participants. The Department of EE at QU has won several international awards, and the programme is academically accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), it was pointed out. Engineer Mohamed Murtaza, head of Student Branch of IEEE at QU said: “The students showed great motivation in their presentations, and their hard work was evident through the submitted designs and models. Although the main theme of the design was unified, each school created its own unique design. This confirms to us the success of the competition in conveying a glimpse of what engineering design really is to the participating students.” Engineer Tamim M al-Mulla, vice-president of the Student Branch of IEEE at QU, announced more activities will be held in the future with new and diverse topics to unleash the capabilities of the participating students, but with the same goals as in the current version of the competition.    

DPS-Modern Indian School Senior Girls' contingent topped the second Qatar School Debate League (QSDL) for Girls, held recently. The team of Keren John, Jereni Cathreen and Victoria Honoridez remained unbeaten throughout the league. The team of Maryem Ayman, Manjushree Magesh and Anah Merchant finished second while the team of Kavitha Pradeep, Keira Antao and Venus Rinith secured the third position. In the individual speaker’s category, Victoria topped the tournament followed by Anah in 9th, Venus, Manjushree, Keren in 19th, Keira in 22nd, Maryem, Kavitha in 37th and Jeremi in 48th position. Principal Asna Nafees congratulated the students and said debating is a great learning platform where debaters learn various global issues and voice their opinion. A total of 186 debaters, 62 teams and 35 institutions from all over Qatar participated in the contest. The DPS-Modern Indian School students was accompanied and guided by their coaches, Jaya Majumder and Sandhya Gopalakrishnan.