The special fireworks show that lights up the skies of Corniche to mark the Qatar National Day every year is not an event to be missed.
“Fireworks are actually like painting the sky with colours, smoke and sound. Fireworks inspire and enchant many people. The starry art in the night sky launching from land or water is always unique. It is crucial to choose a professional partner, for a major fireworks project, who works innovatively, creatively and safely,” underlines Dr F Samadian, CEO, Swiss Events Group, whose company has been behind the exotically colourful fireworks show on every national day.
The Swiss man, whose team has been lightening up the Qatar skies for three years, recently spoke to Community about his expertise and future plans.
Dr Samadian, who is called Dr Sam by his friends, carries a PhD in structure engineering from UK. “Initially, I got involved in different sorts of temporary structures. I have been working in Qatar for 11 years. My two sons are going to university.”
The Swiss fireworks factory in Lucerne is in the heart of Switzerland. “For 40 years, our factory has dedicated itself exclusively to the subject of fireworks and thanks to successful participation in firework competitions, we enjoy an excellent reputation worldwide. From conception until clean up at the end of the show, our people work with sheer passion. That is the reason that we have been successfully carrying out fireworks in Qatar for three years. Months-long preparation is required behind the 10-minute-long fire show every December 18. We have a master worker who has been working in the industry for over 45 years. No two fireworks that we do are similar.
“Being a Swiss company, the base of our products is only quality. We have very good designers and we also take real care of safety.”
The Swiss man is actually fond of Qatar. “I see Qatar as my second home, a home away from home. I spend over 80 percent of time in Qatar. My company is also in the business of event management. When I see hundreds of thousands see my firework and enjoy it, I feel encouraged and love to do it again. You need to have a passion and feeling to it. You need to love what you are doing. I try to give my best to it. For me, it is like illuminating my house at night.
“We work very hard on designs, colour schemes and the occasion we are doing the firework. We have to be occasion-specific.”
When asked why fireworks are so mesmerising, Dr Sam said: “The sudden, bright and moving sparks that the fireworks emit are compelling to watch and seem mysterious because we are not used to that type of light travelling directly into our eyes. In general, the colours we see are created by light bouncing off the reflective surfaces of objects around us. As we encounter this reflected light all the time, we have become very good at unscrambling the colours in our brain and, as a result, anything different can seem otherworldly. This could be why other sources of moving light, like shooting stars and fireflies, are also thought of as magical.
“Firecrackers have been around for hundreds of years. They consist of either black powder (also known as gunpowder) or flash powder in a tight paper tube with a fuse to light the powder. Black powder contains charcoal, sulfur and potassium nitrate. A composition used in a firecracker might have aluminum instead of or in addition to charcoal in order to brighten the explosion.
“It is very common for fireworks to contain aluminum, iron, steel, zinc or magnesium dust in order to create bright, shimmering sparks. The metal flakes heat up until they are incandescent and shine brightly or, at a high enough temperature, actually burn. A variety of chemicals can be added to create colours.”
Speaking about what safety measures his fireworks company takes, Dr Sam said: “We are dedicated to safety with uncompromising commitment. We work with NTi Audio Xl2 sound level meter as part of essential quality control. We ensure placing the highest priority on safety and compliance with the applicable regulations for fireworks. The class one XL2 sound level meter is ideal for ensuring this. In Switzerland, the legislation requires that a sound exposure level of 115db LAE must not be exceeded.”
In response to a question about effect of firework displays on the climate change, Dr Sam said: “First of all, the quality of the material that we make is very special. We are not using plastics. We are using a type of dissolving material. Like the paper, it goes into water and it dissolves itself. We go more and more for the new technologies to have non-dangerous kind of fireworks. We are focusing on the materials that are less dangerous for our environment.
“In Switzerland, we have the regulation that when it gets dry, we do not get permission for the fireworks. Obviously, we work together with the government in Qatar.”
Dr Sam is upbeat about the future of the industry. “It has been happening (for) over hundred years. It will continue. At the factory, we have an innovation department. The department has always been coming out with new ideas and how we can make the fireworks more climate friendly.
“Our passion is professional pyrotechnics –— public displays, sporting events, private events and proximate displays. Our goal is to safely merge technology and beauty with pyrotechnics.”
u201cI see Qatar as my second home, a home away from home. I spend over 80 percent of time in Qatar. My company is also in the business of event management. When I see hundreds of thousands see my firework and enjoy it, I feel encouraged and love to do it againu201d u2014 Dr F Samadian
