QNA

Doha

Darb Al Saai activities to mark Qatar National Day, which is celebrated on December 18 each year, will kick off on Friday under the slogan ‘Our Unity is the Source of Our Strength’ on its permanent venue in Umm Salal Mohamad.

The 24-day event will offer a plethora of cultural, heritage and artistic activities along with a host of seminars, poetry evenings, theatrical performances and visual arts that reflect the Qatari culture, heritage and the national identity.

The Ministry of Culture prepared about 4,500 cultural and heritage activities under more than 191 main events. There will be more than 96 daily cultural and artistic activities including 24 seminars, six poetry recitals and nine theatrical shows from November 25 to December 18.

The Theater Affairs Center, Music Affairs Center, Visual Art Center, Qatar Poetry Center ‘Diwan Al Arab’, Qatari Media Center, Qatari Forum for Authors, Qatar Photography Center and other ministry-linked centres will participate in the event.

The Organizing Committee for the Qatar National Day 2022 celebrations said in a statement that the cultural and heritage events are in line with its national vision aimed at boosting the participation of all society members, visitors and guests of the State of Qatar in the National Day celebrations, highlighting the country’s history and heritage, and keeping pace with the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 currently being held in Doha.

Based on the important role of theatre in supporting the cultural and artistic movement in Qatar, the Theater Affairs Center is holding a number of activities including plays and operettas that affirms the high-level cultural and artistic character of this year’s exceptional National Day celebrations.

The Theater Affairs Center’s first play, which documents the Qatari marine heritage, will be held in Al Bidda area in Darb Al Saai from November 25 to 27. The centre will also play an operetta from December 12 to 14 that documents aspects of the heritage of Qatari traditional houses. There will also be a couple of other operettas from December 15 to17 performed at Darb Al Saai Theater.

There will also be a couple of plays at a puppet theatre, in addition to daily puppet-making workshops for children of all ages and all family members. The workshops teach the children puppet-making with simple materials available at home, as well as colouring and decorating them. Participants will also be trained on how to maneuver them.

Darb Al Saai permanent venue is located on an area of 150,000sqm in Umm Salal Mohamad. It is well-equipped with services and public facilities that provide rest and safety for visitors and participants, and boost their experience. The new location is conveniently accessible from three major roads and the Doha Metro through the Green Lines Old Rayyan Station, and also includes a huge parking lot than can accommodate around 3,500 cars. The parking is also connected to seven main gates and five service gates for entry, which highly improves traffic flow.

The Organizing Committee for the National Day celebrations seeks to enhance the experience of visitors and guests of the State of Qatar in Darb Al Saai, with a rich plethora of events and activities that highlight the Qatari culture and authentic heritage.