+ A
A -
Malek Helali
Doha
THE unjust and inhumane blockade imposed on Qatar by the Saudi-led group has failed miserably to prevent the country's progress in its ongoing projects and its remarkable achievements in various fields ranging from economy to education and sports.
The government has been emphasising the development of its human capital as a top priority in its policies along with self-sufficiency.
Speaking to Qatar Tribune recently, Qatari university students shared their perspective on the country's future as well as their perceived role in supporting its advancement.
A Qatari student said she feels inspired by the speech of the Emir His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani that urged the people of Qatar to seek knowledge and academic advancement in order to contribute to their country's progress in all fields.
She stressed on the importance of self-reliance especially in light of the current political circumstances her country is going through."The blockade has been an eye-opening experience that hurt us but also made us stronger and more aware of our priorities," she added.
The student noted:"We have risen stronger and more unified behind our leadership as opposed to the expectations of the blockading countries. However, even if the blockade gets lifted eventually, we will not forget that we have been once backstabbed by those closest to us.
I will make sure to tell my children and grandchildren this story if I get the chance because the crisis has broken many unfixable things in us and taught us, the hard way, many valuable lessons our children deserve to learn."
Another Qatari student pointed out the role that the blockade played in unveiling the intentions of Qatar's neighbours. He said:"Even though we were all shocked by the cruelty and underlying hate which countries we once considered more than friends and family have towards us, the blockade has been a reality check that precipitated our country's journey towards self-reliance."
He noted that, as a Qatari citizen, he now thinks his role is more crucial than ever in advancing this journey.
Along the same lines, the student added:"We want to contribute to giving the future generations an even better future that enables them to be more grateful than we are and serve the country further."
He concluded:"We will continue our country's success journey and our achievements will serve as a response to their malicious smear campaigns and false allegations. We're doing great so far. Our representatives are earning top rankings in international athletic competitions, our airline is expanding its success horizon, our economy is diversifying and earning a greater variety of reliable trade deals and the morals of our people are being praised across the world. The list of achievements will keep expanding with the help of Qatar's human and natural resources and we won't depend on anyone's assistance in getting to the top."
Another Qatari student said:"The blockade has given us all a sense of greater purpose for what we do as university students. I feel more responsible as an active member of my country's evolution and instead of graduating for the sole purpose of getting a job, I want to graduate to pay back a part of the privileges my country has offered me."
