QNL to celebrate Qatar National Day with series of events
ATAR National Library ( NL) has something for everyone as it celebrates atar National Day with its biggest-ever roll call of lectures, discussions and interactive forums.
On December 5, the library will run an Instagram Live event looking at the achievements of atari author Eissa Abdullah, featuring a deep dive into his most popular books and his upcoming new release. Abdullah is an active contributor to several Arabic newspapers, as well as a lecturer on reading and writing for atar’s future generations. He will also examine the success of Dar Roza in publishing for atari authors.
On December 7, Khaled Al Maadid, deputy director-general of Al- rban Center, will present a special lecture looking at educational pioneers in atar from 1890 to 1957. The session will highlight the education system in atar through different eras, demonstrating a chronological historical narrative about the establishment of education in atar and focusing on the pioneering figures in the educational sector.
People can join the library on December 8 for a talk with Ali Al Fayyadh, owner of the Ali Al-Fayyadh Library. He will discuss his experience in creating a private library and offer insights into putting together a collection of wonders from the world of literature.
Beginning on December 10, aspiring young wordsmiths can join the ‘Children’s and oung Adults Writing Challenge’. Participants in two age groups nine to 12 and 13 to 18 can pen a story in Arabic or English on the theme ‘ atar in a time before you were born’. The story can be based on true events or fiction and needs to be set in atar, while containing imaginative ideas, memorable characters and an exciting plot. Winning stories will be shared on the library’s social media channels. Adults can also take part in ‘Celebrate atar Through Storytelling’ by sharing an original short story or piece of writing expressing their love of atar in 1,000 words, in Arabic or English.
Also on December 10, NL will run an interactive contest about atar’s history, culture, traditions and economy. The challenge requires participants to correctly answer a set of 20 questions in 30 seconds. That same day, patrons will have the opportunity to share their hopes and ideas for making atar a better place for all. People will be invited to hang their ideas on a tree placed in the library’s Main Plaza.
On December 13, join the library online for a cup of coffee with librarian Latifa Al Amri. She will interview atari athlete Mariam Farid, who represented her country at the 17th World Athletics Championship in Doha in 2019, where she ran in the women’s 400 metres hurdles. She will talk about her experience as one of the first female atari athletes to take part at the World Championships.
On December 14, the library will run a virtual event looking at the contribution of Sheikh assim Al Thani, the Founder of atar, to printing and publishing books in the Arab and Islamic worlds. The following day, people can join a talk with Instagram account owner ‘Turath Lawal’ about the significance of preserving atari heritage through social media.
On December 15, join Artificial Intelligence experts to meet a robot who will perform the ‘Ardah’ dance, in collaboration with Hamad Bin Abdullah Bin asim Secondary School. Ardah is a folkloric dance performed by a group of individuals (or robots) facing one another, which is accompanied by drums or spoken poetry. On the same day, the library invites people to join an online lecture covering atar’s many initiatives to protect and maintain the Arabic language. This lecture will shed light on the different ways in which the state maintains Arabic as the official language, including contributions from the educational, media and legal sectors.
On December 16, the library will explore the poetic diwan of Sheikh assim, the Founder, and the different themes in his poems, including religion, politics, courage and power. On December 17, children and their families can enjoy ‘ atar Through My Five Senses’ by learning through a variety of fun activities for atar National Day. Adults can help spread the word about atar by taking part in the Wikithon, where they’ll edit articles and topics on Wikipedia related to the country.
On December 20, people are invited to join a virtual lecture looking at the history of
atar on maps. atar has been identified on
European maps for around 2,000 years and was even represented as a peninsula on some 16th-century maps, but then disappeared completely for over 200 years. This talk will discuss this history and how these maps can provide unique information about the history of atar.
On December 28, join manuscript specialists and guest lecturers at the library for a chance to learn about the rich collection of the Heritage Library’s manuscripts, in addition to its virtual and digital services. oin Muhammad asir Shaheen, a researcher at the Center for Islamic Research and Studies in Turkey, and learn about Tabaqat Mujtahid, by Ibn Kamal Pasha, and other treasures in the collection.
On December 29, residents can learn about the changing role of atari families past and present, in cooperation with the Family Research Center and with the participation of Dr Fatma Al Kubaisi of atar niversity.
On December 30, sign up for a seminar with Mohammed assim Al Baker, the presenter of the Al-Rayyan TV programme Birds of atar, to explore migratory and native birds in the area. In this lecture, Baker will also share how he prepares for his trips to take pictures of wildlife.