Qatari Students Bring the Georgetown Community Together for a Virtual QND Celebration at QF

An interactive Qatar National Day (QND) online event organized by Qatari students at QF-partner Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q), brought together Qatari artists, entrepreneurs, and public figures for a celebration of the diverse accomplishments of the Qatari community.

The Al Liwan Qatari student club organizes GU-Q’s annual QND festivities to promote community connections and commemorate the rich cultural and social heritage of Qatar. Despite the pandemic, this year was no different. The Dean of GU-Q, Dr. Ahmad Dallal, said: “While we weren’t able to celebrate Qatar National Day in person, this engaging event organized by our dedicated Qatari student club brought us together virtually as a community, and reminded us of the nation’s resilience in a time of crisis.”

The live session featured Ghanim Al Sulaiti, the founder of Evergreen Organics, who shared the story of his role in Qatar’s increasing love of vegan and healthy food, and how that led to his other business ventures focused on sustainability. Representing one of only a few female Qatari airline pilots, Sheikha Al Moudadi, who works for Qatar Airways, discussed the importance of family support in her career journey. 

Abdulrahman Al-Lanjawi, a Qatari public figure who has played a role in QND celebrations throughout the years, credited visionary leadership for Qatar’s emergence on the international stage. And up and coming artists Ibrahim Al Baker and Saad AL Mslmani, both of whom have had art showcased in multiple exhibitions across Doha, examined Qatari identity, culture, and history through the medium of the creative arts.

In place of the in-person festivities, the conversational format of the live online session offered a more intimate engagement opportunity for the university community, and a chance to get to know each other. “We wanted to learn the stories of the individual members of the Qatari community who have contributed positively to the development of Doha,” explained Al Liwan student club President, Dana Darwish, a senior student majoring in Culture and Politics and minoring in Arabic.

For club Vice President Hessa Al-Kubaisi, a senior majoring in International Politics and minoring in Arabic and Theology, a celebration of Qatar’s history would be incomplete without looking towards the future as well. “We wanted to make sure to include the youth figures of Qatar, since the future of our nation is in the hands of coming generations.”