00:00What the Doha Book Fair brings to us is the visitors and we get the chance to know about
00:08our audience more, get to know what do they like to read, what kind of activities they'd
00:13like to associate and engage with. We have a big number of French community. For those
00:18who don't know the French culture, they can also come to the Institute to discover the
00:24language also. Hello and welcome to Qatar 365 with me, Laila Humaira. On this episode,
00:34we're here at the Doha International Book Fair, where every year thousands of visitors come
00:39to seek knowledge, share their love for books and dive into the beauty of the written word.
00:45But first, I'm exploring how technology and artificial intelligence is becoming a real
00:51page-turner for libraries. The Qatar National Library is a veteran participant
00:57of the Doha International Book Fair. This year, the pavilion has returned with a few
01:02new spins that reimagine a future-ready library. From a virtual librarian to augmented reality,
01:09Qatar National Library is embracing technology. By tapping on artificial intelligence, Q&L is
01:15giving visitors a peek into its library of the future, where AI can give you book recommendations
01:22and even help you write your own novel.
01:25We also have the 360 virtual tour, which gives the visitors the opportunity to wander inside Q&L
01:33and check out all of our facilities and services inside the building itself. In addition to that, we have
01:39also the AI book recommendation tool, which gives the visitors the opportunity to explore book
01:45recommendations recommended by the AI itself.
01:48Walking around the pavilion, the theme comes to life, where it's not just about books, but also
01:54encouraging people to get their creative juices flowing, like the short story dispenser.
01:59It was done under an initiative called Write to Inspire. And we have opened this initiative to everyone in Qatar
02:06to submit their short stories. And we have supported many writers who are at the beginning of their
02:12journey to either publish their stories in Arabic and English.
02:16Q&L's long-running participation at the Doha Book Fair is one the library hopes to be a lasting
02:22relationship that can also bring new connections in the community.
02:26What makes Q&L special is that it's a public library, a national library, and a research library.
02:31What the Doha Book Fair brings to us is the visitors and we get the chance to know about our audience more,
02:38get to know what do they like to read, what kind of activities they'd like to associate and engage with.
02:43Another long-running national reading campaign is Qatar Reads, aimed at encouraging parents to instill the love
02:50for books in their children.
02:52Every year at the Doha International Book Fair at the Qatar Reads Pavilion, we always try to encourage parents
02:58to subscribe their children in our family reading program, which is targeted at kids ages 3 to 13,
03:04where we deliver specifically curated reading packages to their homes according to their age group and their language preference.
03:11A big emphasis in the campaign is nurturing bilingualism amongst the local population.
03:17To do that, Qatar Reads launched an initiative focused on Arabic literary classics.
03:23In order for us to preserve the Qatari culture and focus on the importance of getting to know Arabic literature titles,
03:30we do this a lot through the One Book One Doha campaign.
03:32And whether it's in Arabic or English, it's important for us to highlight that these titles actually originated from the Arabic language.
03:39For example, our title in 2023 was Haybin Yaqdan. Some people would know it as Tarzan or Mokli, but they don't know that it's an original text that was written 100 years ago
03:48and it originates from the character of Haybin Yaqdan. So it's these tiny little facts that we want to plant as seeds into the minds of our children.
03:55In just six years, Qatar Reads has managed to gain quite a following, both in Qatar and abroad, through partnerships with other organizations like Qatar Museums.
04:05And the hope is that it will continue to spread knowledge that transcends borders.
04:10It makes my heart so happy to see our growth happening every year.
04:14And what's even better is that our impact is not only in Qatar, but it's also happening internationally with our partnerships with Years of Culture.
04:21We've seen our books go to Indonesia, go to the United States, go to Morocco, and this year going to Argentina.
04:31From exploring creativity through stories to shaping future-empowered leaders, Qatar is also committed to making education accessible to all children, no matter where they are.
04:43To date, the Qatar Fund for Development has supported more than 1,000 students globally through the Qatar Scholarships Programme.
04:51I caught up with Mariam Mubarak Aldarwish, the Development Project Engineer, who explains the importance of investing in young talent.
05:01Can you tell us more about the Qatar Scholarships Programme and what it aims to achieve?
05:07The Qatar Scholarship Programme led by Qatar Fund for Development offers fully funded higher education opportunity to talented students from underserved and conflict-affected communities.
05:19Its goal is to give those students access to quality education, help them build the skills they need to succeed, and empower them to contribute meaningfully to the community.
05:30The programme supports both academic excellence and personal growth, equipping students to make a lasting impact at home and beyond.
05:40There was a recent batch of graduates from that scholarship program, more than 100 young, talented individuals.
05:47What are some impressive profiles or achievements from that batch of graduates?
05:52One story that stands out is about the students who got the chance to meet former US President Barack Obama after joining a leadership program.
06:01For these students who come from a background shape by hardship and conflict, it was more than just a proud moment.
06:08It was a powerful reminder of how far determination and access to education can take someone.
06:14What's made it special wasn't just the recognition itself, but the journey that led there.
06:20Moments like this truly shows what Qatar Scholarships Programme is all about, opening doors and helping young people believe in what's possible.
06:29One of the biggest challenges in the world at the moment is ensuring children in conflict zones still get access to learning.
06:36How is QFFD helping in this aspect and also to advocate for more organisations in the world to protect these children who are in the middle of conflict and war?
06:46This is really at the core of what we do at QFFD.
06:51In places affected by war and displacement, we support mobile schools, remote learning tools and spaces where children can continue their education, even in the most difficult conditions.
07:06We believe schools should be a safe place for learning, not places of danger.
07:12No child should have to risk their life just to get an education.
07:16That's the message we want to share through our partnership, our platform and everything we do globally.
07:23Education must be protected always.
07:27The annual celebration of literature at the Doha International Book Fair brings global perspectives to Qatar.
07:36It features more than 500 publishing houses along with many international bookstores.
07:42Adol Halim met with some of those exhibitors visiting Qatar from both near and far.
07:48Reflecting the fair's growing international appeal, the Doha International Book Fair has become an annual tradition for the French Institute in Qatar.
07:57We have a big number of French community, so just we want to make sure that they can find some resources.
08:05And for those who don't know the French culture, they can also come to the Institute to discover the language also.
08:14We just want to keep this relation with the French language and culture and to meet other cultures maybe also.
08:25This year, the Palestinian Pavilion is the guest of honor, introducing 11 Palestinian publishers to the Qatari audience.
08:32Visitors could learn more about the country's culture and history with displays of traditional clothing, a timeline of historical events, and cultural symbols.
08:58Visitors could learn more about the French culture, the French culture and the French culture.
09:03El Halbuni
09:31market that features 15 libraries from the famous al-habuni street in syria known for its extensive
09:37collection of rare and historical books for many of the vendors here these libraries represent some
09:43of the most important and prestigious institutions in the arab world unique manuscripts classic
09:50literature and historical works that could be found in one of damascus's oldest markets
09:54are on display in doha jamal muhammad nasif opened his bookstore in syria more than a half century
10:01ago nasif is hopeful that despite a length of
10:31anti-civil war there are better days on the horizon for his homeland
10:35ala zhi hafala indiana fee surya min arba at archer arm hasil harbel muda miral shania
10:41carajana ila miss fatah namakas or philip nana whanah noo tabi in fissoria can top on
10:48hi me be resale tina lamna to walk away sha Allah al-anil samarar yani say a cool off
10:55Luego de la pavilla de Francia, la autoridad y la illustratora Elza Mozovic
11:04hostia lectores de libros franceses y workshops de pop-up.
11:25La pavilla de Francia a crié le nom des animaux et ça devient très joyeux.
11:29Et c'est ce que je cherche en faisant des livres avec les enfants,
11:31c'est de créer des moments de joie et de partage ludiques avec eux.
11:38From exploring what a library of the future could look like,
11:41to seeing how cultural exchanges can be a powerful tool for education,
11:45we hope you've enjoyed this episode, but that's all the time we have for now.
11:49For more, check out euronews.com and connect with us through our hashtag.
11:52Thanks for watching and we'll see you next time on Katsa 365.
