Georgetown Students Host National Day Celebrations

Arabian horses, local art, and traditional cuisine were some of the attractions on offer for visitors at a recent student-run National Day event at Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q). Held to celebrate Qatari culture and heritage, the event brought members of the Georgetown community and greater public together to learn more about the country’s history and customs.

As the main National Day celebrations in Qatar take place over the University’s winter break, students at GU-Q schedule their festivities earlier so that they can still contribute. The annual celebrations, which are held at GU-Q’s Education City campus, are one of the largest annual events organized by the Al Liwan Qatari Student Association.

“I have been involved in organizing this event for the past three years. I just felt like I had to do something as a Qatari in Georgetown to raise awareness of Qatari traditions and culture,” said Al Liwan President Mohammed Alkuwari (SFS ’18). “Having such an event allows people to experience part of the culture, such as joining in on the ‘Arda’ [sword dancing], horse-riding, or even the food.”

This year’s event featured traditional food, music performances, poetry readings, and equestrian activities, with Al Shaqab Academy exhibiting their prized horses and ponies and offering rides to event attendees.

“This year, I made sure to have a bigger and better event than the previous years. Besides constantly wanting to create a better event, this year was the year where the GCC crisis started. Therefore I felt obligated to have a bigger, better Qatari National Day event for the people to join in on,” said Alkuwari. “This year’s event highlight must be either the gallery where many famous Qatari artists showcased their work, or the stage performances by famous social media influencers, news announcers, as well as a famous poet.”

The National Day fair was part of a series of events organized by Al Liwan. The club was also involved in hosting recent public lectures by His Excellency Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammed Bin Saud Al-Thani, chairman of Ooredoo and the chief executive officer of Qatar Investment Authority, and His Excellency Abdullah Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah, chairman of the Abdullah Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah International Foundation for Energy and Sustainable Development and former Minister of Energy.

In addition to the student-run event, GU-Q is also involved in National Day festivities held annually at the Darb Al Saai fairgrounds. Visitors to GU-Q’s booth in Qatar Foundation’s tent can play educational games or learn more about the degree and programs on offer at the University.