Doha, Qatar – 25 January 2022 – Qatar National Library will host culturally rich and engaging events and activities in February, capturing the sports atmosphere in the country on the occasion of National Sports Day.

 

The Children’s Library, in collaboration with Little Thinking Minds, will kickstart the month on 1 February with the “Ballout Athletic Friends Competition.” Children ages 7 to 11 will engage in reading, art and sports in a fun and creative way, and winners will receive books, coupons and participation certificates. Entries must be submitted by 22 February.

 

On 2 February, Dr. Basma Ahmad Sidqi Dajani, Professor of Arabic Language and Literature at Hamad Bin Khalifa University, will deliver a lecture on “Arabic Language and Aesthetics in Cultural Communication.” The lecture will be followed by a session on the Library’s Arabic language resources and how members can access them.

 

On 9 February, the Library will host the session "Experiences of Children's Librarians in Qatar: Virtual School Library," in which school librarians will share their experiences in Qatar. The session will also discuss strategies to attract children to reading and ways to teach them how to choose the right books, in addition to ways to balance virtual and in-person activities in libraries.

 

On the same day, children will get a chance to learn how to read a story expressively from a professional storyteller during the Little Storytellers session. Children are encouraged to bring the book they wish to practice with and dress accordingly for the program.

 

The Library’s five-day Virtual College Fair will commence on 20 February to provide students with the opportunity to learn about the admissions processes and academic programs at several American, Canadian and European universities. The participating universities include EducationUSA, Arkansas State University, State University of New York, Bishop's University, Douglas College, University of Prince Edward Island, University Canada West, University of Guelph, McMaster University, Northern College, University of Winnipeg, Ontario Tech University, Concordia University, Lakehead University, Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology, Memorial University, Grenfell Campus, Dalhousie University, Georgian College, Saskatchewan Polytechnic, University of Waterloo, University of Regina, UniLasalle, Algonquin College, University of Iowa, and University of Manitoba.

 

On 21 February, the Library, in its role as the IFLA Preservation and Conservation Regional Center, will hold a virtual lecture "Combating Art Trafficking: A Special Focus on Manuscripts." This course will introduce participants to regional and international frameworks for fighting trafficking, offer regionally focused case studies, and provide insights into the licit and illicit circulation of items between the EU and the UK and the Gulf region. The course will be offered in English, with translations in Arabic, Persian and Turkish.

 

On 24 February, author Najat Ali will be participating in the Arabic Book Club Meetup to talk about her recent book, Gratitude is a Way of Life, and her experience as a writer.

 

 

 

The last day of the month, 28 February, will see thinkers and authors from the MENA region come together to discuss the impact of sports in literature to prepare for the FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar and in celebration of Qatar MENASA Years of Culture 2022. The online session, “Sports in Literature: Beyond Folklore and Tales,” will be conducted in both English and Arabic.

 

For a complete list and to learn more about the Library’s events, please check the Events page on the Library’s website (www.qnl.qa/en/events).