Darb Al Saai, the 24-day event is all set for celebrating the Qatar National Day which falls on December 18 of each year. The event will kick off on Friday under the slogan "Our Unity is the Source of Our Strength" on its permanent venue in Umm Salal Mohamed. The event includes a plethora of cultural, heritage, and artistic activities along with a host of seminars, poetry evenings, theatrical performances and visual arts that reflect the Qatari culture and heritage and the national identity.
About 4,500 cultural and heritage activities has been prepared by the Ministry of Culture under more than 191 main events and to add on to this, there will be more than 96 daily cultural and artistic activities including 24 seminars, six poetry recitals and nine theatrical shows from November 25 to December 18. The Theater Affairs Center, Music Affairs Center, Visual Art Center, Qatar Poetry Center "Diwan Al Arab", Qatari Media Center, Qatari Forum for Authors, Qatar Photography Center and other ministry-linked centers will participate in the event.
The cultural and heritage events are in line with its national vision aimed at boosting the participation of all society members, visitors and guests of the State of Qatar in the National Day celebrations, highlighting the country's history and heritage, and keeping pace with the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 currently being held in Doha. Based on the important role of the theater in supporting the cultural and artistic movement in Qatar, the Theater Affairs Center is holding a number of activities including plays and operettas that affirms the high-level cultural and artistic character of this year's exceptional National Day celebrations. The Theater Affairs Center's first play which documents the Qatari marine heritage, will be held in Al Bidaa area in Darb Al Saai on November 25, 26 and 27. The center will also play an operetta on December 12-14 that documents aspects of the heritage of Qatari traditional houses. There will also be a couple of other operettas on December 15-17 performed at Darb Al Saai Theater.
Moreover, a couple of plays at a puppet theater, in addition to daily puppet-making workshops for children of all ages and all family members will also be there. The workshops teach the children puppet-making with simple materials available at home, as well as coloring and decorating them. Participants will also be trained on how to maneuver them.
Umm Salal Mohamad, located on an area of 150,000sqm, has been the permanent venue for Darb Al Saai event. It is well-equipped with services and public facilities that provide rest and safety for visitors and participants and boost their experience. The new location is conveniently accessible from three major roads and the Doha Metro through the Green Lines Old Rayyan Station and includes a huge parking lot than can accommodate around 3,500 cars. The parking leads to seven main gates and five service gates for entry, which highly improves traffic flow.
The Organizing Committee for the National Day celebrations seeks to improve the experience of visitors and guests of the State of Qatar in Darb Al Saai, with a variety of events and activities that highlight the Qatari culture and authentic heritage.
