Qatar National Library, as part of the Years of Culture: Qatar - Middle East, North Africa and South Asia 2022 (Qatar-MENASA 2022), has opened the children’s art exhibition “Reesha”, which highlights Qatar’s preparations to host one of the world’s top sporting events and aims to educate the youth about contemporary events through art and creative cultural expression.
Held under the slogan “We Welcome the World to Qatar 2022™,” the exhibition features 32 canvases produced by participating students who took part in a two-day online workshop, using their artistic talents and creative vision to design cubist artwork inspired by the most important sports facilities in Qatar - the 2022 World Cup stadiums - under the supervision of Qatari artist, Maryam Al Mulla.
His Excellency Dr. Hamad Bin Abdulaziz Al-Kawari, Minister of State and President of Qatar National Library inaugurated the event, which will run from 12 October to 31 December 2022.
“I am pleased to inaugurate the “Reesha” exhibition, which is a strong demonstration of our commitment to promoting arts and culture as a means of dialogue and expression,” said Dr. Al-Kawari.
“Although the event is about children's drawings, this exhibition is exceptional in its connection to the World Cup as the drawings revolve around the stadiums and link their locations with a map of the metro. It is also notable that it is accessible to the visually impaired community in Qatar. This exhibition is part of the Library’s events celebrating the FIFA World Cup 2022™ and will continue until the end of this historic event,” he added.
The exhibition, held in collaboration with the Translation and Interpreting Institute at Hamad Bin Khalifa University, features audio descriptive guides and high contrast, raised images to ensure the artwork is accessible to the blind and visually impaired community in Qatar. In addition, guided tours will be held, workshops on tactile arts, and many artistic and recreational activities for children.
Maram Al Mahmoud, Manager of the Children and Young Adults’ Section at Qatar National Library commented: “‘Our role as a Library is much more than just spreading the culture of reading among the youth. The ‘Reesha’ exhibition is a testament to our commitment to providing and organizing diverse events and activities in an accessible and stimulating environment while seeking to encourage and develop talent among the community.”
“We hope the exhibition will help to strengthen children's relationship with sport and motivate them to love sport through art, “she added.
Consistent with the Library’s core values of equality, diversity, inclusion of persons with disabilities and facilitating their access to knowledge, the Library offers people with disabilities an extensive collection of materials, such as large-print books, audiobooks, and books in braille. The Library’s Assistive Technology Center also provides a wide range of programs, activities and technologies that cater to people with disabilities, such as specially designed adjustable workstations and the latest equipment and software.
The Library supports Qatar-MENASA 2022 as part of its national role in supporting the Year of Culture and its belief that culture is one of the most effective tools to unite people, encourage dialogue and deepen understanding among nations.
