Qatar 2017

Qatar

D I P L O M A CY

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C O M ME RCE

P R E S E NT S

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ECO DESERT FOOTBALL

NOT ONLY SAND

T A K E ME O U T O N THUR SDAY NIGHT

LIVING IN THE OVEN

PEARLS, PEARLS

Qatar will host the FIFA World Cup in 2022 for which it will build nine eco-friendly iconic stadiums, some of which will be able to host upto 80,000 people.

Purple Island is a fish-shaped island dotted with several low limestone cliffs throughout it and a mangrove forest that has a range of fish.

Weekends in Qatar fall on Friday and Saturday. Most stores are usually closed on Friday mornings until the Jum’ah afternoon prayer.

Summer in Doha is usually quite harsh with temperatures flaring upto 50C. Most people like staying indoors but evenings are slightly cooler.

Before the discovery of oil in the Mideast, the main industry of Qatar was pearl diving. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, the pearl industry thrived.

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Ambitious Plans and Open Policy Qatar still advocates dialogue to overcome crisis, on condition that sovereignty is respected and no demands are imposed

INTER VIEW

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atar really did prove with its actions and official statements that it does not support terrorism, and that it does not tolerate terrorists and its supporters, regardless of where they come from. Also, Qatar promotes peaceful resolution of the conflict in the Middle East and other parts of the world, and has been working with regional and international peacekeeping forces in order to achieve this. The cooperation with Serbia is good and the next step would be creating a platform for a dialogue between the business people from both countries through forming a Qatari-Serbian business council – says Qatar's Ambassador to Serbia, H. E. Mr. Mubarak bin Fahad Al Thani.

In the middle of the “storm” in the Middle East, all of a sudden, Qatar got “accused” by the group of Arab countries as a “supporter of terrorism”.

Why Qatar as a “sacrifical lamb” among all other countries? › Qatar is not going to be “the sacrificial

lamb” because its wise government is aware of what diplomacy is, and it has ambitious plans and exercises opens policy. Qatar really did prove with its actions and official statements that it does not support terrorism, and that it does not tolerate terrorists and its supporters, regard-

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less of where they come from. Also, Qatar promotes peaceful resolution of the conflict in the Middle East and other parts of the world, and has been working with regional and international peacekeeping forces in order to achieve this. We would like to invite other countries to follow in Qatar's footsteps in fighting terrorism and drying out its financial sources. Also, we would like to invite them to sign memoranda similar to that that Qatar has signed with the United States of America regarding fighting terrorism before making accusations which are not based on solid evidence. Also, we would like to reiterate our invitation to dialogue instead of creating media reports which goal is to demonize the State of Qatar.

The states, that have imposed the blockade, have tried also to impose their guardianship over the State of Qatar, and have been exerting pressure until we surrender to their demands. However, they were also very surprised by the resilience of the Qatari people and their support to the country's wise leadership, and the steps made by the government in order to preserve our dignity and sovereignty.

Is the allegation of “getting closer to Iran” motivated by economic reasons, since Qatar became a competition to other countries in the Gulf, as a work

H . E . M U BA RA K B I N FA H A D A L THANI Ambassador of Qatar to Serbia

Qatar promotes peaceful resolution of the conflict in the Middle East and other parts of the world

destination and with the Qatar Airways growing? › Some GCC (The Gulf Cooperation

Council) countries have a much closer coopeation with Iran than Qatar does. For instance, the United Arab Emirates and Iran have a very close economic cooperation. The trade between these two countries amounted to $16 billion last year, while Iran's trading with the Emirates accounts for 90% of its total trade with the Gulf states.

What is wrong in getting friendly with Iran after all? Shouldn't there be peace between Sia and Sunni Muslims finally? › The relations between the State of Qa-

tar and Iran is characterized my mutual benefit based on the principles of international relations and international law, and are not directed against any countires in the region and wider. The State of Qatar wants peace for entire humankind, and stability in the entire region and the world alike.

How do you rate the role of Al-Jazeera as a global media since its inception? › The State of Qatar is proud of Al-Jazeera

since it represents a platform for freedom and expressing different opinions, which, in turn, proves that Qatar believes in the

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freedom of media, reporting and speech.

The support that we got from various international journalist and media associations, which are also against certain countries' demanding for Al-Jazeera to close down, is just a proof of Al-Jazeera's pivotal role on the international media scene.

Al-Jazeera no longer belongs only to Qatar and Qatari people, but has become a free platform for expressing people's hope for freedom which is why certain entities are afraid of this media company.

How do you estimate the end of this crisis? › Since the onset of the crisis, the Sate of

Qatar has been appealing for dialogue, always advocating it as the best solution.

Hence, Qatar welcomes sincere and dedicated effort of the Emir of Kuwait in resolving the crisis. Qatar still advocates dialogue to overcome crisis, on condition that sovereignty is respected and no demands are imposed, and in the spirit of the latest speech given by the Emir of the State of Qatar, H.E. Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.

The economic cooperation between Serbia and Qatar isn't big, but can it grow? › The Agreement on Economic, Commer-

cial and Technical Cooperation, and the Agreement on Mutual Promotion and Protection of Investments between the State of Qatar and the Republic of Serbia have created a legal framework for improving the economic cooperation between the two countries. The next step would be creating a platform for a dialogue between the business people from both countries through forming a Qatari-Serbian business council, and advancing the cooperation between respective chambers of commerce in order to boost the mutual trade which currently stands between $6 and $7 million.

What the Qatari entrepreneurs could be interested in Serbia and vice versa? › There are many investment opportuni-

ties in Serbia which has recorded a big progress in improving its business climate, and has huge natural resources, strategically valuable geographic posi-

tion, and highly qualified and professionally trained workforce. These are the reasons why the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) wants to visit Serbia in order to get better acquainted with its investment opportunities and devise projects that are complementary with the Qatari investment strategy. On the other hand, thanks to its large-scale projects and many subsidies, the State of Qatar is considered an appealing destination for investors from all around the world, including Serbia.

PLATFORM

NEXT STEP The next step would be creating a platform for a dialogue between the business people from both countries.

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Do you think the Middle East deserves a kind of Berlin Congress to end all the disputes? › The situation in the Middle East is com-

plicated and entangled since this is the area where the interests of many super-powers clash, which is the reason why the situation demands from all sides to sit down and negotiate regardless who these sides are. First and foremost, the situation requires a sincere will from all parties involved in order for it to be resolved because, without this will, any kind of dialogue is pointless. <

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Opening Up Oil, transport, and now tourism

ECO NO MY

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atar is now officially the world’s richest country. Of course, as with all other Middle Eastern economies on the Arabian Peninsula, its wealth is pretty much all down to the energy sector, namely oil and liquefied natural gas.

However, like any other country that is deeply concerned about the future, Qatar has developed its own service sector and established one of the most popular airlines, Qatar Airways, as well as promoting its financial sector and tourism, which will gain additional impetus after the lifting of visa requirements for the 80 richest countries in the world.

ENERGY, ENERGY All of this, of course, has developed primarily due to the abundance of energy in Qatar and, most importantly, the fact that the country is rich in both oil and natural gas, pretty much like Russia, Kazakhstan or Tukmenistan. Petroleum and liquefied natural gas are the cornerstones of Qatar's economy and account for more than 70% of total state revenue, more than 60% of GDP and roughly 85% of export gains. Verified oil reserves of 15 billion barrels (588,000,000m3) should ensure continued output at current levels for the next 23 years. Gas has given Qatar a per capita GDP that ranks among the highest in the world. Qatar's confirmed reserves of natural gas exceed 7,000km3, more than 5% of the global total and the third-largest reserve of any country in the world. Natural gas production and exports are becoming increas-

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FACT

RICH COUNTRY All of this, of course, has developed primarily due to the abundance of energy in Qatar and, most importantly, the fact that the country is rich in both oil and natural gas.

ingly important, while the country’s long-term goals include the development of off-shore petroleum and the diversification of the economy.

And 23 years from now? Well, the country is so rich that even economic sanctions currently imposed can do little to undermine its position. Current GDP per capita registered a world record-breaking peak growth of 1,156% in the 1970s. This quickly became unsustainable and Qatar's current GDP per capita contracted 53% in the ‘80s.

However, rising global oil demand helped GDP per capita to expand by 94% in the ‘90s. Diversification is still a long-term issue for this over-exposed economy. The emphasis has now been placed on industry, with the creation of two industral cluster zones around Ras Laffan Industrial City and the Mesaieed Industrial Area. And so far that is working. Banking, especially Islamic banking, is also flourishing, and Qatar hard-

ly even felt the global economic crisis of 2008 and 2009. Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB), Qatar International Islamic Bank (QIIB) and newcomer Masraf Al Rayya are all major players in the field, and it is believed that Islamic banking is one new superpower in the financial sector that has a bright future, thanks to the sophisticated instruments it possesses. Not to mention the newly opened Qatar Doha Airport (officially Hamad International Airport). It serves 50 million passengers and is one of the world’s most important transport hubs, enabling Qatar Airways to offer cheap flights to Asia, Africa and Australia, such as a price of 370 euros to China from Belgrade. Not bad, huh? Of course, learning from Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Qatar launched a series of investments in tourism, which, combined with the simultaneous lifting of visas for 25% of the world’s countries, will propel the tourism sector forward. <

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A New Dawn

E C O N O MIC COOPERATION

Strategic ties to be established

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erbia and Qatar are textbook examples of complementary economies.

Everything that we have, Qatar lacks: water, arable land a pleasant climate. And vice versa, they have a transport network and money to invest.

But both have tourists who will enjoy the other country’s unusual landscapes: the green lush valleys of Serbia and splendid ochre landscapes of Qatar. It seems that a good joint venture is on the horizon.

EASTERN DOORS And Serbia seems to be opening its Eastern doors successfully. After China and the Emirates, Turkey and Qatar are now willing to be the “next big thing” in Serbian foreign trade policy. Last year saw then-President of Serbia Tomislav Nikolić head a meeting on enhancing economic relations between Serbia and Qatar. Speaking on that occasion, Nikolić “proposed establishing a joint commission of the two countries,” reported agency Tanjug, quoting a presidential press service statement. According to Nikolić, that commission would “define concrete areas where there is interest and possibilities for comprehensive cooperation” after which he added that “economic cooperation between the two

countries is insufficiently developed and the volume of trade is very modest, considering the possibilities of the two economies”. Current Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić met in Belgrade this January with Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdullahman bin Jassim Al-Tani, saying that Serbia could offer a lot to investors from that country.

AGRICULTURE, SPAS, WATER, IT, WEAPONS Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić said that the trade exchange between the two countries, totalling between seven

Trade exchange between the two countries, totalling between seven and eight million dollars a year

and eight million dollars a year, pointed out that “only after Al Thani's historic visit could we establish the true basis of the two countries for true cooperation in the period ahead”. He specified that this would relate to the fields of agriculture, information technology, health and health tourism, energy and the military industry, and that these topics will be discussed in the future by the mixed committee of the two governments for economic cooperation that is being formed.

It has also been emphasised that agriculture could be among the pillars of the Serbian-Qatari economic cooperation, given that Qataris are willing to invest in Serbia’s arable land.

Another thing Qatar is lacking is fresh water, including spas and mineral springs. It was with this in mind that the Serbian government prepared prospectuses for all companies able to cooperate with Qatar companies, especially prospectuses for 36 spas that are in the process of being privatised and which are interesting to Qatari companies. These spas could be revitalised according to the highest standards and could also provide a permanent basis for the influx of Qatari and other Middle-Eastern or Arabic tourists who are keen to enjoy Serbia’s mild climate and abundance of mineral spas. It is worth noting that the Qatar Investment Fund has $170 billion and that this small country is seeking places to make its investment, while the current pressure from neighbours can only open “the western doors” for Qataris. <

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We Bring People Together The national carrier of the State of Qatar continues to demonstrate growth, innovation and excellence with the clear message of always putting the passenger first through product innovation and customer experience CORPORATE

DAILY FLIGHTS TO BELGRADE FROM 01 AUGUST 2017 – FIVE YEARS OF OPERATION Qatar Airways, the national carrier of the State of Qatar, is celebrating 20 years of Going Places Together with travelers across its more than 150 business and leisure destinations. Qatar Airways is pleased to announce that it has added additional three flights to its Belgrade route starting 01 August 2017, bringing the total number of weekly flights to 7 between Doha and the Serbian capital. The airline, which in November will celebrate 5 years of direct service to Bel-

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grade, first began flying to the Serbian capital in 2012. The launch of the additional frequency to Belgrade comes at a time when Qatar Airways is accelerating its expansion plans in Eastern Europe, with services to Skopje, Prague, Kiev and Sarajevo.

Belgrade is served by an Airbus A320 aircraft, featuring 12 seats in Business Class and 132 seats in Economy Class.

The aircraft offers individual seatback television screens providing all passengers with the latest-generation, interactive Qatar Airways’ on board entertainment system, Oryx One, in-flight entertainment system offers passengers up to 3,000 entertainment options from the latest blockbuster movies, TV box sets, music, games and much more.

GOING PLACES TOGETHER FLY TO MORE THAN 150 DESTINATIONS WITH QATAR AIRWAYS

Serbian passengers are also eligible now to apply online for Tourist Visa for Qatar

Qatar Airways currently serves more than 150 destinations worldwide, across Americas, Asia and Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. During the fiscal year 2017, the airline continued to build its global network, adding 10 new destinations: Adelaide, Australia; Atlanta, United States; Auckland, New Zealand; Helsinki, Finland; Krabi, Thailand; Marrakech, Morocco; Pisa, Italy; Mahé, Seychelles; Windhoek, Namibia; and Yerevan, Armenia. The airline has also announced that it will launch a record num-

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ber of 24 new destinations in the next year, including exciting cities such San Francisco, United States; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; and Santiago, Chile.

QATAR AIRWAYS - AIRLINE OF THE YEAR AT THE 2017 SKYTRAX AWARDS For the fourth time this year Qatar Airways has been named as Airline of the Year at the prestigious 2017 Skytrax World Airline Awards, at the Paris Air Show, Qatar Airways has been given this global recognition as the world’s best airline. In addition to being voted Best Airline by travelers from around the world, Qatar’s national carrier also won a raft of other major awards, including Best Airline in the Middle East, World’s Best Business Class and World’s Best First Class Airline Lounge. Qatar Airways' home and hub, Hamad International Airport, was this year also rated five-star by Skytrax, one of only six in the world to be given this recognition. Qatar Airways previously won the title of the World’s Best Airline in 2011, 2012 and 2015.

QSUITE – FIRST IN BUSINESS The global airline, which was last year voted as having the World’s Best Business Class, Best Business Class Lounge and Best Airline Staff Service in the Middle East, continues to exceed expectations with its global expansion strategy and product development, including the recent launch of its new, innovative and award-winning Business Class experience, Qsuite. Qsuite, patented by Qatar Airways, features the industry’s first-ever double flatbed available in Business Class, with privacy panels that stow

away, allowing passengers in adjoining seats to create their own private room.

Adjustable panels and movable TV monitors on the center four seats allows colleagues, friends or families travelling together to transform their space into a private suite, allowing them to work, dine and socialize together. These new features provide the ultimate customizable travel experience that enables passengers to create an environment that suits their own unique needs.

QATAR AIRWAYS HUB – HAMAD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Qatar Airways’ success relies on the support of its home and hub in Doha, Hamad International Airport, which was opened in 2014 and now processes more than 38 million passengers a year. As a testament to its design and efficiency, the state-of-the-art airport was classified as a Five-Star airport by Skytrax at its 2017 World Airport Awards, becoming the first ever Middle East airport to achieve this honor.

A N N O U N CE ME N T

ADDITIONAL FLIGHTS Qatar Airways is pleased to announce that it has added additional three flights to its Belgrade route starting 01 August 2017, bringing the total number of weekly flights to 7 between Doha and the Serbian capital.

fare charges. Serbian passengers are also eligible now to apply online for Tourist Visa for Qatar. Applications can be made a maximum of 90 days or minimum of 4 working days prior to travel.

QATAR AIRWAYS ANNUAL REVENUE HAS INCREASED BY 10.4 PER CENT In the mid-June, Qatar Airways released its annual report for the fiscal year 2017 (April 1st 2016 to March 31st 2017) revealing a 21.7 per cent year-on-year net profit increase. The results also show an annual revenue increase of 10.4 per cent.

This is an outstanding result for the award-winning airline, which has experi-

TOURIST AND TRANSIT VISA FOR QATAR The visa products that have been introduced by the state of Qatar and Qatar Airways aim to give the opportunity to the passengers to explore Qatar on their journey or as the final destinations. The passengers from Serbia now can enrich their journey and transit through Doha on their flight with Qatar Airways. The passengers can enjoy the Transit Visa free of cost when they add a short transit or stopover between five and 96 hours in Doha to their itinerary without any additional

enced a busy year of expansion and investment, as well as celebrating its 20th anniversary in the global aviation industry. Qatar Airways’ Available Seat Kilometers (ASK) increased by 21.9 per cent in the fiscal year 2017, to 185,208 million. During the fiscal year 2017, Qatar Airways has made significant investments and partnerships; launched 10 new destinations; announced industry-changing on-board product developments and expanded its modern fleet to 196 aircraft. <

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Sport and News...

Pearls and poems

SPIRIT

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spreading the sails, diving and rowing the boats. Collective singing was an integral part of each pearling trip, and each ship had a designated singer, known locally as al naham.

ART Art is always where the money is, so it’s little wonder why art currently abounds in the Emirates and Qatar. Art exhibitions were held under the auspices of the Ministry of Education until 1972, whereupon the state began providing its full support to the art scene. The Qatari Fine Arts Society was established in 1980, with the objective of promoting the works of Qatari artists. And it has enjoyed lots of success indeed.

Interestingly, the tradition of equal representation of men and women in arts is still present in Qatar, like in the pre-Islamic times, as opposed to the minor role of women in many neighbouring countries. This is especially visible in poetry, which is something of which Qataris are very proud. They also really like their folk music. And the music itself is also strongly associated with the sea. Songs related to pearl diving are the most popular genre of male folk music. Each song, varying in rhythm, narrates a different activity of the pearling trip, including

SPORT Qatar, as officially the richest country in the world, took an interesting step, together with Bahrain and Turkey, in luring foreigners to compete under the flag of Qatar, granting them fantastic training conditions. Now, surprisingly, Qatar is a superpower in athletics and handball!

Okay, it could be said that their national male handball team is a bit of a “Foreign Legion”, but the World Championships and Qatari success led to the massive popularisation of this sport in Qatar, so in a decade or so we will probably see a successful Qatari national team composed mainly of Qataris. The 2022 Football World Cup also gives a twofold opportunity to Qatar: to create architectural marvels in the shape of stadiums, which will be covered and air-conditioned, and to force lots of money into football schools, since in football it is impossible to hire foreigners who have played official international matches for other national teams. And football will be on show in a place with harsh conditions, which is unusual for major events of this kind. After South Africa and Russia, after Japan and South Korea, football will arrive in the Arabian Peninsula in 2022, thus marking an important step in the history of the sport.

atar decided a few decades ago to become a transport hub, with its Qatar Airways, a sport superpower, investing large sums in sport and luring foreign athletes to become Qatari and spur the local sport (predominantly those who did not have good training conditions in their home countries), and now, after the lifting of visa restrictions for citizens of 80 countries, the culture of Qatar is set to become even more international.

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And let's not forget Al-Jazeera, the country’s first ever successful commercial TV news station, which even has a local headquarters in the Balkans and also broadcasts in the Serbian language (the headquarters are logically located in Sarajevo, as the Muslim centre of the Balkans). After all accusations for the World Cup or Al-Jazeera, these two seem quite solid in their resistance. <

The tradition of equal representation of men and women in arts is still present in Qatar, like in the pre-Islamic times

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Arabic and Maritime Bedouins at the crossroads

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t is easy to say that Qatari culture is strongly influenced by traditional Bedouin culture, but there's something more to it. Namely, after the Greeks, Phoenicians and Romans ruled the Mediterranean Sea in antiquity, the Arabs from the heart of the Arabian Peninsula conquered half of the shored of the Mediterranean. And guess what? They were not a maritime people. With the exception of the strong Phoenician influence in Lebanon, and Berbers (sometimes event to the extent of piracy) in Algeria and Morocco, all other Arabs were fixed to the shores, rather than exploiting the vast blue… but not in the Persian Gulf, where some other Arabs lived, sea-loving ones.

MARINE ARABS This is quite evident in both the Qatari flag and emblem. Namely, in the 19th century the traditional flag of all Arabic states in the Persian Gulf was defaced by a white stripe by the hoist. Dubai did it, Abu Dhabi did it, and Qatar did it too.

It’s just the Qatari design was the most interesting, with a zig-zag pattern. The British wanted to differentiate peaceful,

CULTURE

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INFLUENCES Apart from this maritime influence, which is somehow seldom connected with Arabs, there are more diverging influences in Qatari culture: India influenced a lot, as did East Africa and, of course, as elsewhere in the Persian Gulf, Persia itself, today's Iran.

friendly boats from dangerous ones, and they wanted all the peaceful emirates to add the white stripe. Qatar already had many boats at sea – boats called dhows, featured on the national emblem and traditionally used for fishing and pearl-hunting.

Apart from this maritime influence, which is somehow seldom connected with Arabs, there are more diverging influences in Qatari culture: India influenced a lot, as did East Africa and, of course, as elsewhere in the Persian Gulf, Persia itself, today's Iran. It is said that “the peninsula's harsh climatic conditions compelled its inhabitants to turn to the sea for sustenance”. Thus there is a distinct emphasis placed on the sea in local culture. Themes of literature and folklore are often related to marine activities. The sea is a focal point in Qatar, as opposed to, for instance, Saudi Arabia, where the desert shaped minds.

ally assimilated into the country's culture during the oil era. The spectacular Museum of Islamic Art, however, articulates the most prominent tendencies in Qatari culture. Calligraphy still rules, but that does not apply to private individuals. Qatar was revealed to be the world's biggest art buyer in 2011 by The Art Newspaper. And they buy figurative art, but for their homes.

As for Qatari cuisine, the country’s position on such an interesting crossroads, with Indian and Persian influences, has led to Qatari cuisine being very tasty. Qatari cuisine, thus, reflects traditional Arabic and Levantine cuisine.

It is so strange that, since is it a country between the desert and the sea, seafood and dates are nutritional staples. Machbūs, a meal consisting of rice, meat and vegetables, is the national dish. <

ORAL ARTS Islam, especially non-Shia versions, prohibits figurative arts, so such artists had to go elsewhere to find a way to express themselves. Thus, oral arts like poetry and singing were historically more prevalent than painting – though calligraphy and ornamental art in painting became prominent. Architecture, especially in connection with repetitive patterns, also flourished, while the fact that geometric patterns are ideal for textile design meant that this form flourished too. Figurative arts were gradu-

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Visit Qatar Cosmopolitan and traditional

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atar wants to be a new Middle-Eastern hub, for both the economy and tourism. And after the global success of Qatar Airways, and the recent addition of 80 world countries to its visa-free regime list, Qatar is combatting sanctions in a most productive way: opening doors (yet more proof that sanctions don't work and push the sanctioned towards the opposite side). Qatar is thus opening up rapidly, while reduced promotional prices and unwanted media coverage brought this country, paradoxically, under the spotlight of tourists.

Many who’d never previously even considered visiting it have now started making plans to visit Qatar! Here's a short list of what they could see there.

According to Visit Qatar, there are many hotspots we should recommend.

The Pearl-Qatar is a man-made island off the Western Bay coast that features Mediterranean-style yacht-lined marinas, residential towers, villas and hotels, as well as luxury shopping at boutiques and showrooms with top brand names. A popular dining spot, the Pearl’s waterfront promenades are lined with cafés and restaurants serving every taste – from refreshing ice cream to a five-star dining experience. The Pearl is a popular visitor attraction thanks to its chic elegance and inviting description as the ‘Arabian Riviera’. Well, by repeating Dubai’s successful steps, Qatar seems to be a good pupil that will surpass the teacher at some point.

Under the ambitious five-year development plan of the Qatar Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (QTEA), the government aimed to boost visitor number from 964,000 in 2007 to 1.5 million by 2010. And they succeeded! The funding required to meet this goal was present in sufficient amounts; in 2008 the state allocated some $17bn for tourism development up to 2014, most of which was

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TOUR ISM

allocated for hotels, exhibition spaces and infrastructure. In order to keep pace with the increasing number of visitors, the government set the goal of increasing hotel capacity by 400% by 2012, according to the facts.

Not everything is for lovers of the new. The old-Arabic-lovers will have their shot, too. Located on Qatar’s northwest coast, and comprising the immaculately restored Al Zubarah Fort and surrounding 60-hectare archaeological works, this UNESCO World Heritage site is one of the region’s most extensive and best preserved examples of an 18th–19th century settlement. It covers the remains of a walled coastal town that once ranked among the Gulf’s most important pearl diving and trading centres, with links extending to the Indian Ocean. The fort houses a visSPOTLIGHT

MAKING PLANS Qatar is opening up rapidly, while reduced promotional prices and unwanted media coverage brought this country, paradoxically, under the spotlight of tourists. Many who’d never previously even considered visiting it have now started making plans to visit Qatar!

itor centre. The touch of the Orient can be seen in the old market of Doha, which resembles those in Cairo or Morocco. A stroll down the bustling alleys of Souq Waqif provides an authentic taste of traditional commerce, architecture and culture. The labyrinth of small shops offers a dazzling array of Middle-Eastern merchandise, from spices and seasonal delicacies, to perfumes, jewellery, clothing, handicrafts and a treasure trove of souvenir bargains, according, once again, to Visit Qatar. Let us not forget the pearls of nature here, which are not only the spectacular sunsets over the desert and the sea. Purple Island, as one of Qatar’s main attractions, is a fish-shaped island dotted with several low limestone cliffs around its coastline and a mangrove forest rich in various species of fish. <

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Magical Doha

R EPORTAGE

by RUĹ˝ A R I STA N OV I Ä&#x2020;

Apart from economic growth, Qatar has been experiencing a tremendous social, individual, technological and scientific growth in the last 20 years

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y first encounter with Doha was actually my first encounter with the new Emir of Qatar who was just appointed ruler. Qatar is a small country, with only 1.9 million people. It became an absolute monarchy back in 1971 when it declared its dependence. The mother of the young emir, Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned plays an important role on the political stage in Qatar, is an active participant in the Qatari government, and officially represents Qatar, along with her husband, at all major global events.

She presides over the Qatar Foundation, and takes a huge credit for development of the role that women play in the Qatari government. She also plays an important role in the country's education.

Close to 15,000 women study at the Qatar University each year. I was fascinated by the fact that a woman has such a power and might in an Arabic country, and that she is the driving force behind female issues in the society.

The newly constructed neighbourhood, and a part of the city, known for its business quarter called West Bay, which the locals call Doha Manhattan.

This is the business centre of Doha, with

many skyscrapers, all tall, beautiful and fantastically lit. At night, there are searchlights everywhere, showcasing the dance between colours and shadows.

The popular shopping centre, Villaggio Mall is decorated in the Venetian style, with canals and gondolas that you can ride in. The biggest and the most expensive shops of the most popular and the most luxurious global brands dominate the shopping centre.

In order to honour the importance of his country's development, in 1995, the then Emir founded the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development. Our guide says that the Emir had a vision back then that even a small development of each Qatari would contribute to a greater development of Qatar. The Qatar Foundation invests in many areas with the view of advancing each segment of the society.

Schooling is free for all Qataris, and even foreigners can apply for scholarships. Doha has science centres for biomedical, energy, technological and clinical research. The country also invests in the development of cultural life, it nurtures a progressive society, and protects cultural heritage.

The popular shopping centre, Villaggio Mall is decorated in the Venetian style, with canals and gondolas that you can ride in

The Katara Village was opened in 2010. The Tribeca Film Festival was held there the same year. In an effort to help with the development of this village and the cultural activities in Doha, Sheikha Mozah invited two hundred artists from all over the globe, from the world of music, painting, film and theatre, to come to the village throughout the year, and stage exhibitions, concerts and plays. The village is also home to the Qatari Society for Engineers, Qatar Fine Arts Society, Visual Art Centre, Qatar Photographic Society, Childhood Cultural Centre, Theatre Society and Qatar Music Academy.

And just as I thought that I was beyond the point of being fascinated any more, we had lunch at the famous Doha Pearl artificial island, which spans 4 million square metres and was built on the former pearl site. Qatar used to be one of the biggest exporter of pearls to Asia, until it was bumped up by the Japanese. Hence the name of the island which resembles a string of pearls. By the way, Doha was included on Forbes' list of the top 15 cities for doing business in the world.

Souq Waqif is a market, an amalgamation of various cultures and peoples that live in Qatar. There is a wide variety of restaurants here. The food in Doha is delicious and the best chefs in the world cook in the city's restaurants. Nobody is left indifferent by the combination of different tastes from different world cuisines, whether we are talking about lunches or dinners. Still, Qatar has the least number of obese people in the world.

The Museum of Islamic Art is uniquely designed building, an work of art of the famous Chinese architect, Leoh Ming Pei who, before he designed the building, had travelled Islamic countries for six months, studying Islamic art and history in order to get an inspiration. The museum's collection is thought to be one of the most comprehensive collections of Islamic artifacts in the world that econompasses the findings from Spain, Egypt, Turkey, Iraq, Iran and India.

Horse racing is a very popular sport in Doha and is considered a real sensation. Betting is strictly forbidden, but good fun is guaranteed. Apart from horses, Qatari love birds, particularly falcons.

These animals are considered status symbols, and they are shipped from Uzbekistan, Iran and the town of Kikinda. Yes, our Kikinda.

My impressions of Qatar are many and have been building up for years. I know one thing for sure â&#x20AC;&#x201C; as soon as I perfect my Arabic, I am going back to magical Doha. <

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