Campus Nov-Dec 2012

Yousuf Jassem Al-Darwish

Sindhu Nair rory coen ola DIAB abigail Mathias

Venkat Reddy M Hanan Abu Saiam

Sandeep Sehgal Alpana Roy Ravi Raman

Zulfikar Jiffry thomas Jose Chaturka Karandana

Hassan rekkab emily landry

dona fernandes

Pratap Chandran Bikram Shrestha Arjun Timilsina Bhimal Rai

Ayush Indrajith maheshwar reddy b

N O V e m b e r - D E C EM b e r 2 0 1 2 Muhammad Ali once said, “Prejudice comes from being in the dark; sunlight disinfects it.” Does prejudice play a part in your life or the lives of others you know? This issue, CAMPUS, looks into racial, religious and cultural tolerance. There’s more–Get a glimpse of TEDx behind the scenes, and get acquainted with filmmakers participating in the “MADE IN qatar” segment of dtff – Lyrics Revolt, Bader, Omrah with Friends and Ghazil. Winter holidays are just around the corner and we’ve got the latest style and health tips to get you ready for the holidays.

Happy reading and happy holidays!

Address all your correspondence to CAMPUS, Oryx Advertising Co WLL, P.O. Box 3272; Doha-Qatar Tel: (+974) 44672139, 44550983, 44671173, 44667584, -Fax:(+974)44550982, email: campus@omsqatar.com. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. The publisher does not accept responsibility for advertising contents. Licensing/Republishing CAMPUS content: To obtain permission for text syndication in books, newsletters, magazines, newspapers and web or to use images/pictures carried in CAMPUS, please contact our syndication & licensing department on the numbers given above. Permission is also required to photocopy a CAMPUS article for classroom use, course packs, business or general use. Custom reprints: Any of the previously published article/s to be used as stand-alone pieces can be reprinted by us on special request. The reprint cost is based on the length of the article and the quantity ordered. Contact our custom publishing division on the numbers given above for more information.Previous issues (January 2004 onwards) of CAMPUS are available for sale, contact our Library department. To subscribe to CAMPUS call our subscription department on the numbers given above.

Published by Oryx Advertising Co WLL, P.O. Box 3272; Doha-Qatar Tel: (+974) 44672139, 44550983, 44671173, 44667584 Fax: (+974) 44550982 email: campus@omsqatar.com website: www.omsqatar.com

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Is Qatar An Inclusive Country?

Qatar is definitely not a melting pot, but is it really a beautiful mosaic? CAMPUS asks you

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Qatar’s Got Talent

From their classrooms to the red carpet, students and recent graduates of Qatar talk to Campus about their walk on the red carpet as their films go up on the big screens of DT FF.

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Dress Code Sparks Mixed Reactions

Qatar University’s new dress code sets off mixed reactions .

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Get the look Trendy Looks for Winter 2012

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Patience and forgiveness is crucial Campus talks to experts on advice about dealing with prejudice.

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Demi Lovato Finding Power in Music

All is fair in Love

Campus puts the spotlight on couples who’ve worked through their racial and religious differences for the sake of love.

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The Business Guru CAMPUS learns how Ahmed Al-Kaabi, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Mawashi, went from a local success story to a regional business guru.

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TEDxEducation City

November 17 is a big day for TEDxYouth@ Doha and CAMPUS gets a glimpse of what’s behind the scenes

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AIESEC Qatar Foundation: Producing Leaders

CAMPUS talks to AIESEC Qatar Foundation, winner of EC Outstanding Educational Program 2011-2012 award

CAMPUS NEWS

WCMC-Q Celebrates

10th Anniversary

W

eill Cornell Medical College in Qatar (WCMC-Q) has celebrated its 10-year anniversary on October 13.

Since it started academic operations in 2002, the college has created 112 new doctors, established a world-class biomedical team.

WCMC-Q remains the only college to offer an American M.D degree outside of the country. It has been able to do this by applying the same rigorous admissions standards and

curriculum as its parent campus in New York.

As well as having graduated 112 doctors from 24 nations across the world, the college has entered into partnerships with Hamad Medical Corporation, Sidra Medical and Research Center and Aspetar sports and orthopedic hospital.

These relationships ensure that students gain practical experience of treating patients but also encourage them to remain in institutions in Qatar. WCMC-Q now has a

Georgetown University SFSQ wins the first Qatar Universities Debating League Tournament

T

he School of Foreign Service in Qatar (SFS-Q) students earned Georgetown the first place in the tournament with 19 points at the first of the monthly Qatar Universities Debate League (QUDL) tournaments at the College of the North Atlantic in Qatar. Students from seven universities took part in the debate. Georgetown University SFS-Q’s Debate Club members carried the win home. Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar (CMU-Q) followed at 17 points and the Weill Cornell Medical School in Qatar (WCMC-Q) at 16.

Arwa Elsanosi Mohamed, the president of the Georgetown Debate Club and a seasoned debater in her third-year at SFS-Q, expressed her appreciation of the tournament’s wellorganized structure and relevant and interesting motions. “It was great to see fellow debaters again,” she said, “we were very excited and eager to reconnect and catch up on the events of last year”.

Organized by Qatar Debate, the QUDL provides university students the opportunity to develop their debating skills and practice their passion for debating in a friendly, educational and professional environment. In addition to participation in debates, Qatar Debate offers the opportunity for students to train for judging.

Motions range from intervention in Syria to a mandatory salary to the homemaker. The debates touch on contemporary social, political and economic issues, and are a means of staying connected to current news and trends.

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research program comprising of 28 active research laboratories that target multiple areas of biomedical research. This provides significant breadth to tackle complex diseases such as diabetes, obesity and related cardiovascular illnesses. T he research division successfully bids for millions of dollars of funding annually and is already producing cutting-edge results with work published extensively in peer-reviewed journals.

ACS International School Celebrates its First Anniversary in Doha

A

CS Doha International School celebrates its first anniversary in Qatar.

The school has gone through a significant expansion in its first year with student enrolment more than doubling to well over 750, and staff numbers reaching 100. This is almost twice the number employed by the school in June 2011. Thirty more classrooms and office spaces were also furnished and opened over the summer for the 2012/13 academic year.

The school has set up the Parent-School Organisation (PSO), headed by the PSO Board which continually works to achieve these aims by, among others things, organising and facilitating numerous activities, events, and projects throughout the school year. This year The Student Council was established, including representatives from each grade to provide a democratic voice for all of the students at ACS Doha.

With the High School also opening this year - with two full classes in Grade 9 benefitting from an expertly resourced, solid academic programme and with Grades 10, 11, and 12 scheduled to open in subsequent years - ACS Doha is now working towards accreditation for the prestigious IB Middle Years and Diploma Programmes (its achievement in gaining ‘candidate school’ status for each of these was yet another success in its opening year).

College of North Atlantic in Qatar Celebrates 10th Anniversary

C

NA-Q celebrates their 10th anniversary in six-event celebrations spread throughout the year.

The festivities kicked off in the CNA-Q campus on October 8 with a commemorative presentation designed to showcase the college’s history, achievements, and the people behind the vision. CNA-Q introduced the college’s “10 Year Committee,” the key people behind the college’s vision and growth, where the 10th Anniversary slate of events was revealed throughout the school year, as well as the new logo.

On October 20, the college hosted a Family Day at the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) Park. Family Day consisted of entertainment, outdoor games and activities for children and adults, and a range of international cuisine.

On 5-7 April 2013, CNA-Q will host a conference at Qatar National Convention Center (QNCC) called “Global Innovators 2013: Leading and Learning in Technical and Vocational Education,” to gather the world’s leading practitioners in technical and vocational education (T VET). Global innovators will offer its delegates and exhibitors an environment in which to experience novel and pragmatic approaches to T VET strategies, techniques, methodologies and tools.

CNA-Q will also hold a charity event involving students in raising funds to benefit a local charity. The college is also holding a National Skills Competition, involving students from all of CNA-Q disciplines.

The two-day event will feature students competing in over 40 judged competitions specific to their areas of study. The college’s festivities will conclude with a 10th Anniversary Gala in May 2013.

VCU-Q Presents ‘Towards a Postdisciplinary Practice: Design Education in Cultural Crisis’ As part of the Crossing Boundaries Lecture Series, Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar (VCU-Q) presents a lecture by British designer and technology researcher, Matt Ward, entitled ‘Towards a Post-disciplinary Practice: Design Education in Cultural Crisis’ on October 24, 2012 at VCU-Q. In his lecture, Ward investigated the development of a post-disciplinary approach to design within higher education. “Drawing on a range of projects, briefs and workshops developed at Goldsmiths over the last ten years I shall propose a radical pedagogy that looks for a new role for design in the 21st Century.”

Ward also conducted a workshop with faculty at VCU-Q on critical design as an approach to design education where he focused on two factors: definitions, approaches and benefits to critical design education; and curriculum development - how to structure a curriculum to support a critical approach to design. “I met Matt Ward two years ago at the suggestion of Fiona Raby, a speaker at VCU-Q’s last Tasmeem conference. I was truly impressed by his students’ works which is undergraduate level. It is critical and conceptual as well as high quality,” said Line Christiansen, director of the Foundation program at VCU-Q. “My interest in Matt’s visit is to draw from the knowledge and experience that he has gained with his critical design courses and stir a debate and hopefully an interest in understanding critical design.”

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Is an inclusive country? “We become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams�

Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the USA

Though Jimmy Carter was addressing the American population, his words are relevant to the entire human kind today. Home to more than 1.8 million people, Qatar is one of the most multicultural countries in the world.

The Muslim country embraces 8-10% Christians, 7-12% Hindus, 5% Buddhists and 1% of other religions. According to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Arabs make up the largest ethnic group in the country by 40%, followed by 18% Indians, 18% Pakistanis, 10% Iranians and 14% of other nationalities.

Qatar is definitely not a melting pot but is it a beautiful mosaic?

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CAMPUS speaks to: Jassim Kunji

19, Qatari, Northwestern University in Qatar

Asma Ajroudi

21, Tunisian, Northwestern University in Qatar

Salwa Farooq

17, Indian, MES Indian School in Qatar

Yousra Khalil

21, Sudan, Carnegie Melon University in Qatar

Shahab Usmani

22, Pakistan, Texas A&M University in Qatar

When you first moved to Qatar, did you find it hard adjusting to the culture here?

Asma Ajroudi I found it very easy to blend in as I used to live in Abu Dhabi before I moved to Qatar and so the culture was pretty much the same. I was already comfortable with mingling with different nationalities.

Salwa Farooq I was born in India. I used to attend a school there. When I first moved to Qatar, I was 12 years old and I found the culture here very different. In India, I was with the people of the Indian culture, but in Qatar it is different. So many people reside here from various backgrounds and nationalities. There is a unique ethos that’s thus formed within the Qatari culture.

Jassim Kunji I didn’t find it difficult at all to adjust to the culture here. Part of that might be that I’d visited Qatar for month or two, every other year, so I had some basic preconceptions about what it would be like. However, I think the factor that led me to immerse myself in Qatari culture is I found it to be much more compatible with my personal views on how life should be.

Shahab Usmani Yousra Khalil Not at all, because I used to live in Saudi Arabia before moving to Qatar. Also, I come from an Arab culture and I’m also a Muslim, so it wasn’t very difficult to adjust.

Not so much. I come from Pakistan and being a Muslim country it is very easy to adapt to another Muslim country. I guess the only thing I had to adapt to was the fast driving.

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How well do you bond with the locals and with people of other nationalities or religions in Qatar?

Jassim Kunji

By virtue of being half Qatari and having lived outside the country for most of my life, I’ve been able to bond fairly well with both Qataris and non-Qataris. I think that any meaningful interaction usually results in some sort of bonding, which seems to be the challenge for people in establishing that first contact. For myself, that wasn’t much of a problem, as I first met a lot of my friends, both Qatari and expatriates, through my family, football, or university.

Salwa Farooq It really easy to bond with the people here in Qatar. As far as I’ve encountered, Qataris are very kind people and they are hospitable. Other cultures mix in and make my stay here exciting. It’s becoming a great experience for me.

I’m okay with everyone, whether locals or expats. I really don’t look into nationalities or religions when I meet new people. I have friends from different countries and with different religious beliefs, and I’m fine with it.

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As I said it was easy for me to bond with the other nationalities. I wasn’t really in contact with any locals until high school, when I moved to a Qatari high school. I would have to admit though, it was difficult. I come from a very Westernized culture - the Tunisian culture. And so I feel locals have always judged me based on that perception. I also felt that locals didn’t really like mingling with other nationalities. The Qatari school I went to was a private one and so it was mainly dominated by expat students. Qatari students stayed in closed circles all the time.

Shahab Usmani

Yousra Khalil

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Asma Ajroudi

2012

Now it is pretty easy. I always thought I could bond easily and that is pretty much the case.

The locals are very hospitable and other religions never bothered me so I am friendly with everyone. Also I came with the mentality that I will have to be friends with different religions so it hasn’t been difficult.

Do you find yourself choosing friends based on race, culture or faith?

Jassim Kunji

I don’t think you choose real friends, per say. All friends start as acquaintances, and you form a more meaningful relationship with the people whose company you enjoy and you get along with. By that token, the only part that race, culture, or religion have in friendships is that they can sometimes be a basis of shared experiences. It’s never occurred to me that I’ve become or not become friends with someone, based on those characteristics.

Shahab Usmani Not at all. Everyone is my friend and I don’t try to discriminate. I guess in this globalized world, you cannot afford to discriminate!

Salwa Farooq I make friends based on how the friendship will last. Race, color or religion do not mark my friendship. If a person is willing to understand me and I understand them, we connect. Personal opinions and differences of people are necessary to make the friendship long lasting.

I don’t really choose friends based on anything! One of my best friends is a British girl and we get along very well. At the end of the day, it is the friendship that matters and not race, culture or faith. I learned to respect everyone no matter how different they are from me!

Asma Ajroudi

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How do you deal with stereotypes?

Asma Ajroudi Jassim Kunji The aspect of stereotypes that people often forget is that they’re not always a negative thing, sometimes they can be helpful. That being said, I was taught as a child and again as a journalist to take everything with a pinch of salt. It’s crucial to make the effort to look beyond stereotypes to get to the truth.

Yousra Khalil I think stereotypes are everywhere and not just in Qatar. I don’t take stereotypes too seriously; sometimes I even make stereotypes about myself or my friends just for fun and nothing serious. I know they’re not true, because you can’t judge everyone on one individual, unfortunately some people strongly believe in them. Basically, it’s ignorance and lack of education that leads to stereotypes, so I don’t care when someone bases a stereotype on me because i know that they’re just not educated.

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Well, I don’t really care about stereotypes. I just do my own thing based on what I think is right or wrong.

Do you think Qatar is religiously, culturally or ethnically tolerant country?

Salwa Farooq

Jassim Kunji I’ve heard people criticize Qatar for being intolerant quite often, which is frankly absurd when it’s placed in the proper context. There are numerous instances in history and the present that you can look at where a country’s native populace reacts caustically to the presence of large immigrant communities. In Qatar, the population of non-Qataris has increased massively in a relatively small period of time, to the point where they form not just a significant minority, but indeed the large majority of the population. In attempting to preserve its culture, Qatar may have placed some limits on the actions of people, but the remarkable thing is actually the high level of tolerance afforded to everyone.

My personal opinion is Qatar should become more tolerant to involve people of different backgrounds to voice their opinions. People have the right to be silent, but in Qatar I feel they are silenced automatically. Most people are afraid to be different in their opinion. The only different opinions one can catch are inside classrooms, where Qatari and expat students and teachers speak their minds fearlessly.

Yousra Khalil Asma Ajroudi Well, this is a tricky question. From what I have seen, Qatar is not that tolerant. Just from observing how labor workers are treated every day, I don’t think anything can prove otherwise!

But at the same time, Qatar has some really nice, generous people who care about the labor workers and try to help them out. Also, because the population is very diverse, I feel people automatically learn how to respect other religions and cultures. So, I think the answer depends on specific situations.

Compared to many countries that I’ve been to, Qatar is definitely religiously, culturally, and ethnically tolerant to a fair extent. It accommodates so many religions and regards all of them in terms of public holidays and public holiday displays. For example, if you go abroad to any western country, you won’t really see a sign of Muslim holidays unless it’s from the Muslim community. However, in Qatar, people get holidays during Christmas and Eid, and public spaces put decorations that show the different holidays. Also the dress code in Qatar is moderate and easy to follow. I understand that it’s not completely free, but we also need to realize that this is a Muslim and Arab country and the topic of dress is sensitive and needs to be respected. I think the fact that Qatar has so many people of different religions and nationalities shows that it is tolerant.

Some people do experience discrimination against their nationality, race, or religion, but to be fair that happens everywhere. It all leads back to ignorance. Qatar should be more tolerant in terms of media. I don’t think people are ready for criticism just yet, and honestly if its constructive criticism, it’s really not a bad thing.

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What are your thoughts on antireligious or anti-racial conduct such as the recent anti-Islam film and the following anti-Islam publications?

Asma Ajroudi

Jassim Kunji

Conduct like the recent anti-Islam film, certainly is insulting, but more than that they are damaging to the entire idea of humanity. The best way to deal with things like that, though, are to ignore them, and show people the truth by living in a way that shows the idiocy of such false assertions.

Salwa Farooq First of all, it is stupid that anyone would want to insult a religion. What would one gain from that? I think Qatar is doing a great job with the new draft law for the removing the abuse of religion, but once again it simply means hindering the freedom of expression.

Religion is a personal thing so I don’t understand why people keep attacking each other on the terms of religious beliefs. I don’t think there’s one way to eradicate anti-religious conduct entirely, but we can start by educating people. The hate stems from ignorance, but to simply state a law isn’t really going to do much.

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Shahab Usmani I believe that this was a rather stupid step by Qatar [the new draft law] because this goes against a person’s freedom of speech. If we are adults we will just ignore such conducts. No matter what, it is their right to make a movie if they want to. If Qatar or any Islamic nation has a problem with it they can just ban the movie in the country. I would put freedom of speech above other things because it is a basic right.

Yousra Khalil

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Like any other Muslim, I was offended when I watched the trailer of the film. But then I realized I shouldn’t be offended because it’s a meaningless, amateur film that doesn’t represent my religion. The film is not an American film. It’s not a conspiracy theory against Arabs and Muslims. But, it’s the Muslims who started killing and vandalizing properties who gave this film fame and publicity. Killing innocent people over a stupid film would never better our image as Muslims. If anything, it made it worse. We should spread a good image of Islam. I really think there should be some sort of an international law that bans anti-religious and antiracial conduct. Instead of being angry over a disgusting film, we could produce a nice film portraying the real life of the Prophet (PBUH).

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Patience and forgiveness is crucial The recent anti-Islam film, produced in the US, triggered protests across the world, leaving many Muslims to flood the streets to show their disapproval. However, some of the protests turned violent, raising questions. CAMPUS talks to experts...

Multiculturalism Creates Tolerance

G

eoffrey Harkness is an Assistant Professor in Residence (sociology) with joint appointments at Northwestern University in Qatar and Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar. His research focuses on the interactive practices of youth cultures, and the role of context in shaping the content and character of youth culture and identity.

Cultural Barriers to Female Sports Participation in Qatar and Muslim Female Athletes and the Hijab are two of the most recent publications his research.

What impact do such antagonistic films have on societies whether Muslim or non-Muslim?

These types of products produce great social, cultural, and political tensions between Muslim and non-Muslim societies. When films such as Innocence of Muslims are widely viewed, they create immense tensions between countries in the West and Muslim countries in Middle-East, North Africa, and Asia.

What triggers racial and/or religious aggression or discrimination?

There are many contributing factors to racial and religious discrimination. They include large-scale social forces such as lack of education and political and cultural isolation, but also smaller issues such as learned racism. Studies have found that people who are discriminatory towards one group of people are often discriminatory

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towards other groups as well. These issues are rarely one-sided or static, but rather exist in a constant state of flux. For example, the global spread of capitalism can both contribute to and alleviate racial and religious aggression and discrimination. There are no easy answers.

Would you say people living in multicultural societies face a greater risk of discrimination than people living in monoculture societies? Why or why not?

In general, it has been found that multiculturalism, be it religious, racial, cultural or otherwise creates greater understanding and tolerance between people. Moving from a society that is monocultural to one that is culturally heterogeneous, however, is often a bumpy process, fraught with tension.

How can we promote tolerance in multicultural societies?

Education is generally the best path to tolerance. When people develop critical thinking skills and the ability to view issues from multiple perspectives, the outcome is typically greater tolerance and understanding.

How should people especially the youth deal with aggression in a multi-racial and multi-religious environment?

There are no easy answers, but patience and forgiveness are crucial.

Most of us are not born enlightened. Rather it is an ongoing journey.

It is important to remember that we are all at different stages of this journey, and that some are further along than others.

I think violence is not the right response but Muslims should respond because as I said, there are people who are trying to distort the image of Islam. Frankly, without the international campaign against the film and other anti-Islam publications then no one would have known about them.

Louay Safi, the director of the Center of Governance and Public Policy and professor of political science at University of Hamid Bin Khalifa in Qatar

Encourage dialogue

L

ouay M. Safi is the director of the Center of Governance and Public Policy and professor of political science at University of Hamid Bin Khalifa in Qatar. He writes and lectures on democracy, human rights, leadership, Islam and the West. He is the author of twelve books and numerous publications, including The Tensions and Transitions in the Muslim word (University Press of America, 2003) and the Qur’anic Narrative (Pragaer, 2009).

go and see it so we would be falling into the traps of the producers who want to publicize it through the efforts of others. A good response on the part of Muslims is to educate. They should engage in producing movies and developing programs and campaigns that correct the image of Islam. We need to be aware of the tensions and encourage dialogue to bring better understanding.

Much of our effort should go into that direction rather than reacting negatively.

What are your views on the anti-Islam film and the following anti-Islam publications?

Would you say 9/11 is the major cause of Islamophobia or there other factors that lead people to fear Islam?

The film was produced by a radical group in the US and these radical groups intend on denying Muslims particularly in the US access to the public. They hope they can marginalize Islam and Muslims. So every now and then, they try to provoke emotions, they try to distort facts and try to present Islam in a bad light, and so the film comes as part of that effort. Off course, the producer and the group that worked with him including the actors are not leading producers or actors, they are unknown. The film was produced a year ago but nobody knew about it until it was publicized by people in this part of the world.

Islamophobia has been in the West for centuries. It never died. We could always identify plays, novels and movies that try to distort the image of Islam and Muslims. Now, 9/11 gave Islamophobia the opportunity to promote bigotry in the west by trying to capitalize on public sentiments, and to generate support for their own campaign against Islam. September 11 has been a threshold.

Islamophobia is deeply rooted in certain segments of western society but not everybody in the west is Islamophobic. There are groups like the radicals and the zealots who have political motives.

These people have always been trying to produce negative material against Islam and Muslims.

Many call the response of Muslims to the anti-Islam film and cartoons as violent. Would you agree or disagree? In your opinion, how should Muslims respond to anti-Islam demeanor?

I think violence is not the right response but Muslims should respond because as I said, there are people who are trying to distort the image of Islam. Frankly, without the international campaign against the film and other anti-Islam publications then no one would have known about them. If the work is very obscure, Muslims shouldn’t respond globally because that will bring attention to the work and even those who have no interest in it will

Do you think Islam is the most targeted religion in the world?

The answer is complex. Some of it has to do with rivalry between religious groups. Other reasons have to do with politics. There are people who are not comfortable that there is such a huge number of Muslims living in the West so one way to counter it is to create fear and build pressure on the government to put a limit on the number of immigrants. These efforts have not been successful particularly in the US and Canada, where the Muslim community is thriving.

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All is

fairin

love

People from all over the world come to Qatar for business and economic purposes but some end up finding their soul mates. Campus puts the spotlight on couples who’ve worked through their racial and religious differences for the sake of love.

Palestinian Hussam Abdul-Karim and South African Tasneem Emeran got married in January 2012 in South Africa.

“I actually can’t believe it’s almost been a year, it feels like yesterday,” says the 21-year-old Tasneem.

The high-school sweethearts had a simple and intimate wedding in Cape Town. “It was more of a blend of who we are as people rather than a wedding depending on our nationality,” says the 23-year-old Hussam. Tasneem and he met when they were students at the Cambridge School in Doha, Qatar. “It was eight years ago, but we only became friends two years later, and eventually that friendship lead to us being a couple,” added Tasneem.

Hussam is no stranger to interracial marriages. He’s a son of a Palestinian father and Filipino mother. “I’ve had my share of seeing different cultures first hand,” he says. A few of Tasneem’s family members had their concerns about Hussam but these were forgotten when both the families met.

Their journey has been smooth though they did hit a few bumps along the way. Though they had a Muslim marriage in South Africa, the marriage wasn’t recognised as legal in the Middle East. “We definitely ran around a bit trying to sort that out, it was like having to get married over and over again, only minus the wedding celebration,” says Tasneem.

They spent months to become legally recognised as a married couple in the Middle East. “I think one of the reasons it’s so easy for us to be together is because religion always played a bigger role than culture,” says Tasneem.

Religion makes the bond stronger

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Cultural ariances add the spice Social gatherings are always a great way to meet new people, and that’s how Lebanese Wissam Hiraz and American Emily Landry found each other. “At first, I was a bit hesitant because I had only dated Arab girls previously, and I didn’t know how it would be to date a Western girl,” says 26-year-old Wissam.

“But there’s a lot I love about her, so her nationality isn’t an issue.” For Emily, “a good person is a good person, regardless of where he or she comes from.”

Wissam and Emily have been together for a year and their families already know of their relationship.

Similar to Wissam’s initial concerns, his parents preferred an Arabic-speaking girl because they don’t speak much English. “But they know how happy she makes me, which makes them happy as well and they cannot wait to meet her,” he says.

The couple, however, faced cultural differences.

“She really doesn’t like me to pay for everything, whereas in my culture the man always pays for the woman. But she said this makes her uncomfortable, so I had to get used to her treating me to things like coffee. We’ve just learned to try and find a middle ground, even if we don’t always agree,” says Wissam. “Cultural differences can provide the relationship with a very complimentary balance,” added Emily.

Love at first sight

Embracing differences

When Lebanese Mohamed Wehbi and British Sophie Wehbi first met, it was pure fate. Sophie was out celebrating a friend’s birthday and Mohamed was with a business client at Radisson Blu Hotel in Qatar. “I wasn’t looking to meet anyone but as my eyes caught Moe’s. I thought he looked handsome and kind,” says the 28-year-old Sophie.

“Shortly after that, we went for our first date at La Cigale,” she says. They fell in love instantly, leaving their religious and cultural differences behind. “My family is open-minded, and they always told me to choose the person I

want to be with,” says the 27-year-old Mohamed. Sophie’s family welcomed the union, too. They married in April 2012, in Loseley Park in England, which has a Lebanese Cedar tree outside. “A perfect venue for two nationalities coming together as one,” says Sophie.

The couple don’t only come from different countries but also have different beliefs. “I have learnt an incredible amount in regards to Islam from not only living in Qatar but also from marrying a Muslim man. I’ve started reading the Koran and listening to my husband’s teachings about the religion,” says Sophie, who is a Christian.

“My advice for couples are to respect each other’s culture because they are married to each other and not married to the culture,” says Mohamed. Sophie and he are already talking about having children and are open to the idea of their children following in their footsteps.

Half Omani and half Tanzanian Omran Al Siyabi and Bangladeshi Layla Asjar met through Omran’s sister, who is Layla’s friend. The couple have always been exposed to different cultures, so they were open to interracial relationships.

Layla’s family, however, needed to be convinced. “At first, my dad was a bit surprised and not fond of the idea of having an Arab son-in-law. But, Omran won my dad’s heart before our marriage and now they are best of friends,” says Layla. Omran’s family accepted Layla instantly.

When Omran and Layla made the decision to spend the rest of their lives together, it was

fairly easy until they went to the marriage council. “We had a long battle to get approval from the government. The permission came only after Omran and Layla ended up having a small wedding in Bangladesh in 2006, which a few of Layla’s relatives attended.

“They weren’t used to mixed marriages,” says Layla about her relatives. “They questioned him.” But, all their questions went away when they saw the strength of Omran and Layla’s relationship. “Ever since our union we have been discovering each other’s cultural ways, and we have found so many similarities and embraced our differences,” she says. Layla advises every interracial couple to stay strong.

“People and, sometimes, even the government make it hard to be together but if you’re in the relationship because you have found your soul mate then nothing else matters.

Things eventually fall into place,” she says.

Omran runs a construction company in Qatar and Layla is a rising fashion designer in Qatar.

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Go

Global Festivals With

All Saints’ Day

Also known as All Hallows’ Day or Hallowmas, All Saints’ Day is the day after Halloween. This day of feast is celebrated on November 1 by Anglicans and Roman Catholics to remember saints and martyrs, known and unknown, throughout Christian history. As part of this day of obligation, believers attend church and avoid any servile work. All Saints’ Day has been a Christian tradition since the 4th century AD to remember saints and martyrs, but it wasn’t until 609 AD, that Pope Boniface IV decided to remember all martyrs. Originally May 13 was the Feast of All Holy Martyrs. Later, in 837 AD, Pope Gregory IV extended the festival to remember all the saints and changed its name to Feast of All Saints and the date to November 1.

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All Souls’ Day

Marked on November 2 (or the 3rd, if the 2nd is a Sunday), Roman Catholics and Anglo-Catholic churches commemorate the faithful departed. They remember and pray for the souls of people who are in Purgatory, which is the state where those who have died atone for their less grave sins before being granted the vision of God in heaven called the Beatific Vision. Reasoning behind this belief is that when a soul leaves the body, it’s not entirely cleansed from the venial sins. However, through the power of prayer and self-denial, the faithful left on earth may be able to help these souls gain the Beatific Vision they seek, bringing the soul eternal sublime happiness.

Ramadan, Eid Al Fitr, Eid Al Adha, Easter, Christmas, New Year, Garangao and Halloween, are among the most popular holidays in the country. but T here other holidays and observances that have great significance to the residents of Qatar. Campus introduces you to a few of the world’s major holidays this November and December! Campus says go global and celebrate all the festivals...

Diwali

The Festival of Lights is an annual Hindu festival celebrated in October or November, depending on the Hindu calendar. This year, Diwali or Deepavali, meaning a row of lamps, falls on November 13. For Hindus, it’s one of the most important festivals of the year. The story of Diwali differs from one place to another. In India, the harvest festival marks the last harvest of the year before winter. India was an agricultural society where people would seek the divine blessing of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, as they closed their accounting books and prayed for success at the outset of a new financial year. Today, this practice extends to businesses all over the Indian subcontinent, which mark the day after Diwali as the first day of the new financial year. Family gatherings, glittering clay lamps, festive fireworks, strings of electric lights, bonfires, flowers, sharing of sweets, and the worship to Lakshmi symbolize the celebrations of Diwali.

Ashura, 10th day of Muharram

This Islamic holy day is observed on the 10th of the Islamic month of Muharram. Recognized mostly by the Shi’a Muslims, ‘Ashura is a major commemoration of the martyrdom of Hussein, Prophet Muhammad’s grandson, in 680 C.E. Hussein was brutally murdered during a battle against the ruling Caliph on the 10th day of Muharram.

This took place in Karbala (modern-day Iraq), which is now an important pilgrimage site for Shi’a Muslims. Shi’a Muslims perform reenactments, plays and self-mutilation, attempting to relive the tragedy and keep the lessons of Hussein’s death alive. For Sunni Muslims, however, ‘Ashura’s story originates differently. During the time of the Prophet Muhammad, Jews observed a day of fasting, known as the Day of Atonement. Prophet Muhammad learned of this tradition, and stated that the Muslims should also fast therefore the tradition of fasting during ‘Ashura’ began.

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Al Hijra - Islamic New Year

The Islamic New Year, which is called Al Hijra in Arabic, is the first day of the month Muharram, which is the first month of the Islamic calendar. The exact day changes every year because the Islamic lunar year is 11 to 12 days shorter than the solar (Western) year. This year, the new year falls on November 15, marking the Hijra (or Hegira) in 622 C.E. when the Prophet Muhammad moved from Mecca to Medina, and set up the first Islamic state. It’s a low-key event to Muslims, thinking about the general meaning of Hijra, and regard this as a good time for ‘New Year Resolutions’.

International Day for Tolerance

The United Nations’ (UN) International Day for Tolerance is annually observed on November 16 to educate people about the need for tolerance in society and to help them understand the negative effects of intolerance. Live discussions and debates take place across the world on this day, focusing on how injustice, oppression, racism and unfair discrimination can have a negative impact on society. Human rights activists speak out on human rights laws, regarding banning and punishing hate crimes and discrimination against minorities. In the school or workplace, encourage special training programs or dialogue about the importance of tolerance.

Human Rights Day

Observed on December 10, this day stands to respect, recognize and remind people of their human rights and of others. It’s a day to educate people on their human rights and the importance of upholding these in their own communities and further afield.

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Hanukkah

Hanukkah, also known as Chanukah or the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple (the Second Temple) in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt of the 2nd century BCE. Hanukkah, meaning dedication in Hebrew, starts on the 25th day of Kislev, a Jewish month, occurring any time from late November to late December.

Jewish families celebrate this holiday by lighting a special Hanukkah menorah, a candelabrum with eight candles holders, one for each day of celebration, plus a ninth, the shammash or server, used to light the others during Hanukkah. One candle is lit on the first night, two on the second, three on the third, through to the eighth night when all are lit. A special prayer is recited during the lighting.

Dress Code

Sparks

Mixed Reactions By Donnades Ferna

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t is a regular day on Qatar University campus. A group of students walk out of their literature class wearing casual jeans, Nike running shorts, t-shirts and flip-flops. Some of them, took their time this morning to pick out “Sperry Top-Siders” that match their white v-shirts and handbags.

While many students wear the traditional Qatari Thoub and Abaya, some wear a vibrant mix of colors in their attire, creating a hodgepodge of individualistic styles on campus.

Last month, however, Qatar University announced, quite suddenly, a new dress code for their students, setting off a mixed reaction from the students. According to the dress code, sweatpants, exercise pants, Bermuda shorts and leggings have been deemed inappropriate to wear on campus. “Fad hair styles including unnatural coloring of hair, dreadlocks, or unconventional cuts are not permitted. Visible tattoos must be completely covered,” reads the University’s email. Students have also been instructed to use perfumes and makeup with restraint.

“We do not wear obscene clothing to college,” says 20-year-old Sanjeeda Hossain, a sophomore student of International Affairs at Qatar University. “We wear casual jeans and tops, but there are a very few students who do wear deep necks and ‘shoulder out’ clothes to university, but this has to be addressed to them personally.” Sanjeeda is disappointed that every student has to bear the blame of a few students, but she also feels that the unique culture expressed by the students should not bother the University.

While some students feel that this might endanger the various looks and customs brought to the campus by students of diverse culture and backgrounds, others students praise Qatar University for their great initiative. “We received the news of the dress code in an email during the weekend,” says Ameed Uzzaman, a 24-year-old junior student of Management Information Systems at Qatar University. “This is a great initiative from the side of the university and this will indeed do good for the future of the girls. We come to university to study and not for modeling. One has to keep this in mind.”

While students debate the new code, Qatar University holds to its position that an institution of higher education should enforce a proper frame of behavior in various contexts where the students and other members of the community can present themselves to the world as great force in instilling an appreciation of Qatar’s values and ethics. “ As any other learning opportunity, learning to use socially acceptable manners and selecting attire appropriate to specific occasions and activities are critical factors in the total educational process,” the announcement declared.

The email sent out to the students during the weekend raised a controversy on why the Arabic-version of the instructions is different from that of the English-version, and also why the boys had not received a similar instruction.

“I think the University has the best interest in mind for us,” said a 23-year-old Qatari student, who asked not to be named. “The girls might ask, ‘why are we indirectly targeted,’ but all I want to say is, Qatar University should represent the culture and values of Qatar which was, until yesterday, a tiny and neutral country in the Arabian Peninsula, but today it is an upcoming superpower in the world.”

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YOUNG TURKS

Demi Lovato

Finding Power in Music Teen star, Demi Lovato, has come a long way.

Leaving behind her troubled childhood, having experienced bullying, bulimia, depression and selfmutilation, this awardwinning superstar is now taking advantage of her stardom to help those who have walked in her shoes.

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emi Lovato was a star from her early childhood days.

Growing up, Demi won several talent contests and performed in famous venues, including the Eismann Center and the Dallas Cowboys’ Thanksgiving Day Halftime Show with LeAnn Rimes. Her show business career started at the age of 10, when she became a series regular on the children’s television show, Barney & Friends. Later, she made many guest appearances on shows like Just Jordan (2007) and Prison Break (2005). In 2007, Lovato began working with the Disney Channel. First, she got a part on a short television show called, As the Bell Rings, but her role on the show ended when Demi was cast as Mitchie Torres in the starring role of the Disney Channel movie, Camp Rock (2008).

The movie launched her into total stardom, turning her into a sensation overnight. On September 23, 2008, she released her

debut album, Don’t Forget, which included songs co-written by the Jonas Brothers.

The album debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart. The 20-year-old was once a normal Demetria Devonne Lovato born in Albuquerque, New Mexico and raised in Dallas, Texas. Behind the beaming smile and beautiful voice, she was self-destructing. In her early teens, Demi went through painful bullying experiences.

“They told me I was fat and ugly. I shouldn’t have listened, but I took it to heart and it hurt. I thought maybe I didn’t have friends because I was too fat,” she told Fabulous Magazine. Lovato began to self-mutilate h to cope with her emotions and depression.

She has a tattoo on her left wrist that says, Stay, while her right hand says, Strong, so every time she feels like cutting herself, the tattoos help stop her from doing so by reminding her to “Stay Strong”. According to her, the bullying was so bad that one day, in a fit of frustration and distress, she requested her mom to give her a homeschooled education. In April 2009, she earned a high-school diploma through

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Achievements

1.

Her first Billboard chart entry was with the song, This Is Me, with Joe Jonas, which debuted at No. 11 and peaked at No. 9.

2.

In 2009, Demi landed her own hit Disney show, Sonny with a Chance. Her leading role in the show won her a Teen Choice Award for Choice T V Breakout Star: Female and an ALMA Award for Favorite T V Actress - Leading Role in a Comedy.

3.

In the same year, she released her second studio album, Here We Go Again.

4.

Demi’s appearance on Grey’s Anatomy won her a People’s Choice Award for Favorite T V Guest Star in 2011.

5.

Her 2011 song, Skyscraper, debuted at No. 10 on Billboard.

The song is her first top 10 debut on the Hot 100 Billboard chart and her second top 10 title overall.

6.

In 2012, she won a People’s Choice Award for Favorite Pop Artist.

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homeschooling. At the age of 12, she began to suffer from bulimia. Even through her stardom, she continued to suffer from bulimia, and then came the drinking, reported cocaine abuse and depression. In 2010, she went into rehab to deal with her eating disorders and self-harming issues.

Today, however, the Hollywood sensation is a judge on the US X Factor alongside Britney Spears, Simon Cowell and L.A. Reid. Outside of music, film and television, Demi is a spokesperson for anti-bullying organization PACER and appeared on America’s Next Top Model and CNN to

speak out against bullying. She says, “Bullying is a very serious thing to me, I’ve witnessed it first hand - I was bullied myself when I was 12, I want to be able to help other girls around [my sister’s] age come into their own with a strong confidence about who they are and everything about themselves.” Demi is a spokesgirl for the Join the Surge Campaign! and DoSomething.Org. The Clean & Clear Brand launched Joining the Surge, which is a campaign in the US that empowers teenagers to take action in their communities.

YOUNG TURKS

PRODUCING LEADERS CAMPUS talks to AIESEC Qatar Foundation, winner of EC Outstanding Educational Program 2011-2012 award

AIESEC Qatar is a national branch of the world’s largest student-run organization - AIESEC. Established in 1948, AIESEC has grown to present in 110 countries, driving more than 60,000 youths in the world towards its vision of peace and fulfillment of humankind’s potential. With the mission of youth leadership development in mind, AIESEC Qatar offers a series of events, programmes and exchange opportunities for university students to develop skills, attitude and knowledge to become positive and ethical leaders. Sara Mohammed, founder of AIESEC Qatar Foundation, talks to us about her experience with AIESEC.

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M

y name is Sarah Mohamed, a third year student in Georgetown University SFS-Q, majoring in Culture and Politics and a proud AIESECer. I was the local president of AIESEC Doha, and established AIESEC in QF, and then I was elected to be the local president in Qatar Foundation (QF) for the term 2011-2012. I joined AIESEC in 2009, seeing the impact of AIESEC’s experience on my sister who was the national president of AIESEC in Qatar back then. I was attracted to AIESEC because it goes hand in hand with my education. In university, we get all the necessary academic knowledge, but through AIESEC, I gained practical experience. When I first joined AIESEC, I was responsible for selling AIESEC’s International Exchange Program to corporate in Qatar. I learned about developing a product according to the local reality, got training in marketing and advertising, and developed my communication and networking skills. Then I moved on to being a local committee president for AIESEC in Doha. Working with limited resources, I was able to recruit, train and induct new members to become leaders in the organization. Through that, I was able to plan for what the organization should be in Doha, in QF and Qatar University (QU) and at the same time, setting organizational goals. I implemented the same strategy when AIESEC was expanding to be an independent chapter in QF, and so I was able to set the goals of the organization depending on the local reality in QF. I have also attended a number of international and local conferences such as Middle East and North Africa Exchange and Leadership Seminar (MENA XLDs) in Jordan and AIESEC’s largest conference of the year, International Congress (IC) in Kenya. Through the conference, I was able to get international exposure and receive professional training from a number of international companies. I organized a number of training projects, like the Q-Chem student development program, where I planned a life–skills training program for high-school students sponsored by Q-Chem. The program gave me the chance to give back to the community and at the same time, develop new set of skills. AIESEC proved to be a life-changing experience for me, learning valuable skills in sales, marketing, human development, strategic planning,

setting organizational goals and other skills that I never knew were important for my future.

To be the president of a local chapter of AIESEC requires that the president lead the executive board consisting of 3-5 vice presidents. leading in the planning of the different activities and organizational goals for the specific term (a term is usually one year). The president will also contribute in internal communications, manage the vice president, coach and train team members and leaders. At the same time, the president is responsible for all communication with the hosting chapter; in QF for example, as a president I was responsible for all financial and legal matters that was related to campus life and the legal presence of AIESEC in QF. The challenges that I faced in my work with AIESEC were numerous, but the first would be the student reaction to AIESEC. AIESEC is a student-run organization, and I always say-without the students it won’t run. When students join AIESEC, they only look at the work and then they drop out, most

students don’t see the importance of work that only repays by experience and skills. The students also were not as committed to work and develop, which meant that in some cases we wouldn’t have growth in the local chapters and our goals weren’t met. Another challenge was the lack of the faith in the youth potential from the corporate side in Qatar. Many organizations don’t believe that a group of students will be able to organize or run a project or a certain event from scratch. Organizations don’t believe that the student body in Qatar can actually have the skills that most people gain after years of experience in a certain field. However, as AIESECers, we work every day to prove the opposite, and we try to attract as many members as possible and give them the opportunities to develop important skills.

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Big Wig The Business Guru Forbes Middle East named Mawashi on the list of Top Executive Managements in the Service Sector of Arab listed companies. Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Mawashi, Ahmed Nasser Sraiya Al Kaabi was named the fourth most powerful CEO in the Arab world.

CAMPUS learns how Ahmed Al-Kaabi went from a local success story to a regional business guru.

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H

ow would you describe the journey of your company Mawashi?

It has been a very challenging yet exciting journey to say the least. A few years ago, Mawashi was just a moribund company with the future of many investors at stake. Therefore, you can imagine the level of responsibility we had to bear and live up to. Mawashi’s success is by no means a one-man band’s outcome. It is the fruit of the steadfast effort and commitment of an entire team who have faced many obstacles with an unfaltering belief in the capacity of our company. We had invested our time, day and night, away from our families and those who are near and dear, to see Mawashi as a brand and a business flourish again and to see the trust of thousands of stakeholders not only re-established but also turning very favorably towards us. This success has necessitated a solid strategic approach to change on all levels including structural and operational. Add to this, the importance of introducing uncompromising standards of quality, safety, hygiene and innovation across the board.

How can each employee contribute to the bigger picture of Mawashi?

The entire team needs to believe and act upon a clear long-term sustainable vision and strategy set forth by capable and stable leaderships. Every member of your team must feel that they are playing a significant part in achieving success. They must know that they are a pillar of your success story.

There should also be a considerable amount of motivation and empowerment for staff in order to encourage and foster a culture of innovation and openness. Last, but not least, ethics and corporate governance - particularly when it comes to a listed entity - are pre-requisites for the steady performance and continued growth of any company.

What are the qualities required to be an effective team leader?

TOP FIVE TIPS TO MAKE IT BIG: Be ambitious be persevere be serious BE committed BE make sure to learn

Leaders are made, not born as we all know.

This means that leadership stems from significant learning curves and experiences along one’s way. A leader, in my opinion, should be known for his just and fair approach to everyone. A leader must be a visionary but one who is also capable of turning visions into reality. A leader must inspire, mentor and be a role model. Teams must have a strong belief in their leader, turning to her or him for support and help but also knowing that their leader’s belief in them is also reciprocal. This means that a leader must encourage, empower and motivate. A leader must foster an environment of innovation, creativity, ethics, respect, understanding and a thirst of knowledge sharing. It’ll take us pages to describe a leader, so to sum it up, I believe that a leader is someone you would always want to be associated with; someone you will continuously look up to and aspire to be similar to.

What has been the biggest milestone in your career?

There have been many; but the biggest milestone is really the turning point where Mawashi became one of the largest of its kind in Qatar and beyond. It was that first moment of success where we saw the outcome of our combined and relentless efforts towards a shared objective. Again, I would like to reiterate that this milestone is not the results of one. It was actually made possible by the hands of many whom I thank sincerely and continuously.

How did you face your biggest challenges?

With faith, belief, patience and persever-

ance. It is at such times that your team turns to you as their leader. And it is at such times that one should prove capable of turning challenges into opportunities.

What’s the best part about your job?

Everything about it! Working closely with the team and researching new business opportunities from around the world is one of the best things I do every day.

How lucrative is the business sector as a career option for young people? Share with us some interesting facts in your current role.

For many people, Mawashi represents a mere meat and livestock trading company. However, we are here to do a lot more than that. We are a member of the Qatar National Food Security Program and to that effect we are mandated, along with other organizations, with developing ways to serve the national food related and food security objectives of the country as a whole. This by itself should be lucrative enough for many in Qatar to consider as a career option owing to the significant opportunities for growth that it could offer. Our country needs qualified people across the board. We need doctors, lawyers, professors, journalists and businesspeople of course, but we also need productive workforce that helps Qatar build sustainable and solid socioeconomic fundamentals in line with the national vision of 2030.

What do you think young Qataris lack - skill set or mindset?

I don’t think they lack anything really. I believe that academic institutions nowadays must tap into the existing pool of talent and develop it according to market needs. We should nurture talents for jobs and not just create jobs that fit what’s available. This will not only encourage learning but also build a knowledge-based industry earmarked with a productive workforce that has the necessary skill and mindset to grow and develop.

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Is it ok to

career buzz

change

your major in your last year?

When you entered university you thought you knew exactly what you wanted to do, in fact you could see it so clearly, it was like etched in stone.

But ‘it is the best laid plans of mice and men that often go astray’, and so you find yourself in your third year contemplating on majoring in English instead of Psychology, as you had planned initially. The burning question for you is to know if it’s too late to change your major with just a few months left until your graduate. The career experts at Bayt.com, the Middle East’s #1 Job Site, helps you find the answer.

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It is ok to change your major Yes, changing your major half-way through your course is not uncommon and a lot of students do that, so it is perfectly ok. T hink about it this way–what you major in will not only be the final culmination of the time, effort and finances you have invested in your bachelors, but it will also define your future career options.

Once you have given your choice a good thought and decided to make the move, the following advice from Bayt.com will be handy:

Visit your career advisor An impartial point of view from a professional advisor is necessary. Speak to your university career counselor and, if need be, they can also help you with specialized psychometric testing such as an interest and aptitude test.

Interest in a subject should not be confused with aptitude in that subject.

For example, you may be very interested in biochemistry, but excelling in it also requires you to have good numeric aptitude skills. Also speak to your department instructor who will offer you the most reasonable advice. Tell them why you chose to change your major and how you think it will benefit you. They can help you draw up a graduation plan.

Check your funds Changing your major at the last minute means you will have to take more subjects and perhaps will have to stay longer in university. So check if it is financially feasible for you to pay the tuitions and living expenses on campus. Options also worth considering, according to Bayt.com career experts, include seeking help from your career counselor in planning your finances and checking out student loan options.

Consult your family You should discuss your decision to change majors with your family, especially if they’re paying for your college tuition. Speak to them about your interests, your ideal career and where you see yourself five years down the line. They have wide experience in life, and speaking to them will help you see more clearly how you can marry together your passion and future career.

Tally your credits Before you make any changes, check how many credits you still have to complete before graduation time. If you’re ahead of your requirements, a change in major is not entirely out of question.

Search for relevant majors You might have attended a physics ed. class as part of your general electives and suddenly felt drawn to the subject and are giving a serious thought to shift your majors to Planetary Physics from English–now that is a wide move and should be considered well before acting out. Most people who change majors at a late stage of their college career tend to shift to a closely related field. The reason for this is they might have already taken most of the required courses for their new major.

Make a commitment

Give your decision a lot of thought and once you have decided, stay committed to your decision. You may face tiring times as you get further into your chosen major but don’t let doubt creep in. Be confident of why you made that decision and this will go a long way in helping you stay committed to it regardless of what comes next.

Bayt.com is the #1 job site in the Middle East with more than 40,000 employers and over 9,200,000 registered job seekers from across the Middle East, North Africa and the globe, representing all industries, nationalities and career levels. Post a job or find jobs on www.bayt.com today and access the leading resource for job seekers and employers in the region.

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Qatar’s

Got Talent

From their classrooms to the red carpet, students and recent graduates of Qatar talk to Campus about their walk on the red carpet as their films go up on the big screens of DTFF.

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TALK

oha Tribeca Film Festival (DT FF), the annual cultural event of Doha Film Institute (DFI), being held on November 17-24, 2012, is putting the spotlight on home-grown talent with a selection of 19 films by local filmmakers based in the country, including nationals and expatriates. DT FF’ s “Made in Qatar” section is the largest showcase of local films to date.

Lyrics Revolt, Bader, Omrah with Friends and Ghazil–the Story of Rashed and Jawaher are student-produced films that portray very diverse narratives but speak to one audience –the people of Qatar and the rest of the Arab world.

“We brought back the Made in Qatar program to DT FF this year with a fine balance of emerging and established talent,” said Chadi Zeneddine, a resident filmmaker and programmer at DFI. This is not the first year DT FF holds a Made in Qatar section. “We launched the Made in Qatar program at last year’s DT FF on a smaller scale. Whenever there s a new program added, you need to trial it first and gauge the audience’s reaction.

Fortunately, we had enough submissions and good audience feedback, so we were amazed by the final outcome.”

“Our film is about the Arab Spring and Arab hip-hop,” says RANA Al Khatib.

Chadi Zeneddine, a resident filmmaker and programmer at DFI

Left to right: Ashlene Ramadan, Melanie Fridgnat, Rana Khaled and Shannon Farhoud, producers and directors of Lyrics Revolt

Lyrics revolt

The program will open with a red carpet screening of Lyrics Revolt, a documentary

by Shannon Farhoud, Ashlene Ramadan, Melanie Fridgant and Rana Al Khatib.

“Our film is about the Arab Spring and Arab hip hop,” says Al Khatib, a 21-year-old Palestinian journalism graduate of Northwestern University in Qatar (NU-Q). “It basically covers how Arab hip hop affected the Arab Spring last year. A lot of the news channels like Al Jazeera, BBC and CNN were covering.

Some channels were even saying that the

revolutions were directly correlated to Arab hip-hop and some were even saying it started some of the revolutions.”

The filmmakers of Lyrics Revolt travelled to Lebanon, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt and Jordan in a matter of two weeks in the midst of the Arab Spring.

“We found that their music was directly about what was happening and it was voicing people’s opinions. What was happening on the streets was being put into the music. A lot of artists were getting in trouble and were jailed for their music in Tahrir, Tunisia and other

places,” says 23-year-old SyrianAmerican Farhoud.

Ramadan and she are also journalism graduates of NU-Q and Fridgant is a communication graduate of NU-Q. These young filmmakers now run their own company Torath Media Production (T MP), which aims to document the Arab world for foreign audiences. Their documentary, Lyrics Revolt, is their first T MP project and a sequel to their Arab hip-hop documentary, Broken Records.

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Bader Maaria Assami, Sara Al Saadi and Latifah Al Darwish are producers of Bader, which 21-year-old Syrian-American Assami describes as a short documentary about a young boy who goes to a school and faces many different obstacles and finds poetry as a method to channel his energy which helps him in school. She and Al Saadi are recent communication graduates of NU-Q and Latifah is a communication junior at NU-Q. These young women worked on the documentary for about five months working with children, which they found to be the most challenging about the making of the documentary.

“Working with children is unbelievably difficult especially when they are energetic,” says Assami.

Ibrahim Al-Sulaiti, co-producer and actor in Ghazil

Ghazil Another NU-Q student filmmaker who’s having her film shown in Made in Qatar is 20-year-old Qatari native, Sara Al Derham.

Her film, Ghazil – A Story of Rashed and Jawaher is a love story inspired by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

“The story takes place sometime in the 1900s,” explains Al Derham. “It is about a boy of foreign decent who falls in love with a Bedouin girl whose family rules the neighborhood. Even though Rashed is well off, he is still not accepted in society and his family is looked down upon for their background. The two go through a lot to try

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“I was juggling the production of the film with classes, travels and Ta2heel,” says SARA Al Derham. and be together.”

Ghazil is her first independent project, which she co-produced with Ibrahim Al-Sulaiti, a Qatari photographer.

Al-Sulaiti is also the head of student affairs at Ta2heel Education Summer Program, a non-profit organization focusing on

communication, leadership, and development, founded by Al Derham herself.

“I was juggling the production of the film with classes, travels and Ta2heel,” says Al Derham who says time was the biggest challenge while she was making the film.”

“Other Made In Qatar films are strong in cinematography,” adds shannon Farhoud.

Ibrahim Arar, director and founder of Omrah with Friends

Independent thought Like the filmmakers of Lyrics Revolt and Bader, Al Derham and Al-Sulaiti shot their films/documentaries using equipment from NU-Q; but other than that, these young filmmakers succeeded all by themselves.

“Personally, I think I ‘d be proving a lot of people wrong about Qatari women,” says Al Derham. “There is a stereotype about how Qataris are lazy, so what more if it was a woman?

People would say she ‘s spoiled and gets what she wants, but that isn‘t true. I hope that being part of the Made in Qatar section as a local Qatari female filmmaker working on independent projects with a zero

budget proves them wrong.”

The girls of Lyrics Revolt carry the same obvious pride Sara does.

Ramadan feels that their film was chosen because they were three young women who travelled around the region during the Arab Spring.

“Other Made In Qatar films are strong in cinematography,” adds Farhoud. “They’re filming is done really well. We were lacking in equipment and time, and we weren’t able to focus properly on filming. But, I think content-wise our documentary is the strongest in the section. I think that’s why our film was chosen as opening for the Made in Qatar section.”

Cultural issues Whether in the Made in Qatar section or other sections at DT FF, women from various parts of the world produced a considerable amount of films.

“I think female roles are noticeably growing in this part of the world,” says Assami. “Having attended a film school, I saw this up close, and I’m eager to see it grow more and more in the near future.”

Farhoud concurs with Assami and says, “I think the role of women in the film industry in the Middle East and North Africa has changed a lot in the last five years, because you see a lot more filmmakers who have hands-on experience with travelling, interviewing, producing and directing. As young

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filmmakers, we have a lot of role models to look up to. And it’s become more acceptable to become a female filmmaker.”

There is increased interest in films originating in the Arab world. Though Egyptians dominate Arabic cinema, films from Algeria, Lebanon, Morocco, the Palestinian territories, Syria and Tunisia are making more frequent rounds than before in local film festivals and repertoire theaters. DT FF is saluting the power of Algerian cinema in this year’s festival with a special showcase, ‘Tribute to Algerian Cinema: Caught Between Past and Present.’ The special screening of four films that capture the frustrations, resilience and resounding hope of Algeria’s people in the postcolonial era also coincides with the 50th anniversary of Algeria’s independence.

The growth of the film industry in the Arab region has opened a wide range of opportunities for both men and women in the region. But in the eyes of Ibrahim Arar, the 24-year-old Palestinian producer and director of Omrah with Friends, there’s still a lot of room for

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“We have to change the Arabian filmmaking style by improving it and competing internationally.

We have to improve not only technically but also in the content of the films and its representation,” improvement.

“We have to change the Arabian filmmaking style by improving it and competing internationally. We have to improve not only technically but also in the content of the films and its representation,” says Arar, who studies engineering at Qatar University. Omrah

with Friends is his first film festival entry.

“It is a document of a trip to Omrah with some friends during the spring break. I brought along my point-and-shoot camera, and captured an authentic story, revealing the character, humor and friendships inspired by a time-honored tradition with modern-day twists.”

Made in Qatar is an opportunity for young talent, not only in Qatar but across the Arab region to showcase their filmmaking skills and to highlight the progressive and deleterious narratives of the region.

“We welcome any filmmakers who want to share their passion for cinema with our audiences,” says Zennedine, the programmer of DFI. “We want all filmmakers to stay creative and be inspired. Never give up even if your film was not chosen, it’s not because of the quality but because of our limited openings. Without the exclusivity of the competition, it wouldn ‘t be as attractive.

We want to push filmmakers to keep them active, work on their talents and to produce high-quality films to entertain and cultivate their audiences.”

10

talk

YEARS, MEMORIES

As CNA-Q celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, honorary student Christina Shaji George, a 19-year-old Indian student in her second year of Business Management, tells CAMPUS about her 10 most memorable moments at CNA-Q

At first, I was hesitant at the thought of joining a foreign college or university. I was concerned because as I graduated from an Indian school, my plans and ambitions were utterly focused on flying back to my homeland to pursue my higher studies.

Now, I am a proud recipient of an award for achieving a place in the honor society.

I cherish and treasure everything that has happened to me from the time I walked into this beautiful campus of the College of North Atlantic in Qatar (CNA-Q).

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The one and only CNA-Q

Public speaking

The first and foremost achievement as far as any student is concerned is that they are a part of one of the world’s best institutions. I feel very proud and would like to express my gratitude towards my parents and the college for giving me an opportunity to study at this wonderful campus.

As far as any student is concerned, public speaking would be the most difficult and nerve-wrecking task, especially in the beginning. My case was no different, thinking of speaking in front of people, no matter how many, was something beyond me. The first and foremost transformation that took place in my life after joining the college is the level of my self-assurance in public interactions and speaking, which has improved to a very high extent.

An incredible start

Feeling like I’m on top of the world

Participating in the business plan competition 2011 completely changed my views and attitude towards education and predictions about life further. As it was my first semester at the college, gaining a place into the finals and presenting in front of the best ten instructors and professionals from the business industry was amongst one of the most inconceivable things that could happen.

Being a part of all the extracurricular activities were a customary part of my school life.

Participating in school activities enhances my outlook towards the field of business management. One day, I performed at a college event. Some days after performing, someone came to me and told me that my voice is one of the best she has ever heard. Oh My God. That was it. It just made my day. Ms. Daniela, our recreational advisor, she’s one of the best women I’ve ever met.

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The best fall

The teachers are gems

2011 fall, my first semester at CNA-Q, was amongst the best. Our breaks were the simply the best. How my best friend and I hung out all over the college, and how we teased each other, are a few of the simple memories that I’ll never forget.

This campus, which is so commodious, open and greens, is one the reasons why anyone would hesitate to leave here.

To achieve a grade point average (GPA) of 4.0 for an entire year is not only a great achievement for me but also one of the college’s greatest achievements as far as any student is concerned. This would not have been possible without the support and encouragement from the exceptionally brilliant and cooperative instructors who have been with me throughout. The college has some of the best faculty, who are completely devoted to education and the students. The academics, extracurricular activities and college would not have been so effortless and comfortable without them, who are the true gems of the CNA-Q.

Learning commons

Dream come true

The learning commons, which is a place for both fun and education is one of the best places on campus. I love meeting my friends there. Everyday gossips and fun make it one of the very few places that I cannot stay without.

Standing in front of the television camera and speaking would be a dream for many people, including me. I wonder if you would believe that I got the chance to do so. It really happened. Although it was not long, I can never forget the moment they called me to say a few words about CNA-Q for an advertisement of the college to be seen all over Qatar.

Overcoming cultural and ethnic differences CNA-Q comprises students from almost 20 different countries across the world.

The unity and harmony maintained by every nationality at the college is something that cannot be put in to words.

Every student at the college shares the similar values and respect for his or her peers, thereby overcoming the cultural and ethnic barriers. Being a part of my most magnificent gang of friends from India, Sudan, Pakistan, Canada, Qatar and Sri Lanka is the greatest achievement as far as I am concerned.

A proud achievement Writing for CAMPUS magazine is one of the best and latest of my achievements. To get an opportunity to write for this magazine makes me really proud and excited. To be approached, amongst many, to express my views and memories about this heaven out here would be endless. This was possible because I am a proud student of the CNA-Q.

Memories and happiness are never ending here.

Joining CNA-Q is one of the best decisions I’ve taken in my life so far.

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TEDx Youth@Doha talk

TEDxYouth@Doha, a youth-focused and bilingual accessible conference, brings forth voices of the younger generation and of inspiring adults who are having an impact in their community. T EDxYouth@Doha joins many other T EDxYouthDay events to commemorate United Nations’ Universal Children’s Day.TEDxYouth@Doha is holding their second annual edition on November 17, 2012. This year, they’re following the theme of fail better, being the idea that if or when you fail, you get a chance to try again. And if you fail again, you’ve learned from the first two failures to fail better.

To get a glimpse of what’s behind the scenes, CAMPUS talks to Jamiee Haddad, Ferras Mohssen and Ramon Shitty.

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Jaimee Haddad

is 19-year-old LebaneseAmerican journalism student at the Northwestern University in Qatar. Jaimee is a Project Coordinator for the Speaker Curation Committee at TEDx Education City.

How did you get this role?

I was asked to be part of the team back in May, and I was really excited to take part in the event. My job is to communicate with speakers, help in the process of finding speakers, and ultimately, guide them along the process to be ready for the stage on Novemer 17. Sometimes this involves making sure that they guide their presentation towards the youth audience. We have some amazing speakers but it is really important that their talks are accessible to everyone in the audience.

What made you eligible for this position?

With TEDx events, it is not necessarily about formal skills and training. If you are enthusiastic and work hard, there will be a place for your natural talents and for you to do something you are good at or passionate about. The curation team for TEDxYouth@ Doha are really good at identifying people’s skills and putting them in a position where they will do a good job for the rest of the team and also for Qatar’s youth.

What drove you into joining TEDx? I had participated in TEDx EducationCity last year, and I really enjoyed the process. I am a big believer in TEDx’s ethos of “ideas worth spreading” and to be doing so in Doha is quite exciting. This year’s theme of ‘failbetter’ is also an exciting thing to be

involved in as it is about giving young people in this country a more positive outlook and a desire to try new things.

How are you handling juggling between your work at NU-Q and you work with TEDx? What tips do you have for students who want to do the same?

(well, usually), but some are just more thought out than others. Our goal is to help the speaker have the best discussion ever with an audience, with the hope that the audience leaves with at least one thing they never thought of before, or one new lesson they want to now share with others.

Honestly, it’s not easy, but I think you have to be able to manage your time in such a way where you set ‘x’ amount of minutes for one task, and ‘x’ amount of minutes for another.

You need to be flexible with your time and with your life, and so far, I’ve tried to do my best to figure out these equations.

What challenges do you face as a coach?

Tell us about the speakers’ auditions, and on what basis do you decide on the speakers?

A T EDx talk is different to a usual presentation, because it’s the goal of the speaker to have a chat with the audience and engage them. At the same time, it isn’t a debate where they are trying to convert you to their way of thinking. Instead, they have to show the audience a story and let people draw their own conclusions. Finding the balance between sharing an idea and preaching an idea is a very fine line. Overcoming that when talking to a youth audience is particularly hard because they are so used to being lectured, speakers need to make an extra effort not to come across in this way. It takes practice and familiarity. When a speaker can nail that combination, they are pretty much set!

We approach each speaker as if he/she has something great to share, but he/she may not know it yet. Every speaker has potential in our eyes, and we try to give each applicant at least two chances, because of our faith in great ideas. Each speaker isn’t delivering a speech. They are giving a talk, and that talk happens to be taking place on a stage. We try to bring out that dialogue in every speaker.

What skills do you find yourself using as a public-speaking coach?

As a coach, you need to be flexible, and forward thinking. There’s never a bad idea

It’s really difficult to say no to individuals, especially when they’ve worked so hard, and you see their potential, but they can’t quite seem to get their talk right for stage.

What challenges do people who audition usually have?

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Ferras Mohssen

is a 23-year-old Lebanese business marketing senior at the College of North Atlantic in Qatar. Ferras is a speaker at TEDxYouth@ Doha where he will talk about gaming.

When and how did you become familiar with TEDx? I used to watch a lot of the T EDx clips on YouTube, so I was a big fan of those. They ve always been interesting. I never attended a live talk before, except the one that happened in Qatar three years ago.

What drove you to speaking at TEDx? It was my debate coach who encouraged me. I have always written stuff and sent it to the magazine here in the college and I’ve always had certain ideas that I’d love to talk about. I wasn’t really aware that there were auditions for speakers at T EDx. I thought they were just asked to do it. So my coach told me there were open auditions happening at T EDx and said I should give it a shot, so I did.

How have you benefited from TEDx this far?

I met a lot of interesting people especially those doing talks. They’re very fun. I benefited a lot with these interactions.

Even the support team at T EDx is very supportive and helpful. Giving a talk really helped improve my presentation skills using PowerPoint. Penny Wang, who’s part of the media committee at T EDx, is helping me with the graphics on the project. After meeting with her, I ve seen there’s so much you can do with just PowerPoint. It’s very interesting. Although I’m a debater and

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already have good public speaking skills, I learned how to slow down and pay attention to audience’s reactions, which are irrelevant things when you’re debating.

Why did you choose to give a talk on gaming?

I’m a big fan of gaming. This talk itself came out from the criticisms that I used to get when I play games. So I thought there are probably people out there who’re receiving the same criticisms. I m taking my passion for gaming to give a talk where someone else who also has a passion for gaming know that being a fan of gaming isn’t so bad. I want to help other people who are fans of gaming.

How did you prepare yourself for the talk?

I’m practicing in front of the mirror as many times as humanly possible. The biggest worry I have is speed because as debaters, we’re trained to speak very fast but for talk, you have to speak slow. I’m constantly practicing to make sure I don’t speak too fast. I’ve been working with my debate coach to slow down and make it more like a talk. Everything is read so I’m just working on my presentation skills. Other than my speed issue, initially, the graphics I had for my presentation weren’t really connected to my talk as they should’ve been. I had to find more specific images to go along with the talk.

What will your talk focus on?

First of all, it show what games teach you about rules, goals and some games even give you feedback, which are things you get at schooling or life in general. Those are things that some people don’t have but can gain from gaming. The next thing I’ll be talking about is how, sometimes, within your own family, you get criticism for playing games a lot. They tell you you’re not learning about responsibilities.

But certain games do teach about responsibility like Sims. It teaches you how to care of a family. Then I’m going to show how games help you at school, like if you have problems with history. In games like the Assassins Creed, you are part of history so you develop a passion for history. I just want to show people that games can help engage students in a way that lectures don’t.

How can people learn from gaming?

Some games teach you critical thinking.

Some games put you in a stressful situation where you need to make a decision fast and live with consequences. Other games teach you the difference between right and wrong like Grand Theft Auto where if you steal a car, the police chase you, which is bad thing.

But if you help someone who’s being attacked, you get money for that. So, games teach the values you need in life.

Ramon Shitty

is a19-year-old Nigerian mechanical engineering senior at Texas A&M University at Qatar. Ramon is a speaker at TEDxYouth@ Doha where he will talk about food.

When and how did you become familiar with TEDx? I became involved with T EDx since the first TEDx that they had here in CMU-Q in May 2011, when my classmate, Abdallah Abdallah, was a speaker. I thought it would be cool to possibly speak at T EDx in the future, but I never really thought I would because I never thought I had anything worth speaking about. So, when this one came around directed towards the youth and high school students, I said to myself that this would be a nice opportunity.

four inches on my waist. I wore a size 38 skinny pants for the first time yesterday and I was like ‘WOW’, and I used to wear size 42 or 43 pants. I thought this would be something that people would like to know perhaps because none of the weight I lost was because of exercising but because I began to eat differently. This is something high-school people would to like to know about especially as they start their first year in university where you begin gaining weight.

What will your talk be about?

How was your audition at TEDx? It wasn’t too tough. From then to now, I feel like I have improved quite a bit. Comparing to what I did at the audition and how I’m doing now, I kind of sucked at the audition.

I’m surprised that I got chosen. All in all, the audition was pretty good. They gave really nice feedback, which was very helpful. They taught me how to say things better and what information I could add. They also helped me with my body language and style to engage the audience. They are things I didn’t about before the audition.

Why did you choose to speak about food at TEDx? Over the summer, I went through a transformation. I started paying attention to food and what I’m eating, and I began to lose weight. My weight was around 120-125 kg and I think I lost 15-20 kg. I’ve lost about

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It’s going to be about 12-15 minutes long, talking about the daily allowance of salt, fat and sugar. There’s going to be a walkthrough of what you eat in a day.

There will be suggestions on things you can eat that have less amount of salt, fat and sugar. I’m going to also talk about why is it a problem to be overweight, using examples like going up the stairs which is difficult if you are heavy. It doesn’t only affect fat people but skinny people as well. Just because you’re skinny, doesn’t mean you’re healthy.

I’m adapting my talk specifically to Qatar. That is one of the suggestions the T EDx committee gave me at my audition.

“You’re talking about the world but what about Qatar,” they told me. The statistics I’m using are statistics of Qatar about obesity and I’m going to talk about why

the topic is very relevant here. Also, I’m going to compare the lifestyle of Bedouin folk to the lifestyle of people today.

How are you preparing yourself for the talk?

I did a lot of research. I do my research then tell people what I’m trying to present on and when I get shocked reactions, I feel like that’s something I should say at my talk.

What challenges did you face?

It’s been pretty easy so far. My biggest challenge though is making the slides for the presentation. I have been to many presentations where the slides were so boring. So I’m trying to make the slides as dynamic as possible. I’m putting a lot of animation and I’m having my friend draw caricatures so hopefully, it’s going to be an interesting presentation.

What did you learn from being a speaker at TEDx? I’ve learned to be a better presenter and speaker. I gained presentation skills because before this, I would’ve given the same presentation that would’ve put people to sleep, which I hate. After this, I feel like I’ve learned a bit more about making nicer presentations which I think would be useful especially to an engineering student where you give presentations with graphs, tables and numbers. It’s a nice skill to gain at this age.

beauty basics

For smoky and shimmery eyes look:

01

You can get shimmery eyes in several ways.

Try a shimmery cream or buy a powder shimmer and mix the shadow with water.

The water will help create a strong metallic pigment.

02

Apply shimmery shadow above the eyelid and on the inner corner of the eye, this will open up the eyes.

NOTE: If you have a sparkly dress, don’t apply sparkly makeup.

For the deep red lips look:

01

Cover eyelids with a matte eye shadow in a color that’s as close as to your skin tone as possible (such as beige).

02 03

Apply a very light shimmery blush on cheeks.

TRENDY LOOKS FOR WINTER 2012 T wo looks are classic and trendy right now: The smoky and shimmery eye application with light lips and the deep red lips balanced with a light eye.

Shimmer is in this year, and it ’s the perfect festive look as long as you long as you play it right.

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Line lips first in a similar shade of lip liner then fill in with your favorite red color lipstick.

04

Set with powder, and then apply another layer on top. This will help for long-lasting!!!

GET HEALTHY SKIN THIS WINTER Europe is a common holiday destination in the winter so how do you take care of skin that’s used to the hot and humid weather out here? Here are some skin care tips for you if you’re travelling to colder climate holiday destinations this winter.

01 02

Don’t forget your sun protection! The weather is getting pleasant but the suns UVA rays will still affect you no matter where on earth you are.

Always wear a minimum of S.P.F. 15

Pucker up! While protecting the skin is great don’t forget your lips, dry cracked lips are not a good lucook on anyone’s festive family photos. Always have lip protection to hand and reapply throughout the day.

03

Moisturize intensely. The harsh winds and the cool air can lead to drier skins in the winter months so opting for a richer moisturizer will help desensitize the skin from its environmental foes.

04 05

Hot chocolate verseus water?

Even in cooler climates you should still aim to drink at least 8 glasses of water per day, so put down theat nice, warm mug and pick up the still, cool water.

Pack a winter wardrobe and always wrap up warm!

The Qatar International Beauty Academy (QIBA) was established in Qatar in 2009, as a branch of the Social Development Centre with the prime objective to deliver consistently high quality training services within the beauty, spa and hair industry and to increase public awareness of the need for professional training and qualifications within the industry.

Please contact Qatar International Beauty Academy Tajmeel for a professional consultation on skin and hair care. Visit: www.qiba.com.qa

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health & Fitness

Winter Wonderland of

Food!

The winter months are beginning to shorten our days and lengthen our nights.

The lower temperatures and longer night hours can tempt us to eat more heavy foods. The cooler weather triggers our body to crave more calorie dense foods to produce the energy to keep us warm, however you still need to make high quality food choices if you don’t want to sabotage your health and wellness. Whether you’re looking to keep warm in winter, burn fat or keep your immune system primed and ready, there are plenty of cold-weather delicacies that offer a full nutritional complement to keep you in top form.

Here are my top 10 foods for winter to keep you warm and boost your immunity.

1

2

Pumpkin Boasting high levels of a variety of vitamins and minerals, including iron, magnesium, niacin, potassium, vitamin A, and vitamin C, pumpkin is a nutritional powerhouse vegetable.

My three favourite ways of eating this sweet vegetable is in soups, roasted in the oven or in muffins! Delicious, sweet and oh so easy.

3

Sweet potato Bursting with vitamin A (377 percent of your daily recommended intake per cup!) and high in potassium and fiber, this delicious and brightly coloured vegetable is very versatile. Instead of reaching for the old common white potato fries, try these sweet potato fries alternatives.

Ingredients: 1 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into long 1/2-by-1/4-inch-thick fries 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 teaspoon mild curry powder 3/4 teaspoon sea salt 1/4 teaspoon finely grated lime zest, plus a lime wedge for serving (make sure the lime was unwaxed) Directions: Preheat the oven to 425 F. Combine all ingredients in a large zip-top bag; toss until fries are well coated. Spread in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet; bake until fries are golden brown, about 20 minutes. Serve with a lime wedge. (Fries can be reheated in the oven or a toaster oven.)

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Cabbage

4

Cabbage is high in vitamins C and B6, the winter green also boasts a good amount of potassium, magnesium, thiamin, and dietary fiber for very few calories.

You can steam it, add it to vegetable soups or chop it to add to coleslaw.

Beets Beets are a powerhouse of health containing potassium, magnesium, fiber, phosphorus, iron; vitamins A, B & C; beta-carotene, beta-cyanine and folic acid.

Wrap one or two beets in foil and bake them in a 350 degree-F oven for an hour or until they’re cooked through.

Then cut them into cubes to toss into a salad of greens and crumbled goat cheese. Add a drizzle of walnut oil. Delicious!

5

Kale It’s challenging to eat enough green leafy vegetables during the winter months, however Kale is worth the effort. Packed with Vitamin A, C, calcium and sulphur it has plenty of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.

To temper kale’s bitter taste, gently saute it with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, chopped garlic and pine nuts.

6

Brussels Sprouts Another great way to get the power of greens into your winter diet is to eat these mini cabbage like vegetables–full of Vitamin A, C & K, folate, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.

Remove the outer layer of leaves, trim the stems, and toss with olive oil and sea salt. Place them on a baking sheet and roast at 425 degree-F until they’re nicely browned.

Soups save the day!

7

Soups are one of the best parts about winter meals. An endless array of delicious options await your creativity. Here’s a quick recipe that incorporate some plant –based protein.

Tofu Noodle Soup

8

Pomegranate Pomegranate seeds are high in polyphenols, plant chemicals that fight inflammation. Mix the seeds into oatmeal for more flavor and crunch.

9

Kiwifruit One kiwi contains about 100 milligrams of immunity-boosting vitamin C. Add kiwi slices to a spinach salad.

Baked Apples

10

Ingredients: 2 apples for baking, such as McIntosh, cored 1 cup unsweetened pomegranate juice 1 teaspoon cinnamon 16 walnut halves Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the apples in a baking dish. Pour the pomegranate juice over the apples. This will become a syrup as the apples cook. Sprinkle with the cinnamon and bake for 30 minutes, basting with the syrup, or until the apples are soft, but still hold their shape. Serve each apple topped with walnuts and syrup.

Combine 1 pound light extra-firm tofu (cut up), 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil; set aside.

Combine 3 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, one 10.5-ounce can condensed vegetarian vegetable soup, one 10-ounce package frozen chopped broccoli, and 2 ounces dried udon noodles; bring to a boil.

Simmer, covered, 5 minutes. Add tofu mixture; heat through.

So when the chilly nights and winter weather holiday destinations tempt you to reach for foods that fill you up and make you feel all warm and cosy, go for these great super delicious options, that will have you feeling loved on the inside and looking great on the outside.

Be well!

Nicole van Hattem is a Board–Certified Holistic Health Practitioner, Raw Foods Teacher, Corporate Wellness Consultant, Speaker and Coach. As well as being the Founder & Director of Art of Abundant Living and CEO of Go Kidz Go!

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ABS WORKOUT

health & Fitness

Boys, get your exercise mats out, it’s time to lose your stomach fat and get amazing abs that look like the Spartan warriors of 300. You probably won’t be wearing capes and briefs to show off those abs but underneath your clothes, you’ll still feel like warriors.

Home Workout:

3 sets of 20 rep

Upper Abs Crunches

Photography: Rob Altamirano

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor in front of you. Ensure your hands are clasped behind your head as shown in the picture. Hold your elbows slightly out to the sides and keep your chin pointing upward. Curl up and forward so that your head, neck and shoulder blades lift off the floor. Small movements with an emphasis on contracting the abs will work best.

Lower Abs workout: Crunch with Legs elevated

FOUED MOKRANI IS A CERTIFIED FITNESS INSTRUCTOR AND NUTRITIONIST. HIS TALENTS INCLUDE PLAYING FOOTBALL WHICH HE DID PROFESSIONALLY FOR 14 YEARS AND MODELING WHICH HE DID FOR 10 YEARS. CONTACT FOUED AT nutrimax2090@hotmail.fr

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3 sets of 20 rep

This exercise is performed just like a normal crunch but with the legs elevated.

Elevating the legs and placing the hands to the side of the head makes the exercise slightly harder to perform. Lie on your back on an exercise mat and cross the legs with bent knees, Place the hands to the sides of the head then tense the abs and curl the shoulders & chest towards the knees ensuring the lower back stays in contact with the floor, then lower back down to the starting position.

3 sets of 20 rep

Obliques Cross legs Crunches:

Assume the above position with your left leg positioned across your right knee. Flex your abs even before beginning the exercise and envision pushing your lower back into the floor. Aim your right elbow towards your left knee while you slowly breath out and continue to flex your abdominals as hard as you can, be sure to contract your abs for two seconds at the top of the movement before returning to the starting position. After a set, switch sides.

GYM Workout:

3 sets of 20 rep

Lower abs pull ups :

3 sets of 20 rep

Straight legs raises are basic pull-up bar abdominal exercises. After grasping the bar with an overhand, shoulder-width grip, let your legs hang straight down. Keeping your upper body still, lift your legs, bend your knees if too hard. After squeezing your abs and holding for a full second, slowly lower your legs back down and repeat.

Dumbbell Side Bend: Oblique Exercises (Side Abs)

Upper abs crunch with machine:

Select a light resistance and lay down on the abs machine placing your feet on the pads provided and grabbing the top handles. Your arms should be bent at a 90 degree angle as you rest the triceps on the pads provided. This will be your starting position.

At the same time, begin to crunch your upper torso trying to reach your knee with your elbow. Breath out as you perform this movement. Tip: Be sure to use a slow and controlled motion. Concentrate on using your abs to move the weight while relaxing your legs and feet.

3 sets of 20 rep

To perform the DB Side Bends stand upright and hold a dumbbell in one hand only. Slowly bend over to the side with the dumbbell reaching downwards towards the same knee. Do not rotate your torso.

Contract your opposite oblique muscles and return to the start. This exercise develops the external and internal obliques.

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001

health & Fitness

010

Finally, remember as little as 50 extra calories a day, which is equivalent to only one small candy, will lead to an increase of 12 kg of weight in five years. You imagine the increase in body weight with additional caloric intake.

009

Cutting down on cupcakes and candies is important.

They both contain refined sugar and fat, bad for waistlines and teeth. Instead try to replace them with fruits or yoghurt ice cream. Remember, eating healthy doesn’t mean you can never eat sweets or cupcakes again, it just means that you should be sensible about how many you eat.

008

Now that the weather is cooling down, try to walk more, rather than relying on lifts from friends and family. Walking for just 30 minutes a day reduces the risk of heart disease and strengthens bones. It can also be a social form of exercise - walking along the Corniche while chatting with friends.

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Everyone knows the risks of smoking; cancer, heart disease, bronchitis. The list of dangers is almost endless. Despite this, some teenagers continue to take up the habit, and once hooked it is difficult to quit. Smoking is probably one habit that you don’t really want to have.

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A 10-POINT FITNESS GUIDE Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar (WCMC-Q) gives you ten tips on how to be physically, mentally and emotionally healthy

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Staying healthy isn’t just about keeping physically fit and eating sensibly. The mind also needs to be healthy and two of the best ways to keep it so is to relax and enjoy life. Laughing improves breathing and enhances your immune system and taking time to engage in relaxation techniques such as meditation will reduce stress and anxiety. However, this is not an excuse to avoid studying for exams.

Parents are renowned for nagging at their children to eat their vegetables, but they do have a point.

Eating at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day will provide the body with essential vitamins and minerals but with very little fat and no refined sugar. Not only this, but filling up on greens means that you won’t need to fill up on fries.

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Drink plenty of water and avoid soft drinks like cola - regular 12 oz can contains 9-11 teaspoons (36-46 grams) of sugar. Water is vital for maintaining good health. It is required for performing many tasks: transporting nutrients and oxygen to cells, regulating body temperature, moisturizing joints, helping with metabolism, keeping vital organs healthy, helping in flushing out wastes from the body to name a few. The average person needs to drink between two and three liters per day - and unlike soft drinks it doesn’t contain sugar.

There is more pressure on young people to be slim and beautiful than ever before.

Films, magazines and television all promote a perfect body image and while it is generally healthier to be slim, be careful how you go about it. Forget about crash diets or the latest fads telling you to avoid carbohydrates or only eat fish.

Instead, choose a balanced, nutritious diet that you can live with and stick to it.

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Getting and staying fit does not have to be hard work. Getting up at 5am for a 10-kilometer run isn’t most people’s idea of fun but going for a bike ride with friends or playing football on the beach is. Try to organize one active event a week with friends and you will be helping yourself and having fun at the same time.

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The food courts in Qatar are full of fast food joints serving burgers, fries, pizzas and a dozen other tasty treats. But remember, too much junk food contributes to high blood-cholesterol and sugar levels, which leads to heart disease, obesity and diabetes. Not only this, but once you are in the habit of eating unhealthily, it is harder to stop.

ECOPAL

AL-SHAIMA GIRLS IS GPS ECO-SCHOOL OF THE YEAR

ol programme in Qatar, which GPS is the largest and most engaging scho ents and schools based on their aims to reach, inspire and reward stud eco-conscious activities.

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he Green Programme for Schools (GPS) presented awards to participating schools that showed outstanding commitment to the environmental campaign at Hafsa Independent School on November 6, 2012.

The GPS is the environmental initiative of Msheireb Properties in association with Qatar Today magazine. GPS is also supported by SEC, I Love Qatar, Mission 20 and Qatar Green Building Council. Since its launch on June 5, 2011, GPS has seen the participation of approximately 25,000 students from more than 28 schools.

Al Shaima Girls Independent School won the GPS ‘Eco-School of the Year’; Doha Modern Indian School won the ‘Best Student Participation’ award and Ali Bin Taleb Independent School won the School for Best Innovation award.

All participating schools received recognition for their valuable contribution and support towards the successful implementation of the environmental campaign for 2011-2012. The winners were selected based on the results of the evaluation session that was held on October 9 at the Msheireb Enrichment Centre where schools gave a presentation to the GPS Steering Committee about the green initiatives that they were involved in since the launch of the programme in June last year. Mission 20 volunteers were also recognised for their role as activation partners during the ceremony. During the eight months campaign period, Mission 20 volunteers stuck more than 6,000 awareness stickers around light switches, more than 3,640 around water dispensers, more than 2,100 around garbage bins and 300 on school busses.

Members of the GPS Steering Committee include Nawal Kuwari, Communications

Officer, Supreme Education Council (SEC); Jamal Mohamed Al Jaber, Education Coordinator, Qatar Green Building Council (QGBC); Eng. Mohamed Jaber, Head of Education Committee, QGBC; and Ravi Raman, Vice-President, Oryx Advertising Co. WLL. “We support and encourage the GPS because this is our mandate at SEC to encourage sustainable living. We hope the school and student participation will increase next year, and GPS will continue to inspire the youth,” said Nawal Kuwari from the SEC. “The award ceremony and recognition of the Eco School of Year is indeed a proud achievement for us and all the participating schools. GPS is a unique initiative which involved students right from inception–from branding of the schools to monitoring the electricity and water usage; the youth took charge and showed enthusiasm, interest and responsibility.

We look forward to the next edition where we are inducting 30 more schools,” said Ravi Raman, Vice President of Oryx Advertising Company WLL.

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Campus Cool Quotient fashion

ADD COLOR AND FUN TO YOUR STYLE THIS WINTER

Grab this from Sophie’s Closet, the ultimate online boutique for unique jewelry, for an ultra-glamorous look!

David Beckham is introducing new items to his bodywear range at H&M. Check it out at H&M stores and enjoy a warm holiday!

Get that long-lasting and eye-catching smile you desire with MAKE UP FOR EVER’s waterproof Aqua Rouge!

Run like a pro with these light, fast and dynamic adiSTAR Ride 4 running shoes from Adidas.

Get this POREfessional from Benefit for a fast-actin’ & smoothmovin’ action hero to quickly minimize the appearance of pores.

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Bewitch people with your intensifying Cleopatra-like eyes with QUEEN AT T ITUDE Mascara and Khol Kajal from Bourjois.

Keep your regimen alive with the cool and comfortable CLIMACOOL track suit from Adidas.

Want to look smart and contemporary at an interview? In these shoes, Geox will have you walk like a boss!

Red lobster is a trendy color right now! With this Marc Jacobs handbag, you’ll look young, wild and free in any outfit.

Davidoff’s Cool Water Sensual Essence will have you feel as cool and seductive as the water. It’s addictive!

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TECH MIX

Android

Three new

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designs heading to China

share of market climbs ndroid software powered three out of four smartphones shipped worldwide in the recently ended third quarter as the Google-backed mobile platform dominated the market, industry tracker IDC stated recently.

Android smartphones shipments surged to 136 million, topping those in the same three-month period last year by slightly more than 90% , according to the IDC Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker report.

The Android share of the market climbed to 75% from 57.5% in a year-over-year comparison. A total of 181.1 million smartphones were shipped in the third quarter of this year, according to IDC. “Android has been one of the primary growth engines of the smartphone market since it was launched in 2008,” said IDC mobile phones research manager Ramon Llamas.

“In every year since then, Android has effectively outpaced the market and taken market share from the competition.”

Shipments of iPhones rose nearly 14% to 26.9 million in the quarter, giving Apple a slightly improved 14.9% share of the market as the overall market grew 46.4%, according to IDC. Smartphones powered by Microsoft Windows software also gained ground in the quarter, with their share of the market growing to 2%.

Nintendo 3DS

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hree exclusive looks for the Nintendo 3DS XL are bound for China, where the handheld console will be known as the iQue 3DS XL. Mario’s beaming red face features on the checkerboard cover of the Mario White edition, while the Mario Silver and limited edition Mario Red & Gold covers are adorned with Mario and Luigi mugshots that proclaims “We are twins.” All three come with Mario Kart 7 and Super Mario 3D Land built in.

The handhelds will be made available in December, marking an official launch for Nintendo’s 3DS in China, skipping the standard-size original and going straight for the newer, large screen revision.

Collectors in the rest of the world should be warned that these iQue models won’t be compatible with games from Japan, North America or Europe, but are being made for use with Chinese 3DS titles only.

Meanwhile, Nintendo of America announced an exclusive of its own, choosing shopping network Gilt to distribute a two-tone pink and white 3DS XL, effective immediately.

Gilt’s first two bundles were offered the console alongside either fashion sim Style Savvy: Trendsetter, or puzzle adventure Professor Layton & the Miracle Mask.

Facebook users could get more lucky

F Courtesy of afprelaxnews.com

acebook is testing a service that could drive more of its users off the web and into physical shops and stores, if only to continue using the web via free Wi-Fi access when they check in with the social media site.

Users who check in via Facebook when entering a store that supports the technology would be directed to that business or brand’s Facebook homepage, where further offers or discounts could be available.

Although Facebook, which counts over one billion users, hasn’t officially stated where the trial is taking place or how many businesses are involved, it is understood that rather than being forced to open up their own networks and therefore potential malware and other problems to passing customers, businesses taking part in the trial will be using special routers provided by Facebook, according to the website InsideFacebook. The routers will also provide non-Facebook users with access to the Wi Fi hotspot, via a password.

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2014 will be the year of

wearable technology

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s Google Glass is voted one of Time magazine’s 50 Best Inventions of the Year, new research shows that the market for wearable technology could be worth up to $1.5 billion by 2014.

Hailed by Time magazine as “the device that will make augmented reality part of our daily lives,” the tech giant’s Google Glass headset has already been released to developers and is expected to go on general sale in 2014, priced at $1500. Worn like a pair of glasses, the device incorporates a speaker, microphone, computer display and forward-facing camera and enables users to surf the internet, take photos, check email, and make and receive phone calls, all through voice and gesture commands.

The device is classified as augmented reality because of the way in which it presents information and data. As the wearer looks in a certain direction, information specific to what the user can see will be presented in a non-intrusive manner in their field of vision, whether it is historical information about landmarks, the quickest route to the closest subway station, or reviews of the restaurants that line the street.

As such, Juniper Research believes that 2014 will be the watershed year for wearable technology. Its latest report into the sector shows that the market is already worth $800 million and has grown rapidly over the past two years, driven by devices aimed at health and fitness such as Nike+, which records and analyzes data from fitness and training sessions, and the Jawbone Up, a wristband that tracks your movement, sleep patterns and calorie intake in conjunction with a smartphone.

HAMANN Motorsport turns McLaren into a ‘piece of art’

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he memor combines bespoke paint and carbon fibre bodywork to bring an even greater air of exclusivity to the standard McLaren MP4-12C supercar.

Since its official launch in 2011, the McLaren MP4-12C supercar has been covered with praise for its phenomenal speed and handling, and yet some in the motoring press have been slightly critical of its looks, suggesting that compared to its two biggest competitors -- the outrageously-styled Lamborghini Aventador, and the angry lines of the Ferrari 458 Italia -- the McLaren is a bit of a wallflower.

However, all of that is about to change. For the sum of $95,000 on top of the $200,000 standard retail price, HAMANN Motorsport is offering an extreme makeover that will not only make the McLaren stand out from other supercars, but from pretty much everything else on the street.

Dubbed the memoR, it features a bespoke paint job reminiscent of a Damien Hirst spin painting plus carbon fibre modifications to the front and rear aerodynamics packages, a roofmounted air scoop, a larger rear spoiler designed to mirror that of the McLaren F1 that won Le Mans in 1995, and, the finishing touch, forged one-piece aluminum racing wheels with center locks.

But the tinkering doesn’t stop with the exterior. HAMANN can also finish the interior with precision-crafted wood, leather, carbon fibre or Alcantara to suit individual customers’ tastes.

HAMANN claims that the end result brings the car closer to being a work of art.

Eyeing holidays, Disney plays with video games

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isney is known for traditional holiday season movies about princesses and fairy tales. But this year it has turned to the world of video games for its latest animated blockbuster.

As the lucrative Thanksgiving and Christmas period looms, Wreck-it Ralph plays on nostalgia for 1980s-style arcade games with the hyper-realism familiar to modern online players.

It’s not the first time the entertainment giant has spotlighted the video games world: live-action T RON was an early offering in 1982, updated two years ago in T RON: Legacy. But mixing the gaming world with animated film is new for Disney, even if it had been working on the idea for 10 years.

And rather than adapting existing games, as other filmmakers have tried without much success, Disney, which just this week bought “Star Wars” studio Lucasfilm for a cool $4 billion, decided to create its own new ones.

“We wanted to represent different genres of video games -- the ones that we liked, the ones that we thought that people could identify with,” said the director of Wreck-it Ralph, Richard Moore.

The film, which is reminiscent of work by Pixar, the animated studio bought by Disney in 2006, follows the adventures of Ralph, the baddie in a typical 1980s pixilated game, like Pac-Man or Space Invaders.

Tired of always being the villain but condemned every day to destroy buildings which good guy Fix-It Felix immediately repairs with his magic hammer, Ralph decides to escape.

He flees into other video games, seeking to win a medal which will help him regain his self-respect.

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Violight Toothbrush Sanitizer gizmos

get gadgety

Violight kills 99.9% of all germs with germicidal UV bulbs that work by breaking down bacterial and viral DNA, leaving your toothbrush fresh and clean for the next time you use it.

This elegant and ultra-modern toothbrush holder will grace your bathroom counter with the ultimate in germ-whacking, bacteria-smashing UV power. All while enhancing the decor of your most important room.

Proven germicidal ultraviolet technology Destroys 99.9% of germs it comes in contact with Holds 4 toothbrushes, including electric toothbrush heads Translucent safety cap lets you know it’s working One button activation -- auto shut-off in just 10 minutes

Faucet Light VIOLIGHT UV Cell Phone Sanitizer Eliminates 99.9% of germs and bacteria on cell phones, MP3 players, PDAs, earbuds, and bluetooth headsets.

Germicidal UV light kills strep, e.coli, salmonella, listeria, and H1N1 virus Perfect for home or office Makes a great gift Sanitizes in under 5 minutes Dual lifetime UV bulbs Uses 3 AA batteries Works with devices with the following max dims: 3 L x 0.75 W x 5 H inches (designed for flat phones and PDAs. Not designed for flip phones or sliders)

Available at www.thinkgeek.com

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turns an ordinary faucet into a streaming crystal blue light source. Simply turn on your water and the internal pressure switch activates the light source. Turn off the water and the light goes off. Fun and functional for a kid’s bathroom, it also adds a touch of class and entertainment to any powder room.

Klipsch G-17 AirPlay The new Klipsch Gallery G-17 Air represents one of the most comprehensive team development efforts in our history; with design and acoustics engineers working together to create a new music system with a stunning appearance that compliments any setting and still fully delivers the legendary, lifelike sound Klipsch is known for. Never settling for the “good enough” approach that abounds in many compact audio systems today, the G-17 Air is a true advancement in style, technology and sound you’ll never tire of.

Fanny Wang Engineered for the audio professional and designed for maximum exposure, Fanny Wang’s Premium Luxury On-Ear + Remote Headphones deliver deep, powerful bass and clean, crisp sound. The intelligent tri-fold design and sturdy yet lightweight aluminum body make it a go-to device for music professionals and listeners, alike. These headphones as versatile and functional as your lifestyle.

Kogeto Dot360 Share the world around you with Dot, the pocket-friendly 360: panoramic video attachment for iPhone 4/4s. Snap Dot onto your iPhone 4/4s, download our free Looker app, and instantly record fully immersive 360: videos right on your iPhone. Going to a concert? You can record the show and the audience. Heading out on a road trip? Leave Dot on the dashboard and record your highway adventures. No matter what you’re recording, Dot sees everything!

Watch your videos on your iPhone 4/4s by swiping your screen to virtually spin around, or switch modes and view them in panoramic widescreen. Looker allows you to instantly share your 360 world with friends and family (via Facebook, Twitter, or kogeto.com) right from the palm of your hand. Dot is a light weight attachment that doesn’t require batteries or external power.

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GIZMOS They are here! The lists of the top 10 books, music albums and movies for the book warmers, music lovers and movie buffs. If you don t have them, Virgin Megastore recommends you get them NOW.

TOP 10 BOOKS:

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Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Suzanne Collins continues the amazing story of Katniss Everdeen in the phenomenal Hunger Games trilogy with its sequel Catching Fire. Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. A rebellion rises among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

Bring up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel

With this historic win for Bring up the Bodies, Hilary Mantel becomes the first British author and the first woman to be awarded two Man Booker Prizes, as well as being the first to win with two consecutive novels. Continuing what began in the Man Booker Prize-winning WOLF HALL, we return to the court of Henry VIII, to witness the irresistible rise of Thomas Cromwell as he contrives the destruction of Anne Boleyn.

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The Arab Awakening by Tariq Ramadan

In The Arab Awakening, Tariq Ramadan explores the opportunities and challenges across North Africa and the Middle East, as they look to create new, more open societies. Arguing that the debate cannot be reduced to a confrontation between two approaches, the modern and secular versus the traditional and Islamic, Ramadan demonstrates that not only are both of these routes in crisis, but that the Arab world has a historic opportunity to stop blaming the West, and to jettison its victim status and create a truly new dynamic.

City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

The New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments continuesand so do the thrills and danger for Jace, Clary, and Simon. When Jace and Clary meet again, Clary is horrified to discover that the demon Lilith s magic has bound her beloved Jace together with her evil brother Sebastian, and that Jace has become a servant of evil. Love. Blood. Betrayal. Revenge. Darkness threatens to claim the Shadow hunters in the fear-gripping fifth book of the Mortal Instruments series.

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Calico Joe by John Grisham

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In the summer of 1973, Joe Castle was the boy wonder of baseball, the greatest rookie anyone had ever seen. The kid from Calico Rock, Arkansas dazzled Cub fans as he hit home run after home run, politely tipping his hat to the crowd as it’s shattered all rookie records. In John Grisham s new novel the baseball is thrilling, but it s what happens off the field that makes Calico Joe a classic.

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11th Hour by James Patterson

James Patterson brings to you a series of shocking, emotional and thrilling Women’s Murder Club through the life of police investigator, Lindsay Boxer. She’s pregnant at last.

She tackles a mass murder, another murder that has her questioning her closest friends, and a reporter who launches a series of vicious articles about the cases and Lindsay’s personal life is laid bare.

The Cabin Fever by Jeff Kinney

Greg Heffley is back and in big trouble. School property has been damaged, and Greg is the prime suspect. But the crazy thing is, he’s innocent or at least sort of. The authorities are closing in, but when a surprise blizzard hits, the Heffley family is trapped indoors.

Greg knows that when the snow melts, he’s going to have to face the music, but could any punishment be worse than being stuck inside with your family for the holidays?

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A Dance with Dragons by George R. R. Martin

The aftermath of a colossal battle, the future of the Seven Kingdoms hangs in the balance once again beset by newly emerging threats from every direction. In the east, Daenerys Targaryen, the last scion of House Targaryen, rules with her three dragons as queen of a city built on dust and death. But Daenerys has three thousand enemies, and many have set out to find her. Yet, as they gather, one young man embarks upon his own quest for the queen, with an entirely different goal in mind.

Area 51 by Annie Jacobsen

Area 51 is the most famous military installation in the world. Located a mere seventy-five miles outside of Las Vegas in Nevada’s desert, the base has never been acknowledged by the U.S. government, but Area 51 has captivated imaginations for decades. Annie Jacobsen had exclusive access to 19 men who served the base secretly, and to 55 additional military and intelligence personnel, scientists, pilots, and engineers all linked to the secret base, and35 others to show us what has really gone on in the base, from testing nuclear weapons to building super-secret, supersonic jets to pursuing the War on Terror.

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Aleph by Paulo Coelho

Internationally bestselling author Paulo Coelho returns with a remarkable journey of self-discovery. As he seeks a path of spiritual renewal and growth, his only real option is to travel, to experiment, to reconnect with people and the landscapes around him.

Setting off to Africa, and then to Europe and Asia via the Trans-Siberian railroad, he initiates a journey to revitalize his energy and passion. Even so, he never expects to meet Hilal, the woman Paulo loved five hundred years, and together initiate a mystical voyage that teaches love, forgiveness and courage.

Top 10 music albums:

1. David Guetta: Nothing But The Beat 2. Various Artists: I-Mix V1 3. Adele: 21 4. Various Artists: Now 81 That’s What I Call Music 5. Various Artists: Daxar Summer Anthems 2012 6. David Guetta: F*** Me I’m Famous 2 7. Deadmau5: The Veldt 8. Green Day: Uno 9. Kurtis Mesut: Beloved 10. Va Va: Red Hot Rn’B 2012

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Top 10 movies:

1. Al Tartanji 2. Madagascar 3: Europe Most Wanted 3. Amazing Spiderman 4. What to Expect When You’re Expecting 5. Prometheus 6. Avatar (3d Blu-ray +DVD) 7. X Large 8. Graystone 9. 21 Jump Street 10. Avengers

around town

TweetUp fuels interest INJAZ Qatar showcased its entrepreneurship and education programs at the DohaTweetUps on October 9 at the Grand Heritage Hotel.

The ‘Doha 101’ themed event was attended by 100 people from INJAZ Qatar, a non-profit organisation and member of Junior Achievement (JA) Worldwide, and DohaTweetUps, a regular gettogether for members of Twitter and social media networks in Qatar.

The event was designed to introduce new residents to Qatar’s social media and networking scene with a focus on life and business in the country.

Bilal Randeree, founder of the DohaTweetUps said: “It has been pleasure to work with INJAZ Qatar on this occasion and we are happy to provide a platform for an organisation which focuses on stimulating the youth to believe that they can achieve their goals.

The DohaTweetUps attract people from all communities and business sectors and we hope that by raising awareness of the INJAZ Qatar programs, people will be motivated to sign up and make a difference.”

ROTA Hosts Leadership Training

Reach Out to Asia (ROTA) held its latest Youth Service Club (RYSC) Leadership Training program from October 10 to 13, in partnership with Msheireb Properties.

The four-day RYSC Leadership Training event is an experiential, reflective and interactive learning program for high school and university students aged 14 to 22. Since the program’s commencement in 2009, this is the first time the training is in both English and Arabic.

RYSC Leadership Training delegates were divided into two groups, ensuring both new and existing RYSC members benefit from a program focused on each group’s particular service learning needs.

Group A introduced 40-50 new student RYSC members who were not previously involved with a RYSC to the opportunities of ROTA’s Youth Service Club program and how it contributes to the youth development goals of Qatar National Vision 2030. Group B caters for existing RYSC members as it focuses on developing the lessons learnt during the previous Leadership Training in February 2012.

The Group B agenda also promotes better understanding of the service learning process and learning how to undertake well researched and planned community service projects.

Red Carpet Ceremony Marks Opening of the 4th DTFF Curtains go up on the fourth Doha Tribeca Film Festival (DT FF), the annual cultural event of Doha Film Institute (DFI), on November 17, 2012 with a red carpet ceremony and the gala screening of renowned director Mira Nair’s The Reluctant Fundamentalist, co-funded by DFI. An array of film talent from Qatar, representing the largest ëMade in Qatarí showcase at the festival, the Arab film industry and international cinema will attend the opening night red carpet ceremony to be held at Souq Waqif, With an expanded Festival format this year, DT FF 2012, is to run through November 24, 2012, and will showcase over 87 films from across the globe under distinct themed sections including Arab Film Competition, Made in Qatar, Contemporary World Cinema, Special Screenings and Tribute to Algerian Cinema.

The Arab Film Competition at DT FF has the distinction of being the only competitive film festival event in the region dedicated to Arab talent. This year’s selection of entries for the Arab Film Competition marks the powerful evolution in the cinematic sensibilities and approaches of the regionís filmmakers, representing Egypt, Qatar, Tunisia, Algeria, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Jordan, Palestine, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Syria. More than 27 films including seven documentaries, seven narrative features and 13 shorts from 10 Arab countries are competing for total prize money of over $440,000.

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INJAZ Qatar and VCU-Q Launch new Program INJAZ Qatar, a non-profit organization and member of Junior Achievement (JA) Worldwide, has partnered with Virginia Commonwealth University - Qatar (VCU-Q) to launch the Company Program. T he Company Program is a module which has been incorporated into the Business of Design class, a key component of the senior year undergraduate design program taught by Roger Griffiths, Director of Entrepreneurship and is expected to run from September to December 2012.

This is the first time the Company Program is being taught at a university in Qatar and the first time it is being incorporated into a degree program. The program will be taught at 12 schools and universities across Qatar this academic year, providing students with the opportunity to establish and run a real company by developing a business idea, raising capital, producing and selling products/ services. At the end of the program, students will also be able to

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liquidate the company with balance sheets and profit/loss statements and present their business to a panel of judges at the national competition.

The program is typically delivered by senior level professionals from the banking and financial sector, with participating companies for this year including, Qatar Development Bank, Qtel, Standard Chartered, SEIB Insurance, State Street, MetLife Alico and Four and One Group who voluntarily run the courses.

Students taking part in the Company Program are expected to compete in Mubadara, INJAZ Qatar’s annual Young Enterprise of the Year competition at the end of the school year. The competition which was first organized in Doha in 2008, will see student-led enterprises established through the program compete for several awards including ‘Best Student Company of the Year’. The winning team will then take part in a regional competition against 13 Arab countries in 2013.

Silatech launches SILA

TYC brings back ‘Run the World’ Festival

SILA, Qatar’s newly launched business angel network, kicked off with a live demonstration in October to a packed audience at the Four Seasons Hotel. Selected entrepreneurs from Qatar, Lebanon, Egypt, Palestine, Jordan and the USA presented their business ideas live to a group of angel investors from the region, in hopes of gaining funding, mentoring and networking contacts to help get their businesses off the ground. The event was held under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Founder and Chair of the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development.

Founding Partners in SILA include Silatech, Enterprise Qatar (EQ), Qatar Development Bank (QDB) and the Bedaya Center. Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee and Qatar Shell sponsored the event, and Qatar Foundation is SILA’s Knowledge Partner.

The SILA Angel Investment Network is a network of organizations, businesses, and individuals aligned on the common goal of catalyzing an entrepreneurial ecosystem in Qatar as a hub for the wider Arab world. It aims to do this by unlocking an alternative to traditional forms of financing for young entrepreneurs such as banks or loans from family members. Through a series of networking events such as tonight’s live demonstration, SILA will work to build connections between young entrepreneurs from Qatar and the region with potential angel investors who would take an equity stake in startup businesses, bringing both much-needed financing and business experience to help enable success.

Additional organizations supporting SILA include Flat6Labs, Golden Seeds, ictQATAR, MIT Enterprise Forum of the Pan Arab Region, Qatar Mobility Innovations Center, Qatari Businesswomen Association, Q Media, Sawaid Qatar, Stars of Science, Think Big Qatar, Virginia Commonwealth University (Qatar), and Wamda.

The Youth Company (T YC) is holding Run The World Festival for a second time from December 12-22 this year. T he youth sports festival aims to bring various athletic and cultural events, including a fashion show, conference, photo & video contest, talent show, gala dinner and a three-day outdoor. The “Run the World” Festival was organized for the first time in December 2011, and it attracted thousands of young people to engage with sport activities. Developed solely by youth with the help ofover 1,000 volunteers and 25 companies and organizations, the weeklong festival provided the chance for young men and women not to display their talents in sports but also displayed their talents in photography, music, dance and other various arts.

Tyc is a youth-led organization was established in Qatar in December 2010.

Operating as a social enterprise, it provides various educational, community engaging and career-oriented programs, which aim to facilitate the growth and development of youth in different aspects.

Following the mission of T YC, the Run The World Festival is designed as the platform for youth empowerment, networking and development through sports.

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WISE to concentrate on youth employment

1001 Inventions explores our past and present HE Sheikha Mayassa bint Hama bin Khalifa Al Thani, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Qatar Museum Authority, opened the 1001 Inventions and Arabic Roots Exhibitions at the Museum of Islamic Art last month.

At the event, 500 distinguished members of the local and international cultural communities were led through the exhibition on a journey to the Golden Age of Muslim Civilisation, connected by the theme “Explore our past to inspire our future.”

Brought to Qatar’s public by Qatar Museum Authority and the Museum of Islamic Arts in partnership with 1001 inventions and Qatar Shell, the 1001 Inventions Exhibition takes visitors through the works of scientists and scholars during the Golden Age of Muslim Civilisation, while Arabick Roots reveals the influence of this science on the scientific revolution and lifestyle in Europe in the 17th century through showcasing objects and manuscripts. The 1001 Inventions Exhibition will be open until November 12 and Arabick Roots Exhibition will be open until January 2013 where you will be able to see inventions made by men and women in the Muslim world.

Mapping the Mangroves Qatar Foundation International (QFI) and Conservation International (CI) have teamed up with Carnegie Mellon University Qatar to expand QFI and CI’s “Mapping the Mangroves” project in to the field. Carnegie Mellon will work with 30 high school students and six teachers to build and install a network of remote sensors throughout the Mangrove forests of Qatar.

The remote sensors will be used to collect ambient air and water temperature readings and provide students in Qatar with a real world opportunity to further explore ST EAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) education and environmental stewardship, using an inquiry-based approach.

The role of education in preparing young people for the world of work will be a key theme at the fourth World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) in Doha, Qatar, on November 13-15, 2012. WISE is dedicated to building the future of education through innovation. This global collaborative initiative was inaugurated in 2009 by Qatar Foundation. Its mission is to address the challenges facing 21st-century education, to expand dialogue around the world and to implement practical and sustainable solutions.

A second WISE book will be launched at WISE 2012. The book, Learn-

ing a Living: Radical Innovation in Education for Work, explores the relationship between education, innovation, work and the workforce. It examines the skills gap and highlights 15 case studies from diverse societies and economies which are finding new ways to bridge it.

A photographic exhibition entitled HOPE marks the beginning of a series of educational programs that will take place in parallel with the 2012 WISE Summit. It showcases a collection of work by the renowned photographer Reza. HOPE presents 80 photographs, including three images from the WISE book. The HOPE Exhibition will run on the Corniche at the Sheraton Park from November 8-15, 2012.

More than 1,000 innovators from over 100 countries, including educational thinkers and practitioners, representatives of governments and NGOs, business leaders and social entrepreneurs, will discuss new ideas and practices at WISE 2012.

QFIS focus on risky business

Qatar Faculty of Islamic Studies (QFIS) participated in The Joint Qatar Foundation Annual Research Forum and Arab Expatriate Scientists Network Symposium at Qatar National Convention Centre. Four researchers belonging to different research centers at QFIS, presented distinguished papers that conform to Qatar National Research Strategy.

The presented papers address risk management among Islamic and conventional banks, the importance of Islamic finance for Qatar’s Infrastructure, franchise and its provisions in Islamic Fiqh, and aspects of moderation and revitalization in the Muslim world.

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Khaled Abu Jassoum from Qatar claimed this year’s title as Stars of Science Series 4 overall winner, walking away with a first prize of over QR1 million to help develop his invention “Tahi”. Following Khaled Abu Jassoum in second place was Mohamad Watfa “Shared” who will receive QR500,000, with Khaled Eid “Holific” and Jaber Henzab “Wasfa” who will each receive QR365,000 and QR182,000 respectively.

Youth and inspiration ictQATAR’s TumuhaTEC Program is partnering with TEDxYouth@Doha to offer a range of interactive ICT workshops to Qatar’s youth over the next ten months.

The workshops aim to encourage youth to improve their basic skills in ICT fields, such as photography, graphic design, and gaming. Over time, TumuhaTEC and TEDxYouth@Doha are hoping that the workshops program will lead more students to explore ICT career paths and improve skills which are critical to joining the workforce today.

This year’s T EDxYouth@Doha event is taking place on November 17 at the Virginia Commonwealth UniversityQatar.

Talks by speakers will follow this year’s T EDxYouth@Doha theme, #failbetter, with speakers using examples of how people, things, or ideas fail and how that in itself is an opportunity to create something stronger and better than the original.

To enable young people to be part of this exciting initiative, TumuhaTEC offered a number of ICT based internships for students with TEDxYouth@Doha’s vibrant young team. The roles vary from handling the social media channels, assisting in the development of the T EDxYouth@Doha website and working alongside the team’s photographers and videographers.

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Tacking environmental challenges In the lead up to Qatar’s hosting of COP18/CMP8, Qatar Foundation International (QFI) identified 52 students from the US, Brazil, Argentina and Qatar to join with the hundreds of young people coming together at Doha College’s Model United Nations V (DCMUN) and The Hague International Model United Nations’ (THIMUN) Youth Assembly on November 15 and 16. As policy makers begin to travel to Doha for Climate Change negotiations, these young people are already beginning the conversation, gaining the skills they need to be global citizens and developing projects that will contribute to tackling the climate change challenge.

Sponsored by IBQ, Georgetown and Geometric Training, this year’s DCMUN is focused on climate change and related environmental issues. The T HIMUN Youth Assembly will be taking place around the Model United Nations and will engage students on action papers discussing solutions to critical climate change issues. The DCMUN Youth Assembly Action papers will be sent to Qatar UN COP conference being held in Doha a week after the DCMUN conference. In the past, the solutions proposed at T HIMUN affiliated Youth Assemblies have resulted in numerous youth projects making a real change in the issues that are facing our world today.