The Global Village Called Katara

Katara is a project initialized by HH Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of the state of Qatar. The project was conceptualized on the basis of hope for human interaction through art and cultural exchange.

At Katara, the emphasis is laid on the importance of diversity in human culture. It is a place where people come together to experience different cultures from across the world.  It has beautiful theatres and concert halls where multi-cultural activities are conducted regularly.

The vision behind the idea of Katara was to make it a lighthouse of art, given the fact that Middle East was globalizing in every sense through theatre, literature, music, visual art, conventions as well as exhibitions.

The village is expected to give the world a glimpse of the future where people of different cultural backgrounds overcome their national boundaries and embrace various forms of art to promote global humanity.

Katara derived its name from ‘Catara’ an ancient name of the Qatar peninsula in geographical as well as historical maps.  A famous geographer, Claudius Ptolemaeus published this map first in 882 AD and later on the same map appeared in the historical atlas of Islam.

Qatari history has given the legacy of a rich cultural and educational wealth which is being used as a catalyst to promote global modernization by bringing people from across the world to connect on a common platform at a global level.

At Katara, our vision is to be a global leader for multi-cultural activities by contributing to the achievement of Qatar National Vision 2030. We are solely dedicated to nurture social development through art and cultural exchange.  Our aspiration is to bring a community of creative and innovative people together who are knowledgeable about the global cultures.    

Katara is an ever-evolving global village which believes in nurturing peace and understanding at a global level. We believe in engaging friendly and likeminded people at a global level for exchanging of different cultures across the world.
We are also proud of our national heritage and respect all cultures across the world. Let’s get together and make the world a harmonious place to live in.

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The First Turkish Festival On The Cards!!

 http://www.katara.net/english/event/the-first-turkish-festival/

Not many of us are aware, but Qatar and Turkey share a unique bond. To commemorate this special relationship between the two countries, Katara is organizing a three-day event from 9 April to 12 April. In order to promote Turkish culture, there’ll be exhibitions and performances to salute the spirit of people living in the country. The event will not just showcase Turkish history but also highlight the modern day aspects of Turkey. The event is sure to witness a huge amount of people right from the VIPs, to the expats, to the local crowd and everyone else. Even students, Qatari families and ambassadors from adjoining nations will be seen in the event. Delegates and government officials will also form an important part of the event.

One of the major attractions in this scenario is that such an event is being held for the first time in Qatar. This is apparently the first event that is being held as a tribute to the Turkish culture. This nation’s culture has experienced drastic alterations over the last few centuries. At present, Turkey may be regarded as the only nation to contain a blend of both eastern and western culture. This event will not just showcase the ancient days when the Ottoman Empire ruled, but even the modern day changes that have been witnessed in the nation. Turkey has had a wide range of rulers and nations invading it which gave it the distinctive and unique culture that the country cherishes in every way.

So, come and see the two cultures inspire and celebrate each other’s tradition and modern day features. Do you still need more reasons to attend this festival?

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Al Dabke Festival – A Salute To This Culture

http://www.katara.net/english/program-tickets/

Al Dabke is a form of dance performed by the Arab people and it has a huge cultural significance. Originated in the Eastern Mediterranean, this form of dance involves people forming up a line and dancing to the tunes of rhythmic beats. The line moves from right to the left and the head of the line faces the other dancers and audience periodically. This kind of dance is generally performed on happy occasions and marriages.

This event to be held at Katara is particularly a kind of commemoration and a salute to this ancient form of dance. More than 20,000 people will be coming all the way to witness the occasion. Katara aims to spread awareness about this ancient folk dance among all the expats and Arabs residing in Qatar. They are also aiming to get a place at the Guiness World Records as the highest Dabke gathering ever witnessed in any country. The idea is to showcase the art, its diversity and significance all across Qatar, through exhibitions, workshops and 3 shows at the Amphitheater and many more events as well.

The Al Dabke festival will be organized from 3 April to 5 April. After all, it’s time to pay tribute to one of the oldest forms of Arabic dance that have evolved drastically all through the years. By organizing this festival, Katara salutes the spirit and positivity that the performance tags along. This type of dance is also well known in areas such as Jordan, Palestine, Turkey, Lebanon and Syria.

Going down the memory lane, this kind of dance was performed as a means to keep the atmosphere at work happy and spirited. In ancient days, the roofs of houses were built using wood, dirt and straws. To bring about uniformity in the construction, this kind of rhythmic dance was performed.

So are you ready to witness this beautiful form of dance?

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Delicious Egyptian Foods – Appetizing And Rich

There are many delicious Egyptian meals that will tempt you to visit an Egyptian restaurant in Qatar or any other place. Mentioned below are such mouth-watering delicacies belonging to the expansive Egyptian culture.

1.Gibna Domiati – Gibna Domiati is nothing but cheese produced from buffalo milk. It is loaded in cans and every family has a can or two at its disposal. It is made in a city at the north of Egypt and is included in a number of dishes as well.

2.Konafah – This dish consists of thin noodles that are heated in a plate till they become firm. Once firm they are mixed with oil or butter and then garnished with whipped cream, nuts and fruit syrup. The origin of this dish is unknown.

3.Kushari- This dish is a mix of pasta, rice, lentils, tomato, garlic, onions and chick peas. It is one of the most popular lunch time foods for people in Egypt. Surprisingly, the dish came into existence through the British Army when they invaded the Egyptian province.

4.Feseekh – This is one of the most traditional dishes of the country and is eaten during festivals. It primarily consists of a dried and salted gray mullet. The fish should first be dried after which salt is added. The preparation process is very crucial as any wrong ingredient or flavor can make the dish poisonous.

5.Halawa – Halawa is a famous dish in the Mediterranean region. It is composed of sesame paste and is available in various forms such as blocks, energy bars, spreads and so on. Generally, pistachios and other kinds of nuts are used to garnish the item.
                                
These are the top 5 Egyptian food items. So have you tried them? Which one is your favorite?     

http://www.katara.net/english/the-village/restaurants/khan-farouk-tarab-cafe/

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Lebanese Cuisine – Unique And Tasty

Lebanese cuisine primarily consists of starch, whole grain, vegetables, seafood and fruits. If you’ve visited an Armenian Lebanese restaurant in Qatar, you will know that poultry is generally preferred over red meat. Animal fats are also consumed in smaller quantities. In case of red meat, people staying in the mountain regions usually consume goat meat, whereas those staying along the coast eat lamb. The diet also consists of olive oil and garlic, and food items are generally topped off with lemon juice.


Butter and oil are used in just a few desserts and are sparingly used otherwise. Generally, food items are baked, or grilled in olive oil. People generally eat the vegetables raw or use it in pickles and cook them as well. A major part of the Lebanese diet is influenced by the seasons of the year. Lebanese cuisine dates back to the time when Romans were dictators of the land. Most of the cuisine is influenced by the different rulers who have stayed in the place for a significant time. The Ottoman Turks ruled this country from 1516 to 1918 and introduced a wide variety of food items especially red meat such as lamb among others.


After the defeat of the Ottoman Turks in World War I, France took control of Lebanon till 1943 and that’s when the country finally got its independence. It was during this time that the French introduced desserts such as flan and caramel custard. The French rulers are also responsible for introducing the buttery croissants in the country.
The Lebanese cuisine is very ancient and this marks its essence in every way.

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Most Renowned Cuisines All Over The World – Satisfy Your Appetite

Everyone likes to enjoy different kinds of cuisines spread out across the world. Just read on to know some of the most renowned cuisines all over the world to start your trip just now.

1.Lebanese cuisine – Lebanese cuisine primarily comprises of starch based products, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fish and other forms of seafood. Meat is generally avoided in the region. The cuisine is full of flavors that have a unique taste. This place is also known for its Arabic sweets. The region brings forth the best from the Middle East and their food is generally Mediterranean.

2.Spanish cuisine – Spanish cuisine includes all forms of seafood and the people here follow a Mediterranean form of diet. This country is known to use the most oil among the central and western European nations. The cuisine consists of a variety of vegetables, seafood and meat as well.

3.Mexican cuisine – Mexican cuisine is mainly a blend of native Mesoamerican and Spanish food. Though the staple food comprises of beans, corn and chili pepper, there is a lot of it that’s inherited from the European culture. The Europeans brought with them meat including that from beef, chicken, pork, sheep and goat as well as dairy products such as cheese and different spices and herbs.

4.Thai Cuisine - Thai cuisine consists of light food garnished with deep aromatic flavors. It is characterized by the four main taste senses which are sweet, salty, bitter and sour. It’s not the simplicity but the complexity that defines Thai cuisine.

5.Chinese cuisine – Chinese cuisine is one of the most preferred cuisines all over the world. That is because it is easy to make, affordable and tasty to eat as well. China follows its 8 culinary traditions which are, Cantonese, Anhui, Fujian, Jiangsu, Szechuan, Zhejiang, Shandong and  Hunan cuisines.

6.Indian Cuisine – Given the diverse Indian culture, the food eaten here is extremely varied as well. The most famous type of cuisine served in most of the restaurants is north Indian food that’s called Punjabi  or Mughlai.

                        

Apart from the ones discussed above, others such as Italian and French cuisines are also famous all over the world.

For Best Restaurant In Qatar Visit :

http://www.katara.net/english/the-village/restaurants/

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Selecting the right sport for your kid – Activate their senses

Engaging in sports is good for kids and adults alike. You need to ensure that your kid participates in sports right from the beginning itself so that they feel energized and active at all times. Even if you can’t enroll your kids in any of the professional sports, you can at least allow your kids to overcome their laziness by giving them little work to do. Read on to know more.

1.Start with a few child-friendly activities at home – Start all kinds of kid-friendly activities at home. However, keep your child’s age, maturity and physical strength in mind. Activities such as running, jumping, throwing balls, playing football and catching can all be encouraged while your kids are very young itself. Ensure that your kids sleeping and eating habits are good while they engage in such physical activities at home.

2.Get them to play organized sports - As children keep growing, their physical energy, observational skills and their attention spans keep improving. Therefore, you can enroll them in organized sports such as swimming, surfing, gymnastics, running, soccer, baseball, football and martial arts. You can even enroll them in dance classes as this activity will keep your kid fit too. Generally children aged between 6 and 9 can enroll in these sports.

3.Enroll them in group sports – By the age of 10 to 14, kids are mature enough to enroll in group sports such as hockey, badminton, cricket, football and others. They also become very good at understanding instructions which is why they can function properly in a group. However, you need to understand that there will be many changes happening in your teen’s body as he or she might have just touched puberty. So be patient with them and do not let them get frustrated or irritated with something.

                  
It is important that you get your kids interested and involved in sports activities to keep them fit and active all through their growing years and for the eons to come. Simply follow the above mentioned tips to understand what kind of sports will suit your kid and enroll him or her in it accordingly.

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