Qatar National Library embraces Ramadan with activities for all

Qatar National Library is set to host fun activities and learning opportunities for all during April, which coincides with the holy month of Ramadan.

The learning starts on 3 April with “How to Develop Your Reading Habits,” where young adults between 12 and 18 can learn how to be better readers and how to select books most suitable for them.

On 4 April, the Library will celebrate World Autism Awareness Day by introducing users to various assistive technology apps for non-verbal children with autism. The apps can help children improve their communication, object identification and social exchange skills.

To mark Arab Manuscript Day on 5 April, the Heritage Library will host Dr. Mutaz Al Khatib, Professor of Methodology and Ethics, Research Center for Islamic Legislation and Ethics at the College of Islamic Studies at Hamad Bin Khalifa University, to give an interdisciplinary reading of Arab heritage texts on plagues and pandemics. The session will explore the “Literature of Plagues” that captures the interaction between the educated elite and an epidemic that physicians were unable to diagnose accurately and treat well.

On 10 April, a trainer from the Qatar Nanny Training Academy will host a session for parents, educators and researchers on the different types of children’s personalities and ways to manage any challenging behaviors.

In the lead up-to World Heritage Day on 18 April, the Library, in cooperation with the Qatari Literature Initiative, will host a webinar on “The Local Community’s Role in Heritage Preservation” on 12 April. The event will highlight the contributions of institutions, including libraries and museums, and individuals' passion for personal curation to the preservation of documentary heritage. His Excellency Dr. Hamad Bin Abdulaziz Al-Kawari, Minister of State, Qatar and President of Qatar National Library, will deliver a keynote speech, and panelists will include key staff of the Heritage Library, the founder of Qatar Literature Initiative and private heritage collection owners.

On 21 April, join the Library to know more about its Open Access Author Fund and understand how researchers in Qatar can benefit from the fund to publish in open access journals. The session will also briefly outline the concept of open access and how it can benefit research in Qatar.

Ramadan activities will kick off on 8 April with a slew of fun and engaging activities for parents and children. During the first session on 8 April, children can join the Library’s virtual decoration workshop to create fun Ramadan-themed crafts with easily available materials at home. In the second session on 22 April, children will also learn how to create Garangao-themed crafts.

Every Monday and Wednesday during April, children can join the Library to enjoy 30 minutes of Ramadan storytime sessions conducted in Arabic, where they will read and create stories together.

In line with the spirit of the holy month of Ramadan, the Library will also be hosting an hour-long session on 15, 22 and 29 April to help children learn more about the amazing Sira (biography) of the life of the messenger, Prophet Muhammad [Peace Be Upon Him], the last of the prophets.

On 15, 22 and 29 April, the Library will also test the knowledge of young adults in a Ramadan Trivia contest through Microsoft Teams and the Kahoot! app. Participants can join the contest using a computer and phone, and the top three winners from each session will also get a prize from the Library.

The Library will celebrate the importance of poetry this Ramadan with a poetry-writing session aimed at young adults ages 12 to 18 on 24 April. They will learn how to write a simple poem on the theme of Ramadan and share it with friends and family.

The Library will continue to host a variety of fun and engaging events online throughout April 2021. For a complete list of events, please visit the Events page on the Library’s website ( www.qnl.qa/events ).