The Emir of Qatar, Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, came to south Lebanon Saturday to personally see how his country’s funds are helping to rebuild the area after the war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006. He was accompanied by his wife, Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser al-Missned, as well as the Lebanese President, First Lady and Prime Minister.
REUTERS/Ali Hashisho
Upon arriving in the region, crowds of thousands gathered to greet the Emir. Many waved Qatar’s flag and held signs that read “Thank You, Qatar.”
“I am happy to be here, in this area that was rebuilt after it was destroyed,” Emir Hamad said in Bint Jbeil, one of the towns hit hardest by Israeli shellings.
During his visit, the Emir opened a hospital, a mosque and a church. He also visited Khiam prison, a former detention center used by Israel during the month-long conflict.
The Qatari visit came just one day after Saudi King Abdullah made an historic visit to Lebanon in order to diminish rising tensions in the country. A U.N. tribunal may indict Hezbollah members over the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, and Hezbollah has said it would not hand over anyone.
The Emir brought that up during the welcoming dinner last night at Baabda Palace, where President Michel Suleiman and his wife, Wafah, reside.
“We understand the sensitivity of this moment that accompanies our visit to Lebanon, as the clouds mount, and we pray to God they will clear peacefully.”
Emir Hamad is expected to stay in Lebanon until Sunday.
On Wednesday, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned made a one day visit to former Yugoslavian state Bosnia & Herzegovina.
ELVIS BARUKCIC/AFP/Getty Images
After the welcoming ceremony, the Emir met with the Chairman of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s tripartite Presidency, Haris Silajdzic to discuss the already good relations between their two countries. They also emphasized the need to strengthen economic cooperation, particularly in the field of tourism, energy sector, development of road and aerial infrastructure, cooperation in the field of military industry, chemical industry, education, science and health.
Emir Hamad and Silajdzic agreed to establish a flight from Doha to Sarajevo. At the same time, the Chairman suggested Qatari investment in the B&H’s halal production, for which the Qatar representatives expressed a great interest, and they discussed cooperation in the field of chemical industry.
Three agreements were signed between Qatar and Bosnia & Herzegovina. They were: avoiding double taxation and fiscal evasion prevention in respect to income tax, economic, commercial and technical cooperation, and cooperation and news exchange between the Federal News Agency (FENA) and the Qatar news Agency (KNA). Qatar’s Al-Jazeera news channel recently opened a bureau in Sarajevo.
The United Nations unveiled new members of a panel for its Millennium Development Goals (MDG) on Wednesday. Included on that list was Qatar’s First Lady, Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser al-Missned, who was named because of her being the Chairperson of the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development.
For her new role as member of the MDG, she will support Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon on reaching development goals set for the year 2015. Those goals include eliminating poverty, increasing school enrollment, bettering maternal health and access to clean water and sanitation.
The Secretary-General calls the panel a “collection of superheroes.” Other members are Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, Nobel Peace Laureate Muhammad Yunus, former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, and the former Mozambican First Lady Graca Machel.
The first meeting of this panel will take place in September in Madrid, Spain.
The wife of the Emir of Qatar, Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned, attended the opening ceremony of the third United Nations Alliance of Civilization forum in Rio de Janiero, Brazil on Friday. She was one the speakers at the event, which included leaders and representatives from such countries as Turkey, Portugal and South Korea.
AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo
The Sheikha’s speech highlighted the importance of cultural diversity, the plight of the Palestinians and human rights. She began her speech by mentioning the last forum five years earlier.
“Five years after the Mallorca meeting, there is no doubt that we have gained a wealth of experience which have required us to examine the issues and to look forward rather than backwards,” Mozah said.
“I personally believe that this previous phase of dialogue was extremely necessary because it helped us to enhance our conviction that the objective of the Alliance of Civilizations was not and will never be to bridge the gap between the West and Islam nor to dispel the causes of tension between them. This phase as well, with all the fruitful dialogues it has known directed the course of our minds towards the real objective consisting of addressing global issues threatening the civilizations’ unity armed with the desire to develop a real understanding of our contemporary world which enhanced our conviction in the need to refuse preconceived judgments and ideas.”
The Sheikha then brought up cultural diversity and how it can bring about peace.
“Raising the subject of cultural diversity again under the umbrella of the Alliance of Civilizations stresses that there still exists uncertainties relating to the right for difference and for diversity,” Sheikha Mozah said. “Therefore, I believe in the need to work on promoting and strengthening the role of major regional groups to enable them to play an active role in ensuring peace and security.”
“First, I firmly believe that the Arab community with its human, natural and strategic potential can, along with other major groups from Asia and Latin America and others form a driving force to enhance the values of the Alliance of Civilizations. Such a step falls within the principles of the Alliance. Second, you will agree with me that in order for the culture of peace to be more than just a symbol and perhaps an illusion, we must build trust and repel the doubts by eradicating the causes of tension and injustice.”
At this point, Sheikha Mozah discussed the Palestinian people. “As a citizen who takes pride in her Arab identity, rich civilization and cultural heritage, I, like hundreds of millions of my people, cannot accept the suffering of our brothers under siege in Gaza and the West Bank, whose values and cultural heritage in Jerusalem are threatened,” she said.
Then Mozah addressed human rights and security, citing the conflicts in the Middle East since the early 1990s.
“Since the two Gulf wars scientists have been studying the long term effects of the use of depleted uranium on the environment and human population. And the region has witnessed a rise in the number of chronic and untreatable diseases since the first gulf war which has been connected to adverse effects on the environment in addition to birth defects,” she said.
Sheikha Mozah also pointed out that fighting illiteracy, the right to an education and combating diseases and environmental changes are the challenges facing humanity.
The day before, she was given a tour of Pavilion of the State of Qatar at the exhibition of the Alliance of Civilizations.
Next year, the fourth forum will be held in Mozah’s country in its capital, Doha.
The wife of the Emir of Qatar, Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser al-Missned, was in Yemen this week where she toured projects and partners of Silatech. As chairperson of Silatech, it is Mozah’s duty to see how it is doing, since its goal is to provide young people with employment.
Maher Attar/Gulf Times
On Wednesday, the Sheikha visited the Youth Leadership Development Foundation in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa. There, she was briefed on the Khadija Program, which aims to bring together young male and female entrepreneurs into teams led by women business leaders. Its pilot project already is helping 200 young women.
Later in the day, Sheikha Mozah stopped by the Al Amal Microfinance Bank where she announced a $2 million contribution to help fund enterprises by Yemeni youths. This could led to 50,000 Yemeni entrepreneurs being helped over the next three years, and sustain 75,000 jobs during that same period.
Also on Wednesday, the Sheikha went to Sanaa Community College where she was briefed on how another Silatech project was set up there. Silatech has been working with Yemeni Ministry of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TEVT) for the past six months to create programs to help young Yemenis be trained to work in various sectors.
Sources: Gulf Times, The Peninsula On-line, Al-Bawaba
The leaders of six Gulf nations gathered in Riyadh for the 12th annual Gulf Cooperation Council. Royals from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates came to Dirriyah Palace to discuss among Iran, Iraq, Yemen and the Mideast peace process.
Xinhua/Saudi Photo Agency
All those in attendance agreed to back the U.S.-backed Mideast peace process, which broke down last year. They also called for a revival of the peace talks and for Israel to stop settlements in Palestinian territories.
In addition, the Gulf leaders sided with Kuwait in an alleged Iranian spy group discovered in that country. The secretary-general of the GCC, Abdulrahman al-Attiyah, said “The security of the Gulf region is a red line. The security of the Gulf cannot be divided.”
“But our Kuwaiti friends want to handle it themselves for the moment,” he added.
As for Iraq, the GCC members called for all neighboring countries and the international community to help the troubled nation to get back on its feet.
The GCC was hosted by Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz. Crown Prince Sultan and Prince Naif were present. The monarchs of Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait were there, while the UAE was represented by its Vice President, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum of Dubai. Oman was the other country at the summit, but its deputy prime minister was there instead of its Sultan.
In Qatar today, Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani inaugurated the aluminum smelter facility known as Qatalum in the industrial city of Mesaieed, located in the southern part of the country. Since the company is a joint venture built by Qatari and Norwegian energy companies, Norway’s Crown Prince Haakon was a special guest for Qatalum’s opening ceremony.
REUTERS/Mohammed Dabbous
This latest project between Qatar and Norway hopes to strengthen ties between the two countries. Since both are oil nations, this is another venture for them to build up their economies together.
Promising to be the most efficient and eco-friendly of smelters, the facility also has the world’s largest Casthouse and it intends to produce 585,000 metric tons per year of premium quality aluminium.
“This is an important day for the industry and for the State of Qatar,” Abdullah Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy & Industry, said. “Qatalum taps into the important energy resources available in Qatar, and represents a forward step in the realization of the strategy set by His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the Emir, for optimising our natural resources and long-term planning for a diversified economy.”
During the inauguration, the Koran was read and a film was shown explaining the history of Qatalum and what it plans for the future.
Officials from Qatar, Norway and other nati0ns were in attendance of the launch. Qatalum was formed in 2006 by Qatar Petroleum and Norsk Hydro as a dual partnership.
After the ceremony, Sheikh Hamad and Crown Prince Haakon was given a tour of the new smelter. He is currently on an official visit to both Qatar and the United Arab Emirates this week.
Also while in Qatar, the Crown Prince paid a visit to the Norwegian School where many children of Norwegians based in the Gulf state attend classes. Since Qatalum has been launched, it is expected that the number of students from Norway would reduce.
In addition, Haakon stopped by the Islamic Museum of Art in Doha, which is fast becoming a landmark in the city.
Haakon’s wife, Crown Princess Mette-Marit is still recovering from neck pain and therefore could not accompany him on these trips.
Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and Qatar’s First Lady, Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser al-Missned, met at Windsor Castle Tuesday to launch the Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation Publishing venture.
WPA Pool/Getty Images Europe
The company intends to be the Gulf state’s first international publishing house, promoting literary works in both English and Arabic. It is owned by both the Qatar Foundation, which the country’s research and education center, and managed by Bloomsbury.
“The launch of BQFP marks a far-reaching cultural partnership between Britain and Qatar, which strengthens the already close bilateral relationship between the two countries,” said Sheikha Mozah. “It also reflects Qatar Foundation’s commitment to progressive education and community welfare in Qatar, advocacy of closer relations between Islamic countries and the West, and Qatar’s aim to build a knowledge-based society.”
During the reception, Arabic manuscripts from the royal library were on display, including a 15th century Koran given to Queen Victoria. At the same time, the company’s first published books were shown, such a children’s books and mainstream Arabic authors.
Sheikha Mozah is currently on a three day visit to Great Britain. She was personally invited by the Queen. Part of her visit will include a concert by the Qatar Philaharmonic Orchestra and planting a tree with Prince Charles at Kew Gardens.
Sources: Press Association, The Peninsula, The Gulf Times
Morocco’s Princess Lalla Salma is currently on an official visit to Qatar. It began on Wednesday and it is expected that it would last until this weekend. The Princess was invited to this Persian Gulf nation by Sheikha Mozah, wife of the Emir.
Maghreb Arabe Presse
Lalla Salma’s first stop in Doha was to the Supreme Council for Family Affairs (SCFA) where she met with its Deputy Board Chairperson Dr. Juheina Al Issa, and SCFA Secretary General Nour Al Maliki. They explained to her the SCFA’s role in promoting and enhancing the family, how the Council functions and what it has achieved since its inception in 1998. Their achievements include legislating family laws, banning children from being camel jockeys and lobbying laws for those with special needs. Lalla Salma expressed her appreciation for the SCFA.
Later, the Princess was given a tour of the Museum of Islamic Arts, which opened in late 2008 to house artwork from the 7th century up until the 19th century.
Maghreb Arabe Presse
On Thursday, Lalla Salma went to the Sidra Medical Research Center, which is meant to be the Persian Gulf’s first international academic medical center living up to global standards in the study of health issues when it opens in 2012. Lalla Salma was briefed on the center’s ambitions and given a tour of the facility.
Following that visit, the Princess stopped by Qatar’s Diabetes Association where she learned about how it educates and helps people with the disease.
It is not known how long exactly will Princess Lalla Salma remain in Qatar. It is rumored that she will be attending the wedding of Sheikha Hind, the daughter of the Emir and Sheikha Mozah, this Friday. But there is no confirmation on this.
As she concluded her historic three day visit to Saudi Arabia, Qatar’s Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser al-Missned had nothing but kind words for King Abdullah for his leadership and vision for the Persian Gulf region.
REUTERS/Stringer
Speaking in an interview published in the Qatari newspaper Al Sharq and the Saudi daily Al Riyadh, Mozah said she was impressed by the Saudi Arabian King’s great knowledge of education and science. This is something the Sheikha cares very much for as she is Chairperson of the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development.
“On many visits and in many meetings with world leaders I found no person or leader that had the same, real, genuine enthusiasm to develop education and scientific research and to develop Gulf societies, not only Saudi Arabia,” she said.
Sheikha Mozah also pointed out that health and education projects and scientific research in Qatar were not impacted by the recent global financial crisis. That was because her husband, Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, set aside funds for those projects. “We ought to learn a lesson from the financial crisis and we have to focus on our economies and investments.”
“Today we are talking about a global citizen, and in order to be a global citizen one should have all the mechanisms that enable him to react vigorously, to impact and be impacted by others. Hence we focused on a change and on reforming education.”
Mozah also spoke of how women in the Arabian peninsula need the recognition they deserve for the work that they do.
“We in Qatar work to highlight the historical and influential role of woman in the Arab Peninsula before and after Islam’s arrival. This role is unknown in Arab and western world and neglected by Arab public opinion, mass media, and intellectuals,” she said.
“If we were able to develop the family in the GCC, the role of woman, I reckon would automatically change and so would the role of the Gulf citizen in general.”
Sheikha Mozah arrived in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. She was given tours of several universities in hopes of establishing relations between Saudi institutions and Qatari institutions.
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