Ambassador of Qatar to the Kingdom of Spain, H E Abdullah bin Ibrahim Al Hamar; Katara General Manager, Prof Dr. Khalid bin Ibrahim Al Sulaiti; Fath Al Khair 5 Nokhadha Muhammad Al Sada, along with other officials.
The 40-day long Fath Al Khair 5 cruise journey came to a close on Friday where it docked at its final destination in Barcelona, Spain.
An Al Qaffal celebration was held after its last sail which was attended by Cultural Village Foundation, Katara ,General Manager, Prof Dr. Khalid bin Ibrahim Al Sulaiti; Ambassador of Qatar to the Kingdom of Spain, H E Abdullah bin Ibrahim Al Hamar along with other ambassadors, members of Arab and foreign diplomatic corps and officials in Spain, and a large audience from Qatar and Spain.
Al Qaffal is a traditional ceremony done in the past to welcome fishermen and pearl divers on their safe return from expeditions.
Dr. Al Sulaiti praised the Fath Al Khair 5 journey by introducing the authentic Qatari maritime heritage and promoting FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. He also commended the leadership of Nokhadha Muhammad Al Sada during the whole journey for overcoming challenges and adapting to difficulties.
He stressed that the Fath Al Khair 5 is the first trip to use a traditional local wooden loader which reached the shores of Europe, a first in Qatari maritime history.
The cruise started on July 4 in Malta, and went on to ports of Sicily, Naples, Rome, and Genoa in Italy; Monaco, Cannes and Marseille in France and concluded its journey at the port of Barcelona in Spain. The cruise course is about 5,700km.
The one and a half month journey was led by Nokhadha Muhammad Al Sada, along with seventeen sailors. During its journey, it greeted travellers and spread awareness about the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. Brochures and gifts were distributed, which were organised by the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy.
Al Sada said that the trip is Katara’s most exciting and challenging journey since Fath Al Khair started a decade ago. He explained that although they faced these difficulties, it was also rewarding as they were greatly welcomed by the European people, public and tourists.
During its fourth edition, the cruise has also promoted Qatar as the country host of this year’s World Cup. They distributed pamphlets, brochures and presents to the public while on tour to 11 ports in Europe and North Africa.
Fath Al Khair 5 will arrive on August 16 at Hamad International Airport where a reception for the crew will be held.
Since its inception in 2012, Fath Al Khair has been dedicated to educating Qatar’s youth about the country’s great maritime heritage and history. Organised by Katara, it aims to increase public knowledge, particularly of the country’s marine culture, which is an important aspect of the Qatari identity. The trip fits within the foundation’s continuous initiatives to encourage cultural exchange between the Mediterranean countries and Qatar on the one hand, and the Arab Gulf states and the area of Qatar on the other.
This is done to promote intercultural dialogue by raising understanding of Qatari history, particularly the marine culture.
