Nepali organisation operating in Qatar inaugurated an open-knockout football tournament on Friday (October 12) at Barwa Workers Sports Complex located in Al Khor to celebrate a slew of forthcoming Nepali festivals.
Dashain Festival will be special for Nepali expatriate community in Qatar this year because it will fall on Friday (October 19), the weekly holiday.
“Preparations have begun to celebrate the festival at labor accommodations and homes of those residing with families,” Nagendra Prasad Pokhrel (Nabin), President of Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) of National Coordination Council (NCC)-Qatar told The Peninsula.
He said that the cultural programmes will also be organised at different other places by Nepali social and cultural organisations operating in Qatar under embassy of Nepal to observe the festival.
“Dashain Festival is one of the most important festival which is celebrated all over Nepal with fervour. It is our Eid, you can say,” said Pokhrel.
He said that at the yearly event people wear new dresses, traditional Nepali caps and visit the residents of their elders. “Special food and traditional cuisines are prepared.” He said that large number of artistes including singers and dancers from Nepali expatriate community participate in the cultural programmes.
“Over 50 artistes are registered with NRNA who perform at cultural programmes and stage shows organised to celebrate festivals,” said Pokhrel. He said that Nepali artistes also participate in various events organised by the Ministry of Interior to educate workers about laws especially labor laws.
In a related move, the Federal Limbuwan Social Forum (FLSF), a Nepali organisation operating in Qatar inaugurated an open-knockout football tournament on Friday (October 12) at Barwa Workers Sports Complex located in Al Khor to celebrate a slew of forthcoming Nepali festivals.
“A total of 28 teams of Nepali expatriate workers are participating in the tournament which is being organised to celebrate Nepali festivals Dashain, Tihar, Balihang Tangnam, Chhat Puja, Chasok Tangnam, Udhuli and Lhosar,” Rekha Rai Vice President of FLSE told The Peninsula.
She said that matches will be played every Thursday and Friday which will go parallel to the festivals stretching on a span over two months.
“Three matches were played on first opening day of the tournament and the finals of the game will be on November 9,” said Rai adding that the pre-quarter matches will be played at playground of the Industrial Area Labor City, quarter-finals, semifinal finals and the finals will be played at Al Khor.
Nepali expatriate community is usually described as ‘real partner of Qatar’s development’ by local citizens in recognition of their services.
“Over 100 volunteers of Nepali expatriate community will participate in a beach cleaning drive scheduled to be held at Al Wakra Beach next Friday (October 26),” said Mohammad Ayub Haque, President of Nepalese Muslim Society-Qatar (NMS).
“NMS which has over 500 active members also planned to organise a blood donation camp in coordination with HMC soon,” said Haque.
Mohammad Ayub Haque who is also Secretary of Nepal Engineering Association Qatar (NEA-Q) said that the Association organised a technical seminar for Nepalese engineers in Qatar recently.
He said that NEA-Q has over 400 members of Nepalese engineers. Speaking about the work contribution of Nepali expatriates in Qatar, Haque said: “There are about 400,000 Nepalese in Qatar. Over 1,000 are holding high profile jobs, similar number is of businessmen who run construction companies and there are about 30 Nepalese doctors.”
Highlighting the need of Nepalese school in Qatar, Haque said: The community or international schools with curriculum of Nepal will be helpful for them.”
“There are about 70 active organizations of Nepali community in Qatar which are listed to Nepal Embassy,” said Prof Mohammed Ramzan Ali Miya, a Doha-based Nepali human rights activist and social worker and coordinator of Nepalese community.
He said that the organizations include Non-Resident Nepali Association ( NRNA), Nepal Engineering Association Qatar, International Nepalese Muslim Society Qatar, Chitwon Youth Society, Gorkha Sewa Samaj, Khas Chhetri Samaaj, Gulmi Sewa Samaj, Nepali Mahila Samaj, Morang Sunsari sewa Samaj, Nepal Aadhiwashi janajaati Samaaj Qatar, Nawadit Sahitye Samaj and Makawanpur Milan Kendra.
“The organizations coordinate with Nepal Embassy to help solve the problems of Nepali expatriates. They actively participate in beach cleaning drive and organise blood donation camps in collaboration with Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) and local authorities concerned,” said Miya.
