Young people doing experiments during the D’reesha Performing Arts Festival.
Doha: From studying planets in the solar system to conducting experiments, from solving puzzles to learning about robotics, Qatar Foundation’s D’reesha Performing Arts Festival is giving young people the opportunity to explore the scientific world.
The seven-day festival at Education City’s Oxygen Park, taking place during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, is being held under the theme of “Travel and Adventure”. And this year, it features a brand-new area titled “D’reesha of Invention”, sponsored by ConocoPhillips Qatar.
One of the activities is a virtual reality simulation set on top of a flying carpet. Within this, children “fly” over Qatar, learning about its history. Omar Khan, from Gamyra — a company that creates immersive virtual experiences — said: “Being part of the D’reesha Performing Arts Festival helps us reach a wider audience and highlight our presence in Doha.
“This activity shows a progression of Qatar – from past to present. There are a few simple questions, within the activity, that keeps the children engaged and teaches them about some of the country’s landmarks, like the National Museum of Qatar and Stadium 974, so is also relevant to the FIFA World Cup.”
Activities hosted by Texas A&M University at Qatar – a Qatar Foundation partner university – teaches young people about robots, as well as introduces them to different engineering concepts. While an astronomy booth, organized by Al Thuraya Planetarium, allows visitors to learn about the different planets in our solar system through virtual reality tours and telescopes.
Andreas James visited D’reesha Performing Arts Festival with his two daughters, who are five and six years old. “It is very interesting to see how children learn about the scientific world though different experiences and activities here at the festival, and all within a safe and a family-friendly environment.”
Dr. Samer Adham, Managing Director of the ConocoPhillips Global Water Sustainability Center, said: “At the ConocoPhillips Global Water Sustainability Center, creativity helps us capture the public’s imagination and inspire the next generation to continue our work. Our work in water sustainability research and education requires that we communicate complicated ideas, and the best way to do that is by appealing to the human eye.
“As Principal Partners of D’reesha of Invention, ConocoPhillips Qatar is excited to show families that the arts are deeply intertwined with the sciences. This region boasts a proud history of ingenuity and exploration, and their stories can inspire Arab youth to partake in a tradition of academic excellence and further build upon our foundation of knowledge.”
