Fath Al Khair 5 following a launch ceremony at Valletta’s Grand Hyper Marine Port in Malta on July 4.
The Fath Al Khair 5 cruise is now heading to Italy, a week after it started its journey from Malta.
On July 4, it set sail following a launch ceremony at Valletta’s Grand Hyper Marine Port in Malta. Fath Al Khair is scheduled to cross the ports of Sicily, Naples, Rome, and Genoa in Italy.
After Italy, it will head to Monaco, Cannes and Marseille in France, and conclude its journey at the port of Barcelona in Spain. The cruise course is about 5,700km.
The journey will finish in the middle of August and last around a month and a half. It will greet travellers and spread awareness of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 while docking at European ports. Brochures and gifts that were organised by the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy will also be distributed.
Back in 2019, the fourth edition of the cruise also handed brochures and gifts to the public in promoting Qatar’s hosting and preparations of the sporting event.
Fath Al Khair is aimed to introduce the authentic Qatari maritime heritage and promote the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 set in November which is almost four months away.
The crew comprised of 19 men, is headed by captain Mohammed Al Sada. In an earlier statement, he said that the Fath Al Khair 5 voyage will play a significant part in promoting Qatar as a major sporting and cultural event destination.
This will be accomplished by introducing soccer fans and the public from various countries the trip is journeying to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, and Qatar’s enormous World Cup projects.
Cultural Village Foundation, Katara is the main organiser of the Fath Al Khair. It aims to raise awareness especially the country’s maritime culture, which is a significant part of the Qatari identity.
The cruise fits into Katara’s ongoing efforts to promote cultural exchange between Qatar and the Arab Gulf region on one hand and the Mediterranean nations on the other. This is done in an effort to increase awareness of Qatari heritage, particularly the maritime culture, as a means of intercultural communication.
The fourth cruise of Fath Al Khair had visited 11 different harbours across Europe and North Africa. It started from Katara Beach and covered a number of countries including Turkey, Italy, Greece, France, Algeria, Spain and Tunisia. The third edition of the voyage meanwhile journeyed to Kuwait and Oman.
The second edition which was launched in 2015 voyaged from Katara beach to India. The cruise took seven days to reach India before sailing back to Doha.
It has a 30-member crew comprising experienced sailors, dhow repairers, cooks and technicians.
Its first edition sailed in 2013, with its first stop in Bahrain, followed by Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and the United Arab Emirates. It started its journey from November 22 before returning to Qatar on December 18, which is Qatar’s National Day.
