Chairperson of Qatar Foundation H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser honouring winners of Akhlaquna Award and the Akhlaquna Junior Award 2023, at Qatar National Library, yesterday.
Doha, Qatar: Chairperson of Qatar Foundation (QF), H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser honoured winners of the 2023 Akhlaquna Award and the Akhlaquna Junior Award yesterday.
The ceremony was also attended by H E Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, Vice-Chairperson and CEO of Qatar Foundation.
Launched in 2017, the Akhlaquna initiative recognises those who embody good moral character and strong values and develop projects that benefit their communities.
Two new award categories were launched under Akhlaquna: the Initiative Award and the Akhlaquna Appreciation Award.
Content creator Shikha Al Subai, who combines art and morals through drawings; Ibrahim Al Bashri, a storyteller who merges the subject with a moral impact for children in innovative ways; and Al Nawar Al Thani, whose initiative provides meals and messages of gratitude for workers, all received the Initiative Award.
Chairperson of Qatar Foundation H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Vice Chairperson and CEO of Qatar Foundation H E Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, and other dignitaries with the winners of the 2023 Akhlaquna Awards, yesterday.
On the other hand, the Chief of Pediatric Chest Diseases, Sidra Medicine, Dr. Ibrahim Al Janahi, received the Akhlaquna Appreciation Award for his ethical leadership in society and work. According to organisers, the new awards are designed to celebrate inspiring individuals and initiatives promoting positive societal change.
In a statement, Maryam Hassan Al Hajri, Director of Partnerships within the Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships department of QF’s Pre-University Education, said, “These awards will promote the values of the Ethics Award and inspire individuals to become active and aware citizens in their communities.
This year, organisers increased the age group for the award to 15-24 for nationals and residents. Participants (individually or in a group) have to come up with projects that fall under the four tenets of the awards: generosity, honesty, forgiveness and mercy. The participants come up with ideas and are shown tools to help them succeed, which they implement independently without interference.
“By highlighting individual contributions and inspiring stories, we aim to spread the spirit of initiative and leadership in community service. Celebrating accomplished personalities through the Role Model Award will motivate the younger generation as they begin their practical careers.”
“For the other new category, each one contributes or gives back to the community through an initiative, whether on social media or the ground. But it’s something that gives back to a specific audience in the community and embodies moral values,” said Alaa Elobaid, Senior Community Outreach Coordinator at QF.
Elobaid emphasised that the one-of-a-kind award in Qatar is the first award that celebrates people who give back to their communities and embody moral values by highlighting the link between knowledge and morality.
The student-led initiative “Asehaa”, developed by Al Dana Al Sulaiti, Amna Al Hammadi, Alanoud Al Matwi, Shikha Alanood Ahmed Al Thani, Leen Alabdulrazzak, and Haya Weal, won the Akhlaquna Award for 2023.
Their project aims to raise awareness about eating disorders in the community and encourages people with such conditions to seek support.
The Akhlaquna Junior award winners in the category for those aged 7-9 years were Mehdi Nasser Al Sharshani of Qatar Academy Al Wakra, Mariam Hamad Al Qahtani of Tariq Bin Ziad School, Aisha Mubarak Al Minkhas of Al Andalus Girls School; and Saleh Ahmed Al Muhannadi of Ali bin Abdulla Model School.
For 10-11 years, the winners were: Sabah Bekhit Al Nuaimi of Qatar Academy Al Khor; Ghalya Saoud Darwish Fakhroo of Qatar Academy Doha; Mariam Ahmed Al Anqar of Qatar Academy Al Wakra; Al Jawhara Abdulaziz Al Shammari of Al Nahda Primary School for Girls; and Kholoud Muhammad Al Harami of Al Arqam Academy for Girls.
The 12-14 category winners were Ghanim Muhammad Al Binali of Voltaire French School, Muhammad Mahmoud Al Hail of Qatar Academy Al Khor and Muhammad Ali Al Hail of Abdulla bin Ali Al Misned Preparatory School. In a statement, organisers say the 2024 award will introduce a new category for nominations, specifically for individuals from the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. In 2025, the award will expand with a category dedicated to institutions.
