A visitor at one of the stalls at the ‘Meet Qatar New Year’ charity fair as part of QND celebrations in Moscow.
Doha: A three-day grand celebrations of Qatar National Day took place in Moscow as one of the key events within the Qatar-Russia 2018 Year of Culture. The event comprised a gala evening on December 14 and ‘Meet Qatar New Year’ charity fair on December 15 and 16.
The gala evening was organised for the friends and partners of the Qatar-Russia 2018 Year of Culture and was hosted by Qatar’s Ambassador to Russia H E Fahad Bin Mohammed Al Attiyah. The reception opened with The Frames, an exclusive performance created by one of the most renowned ballet dancers Sergey Polunin, and the famous contemporary composer Kirill Richter.
Sergey Polunin danced to The Song of Distant Earth, an exclusive musical piece written specially for the event within the Year of Culture. The Frames project will supplement the short movie by Lado Kvataniya that will premiere in Spring, 2019.
During the event, guests had the opportunity to see a retrospective titled “Discover Qatar” showcasing key gains and symbols of the cross-cultural collaborations during the year. Among 14 items, provided for a silent auction for the Qatar National Day, were VIP invitations to Natalia Vodianova’s Love Ball - a charity event in the aid of the Naked Heart Foundation that will take place in Doha on March 28, a unique abaya created by Ulyana Sergeenko for an exclusive fashion show in Doha this March, a NOUDAR diamond set, Taus Makhacheva’s piece of art, among other objects. The funds were transferred to the official partner of the event – Friends Charity Foundation.
Traditional Qatari cuisine once again became the perfect addition to the wonderful evening. Chefs Fawaz Al Omaim and Asma Albah of the popular in Doha restaurants SMAT and GAHWETNA both working with Aura Hospitality and Palma Hospitality Group, leading players of the industry in Doha, were responsible for the gastronomical part of the celebration.
The second floor of the legendary Central House of Artists was turned into a Qatari oasis specifically for the New Year charity fair bringing together traditions and contemporary spirit. During the fair, 20 promising Qatari brands and startups presented their crafts and products including hand-made souvenirs, designer clothes and jewellery, home décor items, organic cosmetics and perfumery.
The traditional Qatari cuisine was presented on a food market zone by Al Manchab restaurant, a new trendy spot on the culinary route of Doha, the corner of Roastado Specialty Coffee, where the guests tasted coffee from the best plantations in the world, and the premium dates brand Qinwan, which brought to Moscow the best selection of dates of various sorts with different fillings.
More than nine million rubles were raised during the three-day event in the aid of the Friends Foundation for the implementation of its charity programmes. More than 12 000 people visited the fair.
