Assistant Undersecretary for Social Development Affairs at MSDF, Fahd Mohammed Al Khayarin (sixth left); Assistant Undersecretary for Dawah and Mosque Affairs at Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, Mohammed bin Hamad Al Kuwari (fourth right); CEO of Dar Al Sharq Group, Abdul Latif Abdullah Al Mahmoud (fifth right); Deputy CEO of Dar Al Sharq and Editor-in-Chief Al Sharq, Jaber Al Harami (second left); Editor-in-Chief of The Peninsula, Dr. Khalid Mubarak Al-Shafi (fifth left) and Editor-in-Chief of Al Arab, Faleh Hussein Al Hajri (right), with other officials during the opening of Kids Expo 2024 at DECC yesterday. Pic: Rajan Vadakkemuriyil
Doha, Qatar: A specialised exhibition ‘Kids Expo 2024’ offering a one-stop solution, covering education, health, culture, and entertainment for children up to 13 years old, opened yesterday under the theme ‘Our Children are the Greatest Treasure’.
The four-day event, a first-of-its-kind in Qatar, running from November 20 to 23, 2024, is being organised by Dar Al Sharq Group in coordination with a number of entities from the government and private sectors in a huge 7,000 sqm area at Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC).
On behalf of the Minister of Social Development and Family, Assistant Undersecretary for Social Development Affairs at the Ministry of Social Development and Family, Fahd Mohammed Al Khayarin, inaugurated the Expo.
The opening ceremony was attended by Assistant Undersecretary for Dawah and Mosque Affairs at the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, Mohammed bin Hamad Al Kuwari; CEO of Dar Al Sharq Group, Abdul Latif Abdullah Al Mahmoud; Deputy CEO of Dar Al Sharq and Editor-in-Chief Al Sharq, Jaber Al Harami; Editor-in-Chief of The Peninsula, Dr. Khalid Mubarak Al-Shafi; and Editor-in-Chief of Al Arab, Faleh Hussein Al Hajri, along with other officials and guests.
The Kids Expo, which is expected to attract over 1,500 visitors daily, on the first day yesterday witnessed a large footfall.
The Expo opens daily from 9am to 9pm, except on Friday, when it receives visitors from 3pm to 10pm.
As many as 55 government and private entities are participating in the Expo, as well as a large number of companies and entities that display their services and products for children.
Major Shaheen Rashid Al Ateeq, an officer in the Public Relations Department and supervisor of the Ministry of Interior’s pavilion at the Expo, said that the Ministry’s participation comes within the framework of its keenness to enhance communication with all members of society and community participation with private sector entities and government agencies.
He added that the participation is represented by a number of relevant departments that have a direct relationship with security and preventive awareness and education.
Al Ateeq noted that the Ministry’s presence at the Expo constitutes a qualitative addition to enhance awareness among children, youth, guardians and the family in general.
He said that the Ministry of Interior’s participation also comes as a gold sponsor of the exhibition in partnership with Dar Al Sharq.
“The Ministry of Interior has two sections within the exhibition. The first section is an interactive pavilion that presents awareness-raising matters related to combating cybercrime. There is also a presence of the Juvenile Police Department, which offers programmes to promote positive behaviors among children and adolescents,” said Al Ateeq.
He said that the second section is a field wing that includes 3 departments: the General Traffic Department, the General Civil Defense Department, and the Tomorrow’s Police Program at the Police Academy.
Al Ateeq said that it is a practical field wing that includes movement, security, and educational activities at the same time. First Lieutenant Mohammed Salem Al Mannai from the Police Academy said that the Academy’s participation in the exhibition comes through some activities, such as the air shooting range and the children’s descent tower.
He said that these are interactive activities that attract children. “Through this participation, we seek to deliver knowledge to children in an interesting way and introduce them to the summer program carried out by the academy, represented by the Tomorrow’s Police Program,” said Al Mannai.
He said that the Police Academy is keen to be present at such events that bring together a large number of students and children in order to educate them about the importance of the police and their role in society.
The event aims to encourage parents to learn everything useful by meeting local and international participants during the exhibition period. It also includes some specialised clinics for children, medical tools, and assistance centres for speech therapy, autism, and physical disabilities.
The educational sector also includes schools, kindergartens, learning and rehabilitation centers, technology companies, school books, and children’s books and stories, among many more.
The Kids Expo hosts a distinguished group of government institutions and private firms as well as service providers and companies for displaying their services. It is also a forum for development, education, health experts, government instituions and those interested in Qatar and the participating countries.
The first day of the exhibition included a large number of activities, as a number of students from public and private schools flocked to enjoy the events. The accompanying activities and events began in the early morning hours, and then a marine life show of the dugong was presented in the main theater.
Then the competitions and activities continued until 4pm. The children also enjoyed the puppet show presented in the main theatre. The activities and events continued in the evening.
