Qatar National Day celebration welcomes Embassy Cultural Attaché

The University annually celebrates the Qatar National Day and Cultural Attaché Dr Mohammed Al-Kaabi has been a regular visitor to the event

HUNDREDS of students took the opportunity to sample the culture of Qatar at a special University of Huddersfield event that was held in the presence of a distinguished visitor from the state’s UK embassy.

Qatari Cultural Attaché Dr Mohammed Al-Kaabi regularly attends the Qatar National Day celebrations that have been held at the University for the past five years.  As before, he took an opportunity to speak to Qatari undergraduates and postgraduates, encouraging them to work hard at their studies and enjoy their time in Huddersfield.

He spoke about the importance of Qatar’s National Day and praised the links forged between the embassy and the University of Huddersfield.

Dr Al-Kaabi was hosted by Bakhit Al-Basti, who is President of the University’s Qatar Students Society, who said: “I felt very proud to represent my country and celebrate our national day on campus.  It was especially nice to have so many different students attend and want to learn more about Qatari culture.”

The Cultural Attaché was also accompanied by Professor Dave Taylor, who is the University’s Pro Vice-Chancellor, International.

There are currently 310 Qatar students studying at the University of Huddersfield, with the many of them taking courses within the Business School and the School of Computing and Engineering.  A large number prefaced their degrees by taking foundation courses at the University’s International Study Centre.

The 2018 Qatar celebrations included an open event that attracted 300 University staff and students.

They were schooled in the art of Arabic seating, sampled Arabian tea and had demonstrations of henna adornment, plus music and dance from the region.  There was also a display of Qatari art, featuring paintings loaned by the Embassy.

The Qatari National Day celebrations are part of a busy calendar of global campus events at the University, which has some 3,000 international students from more than 120 countries.

“We hold these celebrations to allow representation, encourage cultural integration and develop the global mindset of our students on the campus,” said International Student Experience Manager Alan Tobi.

 “They are highly educational with dedicated commitment from the students matched by support from the University in giving students the best experience while studying at Huddersfield.”