Embedding the culture in notable work created by students, Oryx universal College in partnership with Liverpool John Moores University kickstarted the Qatar National Day celebration for this year with a unique twist. Honouring the national spirit as well as the theme for the QND 2021, ‘Ancestral Meadows: A Matter of Trust’ the students at the college were invited to participate in a month-long art exhibition allowing them to showcase their talent across various categories including photography, calligraphy, painting, poetry etc. With the celebratory ambiance, students came forth with a diverse set of work which was displayed for the expo on the final day of the event, held at the Al-Messila campus on 16th December 2021.
The venue, set outdoors to complement the onset of winter in the country, was adorned with the national day decorations and flags of Qatar. Students and staff of the college took time out from their hectic schedules of the exam season to join the event and the camaraderie was felt across as everyone engaged in the numerous activities planned for the evening.
The president of the College, Mr Azmy Ameer had declared the event open, honouring the State of Qatar followed by the official flag hoisting and cake cutting ceremony. He was also joined by several senior students, the Dean of Academic Affairs Professor Rafid AlKhaddar and the Associate Dean of Student Wellbeing and Success and Senior Lecturer, Dr Mulshankur Binoy Sobnack.
As for the Art Exhibition, Sheikha Alanood Al-Thani, a passionate and expert-level artist, currently working at Qatar Central Bank, and Bosco Menezes, founder of #bigbmeetup and a renowned photographer, attended the event as the judges of the panel. The work presented by the students was assessed based on various factors including, but not limited to, adherence to theme, message, quality of work, techniques etc. Each student explained their work to the panel members allowing them to describe their work and define the purpose in more detail. Despite being a rather challenging decision to select a single winner and after careful consideration the judges came to a conclusion. Mr Azmy Ameer was invited to the stage to announce the winner, Ohoud Abdulrahman E H Alqattan from the BSc Quantity Surveying programme, for her exquisite photography.
Having won the competition, Ohoud’s work will be displayed at the OUC campus till the annual QND celebration next year. All the other participants’ work is also exhibited on the premises for the upcoming week.
One of the highlights of the evening was when students were invited to speak about ‘What Qatar Means to Them’. From students having lived their whole lives in Qatar to those who moved only recently, many shared their experiences and what the nation means to them. The speakers emphasised on distinct features including the cultural diversity of the country, the achievements made within the past few years especially in terms of managing a nation during the widespread of a pandemic and how the country continuously strives for excellence in all aspects for its citizens to ensure they have access to a good quality of life.
The Annual QND Barbeque marked the conclusion of the event as all the attendees were invited to enjoy a variety of delicious treats, a mix of regional and international foods, desserts and drinks, hosted by the team of OUC. The festive spirit was enjoyed by everyone as the evening progressed with the staff and students dining together in the newly designed gazebos shaded by strings of lights; a night to celebrate.