The month-long festival includes an array of workshops led by Qatari creatives, such as Hassan Al Mutawaa, Mona Al Bader and AbdulRahman Al Muftah
The inaugural four-week long SkillsFest, a celebration of culture, community and creativity, is underway in Qatar.
From July 15 to August 15, the festival will showcase Qatari artistic craftsmanship and offer masterclasses and exhibitions that explore Qatar’s culture and environment.
Offerings include calligraphy, hand-clay building, cake decoration, incense making and embroidery workshops, among others.
Throughout the festival, Qatari creatives, such as Hassan Al Mutawaa, Mona Al Bader, AbdulRahman Al Muftah and Sharifa Al Manai, among others, will be delivering workshops, starting on Friday.
These array of activities spread across Qatar’s capital, including Place Vendome, Mall of Qatar, Msheireb Galleria and West Walk.
Qatari marine heritage makes a splash
The four SkillsFest mascots, denizens of Qatari waters, embody the marine life found in the depths of the Gulf state and are the brainchild of Qatari artist, Hassan Al Mutawaa.
Taking to Instagram, Al Mutawaa explained that he collaborated with Faisal Abdullah Al Naimi, a Qatari researcher, for the character development of the mascots.
For instance, the naming of Lafan the whale shark originates from northern Qatar’s Ras Laffan coastal city.
According to a 2023 survey by Qatar’s Whale Shark Research Project, as many as 600 of the majestic creatures are in Qatar’s waters, marking it the host of one of the world’s largest whale shark congregations.
Meanwhile, Barga the dugong was named after Ras Broog, an area where Qatar’s dugongs were known to gather. Qatar is also home to the world’s second largest population of the marine mammal, with herds of 600-700 recorded in the Gulf state’s waters.
The latter two mascots are Safiya the hawksbill turtle and Rahhal the honeycomb stingray.
“Our marine environment is a source of inspiration for all of us,” Al Mutawaa said. “This is my attempt to convey this beauty in my own way and expression”.
