There are plenty of sporting and cultural events taking place this weekend across Qatar, including a chance to learn about the lives of sea turtles and watch some of the country’s young athletes compete on the football pitch. Here are our picks:
Cultures of Brazil Festival
The best of Brazilian cuisine, culture and music will be on display all weekend at the Museum of Islamic Art Park.
The Cultures of Brazil Festival runs from Nov. 6 to Nov. 8 and comes as the 2014 Qatar-Brazil Year of Culture draws to a close.
Attendees will be treated to some of Brazil’s most popular classical and jazz musicians, including a 10-piece Samba Chula de Sao Braz band. Local storytellers Khalid Al Mohanandi and Maryam Al Subaiey will be joined by resident Braziliant artist and filmmaker Luciana Ceccatto Farah for craft and storytelling sessions from 3 to 7:30pm.
The event also features Brazilian street food stalls, capoeira workshops and demonstrations, samba drumming workshops, an open air cinema, a photography exhibition, storytelling and, of course, football.
Acclaimed Brazilian artist Speto will hold graffiti workshops during the festival, and organizers will screen Rio and Rio 2 in the evening.
Meanwhile, residents looking to pick up a few dance moves can avail of the festival’s Samba workshops held at 3:45pm on Nov. 6, and at 6:30pm on Nov. 8.
The event is free and open to the public. It runs from 2 to 11pm on Thursday and Friday, and from 11am to 10pm on Saturday.
Additionally, the Qatar National Library is also hosting an evening of reading, storytelling, arts, crafts and other activities for children on Nov. 6, starting at 4pm. The event will be held at the Education City Clubhouse and will also feature an open-air screening of Rio 2.
Qatar National History Group Talks
The Qatar National History Group is hosting a series of talks on Qatar’s environment and local history during the month, starting with a lecture on sea turtles tonight (Nov. 5) at 7pm.
The event is titled “Understanding the biology of sea turtles in the face of climate change” and will be held at the Doha English Speaking School in Madinat Khalifa South. The speaker will be Dr. Nick Pitcher, a British marine biologist who has studied turtles for more than 20 years.
The event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served from 6:30pm onwards, followed by the talk and a question-and-answer session.
Mathaf Summary Part 1
Delve into the works of more than 100 artists from across the region as Qatar’s Arab Museum of Modern Art (Mathaf) officially unveils its newest permanent collection.
The exhibition, titled Mathaf Collection, Summary, Part 1, features the works of prominent Middle Eastern and Arab artists such as Farid Belkahia, Wafa al-Hamad, Hassan Sharif, Ibrahim el-Salahi and Jassim Zaini. The exhibition is free and open to the public. It runs from 11am to 6pm from Saturday to Thursday (except on Monday, when it is closed) and from 3 to 8pm on Fridays.
QatART Handmade Market
Local arts and crafts group QatART is hosting a small handicraft art market on Friday, Nov. 7 from 3 to 9pm at the Katara Art Studios Courtyard.
The event will feature jewellery, accessories, paintings, illustrations, bags, clothes, handmade cards, food and party supplies. Attendees will also be able to participate in numerous hands-on crafting activities.
The event is free and open to the public.
University League Football Tournament
The University League – a coalition of 12 local colleges and universities – will host the second match in a fall series this Thursday (Nov. 6), starting at 6pm.
The league is a collaboration between Qatar Foundation and the Qatar Football Association. Teams from the Qatar Aeronautical College, the College of the North Atlantic Qatar, the University of Calgary Qatar, the Academic Bridge Program, along with Education City’s numerous universities, are competing for the championship title.
Winners will be recognized across various categories and ranks. Cash prizes, totalling more than QR100,000, will be awarded.
The match will be played at Pitch 3 at Qatar Foundation’s Recreation Center in Education City. The event is free and open to the public. Subsequent matches will be played every Thursday until Dec 18.
Bonus:
- Sound of Music ticket giveaway: While this popular musical isn’t scheduled to start its Qatar run until later this month, Doha News readers have the opportunity over the next few days to win a pair of tickets for opening night. To enter, answer the following question in the comments section of Doha News’ Facebook page: HOW MANY CHILDREN ARE IN THE VON TRAPP FAMILY? Answers must be submitted by 10pm on Saturday, Nov. 8. Winners will be picked at random and announced on Sunday at 1pm. The Sound of Music show runs at the Qatar National Convention Center from Nov. 26 to Nov. 29. It will feature a live orchestra and colorfully costumed London West End’s performers. Tickets for the show can of course also be bought online at Virgin Megastore’s website and at Virgin Megastore’s branches in Villaggio and Landmark malls.
What are your plans for the weekend? Thoughts?
