Each year, on the 18th of December, the country celebrates its National Day, and each year there is a unique theme to the celebrations. This year it’s gratitude, and a special thanks to doctors, nurses and all of those who’ve been leading the fight against the coronavirus.
In line with the Qatar National Day 2020 [QND] message of thanks, the annual parade along Doha’s corniche featured a special appearance by medical professionals and volunteers.
Leading the march down the capital’s iconic seafront road, were battalions of doctors, nurses, paramedics and volunteers from the Qatar Red Crescent society. As they passed by the country’s leader, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, the Amir stood up from his seat to applaud them. The image was captured on camera and has been circulating on social media.
Despite Qatar appearing to initially struggle with the coronavirus pandemic, the high numbers of infections in the country did not translate into fatalities, and now, the country has one of the lowest infection rates in the world. A big reason for this has been the sacrifice and dedication of those working in the health sector.
Consequently, authorities made sure that at the centre of this year’s celebration was an acknowledgement of the mammoth efforts exerted by those manning the frontline of the battle against COVID-19.
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Aside from the doctors leading the parade itself, attendance at the spectacle, which is normally open to anyone from the public, was limited this year to family members of healthcare workers.
The official slogan for Qatar National Day 2020 translates to “We thank you (God) Lord of The Throne”. There’s no doubt that this year has been a difficult one for so many people, but it has also been an inspirational one, and there is a lot to be thankful for. Seeing how selfless and caring people were as they tried to protect others, how united we can become when we focus on our common humanity and not our differences; that’s been one of the silver linings of 2020. And for that many people in Qatar are grateful.
