Their collaboration in innovative education methods also comes as a response to the post-pandemic digital revolution.
Energy giant, Qatar Shell, is now one of Dadu’s, Children’s Museum of Qatar, “Founding Family” members under a long-term sponsorship agreement, signed on Monday.
Under the deal, Qatar Shell became the exclusive sponsor of Dadu’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Gallery.
Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad Al-Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Museums, said that the agreement will enable the children’s institution, which has yet to open, to grow and develop.
“As the exclusive sponsor of the STEM Gallery, Qatar Shell’s sponsorship will nurture a cross-disciplinary approach where children can discover various fields and identify key areas of ability and interest,” said Sheikha Al Mayassa.
Dadu, the first to be publicly funded in Qatar, provides innovative methods in the field of child development. It provides tools and programmes for children, parents and educatiors to lead a sustainable future.
Before the signing, Qatar Shell and Dadu have hosted a weaving workshop for children aged five and above at the newly-inaugurated Place Vendôme. The event took place during the Garangao festivities, celebrated in the Gulf in the middle of the holy month of Ramadan.
Their collaboration in innovative STEM education also comes as a response to the post-pandemic digital revolution. The Covid-19 outbreak placed challenges on parents and educators in providing a holistic learning experience at a distance.
“This collaboration will support and celebrate the growth of young engineers and we look forward to partnering with Qatar Museums to support their creative vision and the human and social development pillars of the Qatar National Vision 2030,” said Richard Tallant, Managing Director and Chairman of Qatar Shell Companies.
Dadu signed another sponsorship agreement last week with Prominent car distributor Abdullah Abdulghani & Bros. Co (AAB). Under the agreement, the car distributor will sponsor of the museum’s reception area.
“Although doors are not yet open, the museum is already engaging the community in Qatar through programmes from family events with allied organisations to museum-in-residences in schools around Doha,” said Qatar Museums.
The museum’s name, “Dadu”, translates to “play” in classical Arabic, Qatar’s native language. The choice of the word to become the institution’s name came after discovering the cruciality of play in children’s development.
The museum itself uses interactive tools indoor and outdoor to provide the families and children the chance to experience a unique learning approach through play.
The institution aims to promote curiosity, inclusion and community through methods that are fit for Qatari and expat families. Dadu was also established under the Qatar National Vision 2030 for human, social, economic and environmental development.
“Families are the threads of our community’s fabric, the tighter our weave, the stronger we are,” said Qatar Museums.
The latest addition to Dadu is going to be an installment by internationally renowned Swiss artist Pipilotti Rist.
“Your Brain to Me, My Brain to You” is a multisensory exhibition that allows visitors to explore mental health whilst starting a conversation on the topic.
The exhibition is collaboration between the National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ) and Qatar’s Ministry of Public Health (MoPH).
Sheikha Al-Mayassa said that the installment should be placed at Dadu due to the importance of starting the conversation on mental health with children to break the social stigma surrounding the topic.
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