Tag: Records of Qatar

UAE / QATAR : Mohammed bin Rashid Honours UAE’s Amnah Al Mansoori and Qatar’s Abdullah Al Berri as the joint ‘7th Arab Reading Champions 2023’

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, honoured winners of the Arab Reading Challenge 2023 at the concluding event of the 7th edition, which also saw awards granted to Community Champion, Outstanding Supervisor and Best School, as well as the People of Determination Champion.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid honoured Abdullah Mohammad Abdullah Al Berri from Qatar, and Amnah Mohammad Al Mansoori from the UAE, who tied for the first place as the Arab Reading Champions 2023.

The challenge in its 7th edition saw a record participation of 24.8 million students from 46 countries, representing over 188,000 schools under the mentorship of around 150,000 supervisors.

Speaking to an audience of over 1,500 people attending the event at the Dubai Opera, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid stressed that the “Future welcomes those armed with knowledge. It resides inside of books. Those who read today will get to write chapters in the book of tomorrow.”

His Highness said, “We are thrilled to witness the competitive spirit among Arab students, and to have met a generation of young minds who believe books are the best way to build the future.

“Reading is the key to understanding ourselves and the world around us. It is the compass that has outlined the path of human civilization and will continue to be the driver to better human life. The Arab Reading Challenge continues to reveal bright Arab minds, capable of miraculous feats,” he added.

“We are proud of our Arab students and their commitment to the Arabic language. We deeply believe in their ability to preserve it and unlock endless horizons of knowledge. The UAE will always stand behind the Arab youth and help spread our Arab culture. This is a responsibility we all share.

“This year, we have 24.8 million champions, I congratulate you all, and thank all participating ministries of education and educators, as well as everyone who has contributed to this success. The Arab Reading Challenge is for everyone, because acquiring knowledge requires no permission,” His Highness Sheikh Mohammed concluded.

The event was attended by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council; H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance; H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior; Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority; and Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence.

Investing in People
Mohammad bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, and Secretary-General of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, said that since its launch by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in 2015, the Arab Reading Challenge continues to evolve and break records, reflecting the visions of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed for investing in people, enabling the new generation to gain knowledge and encouraging them to read and enrich the Arab cultural scene. The initiative fosters a strong connection to the Arabic language and highlights its role as a key component of the Arab identity.

“Honouring the 7th Arab Reading Challenge Champions is an acknowledgment of excellence, perseverance and willpower of students, and of the dedication of tens of thousands of schools and educators.

“The Arab Reading Challenge will continue to grow in quality and quantity, further inspiring and impacting the lives of students who have grown more knowledgeable and more attached to their mother tongue. Just as addition of the People of Determination category this year represented a milestone, the Challenge will continue to introduce new ideas and updates that reflect its ambition and its mission,” Al Gergawi added.

Fierce Competition
The final round of qualification for 1st place winners at witnessed fierce competition among the students who already passed several qualifiers, with Abdullah Mohammad Al Berri from Qatar and Amnah Mohammad Al Mansoori from the UAE emerging as joint Champions receiving the 1st place award of AED 500,000 each.

Naema Jehad Rajoub from Syria and Mohammad Walid Abdullatif from Egypt (Ministry of Education) tied for second place and received an award of AED 100,000 each.

People of Determination
H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum honoured winners of the newly added People of Determination Champion category, which saw the participation of 22,506 students. Yousuf bin Dawoud from Tunisia won 1st place and an award of AED 200,000, followed by Abdullah Ammar Mohammad Al Sayyed from Egypt (Ministry of Education) in second place, earning an award of AED 100,000, while Zaid bin Tariq Al Adi from Oman won 3rd place and an award of AED 50,000.

Community Champion
H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed also honoured winners of the Community Champion category for students participating in the Arab Reading Challenge from non-Arab countries as well non-Arabs. The 1st place title was awarded to Mohammed Abdulraqib Ali Ahmed Al Kawkabani from Malaysia, who received an award of AED 100,000.

Maram Saddouqi from France came in 2nd place and received AED 70,000, while Hussain Mustafa Ihsan from Türkiye came in third and received AED 30,000.

Outstanding Supervisor
The Outstanding Supervisor Award, presented by Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, went to Samaher Al Sawaei from Jordan, who outshined 149,826 reading supervisors taking part in the 7th edition of the challenge and received a AED 300,000 award. Winners of the 2nd and 3rd places for this category are Fuad bin Medyef Al Talhi from KSA (winning an award of AED 100,000) and Noorah Al Shehhi from the UAE (winning an award of AED 50,000), respectively.

Best School
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum presented the King Abdullah II School for Excellence in Jordan with the Best School Award and an AED 1 million prize. It was followed by Saudi Arabia’s Mawaheb Al Watan School, which received an AED 500,000 award, while the Martyr Pilot Ali Mohammed Ali School from Egypt came in third place and received an award of AED 300,000.

With 100 percent student participation, the King Abdullah II School for Excellence has launched several initiatives to highlight the challenge and nurture the love of reading among its students, organised several meetings with authors, poets and intellectuals, and signed partnerships with Yarmouk University and other institutions to support its initiatives.

Tours for Knowledge
The Arab Reading Challenge delegations visiting the UAE to attend the event had an extensive and enriching program that toured the emirate. The delegations visited the Mohammed bin Rashid Library and toured its various sections, learning about the millions of research works offered by the smart library to students and academics via the UAE’s largest database.

Another visit to the Global Village, a major family entertainment destination in Dubai, introduced the students to the myriad of cultures of the world through entertainment shows, craft displays and food. The delegations also visited Motion Gate, the Hollywood-inspired theme park and part of the Dubai Parks and Resorts.

Record Achievements
The 7th Arab Reading Challenge builds on its success story since 2015, further contributing to the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum for preparing a future generation who loves reading and knowledge, capable of expressing their identity in Arabic and are keen on learning and using this rich language in their day-to-day interactions.

The Arab Reading Challenge also helps build a value system that encourages youth to learn about other cultures, which instils the principles of tolerance and coexistence, and opens the door for a global open dialogue.

source/content: emirates247.com (headline edited)

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By E247

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U.A.E / QATAR

QATAR SPORTS INVESTMENTS (QSI) Acquires WORLD PADEL TOUR (WPT) to form Single Global Padel Entity

Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) has reached a deal to acquire the World Padel Tour (WPT), the oldest global professional padel tour, from Spanish brewing powerhouse Damm’s Setpoint Events.

Under this agreement, the WPT will be combined with the QSI-owned Premier Padel to form a single global professional padel tour. The tour, which will be called Premier Padel, will be governed by the International Padel Federation (FIP). Financial terms of the agreement were not released.

“This is a historic moment for the sport of padel,” Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, the chairman of QSI and Premier Padel, said in a statement. “As the fastest-growing sport globally, QSI is proud to be at the heart of driving the development of padel professionally worldwide, always placing the players at the center of our mission to grow the sport everywhere.”

The new tour will kick off in 2024. Until the end of 2023, the separate WPT and Premier Padel tours will be played as scheduled. 

QSI, which also owns Ligue 1’s Paris Saint Germain, launched Premier Padel in 2022. Within its first year, over 500 players worldwide competed in tournaments in five cities. The tour was expanded to eight cities in 2023. According to the organizers, the inaugural 2022 tour has broadcast agreements that cover over 180 countries and attracted 22.7 million views on YouTube. 

World Padel Tour (WPT) started in 2013 and has been the prominent padel circuit, featuring over 26 men’s and women’s tournaments across six countries. A total of 510 men and 317 women compete in the circuit, which is broadcast in more than 150 countries.

While WPT has a total prize fund of $121,000, Premier Padel has $568,000.

There have been disputes between the two leagues. When players signed with WPT, their contracted barred them from playing in other leagues.

According to Politico , last year, the world’s top padel players and FIP jointly submitted a competition complaint to the European Commission, accusing Damm’s Setpoint Events—which runs WPT—of breaking EU law by distorting competition. WPT responded by suing players that joined Premier Padel and taking legal action against FIP, the Professional Players Association (PPA) and QSI, arguing that QSI is trying to exclude them from the market. The WPT also had filed a lawsuit in Madrid against the FIP, claiming it was deviating from its role as an impartial, non-profit regulatory body.

The global padel industry is valued at over $2 billion and is forecast to surpass $4 billion by 2026, according to a recent report from Deloitte .

There are currently 25 million people playing Padel in 110 countries, compared to 16 million two years ago.

source/content: sportico.com (headline edited)

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Starting in 2024, the World Padel Tour and Premier Padel will combine to operate as a single tour.PHOTO BY DOMENICO CIPPITELLI/NURPHOTO VIA GETTY IMAGES

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QATAR: National Orchid Flower of Singapore Named after Prime Minister of Qatar

The Singaporean Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong, presented His Excellency the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, with a flower during the ceremony naming the famous flower after him, showcasing the strong collaboration between the State of Qatar and the Republic of Singapore.

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H.E. the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, was honored at the 8th meeting of the high-level joint committee in Singapore.

Image Credit and Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs Qatar (MOFA)

source/content: iloveqatar.net (headline edited)

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QATAR Investment Authority Invests $200mn; Buys Stake in NBA, WNBA & NHL

A report by the Financial Times  has said that the country’s sovereign wealth fund, Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), has taken a stake in the owner of Washington’s professional basketball and hockey teams in US sport.

As per the report, the fund is paying $200mn for a 5% stake in Monumental Sports and Entertainment (MSE) in a deal that values the owner of the National Basketball Association’s Washington Wizards, the Women’s National Basketball Association’s Washington Mystics and the National Hockey League’s Washington Capitals at $4.05bn.

The report also mentions that the investment from QIA, at an estimated $450bn in assets, comes less than a year after the NBA amended its bylaws to allow sovereign wealth funds to invest in clubs.

The QIA said, “As one of the largest integrated sports and entertainment companies in the country, MSE’s platform provides unique opportunities and scalability for growth and partnerships”.

As per the report, people familiar with the Monumental deal said that the QIA was taking a stake in the group as a financial transaction to gain exposure to a company with a diverse range of assets. As per reports, QIA will not gain board representation as part of the transaction.

Source: Financial Times

Cover image credit: www.sportingnews.com

source/content: iloveqatar.net (headline edited)

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QATARI Dairy Company ‘Raw’a’ Wins Fine Taste Award for 2023, Brussels, Belgium

Gulf Food Production Company “Raw’a“, one of the leading companies in the State of Qatar in dairy production, won the Fine Taste Award for the year 2023, which is one of the most prestigious awards in the field of food and beverage industry worldwide, presented by the International Taste Company Institute in Brussels, Belgium. The evaluation was conducted by a committee of more than 200 international chefs with 86 Michelin Stars awarded to the finest chefs and restaurants around the world after competing with more than 120 international products.

136 hours of blind tasting

Rawa is the first Qatari dairy company to receive the award for good taste, after it was subjected to an organoleptic assessment that includes the visual, aromatic, flavour and textural aspects, in addition to the final mouth texture. The evaluation process took place over 136 hours of blind tasting conducted on hundreds of products from around the world, with the aim of selecting the best among them.

Award-winning product

The award-winning product is yogurt consisting of four grains and fruits containing (wheat – barley – oats – rye – apple fruit – coconut fruit). It is a healthy choice full of wholesome fruits and grains . It is the consumer’s first choice in market’s and best seller.

Mr. Mohammad Ali Al-Kuwari CEO of Raw’a, stated that Gulf food Co. pursues a strict strategy related to the quality and safety of its products and revolves around adopting several practices in its factories, including, for example, the activation of several internal audits on dairy products. In addition, the quality of these products is periodically tested.

The company is always keen to perform the above in order to ensure the safety of its products and their compliance with the highest standards of quality and taste before they reach the consumer.

It also pays great attention to developing its products with the support of a specialized research and development team to ensure that the company is compatible with the latest technologies that guarantee quality and taste while maintaining the characteristics that Qatari consumer is accustomed to in our range of products.

Source and cover image credit: Press Release

source/content: iloveqatar.net (headline edited)

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QATAR: QMMF President Al Mannai hails Qatari Champion Nasser Al Attiyah’s Dakar 2023’s Achievements

Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) President Abdulrahman bin Abdullatif Al Mannai has hailed the continuous successes achieved by Qatari champion Nasser Al Attiyah at the global stage, the latest of which was his Dakar Rally 2023 title victory for a second time in a row and the fifth overall. 

Al Mannai said that Al Attiyah winning the Dakar Rally title is a great achievement for Qatar motorsports and sports in general, especially since this is his fifth victory at the tough international event following his earlier wins in 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2022.

Al Mannai explained that such achievements are not strange for the champion driver who has been winning titles and bringing victories to Qatari sports and motorsports in particular, noting that he is used to ascending the podiums in all forums, which makes him the most prominent Qatari sportsperson in the recent years.

Al Mannai stressed that Al Attiyah has become a key figure in the world of desert rallies whether at the global level or in the Middle East, considering that his successive achievements are a great incentive for all Qatari drivers to follow the same path and achieve titles and championships.

The QMMF president congratulated Al Attiyah on this great achievement, which serves as a motivation for him to continue victories this season in various competitions, wishing him success and continuing the same professional approach that he follows in managing his team and its participation in various international tournaments.

Al Mannai also noted that Al Attiyah’s victory this year was due to the strong strategy he followed, as he pressed in the early stages and led the rally by a comfortable margin and then fought the rest of the stages with the aim of maintaining the lead and not taking risks. 

Al Mannai also stressed that Al Attiyah is a role model for all Qatari youth, not only for those in motorsports but for all sportpersons, which raises the ceiling of ambitions to achieve many achievements and raise the name of Qatar high at all international forums.

It is noteworthy that Al Attiyah first participated in the Dakar Rally in 2004, and during his presence in twenty editions he was able to win the title five times in 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2022, and occupied the runner-up position on five occassions in 2010, 2016, 2018, 2020 and 2021.

source/content: thepeninsulaqatar.com (headline edited)

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Toyota Gazoo Racing’s Qatari driver Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah celebrates with co-driver Mathieu Baumel of France, Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation President Abdulrahman bin Abdullatif Al Mannai and officials after winning his fifth Dakar Rally title in Saudi Arabia, on Sunday. PIC: RED BULL

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QATAR: Guinness World Record for Largest Padel Championship in the World, Feb 14th, 2023

Qatar Rail has announced that MD & CEO H.E Dr. Abdulla Al-Subaie received the Guinness Records certificate for the Largest Padel Championship in the World.

The achievement was announced on the day of Qatar’s National Sport Day, 14 February 2023.

The event was organized by Qatar Rail in partnership with Padel In Qatar and witnessed the participation of 800 players.

Source and cover image credit: Qatar Rail

source/content: iloveqatar.net (headline edited)

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QATAR: A World Cup 12 years in the making. The First FIFA World Cup to take place in the Arab World. Kickoff Today, Sunday November 20th, 2022

With the biggest show in football 24 hours away, Arab News takes a look at the 12-year journey to make Qatar 2022 happen.

The first FIFA World Cup to take place in the Arab world will kick off Sunday in Doha when the host nation take on Ecuador in the tournament’s opening match at Al-Bayt Stadium.

The journey from winning the nomination on Dec. 2, 2010 to the big kick off on Nov. 20, 2022 has not been without challenges and controversies, but for the teams and fans who have landed in Qatar, and for millions around the world, the moment of truth has arrived.

As in Russia four years ago, there will be four Arab nations taking part in the tournament. This time around they are Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Morocco and Tunisia.

Qatar and Saudi Arabia are among a record six Asian Football Confederation members taking part, along with Japan, South Korea, Iran and Australia.

Of the Arab nations, Qatar have an immediate chance to get three points on the board against Ecuador — arguably the easiest of their three matches in group A, which also includes the Netherlands and Senegal.

A win would leave the Asian champions requiring perhaps just a single point from their two other matches to become only the fourth Arab nation — after Morocco (1986), Saudi Arabia (1994), and Algeria (2014) — to reach the knockout stages of a World Cup.

Saudi Arabia have the toughest start of the Arab nations, taking on Argentina in their Group C opener, before facing Poland and Mexico in two matches that are only marginally less difficult.

A strong Morocco squad will have high hopes of causing an upset in Group F against Belgium Canada and Croatia, while Tunisia were dealt a tough hand when placed with champions France, Denmark and Canada in Group D.

While the Arab teams might struggle to progress beyond the group stages, it is a mission they should embrace. Players like Qatar’s Akram Afifi and Almoez Ali, Saudi’s Salem Al-Dawsari, and Tunisia’s Hannibal Mejbri could introduce themselves to a whole new audience.

Others, like Seville keeper Yasssine Bounou, and his Moroccan colleagues Achraf Hakimi of PSG and Hakim Ziyech of Chelsea are already familiar to audiences worldwide.

Standout matches for the Arab contingent will be Qatar’s showdown with the Netherlands on Nov. 29; Saudi’s second Group C fixture against Poland, which could provide their best chance of an upset; Tunisia’s clash with champions France; and Morocco’s final Group F match against Canada, potentially a match in which they could seal their progress to the round of 16 if they already have points on the board.

Elsewhere, there will be titanic clashes (Spain vs. Germany), international “derbies” (England vs. Wales), politically charged matches (Iran vs. USA) and revenge missions (Ghana vs. Uruguay)

Among the favorites for the trophy will be France and Brazil, both of whom have named fearsome squads, as well as Euro 2020 finalists England and South American champions Argentina.

The latter have become many people’s sentimental favorites, with a swell of emotion building behind Lionel Messi’s bid to end a glorious career with the trophy he craves the most.

Win it on Dec. 18, in what would be the Argentine maestro’s 1000th professional game, and the title of greatest footballer of all time will no longer be debated.

Messi’s rival for the title of greatest player of his generation, Cristiano Ronaldo, will also be playing in what is surely his last World Cup. And while things have not gone smoothly for the Portugal captain at Manchester United this season, his army of fans will no doubt be watching to see if he can pull one last rabbit out of the hat.

With Messi and Ronaldo walking into the sunset at the end of Qatar 2022, the position of world’s best player is up for grabs. The contender most likely to fill the void is Kylian Mbappe.

Already a world champion, the Frenchman has long been many people’s choice as the world’s “next” best player, and though he has continued to excel for club and country, the fact that he has remained at Paris Saint-Germain and, crucially, failed to land the coveted Champions League for them, means the jury is still out.

And then there is Neymar. This World Cup could well be the final chance for the Brazilian teammate of Messi and Mbappe at PSG to prove that he belongs among the greats after two World Cups plagued by injuries and underwhelming performances. 

Other veterans including Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema, Uruguay’s Luis Suarez, Poland’s Robert Lewandowski and Croatia’s Luka Modric will also have the chance to bid their fans a fond farewell at the highest level.

Among a new generation of players to watch in Qatar are the likes of Brazil’s Vinicius Jr, Raphinha and Bruno Guimaraes; France’s Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni; Uruguay’s Darwin Nunez; Germany’s Jamal Musiala; and the brilliant 19-year-old Spaniard Pedri.

The stage is set, the curtain rises on Sunday night.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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The first FIFA World Cup to take place in the Arab world will kick off Sunday in Doha when the host nation take on Ecuador in the tournament’s opening match. (Reuters/File Photo)

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QATAR: Lusail Bus Depot – Guinness World Records for ‘Largest Electric Bus Depot’

The Ministry of Transport announced via a tweet on 18 October 2022 that the Lusail Bus Depot has entered the Guinness World Records for the largest electric bus depot.

The bus depot that was inaugurated on 18 October 2022 has a capacity of 478 electric buses and is a fulfilment of The Public Works Authority – Ashghal and the Ministry of Transport of Qatar.

Powered by 11,000 units of solar panels the bus depot entered the records on 16 September 2022 as per Guinness World Records.

source/content: iloveqatar.net (headline edited)

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Source: Ministry of Transport/ Guinness World Records / Cover image credit: Ministry of Transport

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QATAR: Qatar Foundation’s ‘Showtime!’ wins Two Awards at Cannes Film Festival

The film’s soundtrack was provided by the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra, a member of Qatar Foundation.

Qatar Foundation’s musical theatre film ‘Showtime!’ won two awards at the Cannes International Film Festival in the categories of social media and short films.

‘Showtime!’ also won an award from Ofcom in London in the categories of cinematography, sound, and directing as well as a prize at the New York Festival for short films.

Established by Qatar Foundation, the initiative is rooted in the very fact that there is a vacuum in drama and musical programmes in Qatar Foundation schools. This prompted Qatar Foundation to embark on a musical theatre teaching process for students of all ages across Qatar.

The purpose of the show is to promote creativity in the field of performing arts and cultivate a culture of theatrical and musical performances in pre-university schools in the foundation.

Within a year, the project was ready to be showcased before the world, however, the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic hampered its smooth execution.

Qatar Foundation along with the help of The Edge Picture Company, took the stage to streets and filmed choreographed musical performances and successfully broadcasted it online.

The musical elements were led by West End choreographer Christopher Piper, and father and daughter team Steve Griffith as musical director, Jane Griffith as choreographer along with international Film Director Andrew Lancaster.

The creative team was led by 20 crew members and a cast of 55, occupied entirely by Qatar Foundation school staff and pupils with ages ranging from seven to 55 years old. It was considered the first musical theatre experience for many of the cast members.

Some of the locations utilised for the filming process included Qatar National Convention Centre, Qatar Science and Technology Park, Ceremonial Court, Oxygen Park, and Qatar National Library in Education City.

Other acknowledgements

The Doha Film Institute (DFI)-granted movie ‘Cotton Queen’ by Qatar-based Sudanese filmmaker Suzannah Mirghani claimed the ArteKino Award at Cannes Film Festival’s L’Atelier 2022.

In this arm, 16 directors whose projects bear a promising production are invited to the Festival de Cannes. Along with their producers, the directors are presented with the opportunity to meet potential partners, which acts as a key step in finalising their project and starting the making of their film.

In an Instagram story posted by DFI, Mirghani said, “This is my very first feature, thank you for taking a risk on me, thank you for taking a risk on Sudan. We do not have many films from Sudan as you know, you can count them on two hands in the history of Sudanese film and fiction feature films.”

“And those made by women, zero. Thank you for supporting us.”

source/content: dohanews.co (headline edited/ pix: qatarliving.com

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pix: qatarliving.com

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