HBKU celebrates Emirati Culture Day

Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), in collaboration with Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Qatar, celebrated Emirati heritage at an event held at the HBKU Student Center in Education City.

Students from across universities in Qatar were invited to experience the Emirates’ unique history, culture, and contributions to the region, Peninsula reported.

The event, which was attended by Saleh Mohammed Bin Nasra, Ambassador of the UAE to Qatar, is part of International Culture Day series that takes place from October through March each academic year. Countries invited to showcase their achievements and core values are representative of the diverse student body at HBKU and its partner universities across Education City. Previously this year HBKU have featured the embassies of Palestine and Iran, both of which have showcased their culture and heritage.

The event presented a traditional UAE folk band show belonging to the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, after which attendees visited booths managed by organisations affiliated with the countries that operate in Qatar, including UAE airlines Emirates and Etihad, perfume franchise Hind El Oud, and Dolphin Energy.

On display and available for consumption was authentic Emirati cuisine, traditional dresses, arts and crafts, perfumes, and books authored by UAE nationals. Other activities included henna painting and travel booking.

Speaking at the event, Saleh Mohammed said: “Events like Emirati Culture Day build bridges of understanding and relationship between different countries and between the students who come from all over the world. Our presence is very important to enrich such exhibitions that represent the UAE and other GCC countries, especially in highlighting our rich heritage.”

Maryam Hamad Al-Mannai, Vice-President of Student Affairs at HBKU, said: “A celebration of UAE’s culture shows that we have so much in common with our neighbours. We are pleased that they have chosen to share their culture and heritage with residents of Qatar through the platform provided by HBKU’s International Culture Day. The initiative aims to highlight importance of celebrating other nationalities and encourage students to collaborate with diverse ethnic groups.”