Minister of State and President of Qatar National Library H E Dr. Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al-Kawari: Former Minister of Energy and Industry and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the UDST H E Dr. Mohammed bin Saleh Al Sada; and President of UDST Dr. Salem Al-Naemi with other participants during the event.
Doha, Qatar: The University of Doha for Science and Technology (UDST) organised its annual ‘Festival of Cultures’, an event that reflects the institution’s diverse community and strong international outlook.
The celebration witnessed the participation of students, faculty, staff, and visitors from across the community for an engaging journey through global cultures, featuring traditional customs, creative performances, and artistic showcases from different regions of the world.
The event was honoured by the presence of the President of UDST Dr. Salem Al-Naemi, along with a number of distinguished guests, including ambassadors and members of official delegations.
President of UDST Dr. Salem Al-Naemi addressing the gathering at the event.
Commenting on the occasion, Dr Al-Naemi stated, “At UDST, we are committed to nurturing a campus culture built on respect, openness, and collaboration. The Festival of Cultures exemplifies these values in action, encouraging meaningful interaction among students, community engagement, and the celebration of diversity as a source of strength and creativity.
“With over 85 nationalities represented on our campus, UDST reflects the rich multicultural fabric of Qatar, a nation that thrives on unity, inclusivity, and the shared pursuit of progress and innovation. Events like this not only bring our community together but also prepares our students to embrace diversity as a catalyst for learning, leadership, and global citizenship.”
Led by the university’s Student Engagement and Alumni Affairs Directorate, the festival convened more than 785 students from over 25 nations, highlighting cultures from Qatar, Jordan, Indonesia, Nigeria, the Philippines, and beyond, in a powerful display of international representation.
Speaking to The Peninsula on the sidelines, Director of Student Engagement and Alumni Affairs, Farha Ajlan Al-Kuwari said, “This is the largest event that attracts thousands of people, not only our students, but also officials, CEOs and Ministers, who attend to see the diversity and the celebration of cultures, the respect, the differences and the similarities between all the cultures.”
The programme featured a flag parade and an exciting series of 15 cultural performances, highlighting the distinct traditions of each participating country. She said that at the start of the event, registrations had already reached 8,000 participants, noting that the attendance was expected to grow to around 10,000 by the event’s conclusion, drawing a diverse audience across the country.
Under the theme ‘Famous Landmarks of Your Country,’ the festival highlighted sustainability by using only recycled materials in the booths.
Interactive booths allowed students to showcase traditional clothing, local cuisines, and immersive cultural displays, providing a vibrant space for learning and cross-cultural exchange.
“This year we have 25 booths of countries that are present, and every single detail on the booths is made by our students, including a lot of the things that are sustainable and recyclable,” Al-Kuwari said.
She highlighted that participants used creative materials such as foam and other elements to design and decorate their booths, building themed displays, including castles, courtyards, and other imaginative structures.
The event also features 16 live performances showcasing cultural traditions from countries around the world.
Al-Kuwari said that a special art by alumna Muna El Bedur, a renowned artist in Qatar, has been unveiled, a dedicated artwork in honour of the university.
She added, “We also have an international food market for the first time, where there are different cuisines that are offered to our students and international game zones with different board games from different places around the world.”
It also celebrated exceptional efforts with a special awards ceremony honouring outstanding contributions.
The Best Booth award in Africa went to Nigeria, in Asia to the Philippines, and in the Middle East to Jordan.
The Best Performance award in Africa was presented to Tunisia, in Asia to Sri Lanka, and in the Middle East to Qatar, alongside other categories celebrating creativity, talent, and cultural dedication.
