DOHA: Katara will launch the second annual Leshta Festival on Thursday at Katara Beachfront.
The five-day festival will see the participation of several centres and institutions, including Childhood Cultural Centre, Doha Youth Centre, Qatar Heritage and Identity Centre, Gannas Association, Al Ghalayel Championship, Katara Cultural Market and Bin Muftah Medical Polyclinic, in addition to traditional bands and Al Adam Harley.
Katara General Manager, Dr Khalid Ibrahim Al Sulaiti, said Katara is keen to diversify its events to attract different segments of society such as the Leshta Festival which offers a combination of culture and entertainment.
The participation of institutions reflects the openness of Katara to work with institutions to achieve public satisfaction by providing quality cultural activities, he added. “The festival targets children and students whom we are inviting to attend activities throughout the festival,” he said.
Childhood Cultural Centre will participate with a village comprising five houses with activities and displays to match children’s interests and age.
Qatar Heritage and Identity Centre will present a theatrical play on winter in the country and the people’s interest on stars, their locations and effect on people’s daily lives. It aims to remind people of Qatari traditional life and document its social history.
Science and skills workshops to improve children’s knowledge will also be organised along with those on agriculture in which children will be taught how to identify various types of seeds and their uses in addition to steps and tools in agriculture.
Story-reading sessions and traditional games will be held and visitors will be introduced to traditional Qatari and Arab cuisine.
Children will also enjoy sculptures made from sand from 3pm to 5pm throughout the festival days, the best five of which will be awarded prizes, in addition to Arabic games in which children are to assemble alphabets and images.
Katara FM Radio will organise a contest for the public from Thursday to Saturday from 4pm to 5pm. Questions about Katara will be asked and those who give the correct answers will receive prizes. The term ‘Leshta’ is traditionally used to mean winter which people eagerly anticipate to engage in activities, including desert trips for hunting and entertainment.
The Peninsula
