Museum of Islamic Art (MIA), in association with key national entities including Lekhwiya: Internal Security Forces, the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, the Qatar Scouts and Guides Association, Qatar Foundation, the Qatar Calendar House and Qatar Red Crescent, is proud to launch the second edition of the Challenge Camp for Boys and Girls. This innovative initiative is designed to inspire Qatari youth to embrace leadership, cultural awareness, and a spirit of discovery.
Rooted in national values and Islamic teachings, the camp offers a holistic experience combining education, entertainment, and skill-building within a safe and engaging environment.
The Challenge Camp will take place at MIA, with the boys’ camp scheduled from 21 December to 25 December 2024, and the girls’ camp from 29 December to 31 December 2024. The programme features a wide range of activities, including educational workshops, scouting events, and sports programmes, all aimed at nurturing leadership qualities, enhancing cultural appreciation, and encouraging participants to explore the history of Islamic arts.
This initiative highlights MIA’s commitment to cultivating community development and promoting museum culture as a vital part of preserving heritage and disseminating knowledge. By working with esteemed national partners, the camp underscores the power of collaboration in delivering impactful programmes that align with national goals and inspire youth to take pride in their identity and values.
Salem Al Aswad, Deputy Director of Learning & Outreach of the Museum of Islamic Art said, “The Challenge Camp is a testament to our dedication to fostering leadership and cultural awareness in our youth. By combining education, entertainment, and sports in a safe environment, we aim to prepare a generation that is not only proud of its heritage but also ready to contribute positively to society. We are proud to collaborate with esteemed national entities to make this camp a success, ensuring that participants leave with enriched knowledge, strengthened values, and a lasting connection to the beauty of Islamic arts.”
The Challenge Camp serves as a platform to cultivate an informed and capable generation equipped to face future challenges. Exclusively designed for Qatari students and children of Qatari mothers, it reflects MIA’s dedication to supporting national identity and Islamic values through meaningful initiatives.
For more information about the Challenge Camp and registration details, please visit https://mia.org.qa/en/calendar/challenge-camp/
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About Museum of Islamic Art
Founded in 2008, the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) currently managed by “Shaikha Nasser Al-Nassr – MIA Director”, was one of the first projects initiated by QM. Designed by the renowned Chinese American architect I. M. Pei, the MIA is a globally acclaimed museum that stands majestically on Doha’s Corniche, with panoramic views of the city’s waterfront. The museum showcases Qatar’s world-class collections of Islamic art spanning some 1,300 years. Representing the full scope of Islamic art from the 7th to the 21st centuries, the MIA collection includes manuscripts, ceramics, metalwork, glass, ivory, textiles, carpets, wood, and jewellery. The collection has been curated collected from three continents, including countries across the Middle East, and reaching as far as Spain and China. In addition, MIA presents a diverse and rich programme of exhibitions illustrating the heritage of the Islamic world, as well as extensive educational activities for school children and families, making the museum a vital part of the community. The MIA has become a popular museum in the region and internationally, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors annually.
About Qatar Museums
Qatar Museums (QM), the nation’s preeminent institution for art and culture, provides authentic and inspiring cultural experiences through a growing network of museums, heritage sites, festivals, public art installations, and programmes. QM preserves and expands the nation’s cultural offerings, sharing art and culture from Qatar, the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia (MENASA) region with the world and enriching the lives of citizens, residents, and visitors.
Under the patronage of His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and led by its Chairperson, Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, QM has made Qatar a vibrant centre for the arts, culture, and education in the Middle East and beyond. QM is integral to the goal of developing an innovative, diverse, and progressive nation, bringing people together to ignite new thinking, spark critical cultural conversations, and amplify the voices of Qatar’s people. Since its founding in 2005, QM has overseen the development of museums and festivals including the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) and MIA Park, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, the National Museum of Qatar (NMOQ), 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum, QM Gallery Al Riwaq, QM Gallery Katara, the Tasweer Qatar Photo Festival, and Design Doha. Future projects include Dadu: Children’s Museum of Qatar, Art Mill Museum, Qatar Auto Museum and the Lusail Museum.
Through its newly created Creative Hub, QM also initiates and supports projects—such as the Fire Station Artist in Residence, the Tasweer Qatar Photo Festival, M7, the creative hub for innovation, fashion and design, and Liwan Design Studios and Labs —that nurture artistic talent and create opportunities to build a strong and sustainable cultural infrastructure.
Animating everything that Qatar Museums does is an authentic connection to Qatar and its heritage, a steadfast commitment to inclusivity and accessibility, and a belief in creating value through invention. For more information visit https://qm.org.qa
About Lekhwiya: Internal Security Forces
Lekhwiya: Internal Security Force is a military security force, established under Law No. 12 of 2003, and enjoys an independent legal personality. It aims at supporting and assisting the concerned authorities to maintain the country’s internal security and achieve stability. It also aims at securing the official motorcades of His Highness the Amir, dignitaries and state guests, as well as ensuring the safety of important figures and state guests. Lekhwiya also coordinates with the concerned authorities in the state to combat crime, secure conferences, meetings, and other events. It also takes all necessary security measures to preserve the safety of citizens and properties, and secure and protect the public and important facilities in the country.
The word "Lekhwiya" is derived from the Qatari heritage. The word was used by the people of Qatar to refer to tribesmen close to the ruler, who were assigned to control order and maintain security. They were motivated to do so by the love of God, love of the homeland, and the love of the leader.
Lekhwiya consists of many security departments and groups, each has its own specialized tasks.
In addition to its security responsibilities, Lekhwiya is also keen to have community roles carried out by its committees, including the Cultural Committee, which provides, through its participation in the “Challenge” program, a set of training activities to improve the skills of 60 students in partnership with the Museum of Islamic Art, the Ministry of Endowments, the Qatar Foundation, and the Ministry of Education and the Qatar Scouts Association. Through these activities, the Cultural Committee aims to enhance patriotism and sense of responsibility among the participants and build an innovative and conscious society. The Cultural Committee also seeks to improve the skills of the participants, enhance cooperation, strengthen the national identity, and strive towards sustainability and inclusion. In addition, the Cultural Committee seeks to qualify the young people to participate in creating a creative society and contributing to the development of their society in a sustainable manner.
About The Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs
The Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs (AWQAFM) is a Qatari government agency also known as the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs and the Qatar Awqaf Authority. AWQAFM was created in April 2022 with the stated aim of "ensuring that all areas of modern life comply with the principles of Islam.” The Ministry's mission includes spreading Islamic culture and education, demonstrating the impact of Islam on the development of human civilisation, having an overview of the endowments department, the Zakat charity fund, and the building and licensing of mosques, supervising the education of the Holy Quran, and overviewing the procedures for Al Haj pilgrimage.
About Qatar Scouts and Guides Association
The scouting movement began in the State of Qatar in 1956 when one of the secondary schools organized a scouting trip to Rawdat Al-Numan, and since then the scouting has spread to the other schools of Doha, and the Ministry of Education has devoted attention to it, so it started to form scout teams and preparing the leaders, and continued on this way until 1962 AD, and the first scout camp was organized, which included All scouts in the State of Qatar, and from this standing point, the real concentration on the Scout Movement has begun.
In 1962 AD the law on the organization of the Scout Movement in the State of Qatar was issued on 26/12/1381 Hijri, corresponding to 30/05/1962 AD to establish The Scout Association of Qatar, which has a legal personality that entrusted to supervise the Scout movement in the State of Qatar, with its headquarters in Doha, and drawing its principles from the principles of the international scout movement as well as the social, cultural and spiritual traditions of the State.
The Scout of Qatar was registered as member of the Arab Scout Organization at the 5th Arab Scout Conference held in Morocco in 1962 AD and started to participate in the Arab and international scouting camps, conferences, studies, and also the national occasions celebrated by Arab scouting associations and bodies, and it was registered internationally in 1965 AD as member of The World Organization of the Scout Movement in the 21st World Scout Conference held in United States.
In 1995, the Girl Guides Movement was established in the State of Qatar by the virtue of the issuance of a regulation organizing the Girl Guides movement in the State of Qatar. In 1996, the Girl Guides Movement in Qatar joined the Arab Girl Guides Association in the 14th Arab Conference, which was held in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Law No. (18) of 1997 was issued which included the alteration of the name of the association to become Qatar Scouts and Guides Association. In 2002, the Qatari Girl Guides Association (Qatar Girl Guides) was awarded the affiliate membership of the World Association of Girl Guides during the 31st World Conference of Girl Guides which was held in the Philippines. In 2003 AD, implementing the long-term strategy (2003 - 2012) of the Association was approved, which includes the development of stages, leaderships, community service, international cooperation, public relations and media, the resource, and the membership. In 2005 AD, the association was awarded full membership in the World Association of Girl Guides during the International Girl Guides Conference which was held in Jordan. Dr. Ibrahim bin Saleh Al Nuaimi serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Association, and Mr. Jasim Mohammed Al Hardan is the General Commissioner of the Association.
About Qatar Foundation
Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF) is a non-profit organization that supports Qatar on its journey to becoming a diversified and sustainable economy. QF strives to serve the people of Qatar and beyond by providing specialized programs across its innovation-focused ecosystem of education, research and development, and community development.
QF was founded in 1995 by His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Father Amir, and Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, who shared the vision to provide Qatar with quality education. Today, QF’s world-class education system offers lifelong learning opportunities to community members as young as six months through to doctoral level, enabling graduates to thrive in a global environment and contribute to the nation’s development.
QF is also creating a multidisciplinary innovation hub in Qatar, where homegrown researchers are working to address local and global challenges. By promoting a culture of lifelong learning and fostering social engagement through programs that embody Qatari culture, QF is committed to empowering the local community and contributing to a better world for all.
For a complete list of QF’s initiatives and projects, please visit: www.qf.org.qa
About Qatar Calendar House
“The Qatar Calendar House: Pioneering to Evolution and Expansion”
The Qatari Calendar House was established as a private institution aiming to prepare and produce the Qatari Calendar, and grant its copyright, publication and distribution. The idea of the Qatari calendar comes as a pioneering idea since its first birth by Sheikh Ibrahim bin Abdullah Al Ansari, when he sensed the need of society to organize their calculations and worship accurately based on astronomy. Sheikh Al Ansari began preparing the calendar manually in the year 1371 AH, and these efforts continued until printing technologies entered the State of Qatar, and the first printed Qatari calendar was issued with funding from the Ruler of Qatar in the year 1377 AH.
Development and empowerment efforts continued with Sheikh Abdullah bin Ibrahim Al Ansari, and the Qatari calendar was adopted as the official state calendar in the year 1385 AH, with the support of the ruler of Qatar at the time, Sheikh Ahmed bin Ali Al Thani. During the seventies and eighties, Sheikh Abdullah Al Ansari issued special calendars for the timing of Mecca, Medina, and all capitals of the Gulf states, and special calendars for Muslim communities in the West.
His son, Dr. Muhammad bin Abdullah Al-Ansari, assumed responsibility for the calendar and founded the Qatari Calendar House in the year 1410 AH, where the house witnessed an important development in the appearances and forms of calendars, and its publications and contents diversified scientifically and culturally. The Qatari Calendar House has become an approved reference for the history of events and documents in the country.
The Qatari Calendar House continues to receive great financial and moral support, thanks to the blessed support of His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar.
About Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS)
Established in March 1978 as Qatar's first volunteering charitable organization, Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) works to help and empower vulnerable individuals and communities without partiality or discrimination. QRCS is an active member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, which comprises the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and a network of National Societies in 190 countries. It is also a member of several regional and Islamic organizations, including the Islamic Committee of the International Crescent (ICIC) and the Arab Red Crescent and Red Cross Organization (ARCO).
QRCS has a principal mandate of providing a wide range of relief and development services, both locally and internationally, capitalizing on its resourceful and specialist staff and volunteers. Throughout its long history, QRCS has been serving as an auxiliary to the State of Qatar in its humanitarian efforts, in light of its central mission of improving the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity inside and outside of Qatar. In all of this, QRCS is inspired by the fundamental principles of the Red Cross and Red Crescent.
- Institutional Values: Vulnerable people come first – Constant dedication to our cause – Valued partnerships – Integrity is an asset – Excellence is our capital
- Mission: To empower communities in the face of humanitarian crises and disasters and to protect their safety and dignity
- Vision: A world where the weak are secure, the strong are supportive, and QRCS is at the forefront of making this happen
- Slogan: Saving Lives and Preserving Dignity
Link: https://www.qrcs.org.qa/en/Pages/AboutUs.aspx
Press Contacts:
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