Tribune News Netwok
Doha
Doha Festival City (DFC), Qatar’s ‘choice for shopping, dining and entertainment’, concluded its awareness campaign for behavioural health issues, held in partnership with the Behavioural Healthcare Centre (Daam) of the Qatar Social Work Foundation.
The campaign, titled ‘Ard al-Mustaqbal’, which means ‘Future Land’ in English, included a booth located on the ground floor of the mall where visitors were able to obtain copies of the children’s book published by Daam.
Visitors to the booth also received brochures and fliers with information on behavioural health issues full of helpful tips and resources to help those affected. The campaign also featured several activities for children to teach them about behavioural health issues and the best methods for dealing with them.
Commenting on the initiative, Robert Hall, Doha Festival City’s general manager, said: “Our cooper-ation with Daam on this campaign is in line with our #FestivalCares programme which supports community health initiatives in collaboration with our local partners. We are delighted to be part-ners in raising awareness on mental health issues which are as important as physical health, espe-cially after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the effects of isolation and social disintegra-tion upon people everywhere.”
Mental health is one of the most prevalent issues in modern society and behavioural health issues affect nearly one in every five individuals worldwide. They are caused by maladaptive behaviours that negatively impact a person’s physical or mental condition. Some examples of behavioural health issues include internet addiction and eating disorders. Mental health is one of Qatar’s national health priorities with the government heavily investing in preventive and treatment services.
As part of its robust CSR programme and its #FestivalCares initiatives, Doha Festival City is committed to empowering the community in Qatar through promoting awareness on environmental, health and humanitarian topics. The mall has participated in numerous campaigns throughout the year in support of social and humanitarian causes, partnering with major local authorities and organisations to support the community in Qatar and beyond.
In line with the preventative measures set out by Qatar to limit the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) and to ensure a safe shopping environment for all, Doha Festival City commits itself to continuous necessary health and safety measures throughout the mall. These include a thorough mall disinfection treatment on a weekly basis, robust cleaning and sanitisation operations during mall trading hours, and 127 hand sanitising stations installed in the areas that have commonly touched surfaces.
