Tribune News Network
Doha
The Communication and Public Relations Department at Qatar University (QU) opened its first winter event - Fadaa 33, in the presence of President of Qatar University Dr Hassan Al Derham and several university representatives, distinguished visitors, media representatives and the wider community.
The event included many activities and events that targeted the university community and the general public.
The official opening ceremony of ‘Fadaa 33’ - a market for small- and medium-sized business owners, was followed by a variety of sports and cultural events, such as cycling on the Olympic track organised by the Sports Activities Department in collaboration with Rasen Sports, a lecture titled ‘Sound Mind, Sound Body’, a Tai-Kwonjustu show organised in collaboration with Al-Sayeh Sports Center for Martial Arts.
The event also featured activities for children organised by various centres at QU, such as ‘Playing with Codo the Robot’, organised by Young Scientists Center, and a ‘Double Shot Juice’ activity organised by the Center for Advanced Materials (CAM).
In his statement during the opening ceremony, Dr Derham said, “This event is being held for the first time at Qatar University with the participation of several small and medium businesses, providing them a platform to display and sell their products and to create a community-centred space. This annual event will take place during the winter season and will include a series of activities targeting different age groups.”
He added, “We hope that ‘Fadaa 33’ will be an addition and a distinctive mark to the area. Fadaa 33 is named after the Olympic cycling track, which holds the Guinness World Record for the longest cycling track in the world. We also hope this event will be expanded in the coming years and include new enterprises, especially the Qatar University Holding Company.”
Dr Hitmi Al Hitmi, director of the Communication and Public Relations Department, said: “We are opening this winter event, ‘Fadaa 33’, which is organised by the Communications and Public Relations Department at Qatar University, for the first time, and which takes its name and logo from the longest Olympic cycling track in the world. Fadaa 33 will have a market that includes a range of businesses in addition to organising several sports, cultural and recreational events.”
Eatidal Al Qatami, manager of Events and Protocols at the Communication and Public Relations Department at Qatar University, said: “The Communications and Public Relations Department is always striving to organise diverse and meaningful events. In the case of the winter event ‘Fadaa 33’, the aim was to involve the university and Qatari community in a non-academic and homelike event that includes interactive and unconventional activities, organised in a new location within the university campus.
“The event site is equipped with green spaces and a cycling track, in addition to basic facilities. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the excellent Events and Protocols team at the Communication and Public Relations Department for their dedication and hard work in making ‘Fadaa 33’ a success.”
The name ‘Fadaa 33’ refers to the Olympic cycling track’s length, which is classified in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest Olympic cycling track in the world with a length of 33 kilometres. The site where the winter event ‘Fadaa 33’ is held, which is located around the Olympic cycling track, was prepared by the Public Works Authority (Ashghal) and the university collaborated with the Ministry of Social Development and Family to provide a platform to showcase several family businesses.
