Meriam Jelliti
Doha
HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, chairperson of Qatar Foundation, honoured the winners of the sixth edition of the Akhlaquna Award and the Akhlaquna Junior Award at a special Akhlaquna Day ceremony in Education City on Wednesday.
Also present at the ceremony was HE Sheikha Hind bint Hamad al Thani, vice chairperson and CEO of Qatar Foundation.
Qatar Foundation’s (QF) Akhlaquna initiative endorses the idea that knowledge and morality are intertwined, guiding the prosperity of societies together. The award highlights Prophet Mohammed’s universal and inclusive moral values such as mercy, tolerance, honesty and generosity in the minds of the younger generation. It recognises those who exemplify good moral character and strong values and who develop projects that bring benefit to their communities.
This year, two new award categories have been launched under Akhlaquna: the Initiative Award and the Akhlaquna Appreciation Award.
Shikha Al Subai, a content creator who combined art and morals through drawings; Ibrahim Al Bashri, who presents storytelling with a moral impact for children in innovative and varied ways; and Al Nawar Al Thani, for her initiative that aims to thank workers by providing them with meals and messages of gratitude, received the Initiative Award.
The new awards are designed to celebrate inspiring individuals and initiatives that promote positive change in society.
Dr Ibrahim Al Janahi, chief of Paediatric Chest Diseases at Sidra Medicine, received the Akhlaquna Appreciation Award for his ethical leadership in the field of society and work.
All winners were presented with their awards by HH Sheikha Moza.
Al Nawar Al Thani said, “I am deeply honoured to receive the Akhlaquna Best Initiative Award. Through my initiative, I aspire to spread gratitude and embody the virtues of humility and thankfulness. It is my belief that by practising these morals, we can foster a stronger sense of unity, compassion and appreciation within our society, making it a better place for everyone.”
The winner of the Akhlaquna Award for 2023 is the student-led initiative ‘Asehaa’, developed by Al Dana Al Sulaiti, Amna Al Hammadi, Alanoud Al Matwi, Shikha Alanood Ahmed Al Thani, Leen Alabdulrazzak and Haya Weal. Their project aims to raise awareness about eating disorders in the community and encourage people with such disorders to seek support.
Amna Al Hammadi, 18, one of the members of the Asehaa team, said: “Our initiative initially started as an idea among us. However, our school supervisor encouraged us to participate in the Akhlaquna Award, aiming to raise awareness about this issue among all members of our community.
“Today, our hard work and dedication have reached a pinnacle, as we are honoured by a remarkable female figure whom we deeply admire and emulate. While we are immensely grateful for this recognition and the rewards it brings, our ultimate fulfilment lies in making a positive impact on society, even if it means helping just one person through our initiative.”
Alaa al Obaid, senior community outreach coordinator at QF, said: “Akhlaquna’s award is one of a kind in Qatar, which celebrates people who give back to their communities, people who embody moral values. This award also emphasises the link between knowledge and morality because we see a lot of innovation and work in different fields. However, we want to encourage people to look at the ethic side of everything they do in their daily lives and to celebrate them.”
Maryam Hassan Al Hajri, director of Partnerships within the Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships Department of QF’s Pre-University Education, said: “These awards will promote the values of the Ethics Award and inspire individuals to become active and aware citizens in their communities. By highlighting individual’s contributions and inspiring stories, we aim to spread the spirit of initiative and leadership in community service.”
“We envision the winners of these awards as ambassadors of ethics for Qatar. Beyond winning the award, we will establish a strong network to enable ongoing initiatives and collaboration. Through this network, winners will make a positive impact on their communities and support one another in their endeavours.”
Meanwhile, the Akhlaquna Junior Award winners in the category for those aged seven to nine years were Mehdi Nasser Al Sharshani of Qatar Academy Al Wakra; Mariam Hamad Al Qahtani of Tariq Bin Ziad School; Aisha Mubarak Al Minkhas of Al Andalus Girls School; and Saleh Ahmed Al Muhannadi of Ali Bin Abdulla Model School.
In the category for those aged 10 to 11 years, the Akhlaquna Junior Award winners were: Sabah Bekhit Al Nuaimi of Qatar Academy Al Khor; Ghalya Saoud Darwish Fakhroo of Qatar Academy Doha; Mariam Ahmed Al Anqar of Qatar Academy Al Wakra; Al Jawhara Abdulaziz Al Shammari of Al-Nahda Primary School for Girls; and Kholoud Muhammad Al Harami of Al Arqam Academy for Girls; while in the ages of 12 to 14 category, Ghanim Muhammad Al Binali of Voltaire French School; Muhammad Mahmoud Al Hail of Qatar Academy Al Khor; and Muhammad Ali Al Hail of Abdulla Bin Ali Al Misned Preparatory School.
Twelve years old, Ghanim Al Ali said, “I believe I won because I like to give back to people and I like to help others, and my message today is to never give up and always give back, when someone needs help one must give them a hand.”
Sabah Bekhit Al Nuaimi, 9-year-old, said: “With my family’s support, I’m thrilled to have achieved this milestone after two years of working on various initiatives that benefit our community. I hope to be an influential person and a role model for my friends and siblings.”
Muneera Al Shreem, Akhlaquna workshop instructor, said: “During the workshop, we met with the participants in two different days, and we started by focusing on the ideation and then moving on to the planning phase. So, what we do usually is introduce them to the competition and it is a great chance for them to meet new friends and share their personal goals and we let them know more about social responsibility and how to create their own projects.”
In 2024, the Akhlaquna Award will introduce a new category for nominations specifically for individuals from the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. In 2025, the award will further expand with a category dedicated to institutions.
The Akhlaquna Award and the Akhlaquna Junior Award are not just about recognition and celebration, they are about inspiring individuals, fostering ethical leadership, and creating a network of like-minded individuals dedicated to making a meaningful impact in their communities.
