(MENAFN - The Peninsula) The Peninsula

H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation (QF), yesterday witnessed the spectacular Drones Show held at Katara as part of National day celebrations.

The eight-day long celebrations which attracted thousands of visitors at the Cultural Village Foundation — Katara concluded yesterday. The evening culminated in a riveting fire-works display that set the Cultural Village aglow, in a mosaic of reflected colours.

H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation (QF), visited Katara Cultural Village to witness National Day festivities. Pic: Aisha Almusalam

'We have been honoured to witness H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser attending the conclusion of our activities held to mark the Qatar National Day 2017, said Dr. Khalid bin Ibrahim Al Sulaiti, General Manager, Cultural Village Foundation- Katara.

He also said that this year's celebrations were exceptional and events attracted huge number of people. During the celebrations, The National Ardah dance at Katara's waterfront was one of the traditional shows which attracted large number of audiences during their multiple performances. Also many wrote their National Day greetings and messages and affix their signatures on the Tamim Al Majd wall.

The musical fountain ‘show' which took place every 20 minutes was also a major attraction of the event.

Sailing buffs assembled at Katara's waterfront to receive the Fath Al Kheir 3 Dhow. The Fath Al Kheir team, comprising of 16 Qatari nationals led by the Captain Mohammed Al Sada, received a tumultuous welcome as crowds received them back from their voyages in the region.

‘Qatar is sovereign and will always stand tall' was the underlining theme across the festivities. Katara's Beach hosted Al ‘Gaffal' ceremony, an event that presented national anthems and folk songs from Qatari maritime heritage, sharpening the sense of patriotism and loyalty already riding high amongst the assembled audience. In all, 50 Qatari outlets participated in the daily bazaar held in cooperation with Bedaya Centre, as part of Katara's National Day Celebrations.

The outlets displayed products that were rich in Qatari culture, yet intertwined with a touch of modernity. On the sidelines of the celebrations, an exhibition by the Qatari artist Ahmed Al Maaded was inaugurated in gallery 2, building 18. Ahmed is a Qatari artist who has gained international recognition for his renowned artwork, including the portrait of Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

The black and white painting depicts a three-fourths profile of the Emir, with the Arabic wording, Tamim Al Majd, which means ‘Tamim The Glorious'.

The portrait itself has become a world-wide phenomenon and can be spotted on all social media platforms.

Drone Air Show at Katara as part of Qatar National Day celebrations yesterday. Pics: Kammutty VP / The Peninsula

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