(MENAFN- The Peninsula) The Peninsula
DOHA: Qatar National Library (QNL), a member of Qatar Foundation (QF), will celebrate its official opening in April with two weeks of events to mark the occasion.
The public has been invited to attend lectures, panel discussions, and exhibitions that highlight the library's leading role in spreading knowledge and promoting the history and heritage of Qatar, the Arabian Gulf region, and beyond.
On April 17, the Qatar-German exhibition will open, with a detailed look at the history of Arabic and German fairy and folk tales, and how the two traditions influenced each other.
The exhibition highlights modern techniques of storytelling in Qatar and Germany and includes contemporary German and Qatari tales inspired by the Arabian Nights and the fairy stories of the Gebrüder Grimm.
The first QNL Heritage Library exhibition will open to the public on April 17, displaying a wide range of items from the collection that illustrate the spread of ideas throughout the Islamic world, as well as documenting interaction between Arabs and the West through the centuries.
The exhibition features books, manuscripts, maps, globes, and travellers' instruments, telling the story of Qatar, along with the history of science, literature, women, writing, travel, and religions in the region.
On April 17, QNL will host 'Truth Matters: The Era of Fake News, an inaugural panel discussion on how so-called 'fake news is being used in the current political climate to manipulate political agendas and what should be done about it.
Panelists include, Roger Cohen of The New York Times; Roly Keating, Chief Executive, the British Library; Charles Henry, President of the Council on Library and Information Resources; and Maggie Salem, Executive Director of Qatar Foundation International.
The panel will be moderated by Samer Shehata, Professor of Middle East studies at the University of Oklahoma.
QNL's ‘Book Club for the Blind', a project that provides social opportunities and promotes equal access to the resources and services of the library, will also be launched by the President of the World Blind Union, Dr. Fredrick K. Schroeder, on April 17.
The project aims to share common reading interests and allow participants to experience the natural connection between reading and communication.
On April 18, in conjunction with the opening of QNL's first digital exhibition, data journalist and designer David McCandless will deliver an inaugural lecture titled ‘Information is Beautiful: A Data-Driven Tour of the Universe'. McCandless will use visualization to tell stories about the way we live, exhibit enhanced journalism, reveal unseen patterns, and challenge the audience's way of seeing the world.
'One of our missions as a library is to help raise the information literacy of our users to help them develop critical thinking and judgement skills to find, recognize, and use the materials they need, Executive Director of QNL, Dr. Sohair Wastawy said.
On April 19, the public are invited to attend a lecture by Dr. Essam Heggy, a planetary scientist at the Viterbi School of Engineering in the University of Southern California, and a ROSETTA co-investigator at the Nasa Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Dr. Heggy will discuss the natural forces, such as evolving deserts and changing coastlines, that define Qatars past, present, and future. That evening, the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra will perform as part of its monthly Philharmonic at the Library concert series.
The architecture of Qatar and the Arabian Gulf takes center stage with the launch of the 'Traditional Gulf Architecture Week; an exhibition and a conference, which is open to the public and runs from April 22-25. Islamic archaeologist, Professor Claire Hardy-Guilbert will open the Architecture Week with a lecture on Qatar's traditional architecture, including palaces, houses, shops, farms, mosques, and fortresses.
The lecture will be preceded by the opening of an exhibition of photographs of Qatar traditional buildings, taken in 1985-1986 by the French Archaeological Mission in Qatar, and recently acquired by the QNL.
The conference that will follow brings together local, regional, and international experts on the architecture of the Arabian Gulf to discuss its traditions, influences, evolution, and functions. A trio of events highlighting QNL's Heritage Library will bring the opening fortnight to a close.
On April 26, community members are invited to attend the 'Stargazing at the Library event. The Heritage Library staff will present some of the collections rare manuscripts on astronomy, and telescopes will be set up outside to allow visitors to look at the craters of the moon and other celestial bodies. Participants will also be able to make their own sundials and astrolabes.
On April 29, Christopher Alario, QNL Information Services Librarian Historical Maps; and QNL Director of Historical Research and Partnerships Dr. James Onley will present an introduction to the issue of Qatar on historical maps, and specifically its mysterious disappearance for more than 200 years. QNL will also be hosting several invitation-only events following the opening, including ‘Libraries in Conversation: A Global Perspective,' a workshop in which globally renowned librarians will challenge and discuss assumptions made about libraries in the 21st century.
MENAFN2103201800630000ID1096628114
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.