Ajyal Festival Opens With Call For Human Understanding
Date
11/16/2024 11:04:00 PM
(MENAFN- Gulf Times) The 12th edition of Ajyal film Festival, presented by Doha Film Institute (DFI), opened on a poignant note, underlining the role of cinema in delivering the human struggles of the world to foster human understanding.
The theme of this year's Ajyal, 'Moments that Matter' resonates powerfully as the region witnesses unprecedented human suffering, highlighting how every moment can carry the weight of a lifetime.
Opening Ajyal 2024, in the presence of over 600 young jurors from across the world, as well as distinguished guests and talents associated with the films, HE Lolwah bint Rashid AlKhater, Minister of Education and Higher Education, praised the resilience of women in Sudan and expressed solidarity with the suffering, particularly of the children, and the resistance of the people in Gaza. She presented an honorary award to a child from Gaza, Mahmoud Ajour, who was brought to Doha for medical treatment after losing both hands as a symbolic recognition of the courage and hope of all children in Gaza.
Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, chief executive officer, DFI and the festival director reflected on the journey of Ajyal since its inception in 2013, and unveiled plans for the 2025 Doha Film Festival. She said it will“echo the dreams and aspirations of filmmakers and creative storytellers from near and far, as we mark the next chapter of our cinematic journey.”
Recalling how Doha Film Institute took the momentous decision to pause Ajyal last year following the events in Gaza, she said:“The horror and sheer scale of destruction and massacres was mind-numbing ... tragedies that heartbreakingly continue to this day, and have expanded to Lebanon. Despite the cancellation, we organised and curated films and discussions to present the 'Voices from Palestine' programme”
The opening ceremony was attended by distinguished guests including HE Dr Hamad bin Abdulaziz al-Kawari, Minister of State and president of Qatar National Library; Sheikh Abdulaziz H al-Thani, director of National Museum of Qatar, HE Sheikh Abdulla bin Ali al-Thani, chairman of Media City Qatar; Hamad Ali al-Khater, chief operating officer of Hamad International Airport, and Jassim Mohamed al-Khori, CEO of Media City Qatar, and several high-ranking diplomats.
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