Guests and officials during the forum
Qatar University’s (QU) Young Scientists Center (YSC), in cooperation with the Qatar National Commission for Education, Culture and Science (QNCECS), organised the third Youth Research Forum 2021 entitled “Identity and Cultural Tourism: Towards a Culture and a Sustainable Legacy.”
The Forum is in line with QU’s strategic plans to develop youth capabilities in scientific research in postgraduate studies. The two-day Forum kicked off with a virtual ceremony attended by Minister of Culture and Sports H E Saleh bin Ghanem Al Ali, President of Qatar University Dr. Hassan Rashid Al Derham, and a large number of participants and researchers. The event was included in the activities of Doha Capital of Culture in the Islamic World 2021, launched in March 2021 under the patronage of Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
The Forum is an important platform for presenting scientific research and projects that focus on youth’s role in spreading and preserving Qatari culture and the sustainability of the Qatari heritage. A group of researchers, undergraduate and postgraduate students from Qatar and many Islamic countries such as the Kingdom of Morocco, the Sultanate of Oman, Algeria, and Libya, participated in the forum.
The event aims to achieve several goals, such as providing a platform for effective communication between youth, researchers, and community institutions and consolidating youth awareness of their prominent role in the development and advancement of society through scientific research. Also, exploring the research capabilities of young people concerning consolidating concepts of culture and identity, and promoting the culture of scientific research, and linking it to historical events.
This Forum also represents an opportunity to create a database of distinguished youth in research and with high capabilities in specialized and inter-disciplinary studies. In collaboration with the QNCECS, QU-YSC launched a research competition to share studies and research on identity issues and encourage scientific research. Universities, institutes, and researchers inside and outside Qatar were invited to participate.
The researches submitted are within the areas of the World Cup facilities and the sustainability of the Qatari heritage, museums’ role in promoting cultural identity, the economy and cultural tourism, the challenges of identity and globalization, medicine, pharmacy, and community health. The research posters were evaluated based on several criteria, such as the quality of the research, methodology, field research techniques, discussion of results, and proper documentation of references.
The first three winners of the Best Research competition were honored, and prizes and certificates of appreciation were presented to them. Prof. Mariam Al Maadeed, VP for Research and Graduate studies at QU, said that the event with its rich sports, heritage, economic and social topics, and its ambitious national and humanitarian goals is in line with Qatar University’s plans to embrace young talents, and enable them to conduct genuine research that enhances youth loyalty to the homeland and society and illuminate their professional and personal future.
Dr. Hamda Al Sulaiti, the SecretaryGeneral of QNCECS, said that the third edition of the Youth Research Forum has become a platform for youth to meet and share ideas. The Forum has become a starting point for unique and new research ideas and projects that blended the creative vision with modern technology.
On this occasion, Dr. Noora Al Thani, Director of QU-YSC, said in a speech, “We are pleased to be partners in establishing Doha Capital of Culture’s activities in the Islamic World 2021 and linking researchers from Qatar and the Islamic world." During the event, Hadeel Al Attar, Nour Hisham, and Cheikh Modo Badr finished first, second, and third, respectively, in the research competition. As for the poster competition, Hagae Menaisy claimed the top spot, Raesa Al Dosary finished second, and Kholeh Mortazawi completed the top three.
