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Shawwal 23, 1437 AHThursday, July 28, 2016

CommunityThe Art Club Qatar has over

200 members and is a hub for people looking to meet other art lovers.

CommunityPakistan Agro Fest will feature some

of the best varieties of mangoes as well as export-quality rice and meat.

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All kinds of Tailoring Items AvailableAll kinds of Tailoring Items Available

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Hollywood eyes VR

Until now the major studios had

watched passively tech giants

such as Facebook-owned Oculus

and Samsung take the lead. P4-5

COVER

STORY

JOY: A woman reacts as she uses a VR device during the Mobile World Congress.

Thursday, July 28, 20162 GULF TIMES

COMMUNITY ROUND & ABOUT

EVENTS

Qatar Summer Festival DATE: August 1-31VENUE: Doha Exhibition and Convention Center

Enjoy Qatar Summer Festival throughout the month of August under the theme ‘Color Your Summer’. It will include a wide range of summer entertaining events and activities, art zones, shopping promotions, in addition to a unique entertainment city.

Mall Cinema (1): Jason Bourne (2D) 11am; The Legend Of Tarzan (2D) 1pm; Fass Malh We Daak (Arabic) 3pm; The Legend Of Tarzan (2D) 5pm; The Legend Of Tarzan (2D) 7pm; The Legend Of Tarzan (2D) 9pm; Kabali (Tamil) 11pm.Mall Cinema (2): Alice Through The Looking Glass (2D) 11am; Dishoom (Hindi) 1pm; Finding Dory (2D) 3.15pm; Alice Through The Looking Glass (2D) 5pm; Jason Bourne (2D) 7pm; Jason Bourne (2D) 9.15 PM; Jason Bourne (2D) 11.30pm.Mall Cinema (3): Dishoom (Hindi) 11am; Anuraga (Malayalam) 1pm; Where To

Invade Next (2D) 3.15pm; Nerve (2D) 5.15pm; The Conjuring 2 (2D) 7pm; Dishoom (Hindi) 9.15pm; Anuraga (Malayalam) 11.30pm.Royal Plaza Cinema Palace (1): Dishoom (Hindi) 11am; Dishoom (Hindi) 1.15pm; The Legend Of Tarzan (2D) 3.30pm; The Legend Of Tarzan (2D) 5.30pm; The Legend Of Tarzan (2D) 7.30pm; The Legend Of Tarzan (2D) 9.30pm; Dishoom (Hindi) 11.30pm.Royal Plaza Cinema Palace (2): The Legend Of Tarzan (2D) 11.15am; Finding Dory (2D) 1.15pm; Alice Through The Looking Glass

(2D) 3pm; Jason Bourne (2D) 5pm; Jason Bourne (2D) 7.15pm; Jason Bourne (2D) 9.30pm; Jason Bourne (2D) 11.30pm.Royal Plaza Cinema Palace (3): Jason Bourne (2D) 11.15am; Fass Malh We Daak (Arabic) 1.30pm; Finding Dory (2D) 3.30pm; Fass Malh We Daak (Arabic) 5.15pm; Where To Invade Next (2D) 7.15pm; Nerve (2D) 9.30pm; The Conjuring 2 (2D) 11.15pm.Asian Town Cinema: Kabali (Tamil) 1, 2, 4, 5, 8 & 11pm; Anuraga Karikkin Vellam (Malayalam) 12.30, 2.45, 5.15, 7, 7.45, 9.30, 10.15pm, 12 & 12.45am; Dishoom (Hindi) 12.30, 3, 5.30, 10.30pm & 1am.

Community EditorKamran Rehmat

e-mail: [email protected]: 44466405

Fax: 44350474

Emergency 999Worldwide Emergency Number 112Kahramaa – Electricity and Water 991Local Directory 180International Calls Enquires 150Hamad International Airport 40106666Labor Department 44508111, 44406537Mowasalat Taxi 44588888Qatar Airways 44496000Hamad Medical Corporation 44392222, 44393333Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation 44845555, 44845464Primary Health Care Corporation 44593333 44593363 Qatar Assistive Technology Centre 44594050Qatar News Agency 44450205 44450333Q-Post – General Postal Corporation 44464444

Humanitarian Services Offi ce (Single window facility for the repatriation of bodies)Ministry of Interior 40253371, 40253372, 40253369Ministry of Health 40253370, 40253364Hamad Medical Corporation 40253368, 40253365Qatar Airways 40253374

USEFUL NUMBERS

Quote Unquote

PRAYER TIMEFajr 3.34amShorooq (sunrise) 4.59amZuhr (noon) 11.40amAsr (afternoon) 3.07pmMaghreb (sunset) 6.24pmIsha (night) 7.54pm

If you genuinely want

something, don’t wait for it – teach yourself to be

impatient. — Gurbaksh Chahal

Summer Programme DATE: July 31-Aug 21VENUE: Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar will organise

its summer programme for all school students aged six years and above. They can choose from a variety of programmes designed for various age groups, with the aim of learning new skills and making new friends during the summer holidays.

3Thursday, July 28, 2016 GULF TIMES

COMMUNITYROUND & ABOUT

Compiled by Nausheen Shaikh. E-mail: [email protected], Events and timings subject to change

BOOKS1. Lost Ocean by Johanna Basford2. Querkles by Thomas Pavitte3. Wonder by R.J. Palacio4. Selp-Helf by Miranda Sings5. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs6. Girl Online: On Tour by Zoe Sugg7. I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes8. All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven9. Behind Closed Doors by B A Paris10. Strengths Finder 2.0 by Tom Rath

TV-SERIES

1. Suits S22. Raising Hopes S13. Burn Notice S34. Breaking Bad S15. Breaking Bad S26. Greys Anatomy S77. Bones S98. Boston Legal S39. Cougar Town S210. Doll House S2

MOVIES 1. Triple 92. Concussion3. Taken 34. Spectre5. Fright Night6. Monuments Men7. In The Heart Of The Sea8. Intern9. San Andreas10. Interstellar

MUSIC

1. Maher Zain: One 2. Rihanna: Anti 3. Various Artists: Now 92 Db 4. Adele: 255.Prince: Ultimate 6.Yanni: Sensuous Chill7.Supertramp: Best Of8.Ariana Grande: Dangerous Woman Del Ed 9. One Direction: Made In The A M Jewelcase Standard 10.Sting: All This Time

top 10

Barzan Girls Center’s Summer Programme

DATE: Until August 25TIME: 6pmVENUE: Barzan Girls CenterBarzan Girls Center is organising its

summer programme, which continues for a month and targets girls aged 15 years and above. For registration, you can visit the centre’s headquarters at 6pm. The programme aims to exchange experiences and information between the girls, establish the spirit of co-operation between them, and to advance their characters through learning. It will feature several educational programmes, workshops, courses, camps, festivals, skills, and trips. For enquiries, please call 44789392.

Blood Donation CampDATE: August 5TIME: 8am-4pmVENUE: Aster Medical Centre, Industrial

AreaCare & Aware, a joint charitable venture

of Aster Medical Centre, Malabar Gold & Diamonds, Wellcare Group and KMCC Kozhikode District Committee, is organising a blood donation drive to raise awareness on the importance of blood donation among the public with the support of Hamad Medical Corporation and felicitating blood donors

on August 5 from 8am to 4pm. The drive will be held at Aster Medical Centre, Industrial Area.

Qatar Summer Camp 2016DATE: Ongoing until August 11VENUE: TBAQatar Summer Camp includes a wide

range of sporting, artistic, cultural and educational activities and events provided by some of the most prominent institutions and organisations in Qatar. The camp is open for boys and girls from independent and Arabic-speaking private school students aged between 11 and 14 years. The girls will be fully separated from boys in all the events and activities.

Garage GalleryDATE: Until November 1TIME: 8pmVENUE: Spaces at the Fire StationThe Artists in Residence exhibition is a

culmination of an intensive nine-month programme featuring works by 18 local contemporary artists who have been working in the studios and spaces at the Fire Station since September 2015. The exhibition showcases new work and projects created by the artists during their residency period, shedding light on the development of their innovative ideas and diverse studio practices.

Photographic, sculptural, and installation-based artworks fi ll the Garage Gallery and showcase these talented artists.

Vacation CompetitionDATE: Until September 21VENUE: FCC Offi ceThe Women’s forum of Friends Cultural

Centre has announced competitions for Qatar-based Malayalee students of grades IV–XII. There are two competitions including Avadhikkalath — an article on vacation experiences and Avadhikkalakazhchakal, on photography. Article on vacation experiences should be prepared in Malayalam or in English with a minimum of 500 words. Photographs for the competition should be printed on A4 size art paper or photo paper. Pictures should not have been published before and should not be downloaded from Internet. Entries for competitions need to be submitted to FCC Offi ce on or before September 21. More details can be obtained by contacting telephone number 44661213.

TCA Science Summer CampDATE: Until August 4TIME: 8:30am-3:15pmVENUE: TCA, C-Ring RoadQatar’s most exciting summer camp is

an unique science workshop to introduce young children to the mysteries of science, through hands on make and take projects with interactive experiments. For inquiries, call 66523871.

QSports Summer CampDATE: Until September 1TIME: 8am-1pmVENUE: Al Jazeera AcademyQSports summer camps are committed

to providing a safe, fun and skill-based experience for kids between the ages of 4 and 14. We have a dedicated team of specialist kid’s coaches and classes and activities are safe, planned, progressive, active, creative, inclusive and designed to maximise participation of all children by off ering a variety of activities.

Yamativo Salsa ClassesDATE: Every MondayTIME: 7pmVENUE: Radisson BluIt’s always fun and always challenging.

Let’s meet and learn some moves every

Monday night. You don’t need to do anything, just join us. Level 1 (intermediate level) 7pm and for beginner level 8pm. Be there are Radisson Blu Hotel Cabana Club.

Cake Decoration ClassesDATE: Morning and eveningVENUE: Tavola Royal Plaza, Al Saad

StreetTavola off ers a range of cake decorating

and kitchen skills classes. Tavola is the only authorised Wilton method provider in the Middle East.

New Bootcamp Abu HamourDATE: Sunday, Tuesday, ThursdayTIME: 6pmVENUE: Doha British SchoolLocated just minutes from Villaggio

and a walk away from Ain Khalid Gate, the Doha British School campus is our newest Bootcamp location.

The training takes place on the main grass playing fi eld surrounded by an athletics track. There are showers available and changing rooms.

Pottery workshop for kidsDATE: Every MondayTIME: 5pm-6pmKids will learn a new hand building

technique for creating and fi nishing artworks in clay. For more, call 44865201.

Fitness TrainingDATE: Sunday, Tuesday, ThursdayTIME: 6pm-7pmVENUE: MIA ParkThere are fi tness classes in the park on

Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday nights between 6 and 7pm. Open to all levels of fi tness. Bootcamp is an intensive and fun way to train and also meet new people in the open and friendly group atmosphere. More information, from Bootcamp, Qatar or info@ bootcampqatar.com.

FOODIE CHOICE

RESTAURANT: Astor GrillLOCATION: ST RegisAstor Grill is a modern steakhouse and

grill off ering a relaxed dining experience. The open-kitchen restaurant serves the best cuts of meat and fi sh paired with hearty rustic sides, delivering a lively dining experience.

Courtesy: Virgin Megastores, Landmark and Villaggio Mall

Combination of Sun, Sand and SurfingDATE: OngoingVENUE: Aqua ParkFor the first time ever in Qatar, it will be possible to ride up curved sidewalls at 90

degrees to the direction of the water flow. Giving visitors and especially surfing fanatics an amazing experience available at Aqua Park. Come join us and also take advantage of the extra free ticket you get anytime you buy two Stingray Tickets.

4 GULF TIMES

COMMUNITY COVER STORY

Thursday, July 28, 2016

VR, here we are!Mainstream Hollywood players are starting to embrace the technology, making

a flurry of investments, hires and content deals, writes Steven Zeitchik

BUYING ITS WAY INTO HOLLYWOOD: Google, Samsung and Facebook have all invested in VR. Tapping into Hollywood is par for the course.

On a recent weekday, Hollywood director Ivan Reitman was in the bowels of the Madame Tussauds

wax museum here talking up an unlikely passion.

“VR is remarkable. What it does is force you to bring yourself into the story,” Reitman said, using the acronym for the immersive, headset-based viewing experience of virtual reality. “If you haven’t tried it, you just need 10 minutes with it to realise it’s an amazing experience.”

Reitman, the 69-year-old fi lmmaker behind such comedies as Twins and Dave, was not the most likely evangelist for the much-hyped new medium. But

thanks to Sony’s Ghostbusters: Dimension, a tie-in to the currently running action-comedy fl ick and a shimmering new participatory VR experience he was helping launch, Reitman had become a convert — a symbol of a traditional entertainment business dipping its toe in new waters.

For several years, major studios and media companies have largely stood on the sidelines of VR, allowing tech giants such as Facebook-owned Oculus and Samsung to take the lead in the potentially groundbreaking medium. But mainstream Hollywood players are starting to embrace the technology, making a fl urry of investments, hires and content deals.

In the last six weeks, the venture arms of entertainment players including Comcast, Fox and talent agency WME have poured at least $43 million into startup ventures, setting off a slow-motion scramble for the right VR play. Sony Pictures recently made history when it named Jake Zim the fi rst VR czar at a major studio.

Specifi c goals can vary, but the overall mission is simple: Get in on the ground fl oor, fi nancially or creatively, of a medium that one day could represent a chunk of entertainment revenue. VR content, these companies believe, will exist on their slates alongside the so-called fl at-screen entertainment of fi lms and TV shows.

“The question with VR is

always a why now one,” said Michael Yang, managing director of Comcast Ventures. Yang’s company has invested in a host of VR fi rms, making the bulk of a nearly $7 million investment in the Montreal-based VR startup Felix & Paul Studios and a $6 million investment in Baobab Studios, the entity co-founded by Madagascar director Eric Darnell. “We’re always searching for the next great computing platform, and VR is a very good suspect,” he added.

The question is whether all this activity will help VR avoid the bubble that beset CD-ROM, 3-D and other media-world next-big-things that never panned out. And it further raises the issue of whether giant media companies, often

late to the party when it comes to new tech, can themselves lead the charge. Ultimately, whether VR will be as much of a player in so-called cinematic (that is, passive) entertainment as in the interactive space of gaming remains to be seen.

The uncertainty surrounding VR’s future, however, hasn’t slowed deal-making.

“This is an interesting moment, with media companies making multiple investments in VR,” said Drew Larner, the chief operating offi cer of video director Chris Milk’s fi rm Within. “Certain companies like to sit back and wait,” he acknowledged. “But I think there are many that are smart and recognise what’s happening. It’s skin in the game, an opportunity.”


COMMUNITYCOVER STORY

Within last month garnered nearly $13 million in fi nancing from the likes of Fox and WME. The company aims to use the money to expand its eff orts to produce and distribute short-form VR content.

What the Hollywood fi rms get out of virtual reality, meanwhile, remains to be seen. But executives hope these deals give each party entree to a world they previously lacked — in the studios’ case, ultimately allowing them to fi nance and develop VR pieces as they do traditional content.

“A lot of this is education, for us and the fi lmmakers,” said David Greenbaum, an executive at Fox who helps oversee VR eff orts there, including the splashy Martian VR Experience. “We want to fi nd the Quentin Tarantino or David Fincher of VR.”

Sony has similar ambitions for Ghostbusters: Dimension. The experience allows the user (only at Madame Tussauds New York, for the moment) to sling on a proton pack, gun and headset and wander through a virtual landscape that includes a New York City skyscraper and the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, all in the kind of full-body immersion that can feel like a Philip K. Dick novel. “This is not about watching Ghostbusters,” said Reitman, who helped guide the project. “It’s about being a Ghostbuster.”

And while that, accurately, sounds like more of a ride (and a marketing tie-in) than a movie, Ghostbusters: Dimension demonstrates what’s possible when a VR startup (a Utah-based company called the Void), a known fi lm franchise and a resource-rich studio come together.

Those kinds of pairings are also the goal for Hollywood’s uber-matchmakers: talent agencies.

Agencies such as CAA have sunk their own money into startups. UTA has deployed its digital department to package VR fi lms, such as a reboot of The Last Starfi ghter. Rival WME Entertainment has both invested in startups and hired what it dubs as the entertainment business’ fi rst dedicated VR agent.

Additionally, agencies hope to help talent and VR entities fi nd each other. Although full-on packages and fi nancing are a ways off , WME believes it can be a link the way it is in the fl at-screen world.

“What we can do is go to clients who are interested in VR and help them understand the technology and the road map of where it’s going,” said WME’s VR agent, Jeff rey Greller. “There’s an opportunity out there to create the Angry Birds or Uber or Instagram of VR.”

Yet even as these bets have grown, caution and scepticism remain. Players acknowledge that this is a fragile moment for the nascent industry.

Creators are still fi guring out how, and if, to tell narrative stories in an immersive form — let alone how to get people to pay for it. (Fox’s decision to charge for its Martian VR piece was one of the fi rst).

Also unclear is how an HBO or a Fox might co-exist with these

companies when, as combination content providers-distributors themselves, their products could theoretically compete with VR fi rms’ off erings. (HBO is an investor in a startup, a next-gen “hologram”-themed outfi t called Otoy.)

Questions about length and genre abound — particularly the former because most consumers have yet to demonstrate an appetite for VR content beyond 15 minutes. VR, after all, for a long time was thought of primarily as a gaming platform.

Distinguishing between startups isn’t easy either — even for pros. “You’re seeing a large number of companies in the space, and a lot of them look pretty similar. So what’s going to make them stand out? What’s special about the content or about their process?” said Beth Ferreira, managing partner at WME Ventures. “Those are the questions we’re asking ourselves.”

And headset adoption — and, thus, monetisation — remains a key variable. The HTC Vive and Oculus Rift have begun to ship in recent months, with Sony PlayStation’s entree still upcoming.

“There’s reason to be cautious,” said Craig Le Clair, an analyst at Forrester Research who has studied VR. “I think a lot of what experts want to happen will happen, but it almost always takes longer than people think.”

Like many executives, Sony’s Zim — whose job is a mix of internal politicking at the studio and talent-courting outside it — concedes there are open questions about what kind of content and companies will fl ourish.

“We want to put a lot of bets on the table so that when the ball drops, we’re in the right spot,” he said. The trick, he noted, is to do so without “running out of chips.”—Los Angeles Times/TNS

The question is whether all this activity will help VR avoid the bubble that beset CD-ROM, 3-D and other media-world next-big-things that never panned out. And it further raises the issue of whether giant media companies, often late to the party when it comes to new tech, can themselves lead the charge

MAKING A STATEMENT: Ghostbusters: Dimension demonstrates what’s possible when a VR startup, a known film franchise and a resource-rich studio come together.

MILESTONE: Sony Pictures recently made history when it named Jake Zim the first VR czar at a major studio.


COMMUNITY

Where the art lovers gather

By Umer Nangiana

Established with the aim to provide the “creative minds” from different art forms a platform to meet and exchange

ideas, the Art Club Qatar is getting stronger and bigger. Having more than 200 members in just over a year of its creation, the club founded by Egyptian expatriate Mohamed Mostafa is attracting more and more artists who “like to think out of the box” and are looking to meet likeminded people.

Together at the club, formed at meetup.com, an online social networking portal, they find either a thought-provoking art exhibition happening in town or an outdoor excursion for the excuse to meet up. And then follows a discussion involving critical appreciation of the event or the artwork.

Their next meeting point is the newly-opened Msheireb Museums on July 30 and Mostafa says more than 60 people have already confirmed their participation.

“I was not expecting this many people frankly. The response has been overwhelming so far. More than 60 people is a big group for

a museum visit,” he says, talking to Community on the idea behind the creation of the group and its activities.

The group is for everyone in Doha who has a creative job or has interest in any form of art. “The idea was to gather people

from diff erent creative fi elds at a single platform where we can meet likeminded people and share ideas, plan and participate in activities of mutual interest,” says the founder and organiser of Art Club. He says the initial response to the idea was great and the group is still

attracting a large number of people as the membership is expanding. For their activities, members of the group come up with ideas or proposals and then invite others to join in.

The Msheireb trip is going to be one of the biggest trips they have made together at the club. However, Mostafa says they would try to manage the big group. “I think as the museum is newly opened, not many people have seen it so they are really interested in the trip and thus the number of participants is bigger,” he explains.

Msheireb Museums celebrate the history of four historic heritage houses in the heart of Msheireb Downtown Doha. Located within the oldest part of the capital, they form an important part of Qatar’s national history.

They reveal unique aspects of Qatar’s cultural and social development in inspiring to create trusted environments in which the people of Qatar will engage, converse and exchange thoughts about both their past and their future.

The Museums are an integral aspect of the inner city’s regeneration of the old commercial centre with its traditional community-based

lifestyle. The restoration of the four heritage houses, Bin Jelmood House, Company House, Mohammed Bin Jassim House and Radwani House, into world-class museums forms a vital part of the Msheireb Downtown Doha development.

In some of their earlier bigger meet up, the members of Art Club have been to “Project Veiling”, a critical discussion around the concept of veiling. The interested members participated in a conversation about what veiling is, and what it does for people.

In one of the excursions to the desert, large number of group members joined to see ‘East-West/West-East’ by renowned artist Richard Serra, a sculpture in the Brouq Nature Reserve near Zekreet that spans over a kilometre and comprises four steel plates, each over fourteen metres in height.

In his marvellous piece of art, Serra examined the topography of the land and beautifully enhanced the vast, desolate space in the heart of the desert to guarantee perfect alignment. Zekreet also hosts the Film City and Mystery Village that are a contemporary recreation of an antique Arabic village nestled behind a canyon in the desert. The evening also featured music by DJ Hashoom.

The next trip of Art Club is to Msheireb Museums.

GROUP PHOTO: Members of the club at Cultural Diversity Festival in Katara.

More than 200 people have joined Art Club Qatar in just over a year of its creation


COMMUNITY

Qafco employees bid farewell to long-term Qatar residentPakistanis working at Qatar Fertiliser Company (Qafco) in Mesaieed, recently organised a function to bid farewell to their colleague MA Awan from Islamabad, who lived in Qatar for 34 years. M Ayyaz Qazi was the chief guest of the function. Furqan Ahmad Paracha conducted the proceedings. Qazi, Iqbal Akhtar, Nawaz Akram and William Anthony recalled the memorable moments they shared with Awan during his stay in Qatar. They extended their good wishes to him in his future endeavours. The speakers appreciated his devotion and sincerity towards his friends and colleagues.Awan, in his speech, praised his colleagues and Qafco management for the support he received during his stay in Qatar. Awan thanked his Pakistani colleagues in Qafco and said he was leaving with fond memories. MR Naqvi, M Abass and Furqan Paracha entertained their colleagues by reciting poetry.

Audi wins Digital Economy AwardO

n its way to becoming a digital car company, Audi is making its production sites fi t for the digital future. In

recognition of this, the company received the “Digital Economy Award” from Initiative Deutschland Digital (IDD) in Bonn recently. The brand with the Four Rings took fi rst place in the category Company 4.0.

Audi follows the maxim of making production processes effi cient, fl exible, highly automated and fi t for the future. Audi’s production processes are already thoroughly connected today. In order to create even more synergies and to remain competitive, the premium manufacturer is continually pushing forward with digitisation and connectivity in its plants. In the future, for example, Audi will apply a cloud-based Internet of Things (IoT) platform developed by the start-up company nextLAP in Munich. All IoT objects that are relevant for the production process will be connected with the platform — whether robots, cordless screwdrivers or tablets.

“In this way, we will reach the next stage of digitisation, because all the data from production and logistics will be stored on the platform. This

will allow us to implement complex production and logistics processes signifi cantly faster, more fl exibly and cost-eff ectively, and to optimise them holistically with intelligent algorithms,” stated Antoin Abou-

Haydar, Head of Vehicle Assembly Audi A4/A5/Q5, who accepted the prize on behalf of AUDI AG.

One example is the so-called Smart Shelf, an intelligent pick-by-light shelf. This is where logistics

employees make components such as steering wheels, gear-lever knobs and seat belts ready for assembly. The Smart Shelf is equipped with mini PCs and exactly controls the required parts from

logistics to assembly. For example, if a component is to be fi tted at a diff erent assembly speed in the future, the assembly line has to be recalibrated. Until now, that has caused major technical and organisational eff orts. Thanks to the Smart Shelf and the cloud-based platform, assembly workers will be able to carry out this change in the system themselves using a tablet, without great eff ort. All employees, machines and logistics processes involved in this procedure are immediately informed and production continues without any interruption.

The Digital Economy Award has been given this year for the fi rst time by Initiative Deutschland Digital, an inter-industry network for the digital transformation of the German economy. The prize is awarded to companies and organisations that increase their effi ciency and value creation by applying digital technologies and new business models. The members of the jury from the fi elds of business, science and politics evaluate the digital projects in the categories Customer Experience, Product and Service Innovation, Company 4.0 and Digitised Business Model.

MOTORING

André Ziemke, left, Chief Executive of nextLAP GmbH, and Antoin Abou-Haydar, right, Head of Vehicle Assembly Audi A4/A5/Q5, AUDI AG, with jury member Michael Nilles, Member of the Group Executive Committee and Chief Digital Off icer of Schindler Aufzüge AG at the award ceremony.

Most people who keep putting off things on their bucket list for later often end with nothing but regret.

Very few get a second chance, fewer still manage to grab it. Meet Neeraja Sigatapu, an Indian expatriate and resident of Qatar for over two decades. She is one of those rare few.

Starting as a housewife to a working mother of one and back to being housewife, Neeraja, now in her 40s, got rid of all the excuses she would give herself and set out fi ve years ago to accomplish whatever “she always wanted to do.”

She starts her day with yoga and meditation routine, something she always wanted to do before starting her household chores while continuously leaving posts on Facebook and replying to message on WhatsApp on the go.

And she does that because she organises, manages or hosts multiple social networking and activity groups with dozens of individuals and families in their members. Qatar Families Group, which she founded, has more than 1,000 members on Facebook and over 100 at meetup.com

And she is the host of events at

two other groups, Qatar Expats and Doha Social Club, on the same social networking portal. In the past fi ve years, she has been to yoga retreats, established a regular fi tness routine, travelled to countries she wanted to and has made dozens of new friends from scores of activity groups she has attended so far.

“I have kept myself busy doing many things for which I could not get time when I was working. I have more time for family, friends and travelling now,” says Neeraja, speaking to Community on how and why she decided to form or host the social activity groups.

Joining her husband Mahesh Sigatapu, who is now a Business Development Manager, in Qatar in 1996, Neeraja herself started working and did multiple jobs for about 14 years leading up to the position of a Project Administration Manager in a reputable company.

In 2011, she however, decided to quit the full-time job. By now, her son Nikhilesh had completed his college and was moving to the US for higher studies, from where he graduated with double honours from Princeton University and is now doing a job in San Francisco.

Now, she had more time to herself. First, she became socially active, participating in meet ups and events of various social groups in Qatar.

“And this is when I realised there were not as many social groups in Qatar, particularly for families where they could interact with families from other nationalities or cultural backgrounds,” she explains.

Due to their busy routines, for many families their social interaction would remain limited to either their offi ce friends or people from within their own community. By creating Qatar Families Group, she provided such people the motivation to come out of this shell and have a cross-

cultural interaction outside their work environment or schools, for children.

“Qatar Families Group (QFG) is a collage depicting families from diff erent nations, cultures and social backgrounds. Our slogan is ‘One Great Family’. Variety is the spice of life,” says Neeraja, who realises how diffi cult it gets for families to make time for such activities yet how important it is.

QFG, she says, is a group for everyone with family in Qatar to get-together and enjoy outdoor activities, picnics, organise events for children, have dinner parties, go to long drives and attend events in the form of a group.

“I intend to expand the activities to include educative and informative sessions as well as entertainment. I hope to bring together families of all nationalities so that they learn to interact with each other in a cross-culture environment,” says Neeraja.

She believes it would also help children in adjusting to culturally diff erent atmospheres besides cultivating in them qualities that would help them in their future. Children would get a chance to develop social skills and interact with people from all walks of life.


COMMUNITY

LEARNING NEW CULTURES: A get-together of friends to celebrate a festival.

Neeraja Sigatapu is the founder of Qatar Families Group and actively organises

Building together a bi

Neeraja is trying to expand the membership of her groups for more people to bene


COMMUNITY

BREAKING BARRIERS: Neeraja says the Qatar Families Group provides children with diff erent cultural backgrounds to mingle.

Members of the Qatar Expats Group during the overnight Desert Camp at Mystic Village last year.

events and meetups for people of diff erent nationalities. By Umer Nangiana

Managing and organising events and meets up, she says, is easy for her. “It never feels like work because I love what I am doing. I am sometimes posting (on social media) even at very late hours just in case I miss something important,” she adds.

When people attend her events, they are initially a bit apprehensive because, she says, she is a stranger to them who is organising and announcing meetups in the public groups. However, once they spend some time and get to know about her background and family, they are comfortable.

Neeraja says she tries to cater to all the needs and interests of the members of the group even if it means fi nding and participating in activities organised by any other similar social groups.

If there is something they are organising which is not possible for her to organise but is of interest to her group members, she would ask that event’s host and take her members to it.

These groups, Neeraja says, are excellent avenues for making new friends. She gets friends requests on her Facebook from those attending the meetups soon after

the fi rst meeting. She says she has found some very close friends just by attending and then organising meetups.

And then together with these friends, she has created and enjoyed many outdoor excursions and indoor cultural activities. In 2015, she invited her non-Indian friends to her house for Diwali (an ancient Hindu festival celebrated in autumn) celebrations.

“I invited old family friends and those made in meetups. The idea was to invite other nationalities to let them know about Indian festivals and culture. Also, my Indian friends would get a chance to interact with other nationalities and families this way,” says Neeraja.

Her guests learnt how to create the Rangoli (colourful patterns-making on the fl oor). With her new friends, she and her family have also been out in the desert on camping and safari adventures.

Neeraja says her husband is a big support in all her social activities. “He is my dedicated driver most of the times for Qatar Expats and Doha Social Club events,” she says with a smile. “I would meet up with men who I do not know at these events so I ask him to come along and he drives me all the way from Wakrah where I live to anywhere in the city, no matter how late it is,” she adds.

It also allows him to interact with the people in the groups and he is himself a friendly and socialising person, who is always ready to help others the social group with tasks. She hopes more and more people will join her groups so that she can create a vibrant expat families’ community.

ig happy expat family

efit from cross cultural interaction. Photo by Umer Nangiana


COMMUNITY INFOGRAPHIC


COMMUNITYLIFESTYLE/HOROSCOPE

ARIESMarch 21 — April 19

CANCERJune 21 — July 22

LIBRASeptember 23 — October 22

CAPRICORNDecember 22 — January 19

TAURUSApril 20 — May 20

LEOJuly 23 — August 22

SCORPIOOctober 23 — November 21

AQUARIUSJanuary 20 — February 18

GEMINIMay 21 — June 20

VIRGOAugust 23 — September 22

SAGITTARIUSNovember 22 — December 21

PISCESFebruary 19 — March 20

Don’t stop believing in your vision or plan today rams. You’re in

the right frame of mind to go for it and to be focused and ready.

Sometimes your focus is off and you get sidelined...not today!

Don’t let the current mood of the day change your mind about

something you were very set on not long ago. Stick to the plan at

hand Cancers and let things work out the way they are meant to

work out today.

Unless you are completely, absolutely positive about something or

someone today, don’t push the button or jump out of the airplane

just yet! Give it a few seconds/minutes before committing yourself

Librans.

There is a way out of your current predicament today goats. You

simply have to look for the invisible EXIT sign that’s above you and

get ready to make your move.

If you think you can do something but are intimidated by the sheer

fact of starting it and trying it, then it’s on you to take that giant first

leap forward bulls. There is nothing worse than feeling intimidated

or anxious. Knock that out of the ballpark asap.

Sometimes you have to agree to disagree with someone in order to

let life keep on keeping on, don’t you? Holding a grudge or letting

something or someone bother you will only halt your progress

today.

Be careful that something you really have been hoping and wishing

for is in fact something you actually want! If it is, great. If not, you

might end up wasting a lot of precious time on a dream.

Unless you really feel it’s absolutely necessary, don’t try to move too

many things around today or make too many changes. Leave things

the way they are right now.

Sometimes there are absolutely no words you can say that will

make the situation ‘right again’. If you simply ignore it and hope

whatever it is will go away chances are it won’t. So tackle it today

and hopefully you can and will get the result you want.

Stop, listen and learn today Virgos. There are some things (believe it

or not) that you don’t know yet and need to learn...only a few things

but still...lessons you will savour.

There is always going to be that 20/20 hindsight feeling when you

realise that you should of, could of, would of if you could of kinda

thing. It’s too late to sulk about it now Sags.

You can be somewhat elusive at times. Dreamy, lost in thought or

distracted to name just a few of your Pisces qualities. However,

today you should be on the lookout for something or someone who

is here to help you and guide you.

Finding the best cooling options for hot garagesT

he garage is a haven for car enthusiasts and hobbyists like woodworkers — that is until the temperatures start to increase. Outdoor work spaces get hot

fast when the mercury rises. Whether the garage is your man cave or where you work to make a living, don’t let the heat stop your productivity.

There’s a variety of options that can help to keep garages comfortably cool so you can stay on track with your projects, but some are far more eff ective than others. Do your research and learn the pros and cons of each so you can select the best one for your needs.

FansFans seem like a quick fi x to hot garage

troubles. Both oscillating and ceiling options are inexpensive and easy to install. The drawback: fans are minimally eff ective. Fans alone simply circulate stagnant, hot air throughout the space. What’s more, if the garage is large, the air circulation may not spread through the entire area.

AC unitsMobile air conditioners (AC) are more

expensive than fans, but can be an eff ective way to cool garage spaces. Keep in mind, using an air conditioner does require the space to be closed off . Depending what the garage is being used for, this may be impossible for some people.

If you have a window in the garage, a window AC unit may work well because it vents directly outside. For garages without windows — which is typically more common — installing AC can be problematic. The unit requires a place to ventilate the heat generated from the compressor. This not only limits the mobility of the unit, but also requires fi xed-ductwork and adds another point of heat generation.

Evaporative coolersEvaporative cooling is gaining popularity

due to its eff ectiveness and versatility. Portable evaporative coolers cool warm air and drop temperatures using tap water, a pump and a wetted surface to create the naturally occurring process of evaporation. When the air in the garage is pulled across the water, the

temperature of that air naturally lowers. This eff ect is similar to the chill you get coming out of a pool or how the wind off the lake feels cooler.

A garage enthusiast’s favourite is the Portacool Jestream 240 because it’s compact, portable and can be used with the garage door open to provide cooling throughout the space. Plus, it’s far more energy effi cient than running an AC unit consistently. In fact, it pulls the same amount of electricity as a small household appliance so it won’t zap your energy bill. Even better, there’s no compressor to vent residual heat and there are no harsh chemicals or refrigerants involved.

Additional considerationsNow that you’ve determined the best cooling

option for you, there are a few fi nal things to consider. To start, insulation can make a big diff erence when regulating temperatures, especially in closed spaces. Consider adding paper-backed batt-insulation to the ceiling and walls. Additionally, ditch anything that puts off unnecessary heat, such as old incandescent

bulbs since 90 percent of the energy used is given off as heat. Instead, replace with energy-sipping and cool running LEDs.

© Brandpoint

Adam

Pooch Cafe

Garfi eld

Bound And Gagged

Codeword

Wordsearch

Every letter of the alphabet is used at least once. Squares with the same number in have the same letter in. Work out which number represents which letter.

Puzz

les

cour

tesy

: Puz

zlec

hoic

e.co

m

ANTHEMARIABALLADBARCAROLEBERCEUSECATCHCAVATINA

CHANSONDIRGEDITTYGLEEHYMNLAYLIED

LILTLULLABYMADRIGALPSALMROUNDSERENADESHANTY

Sing Song

Sudoku

Sudoku is a puzzle based

on a 9x9 grid. The grid is

also divided into nine (3x3)

boxes. You are given a

selection of values and to

complete the puzzle, you

must fill the grid so that

every column, every anone

is repeated.


COMMUNITY PUZZLES/CARTOONS

Colouring

Answers

Wordsearch Codeword

DOWN1. Dumbfounded (10)2. Lamp (5)3. Slender (4)4. Cold symptom (6)5. Portray (8)6. Applause (7)11. Nonsense (10)13. Parity (8)14. Tumbler (7)16. Passionate (6)17. Savoury (5)20. Ooze (4)

ACROSS7. Main (5)8. Irritated (7)9. Increase (7)10. Morsel (5)12. Advantageous (10)15. Urged (10)18. Mar (5)19. Dunce (7)21. Tidy (7)22. Pseudonym (5)

ACROSS7. Some Icelandic creature? (5)8. Race had to be rerun - it’s a travesty! (7)9. Novice giving pound to breadwinner (7)10. Returning a piece of soft, light wood (5)12. Seeming sensible to change (10)15. What Ron’s agreed to cultivate? (4,6)18. Cord I use for architectural style (5)19. Stock-taker? (7)21. New article for a performance (7)22. Ordered a melon and got diff erent fruit (5)

DOWN1. Red admiral upset Spanish football team (4,6)2. Canoe that looks the same when it is overturned (5)3. Love noise made by a Norse god (4)4. Increase in a ship’s company, say (6)5. Reprimand an animal for upsetting teas (8)6. Creature with a way to get ball back in (7)11. Grievance a tool-sharpener may have? (3,2,5)13. Wisdom of a series of novels on London, for example (8)14. Bird with nothing but a way to get wealthy (7)16. Seldom real changes in the railway (6)17. Possibly miles of thin mud (5)20. Point to type of material (4)

Quick Clues

Cryptic Clues

Yesterday’s Solutions

QUICKAcross: 1 Gemstones; 8 Ill; 9 Jack and Jill; 11 Patient; 12 Duped; 13 Arrive; 15 Tender; 17 Skier; 18 Rescind; 20 Laughing gas; 22 Lea; 23 Agreeable.Down: 2 Era; 3 Trade; 4 Nudity; 5 Spindle; 6 Milk pudding; 7 Blundered; 10 Caterpillar; 11 Plausible; 14 Verruca; 16 Archer; 19 Singe; 21 Ail.

CRYPTICAcross: 1 Take cover; 8 Aye; 9 Second sight; 11 Genista; 12 Large; 13 Bye-law; 15 Artist; 17 Rotor; 18 Lighter; 20 Orson Welles; 22 Nun; 23 Lie at rest.Down: 2 Aye; 3 Cants; 4 Vassal; 5 Regular; 6 Water-pistol; 7 Beefeater; 10 Conventions; 11 Gaberdine; 14 Aerosol; 16 Glance; 19 Guest; 21 Eos.


COMMUNITYPUZZLES


COMMUNITY REVIEWS

By Moira Macdonald

FILM: Zoolander 2CAST: Ben Stiller, Owen

Wilson, Will Ferrell, Penelope Cruz, Kristen Wiig

DIRECTION: Ben Stiller

Zoolander 2 employed the talents of four credited screenwriters, but unfortunately not one of them seemed

to notice that what they were working on wasn’t actually a screenplay. It is, instead, an excuse to string together an endless and often random supply of celebrity cameos (Willie Nelson, why are you in this movie?) and to reunite a pair of beloved but played-out characters from the original 2001 Zoolander. The result: a mostly agreeable but empty-headed mess. It’s sort of the movie equivalent of Derek Zoolander himself.

It’s not that it isn’t a kick to see Derek (Ben Stiller, who also directed this time around) and his fellow supermodel Hansel (Owen Wilson) again; I could happily kill time watching the two of them striking poses, sucking in their cheeks (the better to accentuate razor-sharp cheekbones — and, as a bonus, to look silly), getting words wrong and saying, upon their reunion, lines like, “I missed not knowing things with you.”

But the movie keeps getting lost in its mysterious and frequently impenetrable forest of plot: something about Will Ferrell’s cotton-candy-coiffed villain Mugatu destroying the world, and the male-model twosome needing to save it with the help of an ex-swimsuit model turned special agent with Interpol’s Global Fashion Division (an amused, and amusing, Penelope Cruz).

Along the way, Derek reunites with his son Derek Jr (Cyrus Arnold), and fashion maven Alexanya Atoz (Kristen Wiig)

frequently slinks into scenes to say something unintelligible. (You sense that Wiig’s performance — she’s styled to suggest a deranged version of Donatella Versace — is an enormous in-joke. The role was probably funnier to perform than to watch.)

Meanwhile, those celebrity cameos flit by — some of them misguided (Benedict Cumberbatch in a weirdly tone-deaf bit about a transgender model), some head-scratchy (Susan Sarandon, didn’t you have something better to do?), some fashion-y (Anna Wintour, Valentino, Marc Jacobs, Alexander Wang and Tommy Hilfiger, though their scene is too obviously spliced together), some delightful (Sting, who nearly saves the movie with one late line). Though it’s impossible for me to truly dislike a film containing the line “oh, shut up, Valentino!,” Zoolander 2 ultimately feels like fast fashion: cute, disposable, quickly forgettable. —The Seattle Times/TNS

All dressed up with no place to go

FILM: Never Back Down 2CAST: Michael Jai White, Josh

Barnett, Gillian White DIRECTION: Michael Jai

White

Cast for brawn over brain, central characters like three-time MMA world champion fighter

Brody James (Josh Barnett) and undefeated psychopath Caesar Braga (Nathan Jones) have all the muscle and fighting skills you could want but the acting skills of a botoxed boxer.

This is Chris Hauty’s third Never Back Down film, having also written 2008’s original high school fight flick and 2011’s MMA sequel from which this feature is a continuation.

Michael Jai White returns from the previous film in the dual role of director and star, and he’s one of the few saving graces of the franchise.

Retired champ Case Walker (White) is convinced to go to Thailand to train Brody James for his match against Caesar Braga for the unscrupulous outfit known as the Primordial Fighting Championship (PFC).

The resulting tale is populated with tough guy fighters behaving like amateur high school bullies, and exasperated women who put up with their men. The final showdown, we surmise fairly

quickly, will be between superstud Case and the psychotic villain.

The fight sequences are well executed and lovers of this genre will be inspired by the muscle on display. — RL

FILM: Dead 7CAST: Nick Carter, Carrie

Keagan, Jeff Timmons, Joey Fatone

DIRECTION: Danny Roew

This is a post-apocalyptic Western that follows a group of gunslingers as they look to rid a small

town of a zombie plague.Dead 7 is all about Nick

Carter and his gang, as they fi ght back against an evil, zombie-controlling voodoo priestess known as Apocolypta (Debra Wilson). You’ve got Joey Fatone as Whiskey Joe, Carrie Keagan as Daisy Jane and Howie Dorough as The Vaquero — all guns for hire with a deadly mission. Apocolypta and her right-hand man, Johnny Vermillion (A J McLean), must be stopped at all costs, before her zombie army becomes too massive to defeat.

Director Danny Roew tries to have as much fun with this spruced-up corpse as he can, but obvious budget restraints preemptively kill take after take.

Generally speaking, actors don’t have much stunt-work, they just point-and-shoot a lot of fake guns, while unnecessary romantic arcs are tossed in for no supplemental enhancement. There’s goofy jabbering, especially when it comes to Fatone’s dusty zingers, and a lack of practical eff ects work that’ll leave zombie-lovers hungry for so much more. There’s nothing fun about what should have been a zany zombie rodeo, which, besides some fl amboyant costuming, certainly isn’t Larger Than Life. — MD

DVDs courtesy: Saqr Entertainment Stores, Doha

Shades of a zany zombie rodeo

Well-executed fight sequences


COMMUNITYSHOWBIZ

KEEPING HIS WORD: Arshad Warsi

ON BOARD: Samira Wiley

HEARTBREAK: Lindsay Lohan

Samira Wiley joins The Handmaid’s Tale

Orange Is the New Black actress Samira Wiley has joined Elisabeth Moss in online streaming service website Hulu’s upcoming drama series The Handmaid’s Tale. The series is based on the popular dystopian novel from Margaret Atwood, who will serve as a consulting producer, reports ew.com.

The story is set in Gilead, a totalitarian society in the former US, which is plagued by environmental disaster and a plunging birth rate. With few women left fertile, they are forced into sexual servitude in a last ditch eff ort to repopulate the world.

Moss stars as Off red, a handmaid in the Commander’s household, who while trying to survive in this diffi cult world, is also attempting to fi nd her daughter. Wiley will play Moira, Off red’s best friend from college and fellow handmaid-in-training. The 10-episode series, which will also costar Max Minghella and Ann Dowd will premiere in 2017. — IANS

Actor Arshad Warsi has shot down rumours of leaving the promotions of forthcoming fi lm

The Legend Of Michael Mishra in the lurch. He says he is “not the kind of actor who backs out of his commitment”.

There were reports now that the Aditi Rao Hydari, Arshad and Boman Irani-starrer fi lm is ready to release two years after being completed, the cast is “in no mood to promote it”. But the stars have a diff erent story to narrate.

“I am not the kind of actor who backs out of his commitment.

Michael Mishra ... is my fi lm... Why would I refrain from promoting it? I have had to request the producer of Bhaiyyaji Superhit to push my dates so that I could promote Michael Mishra,” Arshad said in a statement to clear the air around the “baseless information”.

Despite having prior commitments, the actors are promoting the fi lm, which is releasing on August 5. Manish Jha, who has directed the fi lm, also shared that the “promotions of the fi lm have just kicked in and I am in constant touch with my cast and crew.”

He said: “They all are extremely

excited about the project and you will see them promoting the fi lm at various promotional events. The rumours doing the rounds in the media about their unavailability for the fi lm is utterly baseless and will be proved wrong in the coming days.”

The Legend of Michael Mishra is a complete Patna-Bihar romance-comedy. Arshad plays a Patna-based gangster Michael who falls in love with Varsha (Aditi). Varsha wants Michael to change his lifestyle and thus, he decides to live a clean life which is not easy as his past keeps haunting him. — IANS

I’m not one to back out of a commitment: Arshad Warsi

Kunal Nayyar wants to be part of Doctor Who

Actor Kunal Nayyar, best known for his role in American TV show The Big Bang Theory, says he was weeping uncontrollably when he broke the news of landing a role in the international sitcom to his family over phone. The star now wants to be the “fi rst Indian Doctor Who.”

The actor, who plays Raj Koothrappali in The Big Bang Theory, shared how travelling has transformed his life ever since he left his home at 18. He spoke about it in an exclusive video interview for British Airways, read a statement. The Big Bang Theory is currently going into its 10th season and Kunal said when it’s over, he would like

to play Doctor Who in the iconic British sci-fi TV show.

He said: “Wouldn’t that be cool if I played Doctor Who? The fi rst Indian Doctor Who maybe after Big Bang …”

The actor added: “On Big Bang Theory, it took six weeks for me to fi nd out I had got that role. So they were present throughout those six weeks every day when I was calling them freaking out.

“I woke them up at 3.30 in the morning. Of course, the fi rst thing your parents do when you call them in a diff erent country is like, ‘Are you ok? Are you safe — why are you calling us at this time?’

“I was like ‘Ya, ya - I’m great’ and I am just weeping, just crying, because this meant so much to me to be this kid from New Delhi, India, who made it onto the big screen. And they really thought something was wrong because I’m crying. I told them I got the role and everyone was crying at the same time. It was very special.”

Kunal now regularly fl ies to diff erent places for his work and believes air travel has changed the world for the better, giving people a chance to pursue their dreams and grow their businesses. Kunal, who lives and works in Los Angeles, also opened up about how he fi nds inspiration for characters while travelling.

He said: “All the time you meet people while I’m travelling and fl ying that inspire characters. I once met an elderly Indian gentleman on a plane who spoke in half-sentences. That was something I later used for (my character) Raj.”

“Another time I was fl ying and the plane took off , the lights dimmed, and the elderly gentleman in front of me stood up and completely disrobed in the aisle. I don’t think anyone saw him but I thought it was hilarious. Every time I do that now. No, I don’t — I’m joking,” he quipped. — IANSGUNG-HO: Kunal Nayyar

Has Lindsay called off her engagement?

Actress Lindsay Lohan has reportedly called off her engagement with fi ance Egor Tarabasov. The 30-year-old actress and her fi ance Tarabasov have decided to take a break following allegations that he cheated on her and was physically abusive, reports nypost.com.

The news comes after the Russian millionaire was seen moving out of Lohan’s London apartment. “They are taking a break, she didn’t want him trespassing in her apartment, but he went in and took all his possessions,” a source said.

According to the source, Lindsay has taken the split hard as she thought she had really found love with 22-year-old Tarabasov. They had been dating for over a year. “After moving to London and meeting Egor, Lindsay felt like she had fi nally moved on from the chaos of her youth. She was really ready to settle down and start a family. Sadly, for her, she is losing much more than just a boyfriend,” a source said. — IANS


COMMUNITY

Pakistan Agro Fest to showcase top produce

The two-day event will feature some of the finest varieties of Pakistani

mangoes as well as export quality rice and meat. By Umer Nangiana

Some of the best agro and livestock products are coming to town at the two-day Pakistan Agro Festival beginning today. Jointly organised by Pakistan-

Qatar Business Forum (PQBF) and Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), the festival features best varieties of Pakistani mangoes, including the popular Anwar Rataul and Chaunsa besides export quality rice and meat.

The event kicks off with a press meet by the visiting delegation of exporters and businessmen at Ezdan Mall. It will be followed by the inaugural session for which the PQBF has invited Qatari dignitaries, government officials, representatives of catering companies and supermarkets besides importers.

“A number of major exporters from Pakistan who are already established entities in the GCC, Europe and USA will be present during the event and display their products,” said Ahmad Hussain, President of PQBF and organiser of the festival.

At the festival dubbed ‘Taste of Pakistan’ and sponsored by Zaoq Restaurants, the guests and visitors will not only be able to see but taste the Pakistani delicacies. “On the first day, all our guests will be served traditional Pakistani dishes especially prepared from meat and rice. They will also get to taste deserts and sweet dishes made from mangoes,” Hussain told Community.

The best varieties of mangoes have been imported from Pakistan for the festival

and visitors would get to relish their unique taste, the PQBF president added.

Hussain said the festival will mainly focus on promoting Pakistani agro products such as meat, rice and fruits while providing a platform for the businessmen and exporters to interact with importers, business community in Qatar besides getting a chance to meet government officials.

“The rationale of holding the event that will revolve around demonstrating and promoting excellent quality and taste of Pakistani agro-food products is to create awareness amongst the stakeholders and importers,” said the PQBF president.

Exclusive kiosks will be established for holding Business-to-Business (B2B) meetings between prospective customers and exporters from Pakistan. The delegation from Pakistan, apart from the rice and mango exporters, includes Director General of TDAP, Chairman of Pakistan Business Council and President of The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI). The TDAP, formerly Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), was established in 2006 by the government of Pakistan and is administered by the Ministry of Commerce.

TDAP is mandated to have a holistic view of global trade development rather than only the export promotion perspective of its predecessor. Designated as the premier trade organisation of the country, TDAP shall be a dedicated, effective, and an empowered organisation,

which shall be professionally managed.Hussain said the delegation was coming

to Qatar on the invitation of PQBF. “On our visit to Pakistan, we had invited them to explore the market in Qatar that holds a huge potential for Pakistani products,” he added. The PQBF president said the leaders of the delegation will personally give briefings about their products to the guests and visiting dignitaries with the aim to attract potential buyers. The hosts of the festival have also invited members and leaders from different nationalities.

Besides the heads of different local Pakistani welfare and community organisations, the PQBF has invited leaders from 18 different communities. “They will also have a chance to taste Pakistani food and mangoes at the dinner especially hosted for the community leaders at the venue,” said Hussain. The festival will then open for the general public tomorrow, and the PQBF president said the visiting members of public will also be treated with the traditional Pakistani food featuring the main three products of the festival. The Qatar-based PQBF has a number of Pakistani and Qatari companies as its members and it supports a ‘visionary approach’ towards promoting business, trade and investment between Pakistan and Qatar. Within few years, PQBF has developed close liaison with major trade and chamber associations, both in Pakistan and Qatar, willing to cash in on keenness expressed by the government of Pakistan for investments from Qatar.

COLLABORATION: A delegation of PQBF led by Ahmad Hussain, third from left, visited Pakistan and met the TDAP leadership. PQBF has invited Qatari dignitaries, government off icials, representatives of catering companies and supermarkets besides importers for the two-day event beginning today.

The export quality meat and rice products from Pakistan will also be on display.

Some of the popular varieties of Pakistani mangoes will be showcased at the festival.

P6 P16 - Gulf Times

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