QF’s Pre-University Education celebrates Qatar National Day and strengthens Arabic language

DOHA: Each year, Qatar National Day serves as a moment to reaffirm national pride and collective identity. At Qatar Foundation’s Pre-University Education (PUE), the occasion was marked through thoughtfully designed learning experiences that engaged students in language, culture, and active participation.

To mark the occasion, Pre-University Education organised a range of educational and cultural activities that highlighted the Arabic language as a core pillar of national identity and a key way for students to express belonging and pride.

Across Qatar Foundation (QF) schools, students took part in school-based celebrations that included poetry and theatre performances, research projects, and interactive activities exploring Qatar’s history and national values.

According to Buthina Al-Derham, Director of Communications and Outreach at QF’s Pre-University Education, these activities reflected a holistic educational approach that integrated Qatari identity, culture, and the Arabic language into everyday learning.

She explained that “Qatar National Day is an educational opportunity to reaffirm that Arabic is not just a language of communication, but a key part of our national identity and a way to strengthen students’ sense of belonging and pride.” She added that combining language, culture, and identity in education helped prepare students to play an active role in shaping the future of their country.

Student participation also extended beyond school settings into national public spaces, with students from Qatar Academy Al Wakra taking part in the Qatar National Day parade, expressing their pride in the nation through their presence at one of the country’s most prominent national celebrations.

Al-Derham said that “taking part in national events allowed students to turn values such as belonging and citizenship into real-life practice, while helping them understand their role as representatives of Qatar’s identity.”

The celebrations also featured the QF schools’ musical production “Qatar Jannah,” which brought students together in a collective Arabic-language performance. According to Al-Derham, the production blended music, movement, and storytelling to reflect QF’s values, while providing students with a creative space to express themselves and collaborate with confidence.

In addition, PUE screened the special “Siraj” film as part of its Qatar National Day initiatives. Al-Derham said that “storytelling and the arts played an important role in helping students connect with the Arabic language and experience it as a living expression of identity, belonging, and heritage.”

She also said that Qatar National Day activities extended beyond the local level, with students contributing to cultural and Arabic-language segments held on the sidelines of the United Nations Convention against Corruption Conference, hosted in Qatar. She explained that “giving students the opportunity to use Arabic on national and international platforms helped prepare a generation that is confident in its identity and able to represent Qatar’s culture and values.”

This momentum was further strengthened by the coincidence of Qatar National Day and World Arabic Language Day on December 18, deepening students’ understanding of the strong connection between language and national identity. It also reinforced the view of the Arabic language not as a subject confined to the classroom, but as a living language that carries heritage, values, and cultural continuity.

Qatar National Day activities within Pre-University Education reflected Qatar Foundation’s commitment to Qatar National Vision 2030, through investment in human capital, empowering young people to preserve cultural identity, and encouraging active participation in social and intellectual dialogue.

Al-Derham concluded by emphasising that “the Arabic language will remain a central pillar of PUE’s approach, as a language of knowledge, identity, and responsibility toward the nation and the future.

QF’s unique education cycle begins with Pre-University Education (PUE). QF began its mission with the founding of a single school named Qatar Academy.

Since then, a thriving knowledge ecosystem has grown around that first school, and QF has continued to broaden its educational offerings to nurture a lifelong love of learning among young students.

Through PUE, Qatar Foundation has developed schools and curricula that embrace diversity and respond to the needs of Qatar’s multicultural society. These schools deliver learning experiences that meet the highest international standards while remaining firmly grounded in Qatari culture and values. They emphasise personalised learning and aim to empower students with the knowledge, confidence, and skills needed to succeed both academically and personally.

As part of Qatar Foundation, these schools benefit from close integration with a wide range of entities and centers dedicated to education, research, and community development. Students regularly engage with these surrounding institutions, enriching their learning and helping them connect classroom knowledge with real-world experiences.

Siraj

Qatar Foundation hosted a special event celebrating Qatar National Day at the Pre-University Education Theatre in Education City, showcasing Qatari heritage and culture, and offering activities for children that foster a sense of pride and belonging, including a special screening by QF’s educational TV series Siraj.

A 3D film on the theme of Qatar National Day has been produced by Siraj, which designed specifically to introduce children to the value of citizenship and the importance of patriotism.

In addition to the film, children enjoyed a live interactive show with Rashid and Noura – the much-loved characters from Siraj. And during the event, children will also enjoy an exclusive song in the film by Qatari artist Fahad Al-Hajjaji, celebrating the beauty of Qatar.

Alongside the film, an art exhibition titled Qatar Al Hob showcased the creativity of several Qatar Foundation students from kindergarten to grade four, expressing their love and loyalty to Qatar through various art pieces. The event will also include a performance of the Qatari Ardha, presented by QF schools, along with interactive games and crafts activities.

Qatar Jannah

Qatar Foundation’s Pre-University Education launched the national operetta ‘Qatar Jannah’, a production that brings together students from across its schools in a performance celebrating Qatari identity and national pride as part of Qatar National Day celebrations.

The operetta was presented on December 11 and 13, with two shows held each day. Each public show preceded by pre-show activities, featuring the traditional Qatari “Ardah” and accompanying entertainment activities delivered by “Siraj,” QF’s educational edutainment program, with the beloved characters Rashid and Noora welcoming children and engaging with them.

The musical performance “Qatar Jannah,” followed a creative journey led by students, who presented national and heritage-inspired scenes highlighting education, innovation, and Qatari identity, while showcasing key landmarks of Qatar Foundation’s QF Education City. The show concluded with the song “Qatar Jannah,” celebrating unity and national diversity.

The production showcased strong educational and national values, including pride in identity and heritage, the importance of the Arabic language, and a commitment to inclusion by bringing together students of different ages and abilities. It also highlighted Education City’s role as a leading hub for learning, culture, and innovation.