As part of Qatar-UK 2013, yearlong events aimed at consolidating the growing partnership between Qatar and the United Kingdom, The British Council’s Arts and Disability festival attracted significant support from local entities.
The British Council, working in partnership with the Ministry of Culture, Arts & Heritage, opened the festival on Friday. Activities associated with the event will continue until March 30. Among Qatari organisations coming forward to support efforts are MADA, Al Noor Institute, Qatar Society for Rehabilitation of Special Needs and The Qatari Centre of Social Cultural for the Deaf. Katara Cultural Village is lending its premises to host the festival.
Director of Youth Events and Activities at the ministry, Abdulrahman Al Hajiri, said, “This festival is a confirmation of Qatar’s commitment and the leading role it is willing to play in support of persons with disabilities. The key collaborations, which are part of this festival, are symbolic of Qatar’s success in achieving integration with others.”
Sheikh Thani bin Abdallah Al Thani, Chairman of Qatar Society for Rehabilitation of Special Needs, said: “We are convinced that based on the slogan of our organisation, there’s nothing impossible for disabled people. So we are proud to support this event.”
Head of Communications Awareness and Outreach MADA, Ahmed Habib, said: “As an organisation dedicated to providing advice, training and communication technologies specifically adapted to meet the needs of people with a range of disabilities, we are happy to be part of this festival and offer a technology solution to assist it.”
Dr Hayat Khalil Nathar, Director of Shafallah institute for visually impaired, said: “We are very pleased to participate in this festival by supplying braille brochures. The festival will have positive effect on people with disability, and we consider it a duty to support such events that serve this part of our society.”
MADA Assistive Technology Centre has thrown the full weight of its competencies behind the festival. Using its capacities to create a high-end technology solution, MADA has created a special iPad application for the exhibition, integrating captions, audio and sign language interpretation.
Commenting on the collaboration with these key partners, Project Manager Lana Kayed of the British Council said: “We are greatly encouraged by the unstinted support we are receiving locally for the Arts and Disability festival. We are so pleased that they are offering crucial assistance to the festival in each of their fields of speciality.”
The Peninsula
