Georgetown University in Qatar at Darb El-Saai

Visitors to Darb El-Saai this year had the opportunity to meet with Georgetown students, alumni, and staff as part of Qatar Foundation’s presence during the National Day festivities.

This year, Qatar Foundation and its partner institutions created an educational tent at the Darb El-Saai fairground that was designed to inspire and encourage youth between the ages 6 and 19 to learn more about the world around them. During the 12 days that the tent was open, more than 60,000 visitors were able to compete in a geography and history quiz game, while younger visitors could learn about various countries and receive temporary tattoos of the flags of Qatar and other nations from around he world.  Additionally, members of the Georgetown community were available to provide information on Georgetown’s activities in the community, as well as to explain the admissions process to potential local applicants.

“This was a great opportunity for our community to get out and celebrate Qatar’s National Day with our fellow QF colleagues, and to start to build a conversation with the local community,” said Charles Nailen, who managed Georgetown’s participation in the project. “We had more than 50 students, alumni and staff contribute their time and talent by hosting the Georgetown booth.  This sort of commitment to the wider community is exactly what Georgetown is all about.”

In addition to Georgetown, other QF members participating in the tent included Qatar Leadership Academy, QF Radio, Al Shaqab Stables, Qatar Luxury Group, Weil Cornell Medical College in Qatar, HBKU, the Qatar Green Building Council and the Qur’anic Botanical Garden.  

“Georgetown’s presence at Darb El-Saai is an important step in our plans to engage with the local community and increase their awareness about what we do in Doha and our role in supporting Qatar’s national vision,” said Jonathan Cartmell, executive director of Georgetown’s Office of Outreach and Business Development.  “In order to be a truly sustainable institution in Qatar, we believe that we must set our roots firmly into the local community in order that they can help us better serve the nation and the region.“