Qatar’s popular community outreach initiative #bigbmeetup celebrates Garangao – championing sustainability, inclusivity and accessibility at Qatar Foundation’s Hadeeqa micro-farm with differently abled children and their families from various communities in Qatar.
The event had over 50 children from more than 16 nationalities, showcasing the diversity of the communities residing in Qatar and the unity among them. Children as young as two years old – and up to 14 years old – had the choice of participating in three different upcycling/recycling art workshops conducted by Qatari artists Batool Jafar, Fatima Mohammed and Guzel Abdrakmanova.
Celebrating an inclusive and sustainable Garangao
#bigbmeetup founder Bosco Menezes opened the event with an introduction to the programme and the initiative’s anniversary. For five years now, #bigbmeetup has been bringing communities together and prides itself on holding zero-plastic events.
Hadeeqa founder Vicky Damalou gave a speech on the benefits of having a green thumb and joining the environment workshops that the micro-farm run for the community.
Two differently-abled siblings Shirley and Ester El Sokhan gave a wonderful performance with their drum sets, enthralling the audience of over 100 at the quaint micro-farm.
Co-founder of Autism Parents Qatar Aisha Al Amari introduced the communities and shed light on the activities and accomplishments of their organisation. La Terre luxury fashion, a Qatari sustainable fashion brand distributed a potted flower plant to each kid and their families with the message, Let’s nurture nature together.
Local radio channel QBS Radio ran a Garangao competition and distributed goodie bags to all the children, keeping up with the essence of Ramadan and Garangao. As a cultural exchange exercise, the event also had Qatari mothers reminisce and narrate their personal Garangao stories, introducing a cultural side of Ramadan to the diverse audience.
Artist Batool brought authentic local cuisine to share with the participants, in keeping with the spirit of Ramadan.
Qatari children in different groups sang the famous and popular Garangao song with expatriate children joining in. True to #bigbmeetup’s motto of bringing communities together – to inform, to educate and to Inspire.
Popular young Qatari green ambassador Noora Al Nabet, a student of Qatar Academy and an advocate for a greener future in Qatar, spoke to the audience about the importance of reducing waste and against single-use plastic.
#bigbmeetup extends a big thank you to the volunteers from A Flower Each Spring, Qatar’s first pro-environment non-profit founded by HH Sheikha Moza.
A similar event is also planned for Eid. For more details, call #bigbmeetup founder Bosco Menezes at 5534 0297.
All images were taken by Geraldine Fernandes, @cameraqueenqatar.
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