UCL Qatar’s first annual bilingual report (English and Arabic) focuses on the 2014-15 academic year and is also a commemoration of all the progress the university has made over the past four years in bringing a world-class research-led institution of higher education to the heart of the Arab and Islamic world.
This book celebrates a full quarter century of work produced by Samir and Sheila Daoud, a partnership of a husband and wife team that was intent on taking a responsible role in the development of a young nation with unprecedented ambition, and contributing to the impressive transformation of the UAE and the broader Arab region. Collating architectural projects undertaken by Diar Consult, this work illustrates a remarkable and diverse range, varying from small private homes to ambitious residential communities and iconic and award-winning office developments.
Chess and backgammon are not part of a dead, dusty tradition which has no relevance to modern life; they are part of everyday culture in the Gulf region, the Middle East and the wider world. Kings and Pawns: Board Games from India to Spain (in English and Arabic) explores the invention, development and adaptation of four games and their relation to Islamic art.
Damien Hirst’s seven-metre-long shark in formaldehyde, an architectural blueprint that re-imagines Doha’s oldest neighbourhood as an educational hub, sophisticated abayas paired with haute couture hats in a runway show: these are just some of the events that the arts programme of Qatar UK 2013 made happen, encompassing nearly every form of creative expression: fine arts and drama, music and dance, architecture and design, fashion and film.
Qatar Japan 2012 (in English, Arabic and Japanese) marks a significant milestone in Qatar and Japan’s bilateral relations: the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations. Through an incredible year of exhibitions, such as the Pearls: Jewels of the Sea exhibition at the Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art in Kobe, Murakami’s retrospective in Doha, and Qatar Week: Ferjaan in Tokyo, the people of both countries celebrated each other’s culture and strengthened the friendship that brings them together.
Mal Lawal (in English and Arabic) records an extraordinary exhibition by Qatar Museums that offers an invaluable glimpse into the private collections in Qatar and across the Gulf region, while also providing a unique overview of contemporary Arab art.
Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor, long referred to as an unofficial ambassador of the UAE, recounts his warnings to world leaders about the ramification of Western foreign policy errors, and Arab failures – and warns of the biggest threats facing the world today due to inaction by policymakers.
Also available in Arabic
Offering a comprehensive overview on various facets of Al Zubarah, from architecture to discovered artefacts, this cultural World Heritage site contextualizes the old town within the network of contemporary settlements, pearl-diving and global trade connections; and highlights Al Zubarah’s role within modern Qatari society through recently established outreach, oral history and community archaeology programmes (in English, Arabic and French).
Gardening in Arabia is primarily a comprehensive guide – available in both English and Arabic editions – to creating beautiful gardens in the Gulf region, and comes with a handy pullout supplement aimed at helping buyers browse for plants in nurseries. However, given the academic attention to such details as botanical classification, height and spread, leaf shape and type, varieties available in the region, plant origins, care and benefits, the book is truly encyclopaedic in its approach to annuals.
Also available in Arabic
On the Ground features the work of ten faculty members working in the field of Middle East and North African studies at Northwestern University’s campuses in Doha, Qatar and Evanston, Illinois. Together, they challenge received wisdom by extending the debate through a narrative that is informed by a deep awareness of the conflicting ideologies and historical currents that have been at the heart of the region since time immemorial.
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Also available in Arabic