As part of celebrating Qatar National Day, the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, in cooperation with a group of Qatari plastic artists, organized an exhibition of paintings embodying Qatar’s ancient history in the fields of commerce and industry, as well as their development stages.

On the occasion of Qatar National Day, Mr. Tareq Hussain Al-Khalaf, Director of the Public Relations & Communication Department, said: “This year, the Ministry of Commerce & Industry was keen to celebrate the State’s National Day in an innovative, distinctive way. It hence took the initiative to organize an art exhibition in cooperation with a group of Qatari plastic artists. The event embodies its close connection with the slogan of this year’s National Day, ‘Ancestral Meadows: A Matter of Trust’.

“The artworks linked the uniqueness of Qatar, as a land and a people, on the one hand, and the Qatari environment’s commercial importance throughout time on the other. The artworks also reflected the Qatari environment’s contribution to enhancing the commercial and industrial movement in Qatar, by benefiting from its wealth, and employing its natural resources.”

Mr. Al-Khalaf assured that the National Day comprised an important domestic occasion to showcase the State’s achievements at all levels and shed light on the comprehensive renaissance that Qatar had witnessed, guided by the wise vision of its leadership. This occasion is also an opportunity to promote the values of loyalty, solidarity, unity and pride in the Qatari national identity, Mr. Al-Khalaf added.

The artworks illuminated the different historical development stages of Qatar’s commerce and industry sector, starting with the arrival of British and Portuguese sailors at the city of Al Zubarah. At that time it represented the connection point and axis of communication between the various cities of the region, up to witnessing features and prospects of the comprehensive economic renaissance that Qatar has seen in its modern history.

Additionally, the paintings portray the prosperity of the commerce sector during the time of the founder, and the renaissance that covered life and economic activities in Qatar, including the pearl trade, which supported the Nation’s position in this field, regionally and globally.

The pearl trade also contributed to the development of maritime transport mechanisms, in addition to enhancing and expanding the State port’s activities in terms of export, import and distribution. In turn, that led to the prosperity of the State’s markets and the expansion of urbanization.

The artworks will be on show in the corridors of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry’s headquarters at Lusail.