SUNDAY 17 FEBRUARY 2013 • [email protected] • www.thepeninsulaqatar.com • 4455 7741 inside Papal resignation SPORT DAY • A roundup of how a PR coup for companies celebrated Vatican journalist National Sport Day P | 4-5 P | 11 MARKETPLACE • Grand Regal Hotel celebrates grand opening P | 6 HEALTH • Menus labels may sway those who need them most P | 7 MOVIE • Indian cricket tear-jerker bowls over Berlinale P | 8-9 TECHNOLOGY • Facebook says it was a target of sophisticated hacking P | 12 P | 2-3 Chinese LEARN ARABIC • Learn commonly used Arabic words and their meanings spring festival P | 13 2 PLUS | SUNDAY 17 FEBRUARY 2013 COVER STORY By Isabel Ovalle he 6,000-plus Chinese residents in Doha got the opportunity to cel- ebrate the Spring Festival here. TAlso known as the Chinese New Year, it is the most important festival for the Chinese, when all family members get together. The origin of Spring Festival can be traced back thousands of years through a series of colourful legends and traditions. According to one of the most famous legends, there lived in ancient China a horned monster named Nian (Chinese word for year), who was extremely ferocious. The monster lived at the bottom of the sea all year round and surfaced only on New Year’s Eve to devour cattle and kill people. Legend says that citizens always hid in their houses before sunset to escape the monster. Until one year, unexpectedly, an old man in red came to the village. Nian appeared as usual, but was flustered by something crack- ling: firecrackers set off by the old man. Seeing the old man’s red clothes and hear- ing the crackling sound, Nian fled back to the sea. After that, people knew that the ogre was scared of the colour red and firecrack- ers. Ever since, on the eve of every new year, families have worn red, hung red lanterns, set off firecrackers and beat drums and gongs to scare Nian until the midnight has passed, and the monster has never returned to the shore again. Over time, this practice devel- oped into a festival, finally becoming the most important celebration in China. Chinese artistes wow Doha PLUS | SUNDAY 17 FEBRUARY 2013 3 The festivities, which begin on the first day of the first lunar month, often a month after the Gregorian new year, started on February 10 this year. To mark the occasion, Qatar National Theatre hosted the show, ‘The Joy of Spring Festival 2013, Chinese Folk Songs and Dances’, last Wednesday and Thursday. The show was presented by My Beautiful Land Folk Music Ensemble under the patronage of the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage. This group was founded in 2002 by several folk musical instru- ment players of the Chongqing Opera House. The group mixed Chinese traditional folk instruments, like Erhu, lute, flute and cymbalo, with traditional and classical music in both modern and diversified styles. In ten years of performances, they have toured more than 20 countries in Europe, America, Asia and Africa, and given over 200 performances. They not only create original music and songs, but also adapt local classical music. Founded in 1950, Chongqing Song and Dance Troupe is a com- prehensive ensemble performing dance, vocal music, orchestral pieces and folk music. The troupe has created and performed music and dances with diverse themes and styles, including Chongqing styles. The programme of the show included performances like the dance ‘Happy Time in Red’, female dance ‘Zhu Zhi Ci’, male solo ‘An Ode to Yangtze River’, group dance ‘Colorful Impressions of the Sichuan Opera’, and a Chinese folk song. The other pieces were a solo dance, ‘Dream of a Young Girl’, which, in classic style, tells the story of a young girl dreaming about her lover, and bamboo flute solo ‘New Song for Herdsman’. The bamboo flute is an ancient musical instrument, and the newly composed piece describes the picturesque scenes on the Inner Mongolia plateau of China with a cordial tune and vivid melody, and introduces to the audience the lively and hardy herdsmen living on the plateau. Other Spring Festival customs include a thorough cleaning of houses to sweep away bad luck from the past year. The custom is an expression of the wish to put away old things to begin a new life. Just before the Spring Festival, every house gets a thorough clean- ing to bid farewell to the old year and usher in the new one. The Chinese also set off firecrackers and fireworks on the occasion. On the first day of the lunar new year, everybody puts on their best clothes and pays ceremonial calls on their relatives and friends, wishing them luck in the coming year. Technology has changed the way the new year’s greetings are conveyed. Now it’s common for people to send greetings by telephone, email or text message. The Peninsula Pics: Salim Matramkot 4 PLUS | SUNDAY 17 FEBRUARY 2013 SPORT DAY Al Khayarin Group of Companies Al Khayarin Group of Companies (KG Group) celebrated Qatar National Sport Day by organising a half day event in Mesaieed, where around 200 staff members of six companies under KG Group participated in various sports activities. Senior staff members of KG Group comprising of Al Khayarin Contracting, Al Khayarin Interiors, Al Khayarin Travels & Tours, Al Khayarin Switchgear, Al Khayarin Plastic and Al Khayarin Electrical Trading led respective teams. In a message given on the occasion, M Idrees Anwar, CEO, Al Khayarin Group of Companies, appreciated the initiative of Qatar Government to organise National Sport Day. The highlight of the event was closely contested cricket matches in which Al Khayarin Group HQ defeated Al Khayarin Contracting in the final by eight wickets. In volleyball, Al Khayarin Travels defeated joint team of Al-Khayarin Contracting & Trading in the final. atar Automobiles Company, a subsid- iary of Nasser Bin Khaled Holding, Qatar Automobiles Company marked the Sport Day with a desert Qtrip. QAC employees took off in more than 50 Mitsubishi Pajero heading to the desert, in an ultimate challenge to test their endurance and performance of Pajero on the rugged desert terrain. The competition went on with volleyball and football matches, and other fun-filled contests, that took place in Sealine during the rest of the day in a family fun-filled atmosphere. Ihab El Feky, general manager of QAC, emphasised on the importance of this occasion to motivate the people of Qatar to live healthy lives, increasing their productivity and their ability to give more in their work. He explained that the activities taking place in sports day; contribute to strengthening teamwork and to advocating health awareness among the com- munity, expressing his happiness to participate in the sports competitions with all QAC and Nasser Bin Khaled employees. or National Sport Day 2013, Salam International Investment Limited (SIIL) organised a host of engaging Salam International Investment Limited sporting activities for almost 400 employees from across Fits entire organisation. The Gate mall organised men’s and ladies’ table tennis tournaments in association with Qatar Women’s Table Tennis Association and the set up provided by the Qatar Table Tennis Federation. The tournament featured Aya Majdi, who participated in the London Olympics in 2012. The employees of AluNasa won a basketball tournament played in the Industrial Area. The sun shone down on around 200 SIIL employees as they marked Sport Day by walking at the Corniche. Gondolania at Villaggio mall was abuzz with SIIL staff as they knocked down bowling pins in a frenzy of friendly competition, with ITC emerg- ing victorious. AbdulSalam Issa Abu Issa, Deputy COO of Salam SIIL: “We are delighted at the staff turnout for our sporting activities on National Sport Day. Our aim was to foster the spirit of healthy competition through games, in addition to highlighting the power of teamwork - both of which are part of our corporate goals. This was also a day where everyone from the Salam family could come together to spend a day away from their daily routines.” SPORT DAY PLUS | SUNDAY 17 FEBRUARY 2013 5 Sharaka Holdings Sharaka Holdings celebrated National Sports Day with a walkathon event. Over 300 members of the Sharaka family walked together. Diet Delights, a nutrition centre recently opened by Sharaka Holdings provided the participants with a healthy start to the day. Participants gathered at Amari Doha, a hotel owned by Sharaka Holdings, and walked to the Corniche. Subway Qatar Oryx Rotana Oryx Rotana celebrated Sport Day by organising a number of activities at the running track in Ras Abu Abboud and in the fitness centre. The events started with a 5km mini-marathon. This was followed by Break 500 competition in Subway Qatar has been the sole caterer of National Sports Day events at Al Sadd hotel’s fitness centre where each participant needs to burn 500 calories in 30 club. The events were sponsored by Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) along with minutes on the treadmill. “We are the first country to have such a national Qatar Holding (QH). Around 600 people form different nationalities took part in day and we are very proud of it, and we are sure that we will participate in the activities. The attendees enjoyed fresh food provided by Subway. this every year,” said Kevork Deldelian, general manager of Oryx Rotana. Katara Hospitality celebrates Sport Day n celebration of the National Sports Day 2013, Katara Hospitality hosted sporting events and activities for staff from across its eight local properties and head office. The Iday witnessed an array of events spread amongst Sharq Village & Spa, Sealine Beach Resort and the Doha Corniche.