www.thepeninsulaqatar.com CAMPUS | 3 COMMUNITY | 7 ENTERTAINMENT | 12 UCQ students launch Nakilat and JVs Karan Johar happy projects to support hold annual beach over Alia Bhatt’s mental health initiative clean-up journey MONDAY 28 MARCH 2016 Email: [email protected] thepeninsulaqatar @peninsulaqatar @peninsula_qatar Chinese sericulture and silk art and trade dating back more than 2,000 years are explored in an exhibition which recently opened at Qatar Museums (QM) Gallery at Katara. SILK ROAD TO CULTURE P | 4-5 MONDAY 28 MARCH 2016 | 03 CAMPUS UCQ students launch projects to support mental health initiative The Peninsula and residents of Qatar to contribute to national development.” Students also held sessions at Qa- chieving good mental and tar University and Qatar Secondary emotional health is being Independent School for Girls featur- highlighted by students at ing role-playing activities to encour- Athe University of Calgary in age empathy for the mentally-ill, intro- Qatar (UCQ) who are deepening pub- ducing participants to headsets that lic understanding of mental health and simulate auditory hallucinations, and well-being through a range of com- providing students with critical infor- munity projects. These initiatives are mation, focusing particularly on adoles- part of the University’s strategy to en- cents, who are among those especially hance community health, reflecting its at risk. These sessions enabled UCQ to vision to offer an environment of mu- strengthen its ties with the community, tual care which allows effective learn- and build awareness about the impor- ing to take place and in which there is tant topic of mental health. an understanding about mental health Through their projects, UCQ stu- and wellness. dents are countering the stigmas af- “The mental and physical health flicting those suffering from mental ill- Aisha Almarri, a second year Qa- In their outreach, students uti- among our students, faculty and staff ness, and demonstrate the importance tari nursing student at UCQ, said: “Our lized an array of social media plat- is a priority, both on our campus here of the compassion that is at the heart projects allow community members forms to reach a broad and diverse in Qatar and our main campus in Can- of nursing. Promoting mental health to acquire basic knowledge about the audience. Students turned to Insta- ada,” said Dr Kim Critchley, Dean and and well-being builds both the long- mental illnesses that are prevalent in gram launching an account that pro- CEO of UCQ. term content and productivity that is Qatar, and experience firsthand some vides useful information about At- “As Qatar transitions toward a conducive to achieving the develop- of the symptoms with which the men- tention Deficit Hyperactivity Disor- knowledge-based economy, human ment goals of Qatar National Vision tally ill cope. This initiative has shown der (ADHD), a mental illness often capital will be a critical factor. Building 2030 where human development lies that knowledge and empathy can diagnosed in children that has long communities whose members support in preventive and curative health care, overcome harmful stereotypes, and been prevalent in Qatar. They also and care for each other, a crucial com- both physical and mental, taking in- foster the kind of inclusive develop- created a Facebook page, titled “Say ponent of our approach to healthcare to account the differing needs of men, ment that remains at the heart of the No to Stigma,” prompting a dialogue wellness, promises to enable citizens women and children. long-term vision Qatar pursues.” about mental health. NU-Q to host Middle East commentator Sultan Al Qassemi The Peninsula jor European venues. He is also a noted collector of rest across the Arab world had positively influenced established and emerging Arab artists and a tireless the emergence of Gulf cities as commercial and cul- promoter of their work. tural centers for the regain. ultan Sooud Al Qassemi, a much respect- A prolific writer, Sultan Sooud Al-Qassemi’s arti- His use of social media led to an association with ed commentator on public affairs in the Ar- cles have appeared in such publications as the Fi- the MIT Media Lab in Cambridge, Massachusetts ab world, expert on the use of the Internet, nancial Times, Foreign Policy, The (Toronto) Globe where he is a Director’s Fellow and was also named Sand champion of the arts will be speaking at and Mail, The Guardian, The Independent, Huffing- to the Global Commission on Internet Governance. Northwestern University in Qatar on March 29. ton Post, Time.com and Newsweek.com, among oth- Gulf Business has twice named him among the 100 Al-Qassemi’s voice was considered one of the ers. He has also made frequent television appearanc- Most Powerful Arabs. most influential Emirati voices during the Arab Spring es. rose to prominence during the Arab Spring “when He was educated at the American University in and its aftermath, and his effective use of Twitter led his tweets became a major news source, rivaling the Paris and the European Business School. He resides to his involvement in international Internet policy cir- major news networks at the time,” according to a bi- in Sharjah and Dubai. cles. As a champion and devotee of the arts, he is the ography on the MIT Media Lab website. Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi will speak at a communi- founder of the Sharjah-based Barjeel Art Foundation, His writings have often provoked controversy, in- ty meeting on Tuesday, March 29 at 12 p.m. in Room which has promoted Arab artists through a series of cluding one proposing that certain expats be granted 3069 at the Carnegie Mellon University building in exhibitions in the United Arab Emirates and in ma- UAE citizenship and another that argued that civil un- Education City. 04 | MONDAY 28 MARCH 2016 COVER STORY A cultural journey through Silk Road By Raynald C Rivera interest to Arab audience, is a costume which can The Peninsula be traced back to the 13th Century. The said cos- tume bears Arabic letters, which, Yan said proves the Silk Road contributed in a big way to commu- nication both in cultural and economic aspects be- hinese sericulture and silk art and trade dat- tween nations. ing back more than 2,000 years are explored Exhibition visitors are given a chance to witness in an exhibition which recently opened at a number of garments used in ancient China such as CQatar Museums (QM) Gallery at Katara. a replica of a straight hem robe with longevity pat- Visitors to the “Silks from the Silk Road – Chinese tern worn during the time of the Han Dynasty from Art of Silk” exhibition will know more about silk as 3rd century BC to 1st century AD. a product and a vital element of Chinese culture. It The exhibition features the material properties provides valuable insights on the history of the Silk and diverse uses of silk, as well as the products cre- Road and its importance as a bridge for economic ated throughout history. It also delves into the dif- and cultural exchange between East and West. ferent techniques of silk production, traditional em- In collaboration with Qatar Museums, the China broidery, ornamental brocading, the Kesi weaving National Silk Museum brought a collection of over a technique, silk painting, and new silk design con- hundred pieces for the exhibition which is organ- cepts. ised as a vital element of the ongoing 2016 Qatar Even though thousands of years have already China Year of Culture. passed, these ancient methods and techniques in By virtue of its location, Qatar played an impor- silk production and designs remains alive up to this tant role as a hub on the Maritime Silk Road and day. provided invaluable contributions to the develop- “Bamboo and Birds”, a three-piece tapestry ment of the Silk Road trade route. which welcomes visitors at the entrance of the ex- “One of the highlights of the exhibition is clothing po, is an example of a modern silk artwork using tra- that belong to different dynasties, some of which ditional Chinese techniques. Three traditional tech- have similarities and connections,” said Xue Yan, re- niques were used in the making of such piece, which searcher at China National Silk Museum and curator highlights a familiar scenery in China, namely em- of the exhibition. broidery, printing and Kesi - a type of weaving done One of the pieces on display, which might be of by the tapestry method in fine silk and gold thread. MONDAY 28 MARCH 2016 | 05 COVER STORY The ancient art of silk design has been passed on from generation to generation and is manifest in cre- ations of today’s Chinese fashion designers, some of whom have gained wide acclaim reaping awards in- ternationally. One of the costumes showcased is a gown de- signed with the phoenix as an inspiration, which Yan said, is a very auspicious and sacred animal in China. The gown incorporates traditional embroidery and cut which mimick the feathers and the tail of the sacred bird. Paper cutting is an ancient art in China done dur- ing auspicious times. They cut paper and stick them on the window to create a joyful atmosphere and this an- cient art is fused into the design of a silk gown which is shown at the expo. Chinese ink painting has been effectively employed in another dress which has also used western silhou- ette techniques in its design. Modern techniques applied in traditional dresses are also evident in a couple of exhibits which combine acrylic materials to silk in a mosaic design resulting to a combination of varied textures. Environment awareness has been underlined in the design of a black sik dress which can be worn in eight varying ways.