Qatar Provides a Stimulating Environment for Creativity and Innovation

The State of Qatar provides a stimulating environment for innovation to promote sustainable development and a knowledge economy in society, officials said.

This came in a special statement to Qatar News Agency (QNA), on the occasion of the International Day of Creativity and Innovation, which is celebrated by the United Nations on the 21st of April every year, in order to encourage creative and multidisciplinary thinking to help achieve a sustainable future for all.

"The World Creativity and Innovation  Day is being observed by the UN General Assembly Resolution on 27 April 2017, an event that can promote examples of best practices and highlight the use of creative thinking and technology towards achieving sustainable development goals."

In an exclusive statement to Qatar News Agency (QNA), Khaled Al Sayed, Director of Cultural Affairs and Events at the General Foundation for Cultural Life (KATARA) and author of the book on cultural engineering said that the term "creativity" means the ability of man to develop new and innovative solutions and ideas stemming from imagination or from the skill of innovation, pointing out that the International Day for Creativity and innovation is linked to the field of cultural development and creative industries, which includes all fields of culture, arts, science, and technology.

Al Sayed added that the State of Qatar has taken an interest in cultural development as one of the main pillars of the third national development strategy, and it is a major axis of Qatar Vision 2030, where culture was linked to Qatari identity and education and the concept of creativity, and regulations, systems, and laws that achieve cultural development goals with a focus on youth were developed, stressing that cultural exchange and cultural diplomacy are among the most important pillars of cultural development because cultural exchange and organizing major events and various cultural, tourist or sporting activities all contribute to strengthening relations between the State of Qatar and other countries, which has a bearing on sustainable development.

The Director of Cultural Affairs and Events in Katara said that cultural creativity in Qatar is currently focused on the fields of publishing, printing, and creativity in the fine arts and Arabic calligraphy, in various elements of creativity, including cinema, theater, and others, in a way that enhances the production of culture and does not rely solely on the state's allocations. He confirmed that Qatar has succeeded in creating a culture based on creativity, which contributes to development, and that there are many projects that are qualified to contribute strongly to sustainable development, including the General Institution of the Cultural District (Katara), Qatar National Library and Doha Film Foundation, all of which are creative projects that can be a source of income.

In a similar statement to QNA, Haifa Al-Abdullah, Director of Innovation at Qatar Oasis for Science and Technology, said that the International Day for Creativity and Innovation confirms a message to the youth, especially from innovators and innovators, that this day is an opportunity for all those who have passion, determination, effort, and a sense of risk to work and creativity to be part of the knowledge economy system, instead of the young people seeking a job, they can establish a company that has an impact beyond its personal sphere and has an impact on society as a whole, by creating job opportunities for others, calling young people to creative thinking, pointing out that the presence of companies based on innovation, development, and technology is fundamental support for the local economy.

Al-Abdullah added that Qatar Oasis is keen to instill the concept of innovation in society through a variety of programs targeting university students with the aim of creating a new generation of creative entrepreneurs in the field of technology, pointing out that Qatar Oasis works to support innovation for entrepreneurs and innovation, from the concept stage to production, and training programs, activities, and camps are established to learn how to produce ideas and develop them to be marketable in the field of technology, especially the Oasis also promotes the system of innovation and local entrepreneurship by supporting the development of research, innovative projects, and entrepreneurship in the field of technology.

Al Abdullah concluded her statement by saying that the Qatar Science and Technology Park is also supporting technological projects in the State of Qatar by providing incubation, financial support, training, and guidance, and providing opportunities for communication with the regional and global network for technological innovation. She noted the support provided to small emerging companies in the country, because we believe that they are the future of economic diversification in the State of Qatar, and the main goal of the establishment of the oasis is to diversify the local economy, and rely on a sustainable economy based on knowledge, research, development, and innovation.

For his part, engineer Abdul Rahman Saleh Khamis, deputy executive director of the Qatari Scientific Club, said that the environment of innovation in the State of Qatar is an attractive incubator for innovation through many institutions that sponsor creativity and are interested in innovation, stressing that the indicators are clear through the amount of Qatari innovations that have turned into products in the recent period such as a safety device to prevent gas leakage, safe vapors that prevent fires, an oxygen system to cool the tanks, an electronic carpet system to teach children and new Muslims prayers, etc.

Regarding the Qatari Scientific Club's role in this field, Saleh Khamis said the club is keen to support and follow up on innovative projects, so they can become competitive products in the market. He added that the club has made achievements at international exhibitions interested in innovation, such as the Geneva International Innovation Fair, thanks to the support of the Ministry of Sports and Youth for the club's programs and activities.

The Deputy Executive Director of the Scientific Club added, "It is heartening and encouraging to see this great interaction, intense interest, and passion from Qatari innovators and their pursuit of all opportunities in the country to achieve their innovations and achieve them as they wish. We have already noticed this persistence and serious endeavor in this regard, which naturally contributed to the sustainable development plans of the State of Qatar, and we all know that one of the main objectives of national development is its transition to diversifying its economy and limiting exclusive reliance on the oil and gas sectors and the knowledge economy is one of the aspects of this desired diversity."

Mohsen al-Sheikh, a Qatari innovator who has several innovations, said the innovation environment is promising in Qatar, and we have many institutions that sponsor innovators, starting with the concept, then the implementation phase, and then the semi-final product model.

al-Sheikh said there is a need for the institutions sponsoring innovation and creativity in Qatar to provide appropriate support to achieve the innovation in its semi-final form because the production of models is in its initial form. However, we would like to develop this to include support in the production phase of the final model, and this gives a better opportunity to market it locally or abroad, citing his experience as a young Qatari in establishing the first plant called "Innovation Complex for Technological Industries".