Workshops catered to all ages with engaging educational content covering various aspects of Science and Arts

10 September 2019, Doha, Qatar:   Msheireb Museums, the four revived historic Qatari heritage houses in the heart of Msheireb Downtown Doha, concluded its Summer Workshop Programme on Saturday with an exciting Children-centric workshop on Genomics. 

The workshop had children, aged 10 to 18 years old, explore genetics and the basics of genomic medicine in an engaging method that involved role play as potential scientists under the supervision of Qatar Genome (QGP) and Qatar Biobank (QBB), both members of Qatar Foundation.  The children participants wore special scientist costumes, used lab equipment to conduct experiments, and visited the Journey to the Heart of Life Exhibition at Bin Jelmood House to learn more about the genetic heritage of the people in the region. 

QGP workshop hosts, Dima Darwish and Tasnim Fadl, worked closely with the young explorers to teach them the importance of genetics in precision medicine and to inspire them to consider a future career in healthcare. 

Commenting on the workshop, Aisha Ali Al Kuwari, Education Manager at Msheireb Museums said: “This collaborative workshop with Qatar Biobank and Qatar Genome provides scientific educational content on the role played by precision medicine institutes to protect our nation from disease, enhance the health of future generations, and provide trusted precision medicine for each patient.” 

Last year, Msheireb Museums, QBB, and QGP announced an agreement to create training workshops and engaging activities for the public, with focus on school students, to raise awareness on the vitality of genetics for our future and Qatar’s advanced efforts on this front. 

The Genome workshop wraps up the Summer Programme that Msheireb Museums launched early in July in order to reinforce its relationship with the local community and support Qatari talent, providing them with a platform to share their knowledge, passion, and enhance their skills. 

The programme covered many areas such as photography, novel writing, architecture and pattern design, science, and many other fields catering to all age ranges and preferences.

Dr Hafiz Ali, Msheireb Museums Director said; “We work continuously to create programmes that engage our audience by being interactive, relevant, and fun! We are proud of the workshops we have delivered this summer. We received lots of positive feedback from our participants and visitors, and we look forward to a similarly exciting autumn/winter programme.”

Msheireb Museums is consistently transforming their practices and offerings to remain closer to the community. As a social history museum, the mission of the four houses goes beyond putting history on display to using it to encourage societal development, establish dialogue between cultures, build bridges, and define a sustainable future for Qatar.