The Iftar was held on 13 August 2011 at the traditional Qatari-style restaurant, Al Tawash, located in the heart of Souq Waqif. The date was chosen because of the importance of Garangao day – a mid-Ramadan festival for children celebrated on the 14th night of Ramadan. On this night, children dress in traditional attire after Maghreb prayers and go out to collect goodies from those in the neighbourhood, and sing songs promising blessings from Allah to all those who give them sweets.
Dhreima thanked Qatalum for such a generous initiative towards the foundation’s children, reflecting Qatalum’s consideration to Qatari society as a whole. In keeping with this tradition, Qatalum organised special Garangao gifts and sweets for all the children attending the Iftar, and also provided entertainment to match the celebratory nature of the festival, including clowns, balloon twisting, and a number of other exciting activities.
Speaking as the host of the Iftar for the children of Dhreima, acting Public Relation Manager Khalifa Al-Khuzaei said, “Qatalum is committed to supporting and making a difference within the community in which we work, especially during the Holy Month of Ramadan. We decided to reach out to those children and celebrate this important day. By reaching out to those around us and helping to build and strengthen the community and future generations, we are continuing to invest not only in the future of Qatar and its people, but also in the future of Qatalum and the aluminium industry as a whole, as well as creating a better future for our entire community”.
Qatalum has a production capacity of 585,000 metric tonnes per year that will enable Qatar to contribute a significant portion towards GCC aluminium production. The smelter aims to become a sustainable economic catalyst at the heart of turning Qatar’s gas energy into a valuable commodity – solid aluminium, and hopes to create a strong, knowledge-based industry not only in Qatar, but throughout the region.
