
Qatar Square project in Tirana reflects depth of Qatari-Albanian relations
The visit aimed to strengthen cultural and diplomatic relations between the two countries and included a comprehensive program focused on promoting cooperation in areas of culture, urban development, and heritage preservation. This project is considered one of the most prominent initiatives of QFFD as it embodies a shared cultural and urban development vision and reflects the strong fraternal ties between the State of Qatar and the Republic of Albania.
In July 2024, QFFD signed a grant agreement with the Municipality of Tirana to establish 'Qatar Square' in the heart of the capital. The project is funded with a budget of EUR 11 million and spans an area of 23,700 square meters. It will feature diverse facilities, including public celebration areas, exhibition and event spaces, commercial outlets, gathering spaces, and a water purification system for the Lana River, which will support the natural irrigation of the surrounding park.
The square's design is inspired by the traditional Qatari Sadu pattern, reflecting the beauty of Qatari heritage and fostering cultural exchange between the two nations.
The project seeks to achieve long-term development goals, including creating a suitable environment for building 25,000 housing units around the square and generating diverse job opportunities for Albanian citizens. This will contribute positively to the local economy and position the square as a vibrant center in the city.
This initiative embodies Qatar's active role in supporting development and infrastructure efforts in friendly nations and reaffirms its steadfast commitment to empowering communities across various sectors worldwide.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Qatar Tribune
4 hours ago
- Qatar Tribune
QMC, Katara sign cooperation agreement
The Cultural Village Foundation - Katara and the Qatar Media Corporation (QMC) signed a cooperation agreement today, during a press conference held at Katara, with the participation of senior officials from both institutions. The agreement aims to enhance effective media coverage of Katara's events and activities, and to foster joint efforts in producing cultural content that reflects Qatari identity and supports the strategic goals of both entities.


Qatar Tribune
4 hours ago
- Qatar Tribune
QU admission policy reflects mission to develop national competencies: V-P
QNA Doha Qatar University (QU) Vice-President for Student Affairs Dr. Mohammad Diab emphasised QU's pride in its relationship with the community and its deep commitment to its role in developing national talent capable of effectively contributing to the country's development. In an interview with Qatar News Agency (QNA) on the occasion of approaching fall semester, Dr Diab said that this commitment is reflected in QU's admissions policy, which is based on its mission to build human capital and prepare national talents to support the country's comprehensive development plans, while providing equal, high-quality educational opportunities. As in all previous semesters, QU successfully accepted all Qatari students who applied for the fall 2025 semester and met the admission requirements. Dr Diab noted that 97 percent of them were accepted into one of their first three choices, reflecting the university's investment in motivating its students and its efforts to ensure they receive a distinguished education and university experience. Dr Diab pointed out that the number of Qatari students accepted into QU exceeded 4,000, and that no Qatari student who met the admission requirements had their application rejected. He emphasised the university's commitment to achieving a balance between students' aspirations and higher education trends locally, regionally, and globally, as well as the sustainability of specialisations. The vice-president for Student Affairs at QU explained that after the university accepted all Qatari students who met the admission requirements for various majors. He added that QU will also allocate the remaining available seats to non-Qataris, including residents and international students, to compete according to the capacity of the colleges and academic programmes. Dr Diab affirmed that all Qatari students applying for Fall 2025 admission were accepted based on their initial preference, into the Colleges of Business and Economics, Arts and Sciences, Sharia and Islamic Studies, Sport Sciences, Nursing, and Pharmacy. He noted that the colleges where the number of Qatari students applying exceeded the total number of available seats were accepted based on one of the preferences they specified in their university admission application, in accordance with the principle of competitiveness. He explained that the principle of competitiveness for academic seats refers to the comparison of students applying to a college or academic programme when the number of applicants exceeds the programme's capacity. Dr Diab added that this is a procedure that universities resort to if the number of students applying for admission exceeds the capacity of the college or academic program, whereby students are ranked according to their performance in high school, with the student with the highest academic achievement receiving priority for admission to the college or programme of their choice. The competitive nature of the current cycle had an impact on a small number of Qatari students who expressed a desire to enrol in programmes where the numbers exceeded the capacity of these programmes, such as medicine and law. Students who achieved the highest grades in high school were accepted, and the remaining students were then accepted based on their preferences that they had chosen when applying to join the university. As for non-Qatari students, Dr Diab stated that it is often difficult to accept non-Qatari students at the university due to limited capacity. These students can try again by reapplying and competing for admission in the following semesters. He pointed out that the principle of competition is applied in two stages. In the first stage, applications for admission from Qatari students are considered. After their admission and placement in the various programmes is completed, applications from non-Qatari students competing for the remaining available seats in colleges and academic programmes are considered. Dr Diab explained the concept of conditional admission granted to some students, clarifying that it is a preliminary and temporary acceptance, contingent on the student fulfilling a specific requirement set by the university within a defined timeframe. If the student meets the condition within the specified period, the admission is automatically converted into an unconditional final acceptance, he said, adding that these conditions typically involve submitting official documents or achieving certain scores or levels in standardised tests. He pointed out that most current cases of conditional admission are related to students who obtained their high school certificates from schools that follow international curricula, such as the International Baccalaureate (IB) or the British system, where final results are usually released after the university's academic term begins. To avoid delaying the admission process for this category of students, the university evaluates their applications based on predicted grades issued by their schools, and makes admission decisions assuming their final results will not fall below these predicted grades, he said. 'These students are granted conditional admission, with the understanding that they must submit their final results as soon as they are issued, and that these results must not be lower than the grades upon which their admission was based. If the condition is met, the admission becomes final and unconditional. However, if the results are lower than expected, or are not submitted on time, the university will re-evaluate the student's admission,' he explained. Regarding students' interest in academic majors and how the university balances that with the country's needs, Dr Diab noted that interest in academic programmes varies annually. However, the university strives to balance students' preferences and aspirations with labour market demands, ensuring the sustainability of academic programmes and providing the market with the necessary qualified professionals. The QU vice-president affirmed that the university actively encourages Qatari students to pursue academic majors aligned with national priorities, such as medicine, engineering, education, and nursing, stressing that this encouragement is offered through scholarships, sponsorship programmes, school awareness campaigns, and early career guidance. He noted that the total number of enrolled students at Qatar University for Fall 2025 has reached approximately 30,000 students, spread across various colleges and academic programmes, with Qataris making up around 70 percent of the student body. Speaking about preparations for the Fall 2025 semester, Dr Diab said that, in line with the university's strategy to provide a leading and stimulating learning environment, a comprehensive plan has been developed to ensure readiness for the new academic term. The plan includes maintaining and preparing classrooms and laboratories to ensure infrastructure readiness; upgrading electronic systems to facilitate student registration and access to university services; and launching a new interactive digital platform for incoming students, featuring smart campus maps, a comprehensive digital guide, and a live chat system with academic advisors. Additionally, the plan will involve training faculty members on the latest teaching and assessment methods to stay aligned with academic developments, and enhancing student services, including academic advising, psychological and social support, improved food outlets, and organised traffic flow on campus. Dr Diab emphasised that the university has worked to integrate technology solutions, improve services, and provide an advanced educational environment for both new and continuing students, all aimed at enhancing the student experience from day one. He stressed that Qatar University has always been and continues to be the academic cornerstone of the community, moving steadily toward academic excellence and alignment with national development goals, while maintaining the highest academic standards, both locally and globally, in line with its responsibility to the nation and society. He called on both new and current students to seize the opportunity to build their academic and professional futures, noting that the university offers a stimulating environment full of opportunities that supports their ambitions, develops their skills, and prepares them to become active contributors to society and builders of Qatar's future. He reaffirmed the university's commitment to accompany students on their educational journey step by step toward excellence.


Qatar Tribune
6 hours ago
- Qatar Tribune
QMC, Katara sign cooperation agreement to strengthen media partnership in Qatar's cultural landscape
DOHA: The Cultural Village Foundation - Katara and the Qatar Media Corporation (QMC) signed a cooperation agreement, during a press conference held at Katara, with the participation of senior officials from both institutions. The agreement aims to enhance effective media coverage of Katara's events and activities, and to foster joint efforts in producing cultural content that reflects Qatari identity and supports the strategic goals of both entities. The agreement was signed by Deputy General Manager and Director of Human Resources at Katara, Saif Saad Al Dosari and Director of the Office of International Cooperation and Agreements at QMC, Abdullah Ghanem Al Mohannadi. On this occasion, Saif Al Dosari emphasized that the agreement builds on the longstanding and distinguished efforts of QMC in highlighting Qatar's cultural scene. Over the years, the corporation has played a central role as a professional and committed national media partner, contributing significantly to presenting an authentic image of Katara's diverse events and initiatives. He noted that the agreement opens new horizons for collaboration between the two institutions, reflecting their shared commitment to developing a media experience closely tied to culture, and enhancing media presence for Katara's events locally and globally. He described the partnership with QMC as one that enriches cultural and media content and strengthens both entities' ability to effectively convey Qatar's cultural message to a wider audience. In his remarks, Abdullah Ghanem Al Mohannadi stated that the partnership with Katara is a natural extension of the synergy between two national institutions operating under a shared vision to enhance Qatar's media and cultural landscape. He described the agreement as a strategic and intellectual alliance that brings together QMC's deep-rooted media expertise and Katara's vital cultural role. The partnership, he added, reflects a mutual commitment to supporting culture through media and creativity, and to elevating the media scene in Qatar. Al Mohannadi expressed his aspiration to achieve the shared objectives of the agreement in serving Qatari society and realizing a common vision that fosters collaboration in media, culture, and the arts. He underscored the importance of highlighting national identity and strengthening Qatar's presence regionally and internationally, in alignment with the country's aspirations for a prosperous future rooted in creativity and knowledge. He also emphasized the need to build strong media foundations between national institutions in support of Qatar National Vision 2030. He further stressed the commitment of both sides to advancing the cultural and media sectors through knowledge exchange, support for cultural initiatives, and coverage of events via official media channels. The agreement, he said, represents a model of institutional synergy that serves the interests of the nation and boosts Qatar's standing in regional and international media forums. Meanwhile, Ali bin Saleh Al Sada, Director of Qatar TV, told Qatar News Agency (QNA) that strengthening the partnership between QMC and Katara comes after years of close cooperation in the development of media in Qatar. This agreement, he said, is the culmination of that journey, aligning with Qatar National Vision 2030 and reinforcing the country's global status through QMC's professional media coverage and Katara's outstanding cultural and heritage events. For his part, Salem Mabhkhoot Al Marri, Director of Public Relations and Communication at Katara, told QNA that the agreement reflects a longstanding partnership between two leading institutions in the fields of media and culture. He highlighted that it serves the interests of Qatar, especially as Katara continues to present high-caliber events and initiatives, and QMC delivers high-quality, professional coverage grounded in expertise and excellence.