Difi marks International Day of Families with talk

The Doha International Family Institute (Difi) held a talk on The State of Qatar’s Role in Involving the Family Perspective within International Platforms with HE Dr Hind bint Abdul Rahman al-Muftah, Permanent Representative of Qatar to the United Nations Office in Geneva, to highlight the sociocultural value of the family in Qatari society.

The session was moderated by Difi executive director Dr Sharifa Noaman al-Emadi. Difi is a member of Qatar Foundation.

The session at the Qatar National Library on the International Day of Families, shed light on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which recognises the importance of the family while respecting the cultural and religious diversity of every nation.

During the talk, HE Dr al-Muftah stressed that the human rights declaration recognises the traditional concept of family, in line with the Islamic definitions, which view the family as the cornerstone of society – a union between husband and wife – that enjoys the right of protection through legislation and laws.

She highlighted Qatar’s role in protecting the family through the Group of Friends of the Family, made up of Arab, African, and European countries.

HE Dr al-Muftah said: “Qatar has contributed to drafting four resolutions on family protection and plans to present a fifth resolution in the future.”

“When countries try to impose practices that contradict with Qatari culture and values, and violate the human rights declaration, we seek to engage in constructive dialogue instead of cultural collision,” she said. “And therefore, Qatar organises events and promotes constructive dialogue to promote this goal.”

The session also highlighted the impact of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 on the global public’s view of Qatari culture.

“Qatar was able to provide a model for cultural integration and the promotion of Qatari family values,” Dr al-Emadi said.

HE Dr al-Muftah emphasised the widespread praise that the sporting event received from ambassadors and diplomats in international forums, saying: “We have been able to showcase ourselves as a role model for social and cultural integration of many nationalities from different countries of the world.”

“We have seen global fans wearing the Qatari ghutra and appreciating the bisht, while also witnessing visitors express a desire to explore and learn about Arab culture,” she added.