H E Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani with officials during a visit to the Library of Congress.
Doha, Qatar: During his visit to the United States, Chairman of Al Faisal Global for Culture and Knowledge H E Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani, toured the Library of Congress following the cataloguing of his book, “Qatar Through My Eyes”, in its collections. During the tour, he explored collections relating to the history of Qatar and the region and learned about the Library’s processes for preserving, cataloguing and digitising books.
Sheikh Faisal was welcomed by a team of Middle East and Africa specialists at the Library, who provided a detailed overview of the African and Middle Eastern Division, including the Near East Section and collections relating to Qatar and the region.
During the visit, he presented the Library with a signed copy of “Qatar Through My Eyes”, alongside copies of several other books. These gifts reflect his continued commitment to documenting Qatar’s history and preserving its cultural heritage. During the tour, Sheikh Faisal viewed a selection of publications relating to Qatar and the region, including “Jassim the Leader: Founder of Qatar” by Mohamed Al Thani, “The Coasts of Qatar” and other works. Among the highlights were a copy of the collected poems of “Qassim bin Mohammed Al Thani” and other Nabati poems dating to 1912, alongside architectural plans for the former Qatar National Museum. These materials offered insights into the country’s literary history and the development of its cultural institutions.
Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani said: “I am delighted that ‘Qatar Through My Eyes’ has found a place in the Library of Congress collections, allowing readers and researchers to discover part of Qatar’s history as we experienced it. Documenting our memories and experiences is a responsibility we owe to future generations, and a means of preserving our heritage and sharing it with the world.” The Library’s team also presented an overview of the evolution of book cataloguing, preservation and digitisation processes, highlighting the role of modern technology in making these collections accessible to readers and researchers.
The inclusion of “Qatar Through My Eyes” in the Library of Congress collections offers readers and researchers an opportunity to explore Qatar’s history through His Excellency’s personal perspective. The visit also highlighted the role of libraries in preserving historical accounts and making diverse cultural perspectives accessible to readers and researchers around the world.
