Poet’s donation shines spotlight on origins of Qatar’s national anthem

The first draft of the poem that forms the lyrics of Qatar’s anthem has been donated to the country’s national museum.

The “iconic” artifact, along with the pen used to write it, will be displayed alongside other exhibits that will demonstrate the bond between the people of Qatar and their leaders,Qatar Museums (QM) said in a statement this week.

The under-construction Qatar National Museum, built to resemble a desert rose and located near the junction of the Corniche and Ras Abou Aboud Street, is scheduled to open next year.

“The poem means a lot to Qatari citizens, and by exhibiting this poem in the National Museum of Qatar, we aim to honor it and emphasise its importance as a part of Qatar history which will resonate in the present as well as in future generations,” said QM’s acting CEO Mansoor bin Ebrahim Al Mahmoud in a statement.

The donation came from the Qatari poet who penned the verses, Sheikh Mubarak bin Saif Al Thani, who is one of the inaugural recipients of Qatar’s Order of Merit and was recently honored as a “source of pride” for the country.

Original article by Peter Kovessy

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Poet’s donation shines spotlight on origins of Qatar’s national anthem