Doha, June 29 (QNA) - The Qatar National Library (QNL) has announced the launch of its summer program, starting from the beginning of July, for heritage professionals, children, families, and career-minded adults. The program covers cultural conservation, STEM exploration, creative arts, literacy, and professional development.
The month opens with a specialized gathering for the heritage community. On July 1, Qatar National Library, in its capacity as the IFLA PAC Regional Center for the Arab Region, presents the webinar "Emergency Grants for Cultural Heritage: Opportunities and Application Process," delivered by Romana Delaporte, Project Coordinator at Cultural Emergency Response, an international NGO that provides first-aid support to cultural heritage threatened by conflict, climate change, or natural disaster.
The session will explore the scope and objectives of available grants, the types of projects eligible for funding, application requirements and selection criteria, and practical guidance drawn from previously supported emergency response initiatives.
The first of July also marks the start of the 2026 Summer Reading Challenge, offered in partnership with the Kutubee interactive reading platform. Running for six weeks until 15 August, the challenge encourages children aged 6 to 14 to keep reading through the summer months and to guard against the seasonal learning loss commonly known as the "summer slide."
Participants work toward reading goals scaled to their age group, building language skills, broadening their knowledge, and strengthening critical thinking and creativity along the way. The winners will be announced in September 2026.
On 15 July, the Seventh Summer Camp opens, with each track designed to engage and inspire a different age group. The tracks run on a weekly basis.
The Library welcomes its youngest visitors with the Fun Summer Camp for Toddlers, a bilingual two-hour play camp for children aged 1 to 4. Featuring sensory toys, building toys, art activities, and storytelling sessions, it offers a nurturing and imaginative environment for children and their families.
Storytime for Children offers an equally enriching experience for children aged 7 to 12, combining expressive storytelling with puppetry to take young audiences on imaginative journeys through carefully chosen stories. The program aims to foster a love of reading, stimulate imagination, and strengthen listening and communication skills in a joyful and nurturing setting.
For children aged 7 to 10, a dedicated STEM activity blends science, technology, engineering, and mathematics through hands-on experimentation, inviting young participants to test ideas, solve problems, and explore how the world works in a spirit of curiosity and discovery.
Teenagers aged 13 to 17 are invited to "Make with Me," a craft and art-making session that draws older participants into a world of color and imagination, encouraging creative expression in a lively and inspiring environment.
Career development takes center stage later in the month with "Skills Hub: Your 2026 Career Launchpad," a three-part series running on July 21, 22, and 23. Led by Adrian Wallwork, author of more than 50 textbooks for publishers including Springer Nature, Cambridge University Press, and Oxford University Press, the series examines both how and how not to use AI tools at every stage of the job search.
The first session, on July 21, addresses writing CVs, LinkedIn profiles, and cover letters that stand out to human recruiters and automated screening systems alike.
The second session, on July 22 , prepares attendees for every stage of the interview process, from initial online assessments to in-person meetings.
The third session, on July 23, examines the human skills most likely to endure in a rapidly changing job market and explores how to identify and develop them. Each session may be attended individually or as part of the full series. (QNA)