The Pearl-Qatar celebrates Garangao with Hamad Medical Corporation’s young patients

As part of its cultural activities, and in line with the spirit of solidarity and humanity of the Holy Month of Ramadan, United Development Company (UDC), one of Qatar's leading public shareholding companies and an establishment recognized for its socially responsible practices and initiatives, yesterday held Garangao celebrations, a mid-Ramadan festival for children, with Hamad Medical Corporation’s (HMC) pediatrics’ young outpatients.

The event, which took place at Burj Al Hamam Lebanese Restaurant in the bustling Porto Arabia waterfront precinct in The Pearl-Qatar, was preceded by Ramadan Iftar at the same restaurant for more than 250 young HMC patients and their families. The Iftar was sponsored and organized by Hospitality Development Company (HDC), a wholly owned subsidiary of UDC. This year’s Garangao initiative comes as part of UDC’s efforts to revive local traditions encouraging the younger generation to preserve this form of folk heritage, while considering HMC’s sick children most worthy of enjoying this happy occasion.

Children patients came adorned in colorful traditional costumes, chanting traditional songs, amid gifts and candy pouches distributed to them. The celebration also included a variety of activities such as face painting and henna drawings. Commenting on the humanitarian dimension given to this year’s Garangao celebration, UDC Director of Corporate Communications Roger Dagher stated, “United Development Company commends the considerable efforts undertaken by HMC to offer quality healthcare services for children and is delighted to be involved in events aimed at serving all segments of society and fostering a spirit of solidarity within the community.”

Ali Al Khater, Executive Director of HMC’s Corporate Communications Department, thanked UDC for its efforts to put a smile on the faces of young patients at HMC. “We really appreciate UDC’s celebrating Garangao with our young patients this Ramadan. The gesture is very much in keeping with the spirit of the holy month when we strive to carry out more good acts and make people happy. Being the leading public healthcare provider in the state of Qatar, we at HMC will always support an event that seeks to reinforce our vision of providing the safest, most effective and most compassionate care to each and every one of our patients.”

Garangao is a mid-Ramadan tradition widely celebrated across GCC countries. On this night, children roam around their neighborhoods singing traditional songs that mark the occasion and receive a variety of gifts and bags of sweets from elders. During the holy month of Ramadan, The Pearl-Qatar serves as a hub of activities for all ages. Porto Arabia and Medina Central’s unique retail of shops and restaurants continue to attract large numbers of residents and visitors during this period while religious lecture series are offered daily at the Qatar Charity tents erected few meters past the Island’s main entrance, adjacent to The Pearl-Qatar’s mosque where prayers are duly held.