How do Qataris greet their guests?
According to the report of Aria Heritage, quoting Mashreq, on the second Monday of March, 1400, Ayatollah Seyyed Ibrahim Ra’isi will pay a two-day trip to Doha, Qatar, at the official invitation of Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of Qatar.
The official reception by the Emir of Qatar in the Amiri Diwan, talks with Tamim bin Hamad and the talks of the high delegations of the two countries and the signing of several agreements and memoranda are among the plans of the first day of Ayatollah Ra’isi’s visit to Qatar.
On the second day of his trip, Dr. Ra’isi will attend and address the sixth Summit of the Gas Exporting Countries. The summit is attended by the leaders and senior officials of the super-gas producing countries, and a number of them will meet with the President of our country on the sidelines of the meeting.
On February 28, Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, in a meeting with the President of our country, presented the official invitation of the Emir of Qatar to Ayatollah Ra’isi to attend the summit of gas exporting countries.
This will be the first visit of a high-ranking official of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Qatar in 10 years.
Qatari etiquette
It is expected that Dr. Ra’isi’s visit to Doha, Qatar, which is of great importance in the relations between the two countries, its various aspects, including the observance of its diplomatic etiquette and etiquette, will be in the spotlight of the regional media.
In this report, we try to have a brief overview of the principles governing Qatari rituals in welcoming high-ranking guests, a significant part of which is due to the customs and traditions of this Arab country.
Welcome at the airport by a minister
After a guest plane lands at Doha Airport, it is customary for a government minister to greet him. The official welcoming ceremony will be at Amiri’s court.
For example, during Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Qatar, Defense Minister Khalid al-Attiyah welcomed the Turkish President at Doha Airport.
Of course, if the Qatari guest is invited by other officials, including the Speaker of Parliament, the counterpart will be welcomed at Qatar Airport.
During the visit of Dr. Ali Larijani, the then Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, to Doha, the Speaker of the Qatari National Assembly, welcomed his counterpart at the airport of this city on April 7, 2009.
Official welcome in Amiri Divan
The Emir of Qatar officially welcomes his guests at the Amiri Court. The current building of Diwan Amiri was formerly known as the “Castle of Innovation”, which was built in the 18th century.
During the Ottoman rule in Qatar, it was used as a military fortress and became known as the “Fortress of the Army”. After the Ottomans left Qatar, the building became the official residence of the Qatari rulers and was renamed Doha Palace, sometimes referred to as the “Castle of the Sheikhs”.
In 1971, after Qatar’s independence from Britain, the fort was officially renamed Diwan Amiri, and the title “Amir” replaced the title “Ruler” of the Qatari government. Diwan Amiri is the seat of the Government of Qatar and the place of work and office of the Emir of Qatar. The office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Prime Minister are also located in this building.
Meeting in the corner of Amiri Divan Hall
One of the interesting points that can be seen in the etiquette of Qataris is the official meetings of the Emir of Qatar in the corner of the Amiri Diwan Hall, while in the diplomatic tradition, these meetings are usually held at the top of the hall and in the middle.
Arabic customs in official meetings
It is customary that in official meetings between heads of state in all parts of the world, experts and journalists pay special attention to the type of confrontation between the two sides, the way of sitting on the chair, the type of cover and similar issues, and each action of the host or guest carries a message. They are known, but a look at the cases mentioned about the Emir of Qatar in his official meetings shows that he does not pay much attention to these issues and comes to the meeting place with a simple, traditional appearance and based on Arabic and local customs.
Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad, the Emir of Qatar, usually appears in traditional Arab clothing, wearing slippers and sandals, and without socks. In fact, this issue is common among the major leaders of the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf and is not considered disrespectful to foreign guests.
Presence of Qatari symbols in Amiri Diwan
The decoration of the Emir of Qatar’s administrative palace during official visits is usually simple and without special luxuries, but includes two natural and geographical symbols specific to the country: He is present at most of the meetings held at the Amiri Court in Qatar.
The Arabian Hornbeam is a species of the Gaussian family and is native to the steppe and desert regions of the Arabian Peninsula. The Arabian horn has characteristics such as length 140 to 180 cm, weight 100 to 120 kg, horn length 70 to 75 cm and lifespan of about 20 to 25 years.
The Oryx gazelle was also the symbol of Qatar Airways and the symbol of the 2006 Doha Asian Games.
Another case is the “hawk” bird, the most popular bird among Qatari princes. One of the main pastimes of the wealthy in Qatar is the use of the hawk bird for hunting. Relevant birds hunt native or migratory birds in these countries using their falcons.
Paintings and sculptures made in the shape of Qatari falcons have been seen many times at official meeting places in the Amiri court of Qatar.