At a presentation entitled My Pen Grows, held at the Doha International Book Fair, Dr. Haya Al-Midadi, Ministry of Culture Consultant, emphasized the connection between knowledge and the environment. She said, “All the knowledge humanity has accumulated was produced through the use of pens which come from trees. Thus, it is necessary to protect the environment.” She summarized the main idea of the lecture by saying, “We adopted the idea of a pen that grows and connected with its plant identity and the value of sustainability. This way we can discourage wasteful use of natural resources and promote awareness of the necessity of preserving resources for future generations.”
Al-Midadi added that the presentation aimed to raise awareness about the importance of increasing our green cover in Qatar. It also aimed to teach children about how food production can increase through agriculture and about how writing tools have evolved. She noted that such presentations help children make connections between knowledge and the environment. “All knowledge comes from the surrounding environment. If we do not know about our environment, we will not learn about it or find ways to adapt to it. What children come out with from these presentations is an understanding of how to use the environment responsibly,” she explained.
Al-Midadi’s presentation included pictures of different animals, which she used to explain how knowledge is not limited to humans. She gave the example of how people learned to bury their dead from crows and the example of the hoopoe from the story of King Solomon. She concluded by saying, “We are not the only source of knowledge.” After the presentation, participating children received puzzles as gifts. These gifts gave children the opportunity to learn about the animals native to Qatar.