QATAR : By the Nation, For the Nation: Qatar unites through art and AI innovation to mark Qatar National Day—and sets new world record

In collaboration with Google Cloud, Media City Qatar’s initiative, ‘Qatar ArtBeat,’ united the nation’s voices to create a groundbreaking AI-generated artwork.

Qatar National Day marks the unification of the nation in 1878—a defining moment in its history. Celebrated annually on December 18, it is a day to honour Qatar’s rich heritage and look ahead to its boundless aspirations for the future.

At Media City Qatar, we asked ourselves: How can we celebrate this cherished tradition while embracing the innovations that shape tomorrow? How can we bridge the past and the future, merging tradition with technology, to unite our people in a shared celebration?

The answer was ‘Qatar ArtBeat’.

A groundbreaking activation in partnership with Google Cloud, this initiative brought together the collective voices of the nation to generate an AI artwork co-created by the nation. This innovative project marked a historic milestone, merging culture and technology in an unprecedented way.

‘Qatar ArtBeat’ not only captured the collective spirit of Qatar but also set a Guinness World Records™ for the “Most People Contributing to an AI-Generated Image,” with over 15,000 contributions, more than 5.4 million people reached, and in excess of 68,000 engagements from across the country. This milestone showcases the potential of technology to unify communities and amplify their voices on a scale never seen before.

Celebrating innovation and tradition

‘Qatar ArtBeat’ invited citizens and residents to share their reflections on what Qatar means to them between December 9 and December 17 through Media City Qatar’s social media channels.

Additionally, public conversations on various platforms were analysed, with responses processed by Google Cloud’s advanced AI technology—such as Vertex AI platform, Gemini models, and BigQuery data platforms. This cutting-edge process transformed sentiments found in social media comments and posts into a cohesive and breathtaking artwork co-created by the nation, for the nation. 

The final masterpiece, unveiled on December 18, became a visual narrative of Qatar’s collective aspirations and creativity. The initiative perfectly symbolised the harmony between the nation’s traditions and modern innovation, showcasing how technology can preserve and celebrate cultural identity in meaningful ways.

By engaging communities across Qatar, the activation demonstrated how digital platforms can foster inclusivity, accessibility, and collaboration. This activation ensured that every voice contributed to the nation’s story, transforming individual reflections into a collective celebration of shared values and unity.

Pioneering the future of digital media

As a catalyst for next-generation media and technology, Media City Qatar connects media companies, entrepreneurs, innovators, and creative talents to shape the future of the industry.

Our focus spans gaming, news, digital and social media, media technologies, content localization, animation, broadcasters, production and post-production, and publishing. We take particular pride in fostering initiatives that celebrate Arabic-language content, uniting tradition with modern innovation.

By encouraging enterprises that specialise in the Arabic language or seek to expand into Qatar and the Middle East, Media City Qatar continues to champion the region’s voice on a global stage.

‘Qatar ArtBeat’ exemplified this mission, setting a new benchmark as the first-of-its-kind initiative in Qatar—and possibly worldwide—that achieved a new world record.

The project also highlighted the transformative potential of generative AI in storytelling and community engagement. By leveraging Google Cloud’s advanced technology, reflections were seamlessly transformed into art, reinforcing the significance of human input in creating impactful digital experiences.

A legacy for Qatar and beyond

As we look to the future, we imagine the children of today—tomorrow’s dreamers and innovators—continuing to celebrate the heritage of this great nation.

‘Qatar ArtBeat’ is a promise that Qatar’s story will be told in new and imaginative ways for generations to come. At Media City Qatar, where next is made, we are proud to help shape that future, blending tradition and technology to inspire the Qatar of tomorrow.

source/content: dohanews.co

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December 18th. Qatar National Day

On 18 December 1878, Sheikh Jassem bin Mohamed bin Thani succeeded his father as the ruler of Qatar.

With that, Qatar became a country with a vision… a country that would find unity, grow rapidly, and reach toward ever-higher heights.

National Day, also known as Founder’s Day, celebrates the rise of Sheikh Jassem as the father and founder of the State of Qatar.

It was founded in 2007 to give people an occasion to honour the history and identity of their country, and to commemorate those who have worked and continue to work to make Qatar a great nation.

The 18th of December is a special day – a day of unity for the people of Qatar. 

source/content: qatarnationalday.qa

December 18th, 2021

H.H. the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani participated in Qatar’s Arda (traditional sword dance) held at Amiri Diwan Yard to celebrate Qatar National Day.

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pix: iloveqatar.net / Qatar News Agency

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