Qatar Classic Cars Contest & Exhibition to take place at The Pearl-Qatar

HE Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim al-Thani

Under the patronage of Qatar Museums (QM) Chairperson HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, the latest edition of the Qatar Classic Cars Contest & Exhibition 2022 will be held at The Pearl-Qatar from October 26-31. The event is being organised by the Gulf Qatari Classic Cars Association in co-operation with United Development Company (UDC), and under the supervision of the International Classic Car Federation (FIVA), which the association has joined to continue its journey towards development and globalisation. The association recently announced the start of the registration process to enrol in the Qatar Classic Cars Contest & Exhibition, which will be held this year under the auspices of Qatar Tourism, Qatar Airways and Alfardan Automobiles. Omar Alfardan The association aims to bring together the largest number of owners of classic cars that represent different historical eras, the organisers have said in a press statement. Gulf Qatari Classic Cars Association Board Chairman HE Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim al-Thani stressed the importance of hosting the Qatar Classic Cars Contest & Exhibition 2022. He also noted its prestigious position on the local events calendar, which will help propel its momentum this year, as it is also being held under the supervision of FIVA. “The Qatar Classic Cars Contest & Exhibition offers car owners the chance to showcase their valuable cars to the public and compete for prestigious titles, and provide a platform through which the interested audience members can view their favourite classes of classic cars,” HE Sheikh Faisal added. Ibrahim Jassim al-Othman Gulf Qatari Classic Cars Association Board Vice-Chairman Omar Alfardan praised the fruitful partnership between the association and the UDC to host this event over the years, turning the competition into a tourist attraction. He also noted that the latest edition will take place just a few weeks before the country hosts the most important global sports event. “We are celebrating Qatar's hosting of the fast-approaching FIFA World Cup 2022, and all the world’s attention is currently on Qatar and its achievements in all fields,” Alfardan said. “The exhibition is an important step towards creating a heritage and tourism forum that showcases historical classic cars, which will help Qatar attract a large number of visitors who are passionate about such events.” "In addition, the exhibition will help cement the importance of hosting and organising this kind of events in the consciousness of the public, locals and residents alike, and highlight the importance of hosting it annually,” he added. Alfardan expressed his appreciation for the sponsors, saying: “Their generous support was a major reason behind facilitating, hosting and organising the Qatar Classic Cars Contest & Exhibition in particular, and all other events that the Gulf Qatari Classic Cars Association regularly holds.” “This support undoubtedly confirms the successful partnership between private sector institutions and the community, and highlights their continued efforts in elevating the tourism sector in Qatar,” he added. “The previous editions achieved inspiring successes and that has prompted us to keep upgrading them, and this was the catalyst to us joining the International Classic Car Federation, which this year supervises the criteria-setting to select the cars participating in the competition, in addition to selecting the winning cars in all categories." Gulf Qatari Classic Cars Association Board Member Sheikh Nawaf bin Nasser bin Khalid al-Thani spoke about the importance of the classic car sector and its development since the establishment of the association. "The classic car sector in Qatar is moving forward and growing rapidly, and is establishing itself as a heritage and cultural forum that must be preserved and championed in order to continue its progress, whether at a local or global level,” he said. “The exhibition and contest aim to promote collecting and investing in classic cars, which have become part of our society’s heritage, and to encourage young people to collect rare cars in Qatar and take an interest in this tradition, highlighting its long-standing history and its developmental stages,” Sheikh Nawaf added. “The exhibition also aims to cultivate a culture of interest in collecting and maintaining classic cars and allowing the public to view a collection of the rarest and most luxurious classic cars owned by collectors.” Ibrahim Jassim al-Othman, UDC president and chief executive and member of the board, praised the event and cited its invaluable role in bringing classic car enthusiasts together as well as its role in shedding a light on the history of this Qatari tradition. “We are elated to announce that we will continue to support the Qatar Classic Cars Contest & Exhibition 2022 and host this anticipated edition, which has witnessed great development in its agenda, highlighting the great efforts made to reach a global audience by hosting the event under the supervision of the International Classic Car Federation,” he said. "Medina Centrale was chosen to host the exhibition due to its distinguished location and its provision of large spaces that will enable us to display the participating vehicles in a distinctive manner, adding more success to the event," al-Othman said. He also pointed out that UDC constantly seeks to support the public's interests by hosting important events and developing The Pearl-Qatar to become one of the most important landmarks of Doha. Al-Othman invited members of the public to visit the exhibition and discover the rare exhibited cars. He stressed that this exhibition is a tourist attraction and a valuable opportunity to enhance the role of the private sector in contributing to the promotion of the country's tourism.