Doughnuts, fruit and coffee line the table at the back of the café, but the group of residents and Qataris gathered here is clearly more interested in what is being offered up by the young speakers at the front of the room. They are talking about change – an omnipresent theme in Qatar.

‘I understand the importance of preserving our traditions and values, but I would also offer the viewpoint that our development can makes these traditions a challenge to maintain.’ Mohammed M Al Khater (pictured, inset) reads an excerpt from his essay, entitled ‘Marriage in Qatar’ – one of 21 such pieces written by young Qataris for a new book, Qatari Voices, part of the Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation Publishing (BQFP) launch list and the fourth release in its Qatar Narrative Series.

If you were to walk past Mohammed in the street, he would look like any other Qatari: crisp thobe, red and white checked ghutra, sandals. But when he speaks, it takes only a few moments to see that he is thinking beyond the traditional when it comes to his beliefs.

He says: ‘I’m at an age, according to my mother, that I should think about marriage.’ Mohammed laughs before revealing that he is 24 years old. He continues reading, addressing the subject of arranged marriage: ‘Is it such a stretch to expect marriage to be, at the very least, with someone you know well enough to be able to decide whether that person is compatible with you on a mental, spiritual and emotional level? This is a person you are going to spend the rest of your life with.’

When Mohammed’s essay first appeared in print, he says he was asked by his mother, aunt and two brothers why he would want to write such things for everyone to read. He emphasised to them, as well as to the audience, that what he wrote is ‘just a view’ – a series of thoughts that have crossed his mind.

Listening to the writers, one wishes the book were available in audio format, for they frequently pause to add back history, side notes and jokes. Eloquence and passion permeate the evening. The audience begins to comprehend on a visceral level the ideas and concerns that young Qataris experience as a result of their country’s development. They haven’t just experienced the change, they are the change. As part of the ‘hinge’ generation, they were raised to live with traditional values, but as global doors open they integrate new values into their lives.

Had it not been for Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation Publishing (BQFP), their thoughts and stories may well have been lost. Like many of the contributors to Qatari Voices, Mohammed saw an advertisement in a local newspaper, asking for people to write their stories about Qatar. The deadline had passed, but he wrote his essay anyway. ‘I did it in two to three hours,’ he reveals.

Mohammed acknowledges that BQPF offers a unique opportunity for Qataris to get published. He says: ‘I was interested in writing before. The moment I realised there was the opportunity to get published, I just thought I’d try it out.’ He has had two other essays published in the UK, but doesn’t consider himself an author, and while he thinks Qatari Voices will have little impact on people outside of Qatar, he hopes the book can communicate different ideas to society. ‘Being published,’ he says, ‘gave me confidence. I get to meet amazing, like-minded people in a place where it’s really hard to meet others outside of your own family.’

Another contributor, Noora Al Mannai (pictured, inset), presents a different take on life in Qatar. She says of her essay, ‘Qatar: Through the Eyes of Essa Abdullrahman Al Mannai’: ‘It is a view of Qatar through the eyes of an educated national who witnessed a great positive spurt of growth in his country.’ The educated national in question is none other than Noora’s own father.

‘The grains of my country’s sand may scar the palm of my hands, but I will never let go,’ reads Noora to the gathered listeners, quoting her father from the piece. She adds: ‘These are the words of the patriotic Essa Abdullrahman Al Mannai, describing his love for Qatar. He has witnessed first-hand the dramatic change that has occurred in this country – economically, culturally, educationally, socially and politically.’

Like Mohammed, Noora is pleased with the opportunity to have been published. ‘Every-one was very excited and proud, especially my parents and teachers,’ she says. ‘They were happy I presented an honest and positive view of the developments here.’ Nofe Al Suwaidi is another of the book’s contributors, with her essay ‘The Socal Impact of Globalisation in Qatar’. She liked how the book gave a platform for presenting her views. ‘From a personal perspective, this allows me and other aspiring writers to display our creativity,’ she says. ‘It allows us to express our views as individuals in an ever-changing and ever-developing society.’

Qatari Voices, could well be the beginnings of a new literary tradition. The BQFP plans to continue in this vein by developing a grassroots passion for literature from reading to writing to publishing. Mohanalakshmi Rajakumar, the creator of the Qatar Narrative series, says: ‘We also hope that by having an international publisher here, bookstores and libraries will be encouraged.’ Thus far, the BQFP’s best accomplishment may well be in providing a platform which encourages and facilitates communication, not only between different cultures, but also among Qataris.
Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation Publishing (BQFP) is a joint venture between the Qatar Foundation and the UK’s Bloomsbury Publishing. Qatari Voices is available in bookstores in Doha and at the BQFP office. Call 4454 2131 for more info, or email bqfp@gf.org.qa. Also see www.bqfp.com.qa