WATCH: HH The Emir officially opens the Qatar National Library in colourful ceremony

HH The Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani formally threw open the Qatar National Library (QNL) at Qatar Foundation's (QF) Education City in a colourful ceremony yesterday.

Sheikh Tamim formally opened the mammoth facility by placing the one-millionth book on the shelves, reported Gulf Times.

The one-millionth book was a rare manuscript of Sahih Al Bukhari, which is more than 843 years old. It is a collection of authentic Hadiths (sayings and practices of Prophet Muhammed PBUH), reported Qatar Tribune.

The Emir also signed the official inauguration certificate, which will be mounted onto a plaque.

Also in attendance at the ceremony was HH The Father Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and QF Chairperson HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser and other high ranking officials, according to The Peninsula.

Speaking on the occasion of the QNL’s opening, Sheikha Moza spoke about how it would be an immense gift for the Arabic language.

“Given that books are a vessel through which civilisations preserve language, we aspire to make this library a modern mechanism to revive the Arabic language and to re-establish its presence as a marker of civilisation. 
“Through a new interpretation of our heritage, we can restore the days when Arabic was the universal language of the Middle Ages. When it was synonymous with science and culture, and a source of pride. It was a well-known fact: You speak Arabic, then you’re educated,” she was quoted as saying by Gulf Times.

Sheikha Moza noted that the library aims to become a major reference institution for the Arab and Islamic heritage and a platform for the dissemination of intellectual and literary production.

After a special presentation marking the inaugural moment, poet Tamim Al Barghouti gave a speech titled ‘It is still possible’, followed by a film showing QNL’s journey and a speech by the library’s lead architect, Rem Koolhaas, who spoke about the architecture of cultural institutions.

The event concluded with a performance of the musical piece ‘Sounds of the Library’, by Qatari composer Dana Alfardan.

QNL had soft opened its doors to the public in November, 2017 for an experimental period, and since then has welcomed more than 200,000 visitors, and held hundreds of events for visitors of all ages.