MSDF, represented by the Community Care Department, is organizing an awareness campaign and a series of diverse community and awareness events and programs from 1 to 10 October 2026, in celebration of the International Day of Older Persons and the Arab Day of Older Persons. The campaign is held in cooperation with a number of entities, institutions and centers in the country, as part of MSDF's efforts to enhance the status of senior citizens in society, recognize their contributions, and instill the values of respect, loyalty and intergenerational connection.

The campaign reflects MSDF's commitment to strengthening partnership and integration with relevant entities and unifying community efforts to support senior citizens, enhance their quality of life and active participation in society, raise awareness of their rights and needs, and highlight their expertise, experiences and long-standing contributions to building the family and society.

Running over ten days, the campaign includes a diverse range of social, cultural, educational and awareness activities targeting senior citizens, their families and all segments of society. These activities aim to strengthen intergenerational connection, provide wider opportunities for senior citizens to participate in community life, and shed light on their role as a valuable source of experience, knowledge and authentic values.

As part of the campaign, MSDF is organizing an interactive mural at Gewan Island and Msheireb, with the participation of school students nominated in coordination with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education. The mural invites students and members of the public to write messages expressing appreciation and gratitude to senior citizens, with the aim of strengthening intergenerational connection, instilling the values of respect and loyalty toward senior citizens among young people, and highlighting their status and role in Qatari society.

The program also includes an introductory visit to the Qatar National Archives under the slogan "Athar Yurwa" (A Legacy Retold), accompanied by members of Qudrat Development Center. The visit aims to introduce participants to aspects of Qatar's history and national memory and give them the opportunity to recall memories and share experiences, strengthening their connection to national identity and contributing to the transfer of knowledge and social heritage across generations.

MSDF is also organizing a two-day dialogue session in cooperation with the youth centers affiliated with the Ministry of Sports and Youth, bringing together senior citizens and young people. The session aims to promote dialogue and communication between generations, exchange experiences and knowledge, and highlight the contributions of senior citizens and their role in passing on values and life experience to younger generations, thereby reinforcing the values of respect and appreciation and strengthening social cohesion.

The campaign further includes an awareness lecture titled "Barakat Al-Omr: The Status and Rights of Senior Citizens in Society," delivered by Mr. Khalid Boumouza. The lecture addresses the status and rights of senior citizens and the importance of providing a supportive community environment for them, contributing to greater public awareness of their issues and a culture of respect and appreciation for their contributions.

The campaign's messages extend beyond on-site events through the production and publication of a series of awareness and media videos that highlight the status and role of senior citizens in society and showcase aspects of their experiences, expertise and contributions. The videos also carry community messages calling for appreciation of their contributions, stronger connection with them, and benefiting from their experiences. These visual materials help broaden the reach of the campaign's messages to the public through digital platforms and social media.

Through the diversity of its activities and programs, their distribution across several locations, and cooperation with multiple entities, MSDF seeks to broaden participation and reach all segments of society with relevant messages. This approach reinforces the concept of shared social responsibility toward senior citizens and underscores the importance of the complementary roles of the family, institutions and society in supporting, empowering and engaging them. The campaign reflects MSDF's approach of integrating community, awareness and media programs to enhance the status of senior citizens and establish a culture of appreciation for them in society.

In this context, Ms. Abeer Al-Hajri, Head of the Elderly Care Section at MSDF's Community Care Department, affirmed that celebrating the International and Arab Days of Older Persons is an important occasion to renew appreciation and gratitude for this cherished segment of society and to highlight its status and role. She noted that extending the campaign from 1 to 10 October, along with the diversity of its events and partner entities, reflects MSDF's keenness for the celebration to be comprehensive and sustained, reaching the widest possible segment of society.

Al-Hajri said: "This year, we were keen to diversify the events and hold them at several locations in cooperation with multiple entities, allowing wider participation by senior citizens and members of the community, strengthening intergenerational connection, and reflecting the deep-rooted appreciation and status that senior citizens enjoy in our society. We extend our thanks and appreciation to all partner and cooperating entities that contributed to supporting and implementing the campaign's programs, out of their belief in the importance of enhancing the status of senior citizens and instilling the values of loyalty and appreciation toward them in society."

She added: "Senior citizens are active partners in society's journey and represent a national memory rich in expertise, experiences and values. From this standpoint, we are keen to provide wider opportunities for their participation, benefit from their expertise, and strengthen their role in passing on knowledge, values and social heritage to new generations."

Al-Hajri explained that the program's variety, spanning interactive murals, cultural visits, lectures, community activities, and media and digital content, aims to provide an integrated experience that goes beyond celebrating the occasion to raising public awareness of senior citizens' issues, establishing a culture of respect and appreciation for their contributions, and enhancing their presence and participation in society.

She affirmed that cooperation with a number of entities and institutions reflects the importance of community partnership and complementary roles in supporting senior citizens, noting that MSDF continues to develop its programs and initiatives to meet their aspirations and needs and enhance their quality of life.

The campaign forms part of MSDF's efforts to strengthen the community care system and instill the values of solidarity, cohesion and mutual support between generations, reflecting the authentic values of Qatari society and affirming that senior citizens are an active and essential part of the community development process.

Ms. Reem Khalifa Al-Ajmi, Director of the Community Care Department at MSDF, affirmed that caring for senior citizens is among MSDF's priorities and strategic directions aimed at strengthening the social protection and care system, improving quality of life, and building a cohesive society whose members receive care and support at every stage of life.

Al-Ajmi said: "MSDF's efforts in the field of senior citizens are aligned with the targets of the Third National Development Strategy 2024–2030, which places people and their quality of life at the heart of the development process and seeks to strengthen family and social cohesion and develop the social care system in response to the needs of all segments of society."

She added that MSDF works to translate these directions into programs and initiatives that enhance the quality of life of senior citizens, maintain their connection with family and community, and make use of their accumulated expertise, contributing to more inclusive and sustainable social development.

Al-Ajmi noted that caring for senior citizens is not limited to providing care and services, but extends to strengthening their role and status within the social fabric and supporting their participation in community life, in line with the State's direction toward a more cohesive and sustainable society and the achievement of the goals of Qatar National Vision 2030.