The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSDF), represented by the Family Development Department, launch an awareness campaign ‘Family is The Treasure of a Nation’ to observe the International Year of the Family (IYF) on Monday.

The campaign is organised on the occasion of back-to-school for the new academic year 2024-25 and in line with the announcement that Qatar will host an international conference to mark the 30th anniversary of the International Year of the Family (IYF) from October 29 to 31 this year. 

The campaign includes several events for promoting the value of family cohesion and compassion, as part of the ‘Strengthening Values’ initiative.

The campaign targets parents and school students for promoting family cohesion, enhancing cooperation among entities to spread the culture of role integration which reflects positively on family and society.

Values are a fundamental pillar for building a strong and cohesive society. It brings members of society together by promoting social cohesion and providing the moral framework that influences their behavior. Through shared values, societies can achieve stability and prosperity, and overcome the challenges they face.

The Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, and Wifaq Family Consulting Center are participating in the campaign by holding workshops to raise awareness on the importance of promoting the value of family cohesion and compassion in family relations.

An introductory meeting will also be held for school principals and students to explain the purpose of the campaign, the value of compassion, especially among family members, and the importance of instilling this value in the hearts of students.

The focus will be on several topics including the importance of compassion among family members, explaining the importance of the family and the importance of holding its members together with religion, values and good morals, the forms of compassion among family members, the role of compassion in facing family challenges, and ways to enhance the spirit of compassion among family members.

Director of the Family Development Department Dhabiya Al Muqbali, said: “The awareness campaign aims at joining hands and intensifying efforts to promote the concept of family cohesion, as the value of the family is a global issue.”

She said that everyone recognised the power of the family and its role in shaping the personalities of children, so the celebration of the 30th International Year of the Family is a global expression of the importance of the family.

“This campaign comes to promote a number of values on top of it is family cohesion. The focus will be also on value of compassion because it has a prominent role in promoting family cohesion. The compassion has many different forms which are encouraged by Islamic teaching and humanitarian laws,” said Al Muqbali.

She said that the family and educational institutions play a crucial role in instilling values in young generations, as they are responsible for transmitting values and traditions from generation to generation through education and continuous guidance.

“Children and youth can acquire moral and humanitarian values that enable them to build a better future for themselves and society,” said Al Muqbali.

“Today, we are promoting values, in coordination with our partners including Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Education and Higher Education and Wifaq Family Consulting Center.”

She added: “We believe in unified efforts in working on this matter in a way that ensures that everyone reaches the target group of society, whether students or parents, as promoting values is not just a slogan, but requires the concerted efforts of all members of society, starting from the family to governmental and private institutions.”

Head of the Community Initiatives and Partnerships Section at the Ministry of Interior's Community Police Department Major Jarallah Salem Al Nabit, emphasised the need to strengthen cooperation and effective partnership between the Ministry of Interior, represented by the Community Police Department, and the Ministry of Social Development and Family.

He said that an effective partnership could made by holding awareness programmes, lectures, and security exhibitions that aim to monitor negative phenomena and behaviors in society, develop appropriate solutions and awareness programmes, strengthen the spirit of loyalty and belonging among community members, and address social and family issues in order to prevent crimes.

Director of the Public Relations and Communication Department at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education Maryam Abdullah Al Mohannadi said: “We at the Ministry believe that education is a shared responsibility that we share with the family as the first and most influential environment for raising a child. Our plans and educational initiatives aim to enhance the role of the family in building a balanced personality that contributes to their academic and social success.”

Acting Director of Wifaq's Community Outreach Department Lulwa Al Yazidi, said that the participation of Wifaq Family Consulting Center in this important awareness campaign is an affirmation of the center's belief in the importance and necessity of ‘family cohesion’.

She said that it is an important factor in strengthening family unity and enhancing the bond between family members through the family life, in uniting the family and its important role in achieving loyalty, compassion and affection among family members.

“Family cohesion is a psychological fortress that protects family members from disorders, psychological issues and tensions, and helps the family to face the life pressures, challenges and crises they face. It is one of the tools of mutual psychological and social support among family members,” said Al Yazidi.

She added that the center's participation in this campaign is represented by a set of awareness-raising and educational activities and events that target parents and school students to raise awareness of the importance of promoting the value of family cohesion and compassion in the family relationship.