Katara Cultural Village Foundation presented the 24th Katara Tech Forum on autism spectrum disorder in cooperation with IBC on 30 June and 1 July 2025, with council chairman Dr Eng Mohsen bin Ali Al-Ajji serving as general coordinator.
Over two days, the forum brought together specialists, experts, decision-makers and initiative leaders around innovation, inclusion and quality of life for people with autism spectrum disorder and their families. Katara Cultural Village Foundation held the forum in Building 15 Hall in cooperation with IBC, with council chairman Dr Eng Mohsen bin Ali Al-Ajji serving as general coordinator, while Thamer Al Qadi, Katara’s director of information systems, chaired the forum.
Official attendees included Her Excellency Sheikha Shaikha bint Jassim Al Thani, Assistant Undersecretary for Family Affairs at the Ministry of Social Development and Family, and Dr Khamis Al-Ajmi, honorary president of the Arab Federation of Private Schools. Ms Boukhari Khaira, general director of the Espace Autisme Foundation, chaired the forum’s programme, alongside Dr Tariq Al-Issawi, the foundation’s general director, who spoke.
Day one covered psychodrama and drama therapy, mechanisms for adaptation and inclusion, the value of educational farms, imaginative and technology-supported play, and traditional and digital media on autism. Day two addressed modern approaches to quality care, sports-training strategies, best practice for inclusion in mainstream schools, and daily preparation and empowerment through sport for children with autism.
Qatar News Agency, Al-Sharq and Gulf Times covered the council’s participation; Al-Sharq quoted Dr Mohsin Ali Al-Ajmi, IBC chairman, describing him as the forum’s general coordinator. The council’s archive records two agreements with Dar Al-Bidaa linked to the forum.
Topic and programme
- Adaptation and community inclusion
- Inclusive educational practice
- Play and assistive technologies
- Sport and psychological preparation
- Media and responsible awareness
- 30/06 · 10:00-11:00Opening session
- 30/06 · 11:00-11:30Psychodrama and drama therapy
- 30/06 · 11:30-12:00Supporting adaptation and effective inclusion
- 30/06 · 12:30-13:30Educational farms and quality of life
- 30/06 · 13:30-14:30Imaginative and technology-supported play
- 30/06 · 14:30-15:30Traditional and digital media and autism
- 01/07 · 10:00-10:30Modern approaches to quality care
- 01/07 · 10:30-11:30Sports training strategies
- 01/07 · 12:00-13:00Inclusion in mainstream schools
- 01/07 · 13:00-13:30Daily preparation and empowerment through sport
- 01/07 · 13:30Forum closing
Participants and their capacities
Speakers
- Sheikha Shaikha bint Jassim Al ThaniAssistant Undersecretary for Family Affairs · Ministry of Social Development and Family
- Thamer Al QadiDirector of Information Systems, Katara; forum chair · Katara
- Khamis bin Obaid Al-AjmiHonorary President, Arab Federation of Private Schools · Arab Federation of Private Schools
- Boukhari KhairaForum chair; General Director, Espace Autisme Foundation · Espace Autisme
- Dr Tariq Al-IssawiGeneral Director, Espace Autisme Foundation · Espace Autisme
- Dr Dala Megari BaouchPsychodrama and drama therapy
- Prof Suhail Hamed Al-MarwhounSports training strategies
- Prof Zina DalouMedia and autism
- Dr Walid Hindi
- Yasmine MohamedSpecialist
- Dr Ahlam Belkacem Mansour
Participating organisations
- Katara Cultural Village FoundationHost
- Espace Autisme FoundationKnowledge partner
- Dar Al BidaaKnowledge partner
Quotations
«Dr Mohsin Ali Al-Ajmi, chairman of the International Business Council, general coordinator of the forum.»
Al-Sharq newspaper, 30 June 2025
Materials and photographs
Key documented outcomes
- Presentation of the "I Need" app and the "Nassam" smart watch for children with autism
- Two agreements signed with Dar Al-Bidaa
Highlights
- A two-day programme at Katara’s Building 15 Hall
- Specialist discussions spanning education, technology and community
- Coverage by Qatar News Agency and Qatari newspapers
Sources · 3 sources
- Qatar News Agency29.06.2025State news agency
- Gulf Times, opening coveragegulf-times.comNewspaper
- Gulf Times, closing coveragegulf-times.comNewspaper