The Qatar Road Safety Studies Centre (QRSSC) at Qatar University College of Engineering  has hosted a ceremony to award the winners of contests that were organised in May on the sidelines of UN Global Road Safety Week 2015.
Attendees included QU vice-president and chief financial officer Dr Humaid al-Midfaa, QU acting vice-president for research Dr Darwish al-Emadi, CENG dean Dr Rashid Alammari, QRSSC director Dr Khalifa al-Khalifa, Traffic Department director Brigadier Mohamed Saad al-Kharji and general secretary of the National Committee for Traffic Safety Brigadier Mohamed al-Malki, among others.
The event also saw the launch of the “Traffic Safety Ambassador Initiative”, aiming to promote safe driving behaviour in an educational and illustrative manner in secondary schools for boys with the help and guidance of specialists.
Winners in the Best Expressive Award category were Fatma Mubarak from Safia bint Abdulmutalib Primary Independent School for Girls (first), Fatma al-Hitmi from Al Bayan Primary Independent School for Girls (second) and Al Bandari Turki from Safia bint Abdulmutalib Primary Independent School for Girls (third).
In the Best Short Story Award category, the winners were Hana Kassem (first), Sara Mansoor (second) from Ghwiriya School for Girls and Abdullah Ali al-Dosari from Ibn Khaldoon Preparatory Independent School for Boys (third).
Under the “Traffic Safety Ambassador Initiative,” the QRSSC will select traffic safety ambassadors in secondary schools for boys in co-ordination with the school administrations. The “ambassador” will form a team of students of all academic levels.
The QRSSC, in conjunction with the National Committee for Traffic Safety and the General Directorate of Traffic at the Ministry of Interior, will also organise awareness workshops in the participating schools and distribute brochures and posters on leadership role and management of traffic safety campaigns.
Professionals in the field of traffic safety will orient the ambassadors on the safe use of roads, which will contribute to enhancing their skills and abilities and enable them to raise awareness among their colleagues. Each participating school will submit, in December, a portfolio that includes the achievements and activities of its team.
A ceremony will be held for the participating schools to present their activities and honour the school with the best team for traffic safety.