Traffic moves  along the Corniche on Friday. One of the vehicles was specially decorated for the National Day. PICTURE: Thajudheen

By Ayman Adly
Staff Reporter

A large number of citizens, expatriates and foreign visitors thronged the Corniche from the afternoon until late at night on Friday to express their love and loyalty for Qatar on the occasion of National Day.

Earlier on Friday, the Corniche played host to the annual National Day parade, attended by VVIPs, dignitaries and a number of Qatar residents.

Among those who flocked to the Corniche on Friday were several visitors from GCC states. They came in vehicles decorated with the Qatari flag, along with images of HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and HH the Father Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani as well as verses expressing their pride in taking part in the celebrations.

A number of vehicles bearing number plates of the UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait could be seen on Corniche Street.

Traffic, meanwhile, was slow as hundreds of vehicles jostled for space along the road. However, this did not deter the crowds from participating in the festivities.

Cars could be seen slowly making their way through the congested stretch even as children waved the Qatari flag and patriotic songs filled the air.

A fireworks display lit up the night sky over the Corniche, enthralling the large crowds that had gathered there.

The revellers expressed joy at participating in the celebrations at the Corniche and elsewhere in the country. The festivities took place at various locations and highlighted the culture and heritage of Qatar.

The tribes of Qatar organised events to mark the occasion and express their pride at being part of this country. Their celebrations were held in pavilions set up especially for the occasion and included recitation of patriotic poems and the traditional sword dance.

Traditional Arabic coffee was served to guests along with exquisite varieties of dates.

The tribesmen stressed the progress achieved by the country in recent years due to the wise leadership of HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.

Meanwhile, expatriate communities and government and private entities took part in the celebrations with many of them holding special events in order to express their love and gratitude for the country.

"Despite the traffic jams, it was a great occasion that affirmed the love of the people for this country and their strong confidence in its leadership," a resident said.