Qatar Dress Code

Things to remember
It is very important to be sensitive to the dress code in Qatar and although tourists are not expected to
cover up completely there are a few things all WSDC participants should be conscious of.

Girls/Women

The most important thing to remember is that shoulders and knees must be covered and low cut tops
should be particularly avoided.
It is not necessary to cover the lower part of the leg but girls may choose to wear dark or opaque tights
or leggings underneath their skirts if they are concerned and crop trousers are perfectly acceptable.
Again there is no problem showing the lower part of the arm but the shoulder must be fully covered
and preferably not with material which is partly or fully see through. The best way to cover up is to
bring a light jacket or simply wrap a scarf/pashmina around the shoulders.

Boys/Men

Shorts/trousers should cover the knee and clothes in general should be respectful and not have rude or
inappropriate slogans or images viable. As with girls, shirts and T-shirts should cover the upper arm.

In General

Sandals are perfectly acceptable for both men and women.

Both men and women can wear their normal bathing suits etc to the pool or on the beach but they
should be fully clothed when walking through the hotel.
Although the temperatures in Qatar may be warmer that other countries in February, it is still winter so
evenings are cooler and on occasions so is the day. There is air conditioning in nearly every building
which can often be on very high, making the temperature very cold inside, so it is worth while bringing
some warmer clothes to take off the chill.
There will be an organised excursion to the desert and it will be cold after the sun sets.
This dress code applies to all events including the opening and closing ceremonies and the break night
party.
Thank you for your cooperation.

Codes of Clothing Conduct

Qatar is an islamic state and as a courtesy, visitors should dress modestly. Normal swimwears, including bikinis, is acceptable on the beach or by the
pool, but t-shirts and discreet covering of the legs is desirable if you move away from these places. Topless sunbathing is not permitted.
Be particularly conscious of your dress code when visiting public places like the malls or parks or souq areas especially areas frequented by mixed
nationalities. Women should avoid wearing spaghetti-strap or see-though blouses and short skirts.
It is considered particularly important to dress modestly during the Holy Fasting month of Ramadan.

Alcohols
Beers, wines and other alcoholic drinks can only be found at bars located at hotels. There are stiff fines for consuming alcohols other than on licensed
premises, or at home (if you have a liquor permit).
Drink-driving is a serious offense and the country applies zero tolerance attitude to drugs.
No establishments serve alcohols during the days of Ramadan.

Tea or drink
Everytime you are offered a drink in an office or house, it is an insult to refuse a tea or a drink.
When you are done and you don't want another, shake the tea cup handle from side to side to let them know you are done and dont want another.

Pearl Diving
Before Qatar's vast natural gas reserves were discovered, pearl diving (along with fishing) was once the backbone of the country's economy. Divers
lived out at sea on pearling boats for three to four months at a time, and used no equipment other than a nose clip, a net for holding the oysters, and
lead weights which they tied around their feet to help them sink to the bottom. From sunrise to sunset they would take turns diving to collect as many
oysters as they could before they ran out of breath. When the Japanese started farming cultured pearls, the pearl diving industry collapsed. The
gentleman seen in the photo is sometimes found in the heritage village in Rumeilah Park giving demonstrations on pearl diving. He still dives too, but
nowadays he uses scuba gear. Pearls are still highly prized and can be found for sale as jewelry in the gold souq.

Don't offer to shack hands if you are a female

It was first time meeting up my auditor in his office. Well, I had offer a hand shake but rejected by him because Islamic guys don't touch womens' hand
unless they are husband and wife. I came from a Muslim country too, so I understand why he rejected my hand shake. It would be better to greet them
by saying "Hello", "Good morning", "Good afternoon" or "Good evening".

Sword Dancing
The traditional sword dance, known as the Ardha, is performed in Qatar on special occasions such as religious holidays and national celebrations. I
caught a glimpse of it one night when I happened upon a large gathering at this event hall next door to my housing compound. I was told by a fellow
bystander - an Egyptian woman - that the people at the gathering were all members of the richest family in Qatar, the Al Amaniya (sp?) family, who
owns more than half the country. They were celebrating an event that had happened long ago in their family's history; she wasn't exactly sure what.
After explaining as much as she could, she told me quietly, 'A Qatari would not tell you this. They consider this to be inside information, not for
outsiders.' As she walked away I thanked her for the secret information and continued to watch the dance through the iron gate.
To an outsider like myself both the singing and dancing can seem quite repetitive, as the dancers seem to repeat the same phrase over and over
again as they perform the same hop step while raising their swords in the air. Once I researched it a bit, though, it began to make more sense. I found
out that the Ardha traces its origins to bedouin days and is also performed in neighbouring countries like Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. It combines dance
and poetry, with a poet moving back and forth between two lines of singers and dancers. The poet gives each group of singers a line to repeat before
moving across to the other group. The traditional lyrics are of chivalry and strength and adapt to each occasion across generations