Shemaine Bushnell Kyriakides
The day may have started with a downpour, but by the time guests began arriving at the Qatari ambassador’s residence on Wednesday, the skies over Nicosia opened as if on cue, a small, poetic nod to an afternoon built on warmth, hospitality and celebration.
Diplomats, business leaders and familiar faces from Cyprus’ political and cultural circles gathered at the residence of H.E. Ambassador Yousef Sultan Laram on December 10 to mark Qatar National Day, the annual celebration of the country’s unification in 1878 under Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani.
And while diplomatic receptions can sometimes lean toward the stiff and ceremonial, this one had a noticeably relaxed spirit. Children, the sons and daughters of diplomats and executives, darted between the adults, giving the afternoon a welcome sense of life and movement. Even the most seasoned ambassadors couldn’t resist smiling as the youngsters navigated the crowd with the confidence only diplomatic kids seem to master.
The ceremony began, as tradition dictates, with the national anthems of Qatar and Cyprus, followed by a speech from Ambassador Laram, who highlighted Qatar’s development, its growing ties with Cyprus, and the shared values guiding cooperation between the two nations. Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos took the podium next, speaking about the friendship between Nicosia and Doha and the widening opportunities for collaboration.
From there, the formalities gave way to the part everyone secretly waits for: the food.
Warm, fragrant dishes filled the air, and somewhere in the background, a swirl of incense drifted across the reception, possibly bakhoor, though I admittedly spent a good portion of the afternoon trying (and failing) to track down exactly where the scent originated. Whatever it was, it added a soft, traditional note to the atmosphere.
The ambassador’s residence, large enough to easily welcome the steady flow of guests, hummed with conversation as people mingled, reconnected, and greeted familiar faces. And in what may have been the highlight of the night, two huge trays of kunafa were offered to guests, a sweet moment that seemed to thrill just about everyone.
It was one of those receptions where the hospitality felt genuine and the mood unforced, a reminder that national days aren’t only about flags and speeches but about community, even thousands of kilometers away from Doha.
As Qatar prepares for its official National Day celebrations on December 18, a date marked by fireworks, parades, cultural festivals and nationwide tributes to Qatari identity, Wednesday’s gathering in Nicosia offered Cyprus a small but heartfelt glimpse into that spirit.
And judging by the smiles as guests said their goodbyes, the day achieved exactly what it set out to: bringing people together, rain or shine.
