DOHA: Qatar's Ministry of Interior (MoI) has won the first prize in a civil defence and protection awareness film contest held by Arab Interior Ministers Council.
Secretary General of Arab Interior Ministers Council Dr. Mohammed bin Ali Koman presented the award to Qatar at the 14th Conference of Arab Civil Defence and Protection Agencies held in Tunis recently, the MoI's Public Relations Department said in a media statement.
Qatar's General Directorate of Civil Defence (GDCD) Director of Logistics Department Major Hussain Ibrahim Al Asmakh received the award for this short film produced by the Public Relations Department of the Ministry in association with GDCD.
The film featured various aspects of marine safety procedures for seafarers.
It also focused on beach cleanliness.
Commenting on the accolade, Major Al Asmakh said, "This event was not the first time the Ministry of Interior was at the forefront of security awareness."
Arab states are very much concerned and pro-active on creating awareness in civil defence at various levels, he said, and appreciated the MOI's PR Department for its creative effort in producing the short film.
The MoI PRD Director Colonel Abdullah Khalifa Al Muftah said the ministry is keen to participate in such awareness contests at different levels.
The ministry has achieved many accomplishments in this filed and the films produced by the department match high professional standards, he added.
The MOI PRD Head of Security Media Section Captain Mubarak Salem Al-Buainain said that the film was produced by Media Production Center at the Department in co-operation with the Civil Defence.
The MoI has won several awareness contests in the past like winning the first prize at the Security Media Contest of Arab Interior Ministers Council in 2009, The International Festival for Prevention of Road Accidents 2010, and in 2012 the Ministry of the Year in the contest held by the Security Media Office at General Secretariat of Arab Interior Ministers Council, he said.
The Council holds the awareness film contest every two years, the MoI said.
Representatives from different Arab countries as well as from Arab League, Naif University for Security Science, International Organization for Civil Protection and Defence attended the 14th Conference of Arab Civil Defence and Protection Agencies held at the headquarters of Arab Interior Ministers Council General Secretariat in Tunisia's capital.
The participants discussed a number of issues, like the dangers of environmental pollution and ways to combat it, developments in the activities and functions of the various Arab civil protection agencies.
They also discussed ways to enhance co-ordination and communication between the member states with a view for joint intervention in the event of a disaster, the MoI concluded. (QNA)
