Saad Al-Suwaidi
With a message that was carried out in 2013, the Fateh Al Khair 4 voyage made it's final stop of their European tour in the island of Malta.
A joint partnership between Katara Cultural Village and the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, brought Qatari sailors Yousef Abdullah, Ahmed Arhama Al Kuwari, Nawaf Khaabab Al Nuaimi, Saif Hamdan Al Mansory, Omer Sultan Al Nuaimi, Issa Ahmed Al Manai, Saif Yousef Al Tamimi, Adnan Mohamed Al Hamadi, Nasser Saed Al Hamad, Hamad Ahmed Al Hamadi, Khalid Mohamed Al Muhanadi, Abdulla Ebrahim Al Muhanadi and Abdulrahman Ebrahim Saleh, lead by captain Mohamed Yousef Al Sada, to travel across 16 destinations across Europe to spread the message of Qatari Maritime Heritage, as well as promoting the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar.
Beginning their journey in Istanbul, the Fateh Al Khair 4 voyage sailed to Canakkale, Turkey. The crew then sailed across to Greece, where the Traditional Dhow was docked at the island of Mykonos for a few days, then it was off to Santorini.
Before the sailors ended their journey in Greece, they made their final stop at Corfu Island, then it was on to the next country Albania, and the city of Saranda.Along the shores of Albania, the crew sailed to Durres before reaching the next country Croatia. From the city of Milet to the city of Porer, the Qatari sailors faced adversity. Rough winds, heavy storms and big waves caused the sailors to wait out the harsh conditions, before arriving in Italy. The crew made it to the city of Venice, where they met with Her Highness Sheikha Moza bin Nasser, where she welcomed the crew and acknowledged their efforts. Whilst in Italy, the Fateh Al Khair dhow went from Venice to Ancona, Capo Rizzuto and Sicily, before reach the final destination on their voyage Sliema, Malta.
The Fateh Al Khair 4 is the first-ever trip of a ship of its kind in the European region, a journey made possible thanks to modern navigation and improvements of onboard accommodation. The historical journey carried with it the message of love and peace symbolising cultural unity.
The journey has now ended, and the Fateh Al Khair 4 crew wil return safely back to Doha on Friday the 27th of September at 15:30 Doha Time at Hamad international Airport. The next journey for Fateh Al Khair is scheduled for June 2020.