Eid al-Fitr in Doha

Qatar is making moves to be the major cultural, economic and educational destination in the Gulf. They're no Dubai (which is a good thing) but they are poised to be a major player and a destination for job-seekers in the education sector. Northwestern University recently expanded here and other universities are following suit. Georgetown is already established here. Qatar Foundation's vision is to bring the best departments and schools from a diverse group of American universities, and since this is a growth industry, American universities struggling at home are only too happy to expand into a market thirsty for the skills and expertise of job-hungry American academics. So Doha is an interesting place for these and other reasons. I.M. Pei designed the Islamic Art Museum here, chock full of paintings, tiles, carpet, Quranic inscriptions, glass lamps, illuminated books, carved doors and thousands of items from the Mughals, the Safavids, the Fatimids, the Mamluks, Timurlane's empire, and more.