26 September 2021, Doha – Qatar: Mind Center for Special Needs (MCSN), the first-of-its-kind Special Needs and Autism center for pre-vocational, vocational and transitional services in Qatar, marked its official opening on September 20. The event saw a personalized tribute from Ghanim Al-Muftah, Qatari entrepreneur and social media personality born with Caudal Regression Syndrome, as well as Qatari and expat VIPs and attendees across education, healthcare, and business.
VIP attendees included Ahmed Al-Shahrani, who recently achieved a Guinness World Record for the fastest crossing of the country by wheelchair, and Saoud bin Abdulaziz Al-Mohannadi, a candidate for Shura Council for Al Khor and Al Thakira who was also recently elected to the Union of Arab Football Associations (UAFA) Council as Vice-President for the new term of 2021-2025. Ghanim AlMuftah, who couldn’t be in attendance due to receiving treatment in Germany, welcomed guests with a personalized video and urged them to advocate for special needs inclusion in Qatar.
On the occasion of MCSN’s opening, Ahmed Al-Shahrani said: “I had the pleasure of attending the opening of Mind Institute 4 years ago and was impressed by the facility and staff. When I was contacted recently to attend the opening of their new education branch of the Institute, I was keen to attend and see how the center had flourished. I was equally impressed by the new branch. It’s on par with international standards and facilities. It’s one of a kind in Qatar, offering all the specific needs for individuals with special needs. I wish them continued growth and success.”
In his virtual address, Ghanim Al-Muftah said: “I wish I could be with you all today to attend the opening ceremony for Mind Center for Special Needs, just like I was with you 4 years ago for the opening ceremony of Mind Institute. Supporting people with special needs and integrating them into society is a social responsibility, and our Qatari society, both citizens and residents, play an important role in this integration. Thank you, Mind Institute and Mind Center for Special Needs, for your positive role and continuous support for the special needs community.”
MCSN’s official opening, which followed all COVID-19 protocols as per Qatar’s Ministry of Public Health, offered the opportunity for guests to learn more about its services, take tours, and discuss ways to better further special needs inclusion in Qatar. MCSN is licensed by Qatar’s Ministry of Education and Higher Education and offers Early Intervention Programs, Daily Learning Support Programs, Transitional Programs, and “Bridges”. MCSN’s Bridges include the College Bridge, the Inclusion Bridge and the Vocational Bridge. MCSN’s state-ofthe-art facilities also feature an on-site garden, café, computer lab, hotel room, and even a supermarket to help train individuals with special needs to do these tasks successfully and independently in society.
ENDS
School and university representatives from Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha College, ACS, Gulf English School, and Sherborne Qatar were also in attendance.
ABOUT MIND CENTER FOR SPECIAL NEEDS
Mind Center for Special Needs (MCSN), which recently opened as the sister center to Mind Institute Qatar, offers evidence-based special education services to overcome challenges that individuals, their parents, and siblings face at school, home, or work environment. At MCSN, licensed by Qatar’s Ministry of Education and Higher Education, a multi-disciplinary team in collaboration with Mind Institute supports clients in their transition to adulthood through
customized, assessment-based pre-vocational, vocational, and transitional services.
For more information about MCSN’s services, visit:
https://mcsn.mindinstitutes.com/
Social media handles: @mindinstituteqa
MEDIA CONTACTS
Yara Jishi | +974 55098579 | yaraj@mindinstituteqatar.com
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