June 9, 2015 - Qatar Entertainment Company (Tasali) proudly announces arrival of the award winning KidZania edutainment concept in Qatar. As a joint venture partnership between Aspire Zone Foundation and Sharaka Holdings, the company is blazing ahead with bringing the premium brand to Doha. As part of the landmark announcement, KidZania unveiled its first sponsorship milestone at a signing ceremony with QNB, One of the World’s Strongest Banks.
KidZania offers children the opportunity to play ‘adult jobs’ in up to a 100 pretend roles ranging from being a journalist, dentist, beautician, news reporter and actress to a fireman. The indoor theme park is set in a city that is built to scale for children, complete with buildings, paved streets, vehicles and a functioning economy.
Tasali Chairman, Sheikh Nasser Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, comments: “KidZania as an edutainment concept is perfectly aligned to the Qatar National Vision 2030 of building a sustainable, prosperous society which is just, caring and based on high moral standards. In a fun role-playing environment, the KidZania experience teaches kids values that cannot be easily imbibed in traditional classrooms. We believe KidZania Doha will also help young children in Qatar understand the importance of various professions and enable them to make informed choices as they grow."
He continues: “We are proud to be playing a positive role in teaching and influencing the minds of the youth who hold the future of our beloved country in their hands. KidZania Doha promises to be very special with unique experiences and establishments that are planned just for Qatar. We are coming in big. And we are coming in strong.”
The newly announced sponsorship with QNB is part of the role-play activities and will create a KidZania miniature world that provides children with the ability to learn basic banking services through its miniature branch and ATMs. They will be able to spend, save and invest their kidZos, KidZania’s currency. Through the exciting role-playing concept and QNB’s branch, children will discover the challenges of being a banker as well as empower tomorrow’s generation to be financially aware and responsible.
Commenting on the signing ceremony, General Manager of Group Communication at QNB, Mr. Yousef Darwish said: “We are delighted to be able to interact with our future customers and employees. We hope this is the beginning of lifelong engagement with the brand. QNB is always interested in the welfare of our younger generations, and this centre marks a great opportunity for our children to play and learn in a controlled environment, while gaining the future skills that will help them in their future adult life.”
QNB’s sponsorship with KidZania stems from its longstanding commitment to supporting child development and education as part of the QNB Group’s diverse CSR program. QNB recently introduced “The Money Made Easy” Book, to educate children on how to better understand banking and manage their finances. The book is an easy guide to money and the economy for children aged nine and above and has been distributed widely across schools in Qatar.
KidZania Doha will be located at the popular Aspire Zone in Doha, Qatar. A prime location adjoining both the Villagio and Hyatt Plaza, KidZania Doha will complement the existing offering of shopping, leisure, sports and natural environs of the adjoining Aspire Park to make the entire zone into a destination of choice in Doha.
KidZania involves real-world brands in developing real-world experiences for children. Industry partners and sponsors lend authenticity and credibility to all the parks activities. Engaging, experiential and exciting marketing partnerships enrich each activity by creating a more authentic experience. Leading global brands to successfully establish their presence in the KidZania nations around the world include; Coca Cola, HSBC, Sony, Honda, Gillette, Nestle, P&G, Mitsubishi Motor.