QAIC’s Olfactory Alphabet Experience at TEDinArabic

TEDinArabic is an initiative by TED and Qatar Foundation designed to provide a global platform for thinkers, artists, researchers and change-makers across the Arabic-Speaking world. Every year, TEDinArabic brings more than 3,000 attendees to hear talks by esteemed Arabic-speaking thinkers, researchers, artists and change-makers from across the region and the diaspora.  

With the support of Wjdani Aseel, QAIC participated by conducting an interactive workshop for attendees to explore the Arabic alphabet through play, using two uniquely designed interactive experiences. The first experience is a live sensory activity that introduces audiences to the aromas of Arabia by representing the 28 Arabic letters with a related scent. By engaging with a collection of raw herbs and spices, participants can connect with Arabic language and culture through touch and smell. The second experience is a custom-made 500-piece puzzle, by Ohjia Puzzles, that illustrates each of the 28 letters.  

The two-day summit amplified stories, solutions and inventions from Arabic-speaking communities globally. It is the cornerstone of a three-year partnership between Qatar Foundation and TED. TEDinArabic enables ideas and stories to be shared from across the Arabic-speaking population with a global audience. This year’s theme was the Butterfly Effect: The butterfly effect is so subtle, it cannot be seen. Yet it reminds us that individual efforts to create change and craft a better world can really add up. Together, we will affirm that the butterfly effect is eternal. 

QAIC thanks Qatar Foundation and Qatar Museums’ Years of Culture program for their support in making these activities possible. For more information, please visit: www.QatarAmerica.org or @qataramerica