Doha, Qatar: Commercial Bank, Qatar's first private bank, has celebrated the joyful tradition of Garangao with children in the Bank's new branch at Gulf Mall and at Commercial Bank Plaza.

Garangao takes place on the fourteenth day of Ramadan and is considered a tradition in Qatar and the Gulf region. On 28 June and 29 June, Commercial Bank invited customers and their young children to celebrate Garangao in the Bank's new branch at Gulf Mall and also Commercial Bank Plaza, where children received Garangao gifts including traditional sweets and nuts, and took part in a cultural competition.

For an innovative surprise, children at the Garangao celebrations were treated to two Qatari cartoon characters "Joud wa Soud" making an appearance for the first time. The 3D characters were developed for edutainment purposes by Nada Al-Musleh, a young Qatari female entrepreneur, and represent Qatari values and culture. Nada was invited to introduce the cartoon characters at the Garangao celebrations by Commercial Bank as part of its support for Qatar's entrepreneurial business community and commitment to strengthen and diversify Qatar's private sector in line with the National Vision 2030.

Commercial Bank CEO Abdulla Saleh Al Raisi said: "Commercial Bank is always proud to celebrate Garangao as it brings much joy to children during the Holy month of Ramadan. As a home-grown Qatari bank with strong roots in Qatar for 40 years, we are deeply committed to investing in the Qatari community though our range of CSR initiatives and I am delighted that Commercial Bank's Garangao celebrations this year not only help to maintain a link between children and our rich cultural heritage but also support a talented young Qatari entrepreneur grow her business."

Al Raisi continued: "Our new Gulf Mall branch is part of Commercial Bank's expansion strategy to provide a wide network of branches in Qatar that are convenient to use both in terms of location and opening hours, as many of our valued customers choose to perform banking services over the weekend, or in conjunction with their other essential tasks in shopping malls."

The young Qatari entrepreneur, Nada Al-Musleh said: "Joud wa Soud is an enterprise project that targets children in primary school. The idea falls around three cartoon characters animated in a creative way, using the latest 3D art technologies. Joud wa Soud are twins, a little boy and girl who represent our community. The third character (revealed in episode 2 as a surprise for the children) acts as a vehicle for Joud and Soud to explore their surroundings. Our vision is to reinforce original Qatari traditions through these characters and play a role in spreading knowledge of our genuine heritage in a modern way. The whole project will be presented in two languages, Arabic and English, to enable children from different backgrounds to learn about our Qatari culture and enjoy Joud wa Soud's exciting adventures."

In addition to the Bank's Garangao Commercial Bank celebrated Garangao traditions and activities, the Bank has visited a pediatric ward and spread happiness with kids at Hamad Hospital.

Commercial Bank's new Gulf Mall branch adds to the Bank's comprehensive strategic network of full-service branches across Qatar. The branch was designed with customer convenience in mind, with its easy to reach prime location, full range of banking services for corporate and retail, and extended opening hours over the weekend.


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