On the 19th of December, at Aspire Dome, Qatar was awarded a new Guinness World Record for the largest Ardha dance performance. The record was set as a part of Qatar’s National Day celebrations.

From the top of the Dome, the audience was charmed with the measured movements of 410 Qatari men in white traditional thobes, lifting gracefully their swords in a dance filled with pride, unified with a voice of poetry praising the nation and its leaders, and fused with the beating of the drum. This is the Ardha.

The Ardha was once performed by men before going to war. It has now become a tradition in cultural events and celebrations heartening camaraderie and patriotism. It is considered a noble and dignified art, commemorating heritage and encouraging kinship.

For Doha’s performers, this record-breaking Ardha was not just about a record for Qatar, but also about “following the path of the founders” as the theme of this year’s national day states. So, under the inspiring quote on the walls of the Aspire Dome: “You reap what you sow”, Qatar was able to take a proud chapter from its history, and add it to the Guinness Book World Records.