Qatar National Day Parade
The National Day Parade in Qatar is held annually on the occasion of Qatar National Day on 18 December. The holiday was established on 21 June 2007 by decree of the then Crown Prince Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. The primary participants in the parade come from the Qatar Armed Forces, the Internal Security Force, the Ministry of Interior, and Amiri Guard. The parade goes through the Doha Corniche as well as between the Qatar National Theater and the Emiri Diwan.
Dignitaries in attendance
- The Emir of Qatar
- The Father Emir, when applicable
- Prime Minister of Qatar
- Speaker of the Shura Council
- Chairman of the Consultative Assembly of Qatar
- Cabinet of Qatar
- Military commanders
- Foreign diplomats
Parades by year
Changes & Cancellations
In the history of Qatar National Day, The National Day Parade along The Corniche has been altered significantly or canceled altogether a number of times.2016 Cancellation
Following the December 2016 end of the Battle of [Aleppo |Battle of Aleppo] in the Syrian Civil War, the government on 18 December announced it would cancel all festivities in solidarity with the people of the city of Aleppo.2017 Changes
The 10th anniversary of the parade's inception was marked with the a break in precedent by it being held in the afternoon instead of the morning. The soldiers on parade adopted the Chinese marching style which was the result of the training by members of the Beijing Garrison Honor Guard Battalion of the People's Liberation Army of China. Previously, the parade had followed the British Army marching style. Chinese-made guided ballistic missile launchers were also showcased.This was also the first edition of the parade since the Qatar diplomatic crisis began.