For Goans in the Gulf, every opportunity to meet and spend time reminiscing about Goa is a treasured experience. The love for the culture, language and food doubles when they meet fellow Goans. In Qatar, one event that brings the best of Goa under one roof is the annual May Queen Ball that is held with great excitement. The 23rd Annual May Queen Ball will be organised by the Goan Welfare Association, Qatar (GWA) in collaboration with Orbit Events and Marketing on May 11 at the Radisson Blu, Doha from 7.30 pm onwards.
Simon D’Silva originally from Sao Jose de Areal has been in Qatar after his graduation to join his father. He has been the president of the Goan Welfare Association since its inception and has led the organisation in creating and developing the May Queen Ball from a Goan to an international level. “Adv Carlos Alvares Ferreira will be the chief guest while His Excellency Paulo Neves Pocinho, Portuguese Ambassador to Qatar will be the guest of honour and Robert Cabral, Superintendent of Customs, Government of India will be the special invitee,” says Simon.
More than Goan, this is an international event as it brings together people from different parts of the world. Organised by Goan Welfare Association, Qatar (GWA), it is a 12 member committee that includes Hindus, Muslims and Christians of Goa. “We start planning for the event almost a year in advance. It is not easy to organise an event of this calibre especially post the pandemic. We didn’t have May Queen Ball for three years. We had already finalised all the details in 2020 but the lockdown was announced in March and the May event was cancelled. This is the first event since then and there is a tremendous difference when it comes to approaching companies, getting the permission from the authorities and the other required paperwork,” says Simon.
The rush to attain a Portuguese passport before Brexit and the sudden economic setback due to the pandemic had a key role in the collapse of the Goan community in the Gulf especially in Qatar. “We had many families that lived for years in Qatar suddenly move to the UK. The pandemic completely changed the scenario as I feel that the Gulf is empty without the Goans that were knew for so long. Fortunately, there are many families from other parts of the Gulf that are moving to Qatar and the situation is gradually improving as Goans from Goa are also entering the country,” he adds.
This year, the highlight of the event will be the crowning of 23rd May Queen by the Bollywood celebrities, Arjun Bijlani, Smita Bansal. Forefront, one of Goa’s most celebrated live band, will be another highlight of the show along with Global sensation Sanio Fernandes and with DJ Snea. The event will be hosted by ace compere Updesh Swar from Goa and Anunsya D’Cunha e Pereira, who has specially flown all the way from California, USA.
Malik Panali from Old Goa has been living in Doha for many years and has seen the Goan community grow with love and concern and supporting each other. It is not just a single event that unites them but the connection throughout the year is revived on this one occasion. “People are anxious for the day to arrive. They are curious to know what is happening for this year’s event,” says Malik.
Allan D’Souza is the director of planning and coordination for the Goan Welfare Association. He has been living in Qatar for 32 years and is one of the few Goans who have been in the country for a long time. Originally from Bodiem, Tivim, Allan has received a retirement extension and he promises to attend even the 25th edition of May Queen Ball in the future. “I have grown with the association and it is something that I’ll take back with me to Goa. I visit Goa at least 4 four times in a year. This event is usually attended by families living in Doha and it is a great bonding experience,” says Allan.
Paul Fernandes is the vice president of the Goan Welfare Association, Doha, Qatar. Originally from Candolim, he has been in Qatar for 48 years. He scheduled his holiday to Goa so that he could return back to Doha in time for the May Queen Ball. “Qatar is my second home. I landed in Doha at the age of 2 and since then I have lived my life more in Doha than Goa. However, I make it a point to visit Goa as often as possible. Over the years, I have seen the vibrant Goan community in Doha. We have a strong president in Simon as he takes most of the responsibility and even though he had a lot of trouble, he still stood as a pillar for the association for last 23 years,” says Paul, who has been a part of Goan Welfare Association for last 18 years.
The Ministry of Interior (MOI) of Qatar announced that the validity of the Hayya Card, which is an entry permit to the state of Qatar that was used for entry during the 2022 FIFA World Cup has been extended until January 24, 2024. The country also introduced the 1+3 policy where a card holder can link his/her Hayya pass to up to three members, so that they can enter Qatar. There is a fee charged to add the new members but they can still visit and enjoy Qatar. “The Hayya Card was highly advantageous for organising the May Ball. During the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, I hosted ten Hayya Card holders and each card holder can invite 3 members on a single card. Now, I can host 30 members without a visa,” says Simon.
Besides Goans living in Qatar, May Queen Ball has families travelling from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Scotland, Canada, USA, Morocco, Turkey, Russia, Philippines, Kenya and India. “I have got confirmation from these countries as people are looking forward to celebrating this day in Doha. Some families have been living here and want to reconnect with the community and this is one of the biggest events in the Gulf for the Goan community,” says Simon.
Apart from organising the May Queen Ball, the Goa Welfare Association also organises Sao Joao. They are also involved in helping fellow Goans through difficult times. During the pandemic, they arranged for a charter flight to take stranded Goans from Doha to Goa. They even donated 800 boxes of clothing to the villagers of Usgao after the floods in 2022.
Now for the happier moments in Doha, it is time to rock to Forefront, Sanio and DJ Snea and crown the May Queen Ball for 2023.
