It is an overwhelming feeling for me as a Qatari, coming from a warm region, to have the pleasure to contribute to this Belgian-Spanish, French-Mongolian expedition team, preparing for a 15 days dog sledding expedition in the Mongolian winter, where temperatures of -40 degrees is not really anything special.

This Khuvgsgul dogsled expedition 2009 is a tribute to the Nomadic people of Mongolia. I share with the expedition team their admiration for the hardship of Mongolian Nomads life, which in one way or another brings back memories of the life of the Arab Nomads in the Peninsula. Unfortunately global warming is a scientific undisputable fact. Temperature in Mongolia seems to have risen twice as much as the global average.

This increase in temperature will undoubtedly have a serious impact on the nomadic life, which is considered the oldest habitat in the human history.

It is my belief that we should act now and worldwide! This expedition has a strong ecological message.

At a state level, Qatar is increasingly involved in environmental issues and welcomes all actions and initiatives towards a cleaner and greener planet.

Thus, it is not surprising to know that His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, The Emir of The State of Qatar, is the driving force behind many Qatari environmental projects, such as protecting the status of coral reef, monitoring the temperature in the marine environment, etc.

I wish the expedition team all the luck and express the assurance of my full support.

Meshal Bin Hamad Al Thani
Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the Kingdom of Belgium