Faces of Qatar | Many Stories, One People

Faces of Qatar — a photographic book of portraits and first-person stories from 100 nationalities living in Qatar. Featured at Bin Jelmood House (Msheireb Museums). Join the preview list to get exclusive behind-the-scenes updates and priority access to limited signed copies.

Photographed and Edited by Mohammed Zarrugh Ismail

WHY FACES OF QATAR

Since arriving in Qatar in 2011, I noticed people living close together but worlds apart. Faces of Qatar began as a simple question: what happens when we listen? The answer is this book — intimate portraits and short, first-person narratives that show how difference creates strength, connection and a deeper sense of belonging.

This is not a catalogue of curiosities. It’s a civic act: to name, to listen, and to make visible the everyday lives that build a place. Each portrait is an invitation to step into someone else’s life for a moment — to recognise shared hopes, routines and dignity.

“O humanity! We created you all from a single man and a single woman and made you into races and tribes so that you should recognise one another. In God’s eyes, the most honoured of you are the ones most mindful of Him: God is all-knowing, all-aware.”

Justin LaSuere Mabrie: "I was having a conversation with someone, and at the close of the interaction, it was stated to me, 'Thank you for not asking my profession. This is the first time that has happened since moving here, and it is refreshing.' I realised at that moment how human connection can enlighten your life. In a place like Qatar, where most people are away from their families, we all desire genuine interactions. I believe this is a universal lesson."

Kelly Boonstra: "However, this is the first time, in a long time, I have been on my own. This is a very important step for me. This will change so much in my life: my way of thinking, my way of looking at people, and my perspective on different cultures, religions, and countries. So I do not think there will be the biggest lesson to learn during my time here, but there will be many lessons for me to learn."

WHAT THE BOOK INCLUDES

Format & feel
A high-quality photographic art book with archival printing, clothbound cover, and tip-in portraits. Designed for both museum displays and personal bookshelves.

Inside you’ll find:

• 422 pages.

• 190 portraits — one for each participant.

• First-person narratives — short, intimate texts in the subjects’ own voice.

• Curatorial essay & reflections — context on migration, belonging and cultural exchange.

• Behind-the-scenes — photographer’s notes and selection process.

Fahad Khalied Al-Thani: "I believe having a broader ethnic mixture in Qatar adds greatly to the current development of the country, where such a mixture will bring new ideas, which will reflect on the outside view of the country."

Audrey Choge: "Things are not always as they seem. I am a living testament to that. But we learn and we move on with an even better understanding of what life is, even the approach you take towards it becomes different."