Doha, Qatar – Katara Hospitality and Sheraton Doha Resort & Convention Hotel jointly celebrated a traditional ‘Garangao’ on Wednesday, July 1^st 2015 with children at the rehabilitation unit of Rumailah Hospital – a member of Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC).

“Garangao” is a traditional mid-Ramadan celebration, which is special to the Gulf region. On this 14^th night of Ramadan, children roam around their neighborhoods singing traditional songs, special to the occasion, and collect a variety of goodie bags filled with candy from neighborhood elders. Katara Hospitality and Sheraton Doha Resort & Convention Hotel recognise this tradition as an opportunity to celebrate it with the children, and to show support for this unit in Rumailah Hospital.

“We are very grateful that Katara Hospitality and Sheraton Doha spent their evening with our children at the Rehabilitation Unit,” said Dr Abdulaziz Darwish, Medical Director of Rumailah Hospital. “The event was very special for everyone and it was the perfect way to celebrate Garangao night during the holy month of Ramadan with the children.”

The event commenced after Maghreb and before Ishaa prayers where fifteen volunteers from Sheraton Doha Resort & Convention Hotel as well as the management team from Katara Hospitality attended. The celebration included traditional Garangao songs and games, Garangao goodie bags, as well as tailor-made gifts distributed to every child based on their age and special needs.

Chief Executive Officer of Katara Hospitality, said: “Ramadan is a time for reflection and peace, and I am proud to work with such a passionate team that is committed to support and engage with our community by reaching out to the children and celebrating our local traditions.”

Belal Al Kadry, Hotel Manager of Sheraton Doha Resort & Convention Hotel, added: “The Garangao festivity was a truly uplifting experience. It was an honour to be able to enjoy this celebration with such extraordinary happy and smiling children, which is a true testament to all the hard work the caregivers of Al Rumailah Hospital’s Rehabilitation Unit carry out each day.”

Organised by the CSR Committees of Katara Hospitality and Sheraton Doha Resort & Convention Hotel, the Garangao event is the latest in a series of CSR initiatives that see the Doha-based hospitality company and its hotels give back to the community.

About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with more than 1,200 properties in some 100 countries and over 180,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels, resorts and residences with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®, W®, Westin®, Le Méridien®, Sheraton®, Four Points® by Sheraton, Aloft®, Element® and the recently introduced Tribute Portfolio™. The Company boasts one of the industry’s leading loyalty programs, Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG®), allowing members to earn and redeem points for room stays, room upgrades and flights, with no blackout dates. Starwood recently announced plans to spin off its Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc. business, a premier provider of world-class vacation experiences through villa-style resorts and privileged access to Starwood brands, into a standalone public company by the end of 2015.  For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com

About Hamad Medical Corporation

HMC has been the principal public healthcare provider in the state of Qatar for over three decades and is dedicated to delivering the safest, most effective and compassionate care to all patients. HMC manages eight hospitals, incorporating five specialist hospitals and three community hospitals.  HMC also manages the National Ambulance Service as well as home and residential care, all accredited by Joint Commission International. While HMC continues to upgrade its facilities and services, it has also embarked on an ambitious expansion program, targeting the areas of need in our community. We collaborate with partners who are key experts in Qatar and beyond, including Weill Cornell Medical College-Qatar, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and Partners Healthcare, Boston. We are also the first hospital system in the Middle East to achieve institutional accreditation from the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education – International (ACGME-I), which demonstrates excellence in the way medical graduates are trained through residency, internship and fellowship programs. For more information please visit: www.hamad.qa or contact Noimot Olayiwola, Media Project Manager Tel: (00974) 44390945; Mobile: (00974) 55568709; Email: nolayiwola@hamad.qa