Privacy Policy

1 · Scope of the Policy and the Responsible Entity

QITAF Educational Company, as the organiser of Aqwam Qeela and the controller of personal data, respects your privacy. This policy explains how your personal data is collected, used, shared, retained, and protected when you use the sponsorship and Takween City participation application site (partners.aqwamqeela.qa) and submit an application through it, in accordance with Law No. (13) of 2016 on the Protection of Personal Data Privacy in the State of Qatar and any other applicable requirements in force. The main aqwamqeela.qa website has its own privacy policy.

2 · Data We May Collect

We are committed to collecting the minimum data necessary, according to the type of application (sponsorship or Takween City participation). This may include:

• Applicant data: full name, organisational email address, phone number, gender, age range, nationality, country and city, the organisation's head-office address, job title, and the declaration of authorisation to submit the application.
• Organisation data: organisation name in Arabic and English, organisation type, registration or licence number or official reference, website, and a description of the organisation.
• Application data: the application type, the sponsorship tier of interest or the description and details of the proposed participation, the objectives of the participation or sponsorship, and how you heard about the event (optional).
• Attached documents: the document proving the organisation's legal status, the organisation profile, the authorisation letter, the organisation logo, and the concept of the proposed participation or the custom sponsorship proposal, according to the application type.
• Data not collected at application stage and requested later only where needed: the application form does not ask for a Qatari ID or passport number or a personal photograph. This data may be requested after preliminary approval, from nominated individuals only, and for specific purposes — issuing permits, entry badges, accreditation, or visa procedures. A separate notice is given when it is requested.
• Technical and operational data: IP address, device and browser type, application and review logs, cookies and measurement data, security and performance data, and data generated by the security verification tool (CAPTCHA) used to protect the form from automated use.
• Correspondence: the content of the enquiries, requests, and comments you send us.

3 · How We Collect Data

We collect data directly from you when you complete the application form or write to us. Some technical data is also collected automatically when you use the website.

4 · Purposes of Processing

• Managing, reviewing, and verifying the completeness of sponsorship and Takween City participation applications.
• Sending the acknowledgement of receipt, the review result, and operational correspondence relating to the application.
• Contacting the applicant to request a missing document or a clarification.
• Preparing participation arrangements after preliminary approval, including the allocation of stands, spaces, or seats by QITAF.
• Operating and protecting the website, preventing misuse, handling faults, and measuring general performance and usage.
• Meeting legal and regulatory obligations, and responding to the competent authorities where there is a legal basis.

5 · Basis of Processing and Mandatory Data

We process your data based on your consent where it is required, or on your request to apply for sponsorship or participation, or to fulfil legitimate legal and operational obligations permitted by law. Mandatory fields are clearly marked; the application may not be submitted if the data required for it is not provided. The consent relating to media use is a separate, optional consent, and declining it does not prevent the application from being submitted.

6 · Photography and Media Recording

The event may be photographed or recorded for documentation and media coverage purposes. Clear notice of this is given at the event venue, through announcements and signage at the entrances and inside the halls. Where identifiable individual images or interviews are used for promotional purposes, the necessary arrangements for that are completed at the venue, in direct coordination with the person concerned.

7 · Data Sharing and Service Providers

We do not sell or rent your personal data. We may share only what is necessary to perform the service with authorised staff at QITAF, and with providers of hosting, email, application management, automated-abuse protection, measurement and analytics, security, and event-operation services. The use of these services is governed by each provider's published terms of service and privacy policy. We may disclose it to a competent authority where the law requires. We do not share your data with sponsors for their marketing purposes except with your separate consent.

8 · Processing or Transfer Outside the State of Qatar

The use of some service providers may require data to be processed or stored outside the State of Qatar. QITAF Educational Company remains the controller of this data and the party responsible for it. We apply the technical and organisational measures within our control, including access-permission controls, and restricting access to authorised staff. The use of these services is governed by each provider's published terms of service and privacy policy. We comply with the requirements of Law No. (13) of 2016 regarding transfers of personal data outside the State.

9 · Cookies

The website uses cookies that are strictly necessary for its operation and security, for protecting the application form from automated use, and for signing in to the application-management back office; these do not require consent. The website also uses measurement and analytics cookies for statistical purposes. Analytics cookies and any non-essential cookies are activated only after your consent through the cookie preferences banner. You may reject non-essential cookies or change your preferences at any time from that banner.

10 · Data Security

We apply technical and organisational measures appropriate to the nature of the data and the risks, including securing communications, controlling permissions.

Nevertheless, absolute security cannot be guaranteed for any electronic system.

11 · Data Retention

We retain data for the period necessary to review the application, manage the event, and fulfil the purposes set out in this policy and the legal obligations, taking into account the type of data and the purpose of its collection. After that period, the data and the attached documents are securely deleted or anonymised, unless they must be retained for longer under the law or to pursue a legal claim.

12 · Your Rights

You may exercise any of the following rights by submitting your request via email to support@aqwamqeela.qa:

• To request to know and access the data we process about you, within the limits permitted by law.
• To request the correction, completion, or updating of inaccurate data.
• To request the erasure of data or the cessation of its processing where the legal conditions are met.
• To withdraw consent for processing that is based on consent, without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before the withdrawal.

We may request information to verify your identity before acting on a request, and these requests are served manually by the authorised QITAF team following that verification. If a complaint cannot be resolved with us, you may refer to the competent authority for personal data protection in the State of Qatar.

13 · External Links

The website may include links to external sites or services not operated by QITAF. Those sites are subject to their own privacy policies, and we recommend reviewing them before providing any data.

14 · Policy Updates

We may update this policy when the website’s functions, the processing requirements, or the relevant regulations change. The updated version is published on this page together with the last-updated date.

15 · Privacy Contact

For enquiries or requests relating to your data rights, contact QITAF Educational Company at support@aqwamqeela.qa, writing "Privacy" in the subject line, or by phone on 50037775.

16 · Data Collected by Application Type

Data is collected according to the type of application you choose, as follows:

• Common data for both application types: the applicant data, the organisation data, the required documents, the declaration of authorisation, the mandatory consents, and the optional media-use consent.
• Data not collected at application stage: Qatari ID or passport number and a personal photograph — requested only after preliminary approval and from nominated individuals, as set out in section 2.
• Sponsorship applications: the common data, the sponsorship tier of interest (recorded as data only, with no payment through the website), the objectives of the sponsorship, and a custom sponsorship proposal if provided.
• Takween City participation applications: the common data, the description of the proposed participation, its title, objectives, target audience, what will be offered to the visitor, its link to Takween City, the products or services to be displayed if any, and the initial technical requirements, together with the concept of the proposed participation.

17 · Storage and Use of Your Data Within the System

All the data and documents you provide through the website's form are saved and persisted in the system database, and are used to review and manage the application and to communicate with you about it. Operational records linked to the application are also stored — such as the application number, the date and time of submission, the review status, and any changes made to the data. This data is accessible to authorised staff at the organiser according to their permissions, through the application-management back office, and is processed in line with the purposes and retention periods set out in this policy. QITAF Educational Company remains the controller of this data and the party responsible for it.