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Doha, December 31 (QNA) – The State of Qatar has hosted throughout the year 2023 many cultural activities and made multi-level achievements, turning Doha into a key cultural and civilizational hub.
The activities including festivals, awards, art exhibitions and seminars brought together writers and cultured people from worldwide and established the principles of openness to world cultures while preserving the authentic values of the Qatari society.
In Nov. 2023, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) adopted, in its 42nd General Conference, Qatar’s proposal submitted by the Qatar Museums Authority with support from the Qatar National Commission for Education, Culture, and Science for the celebration of the 50th anniversary of National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ) in 2024-2025. The move reflected the important role of the NMoQ, founded on June 23, 1975, in preserving national identity, as a cornerstone linking Qatars past, present and future.
The same month saw the Ministry of Culture hosting the first Arab coordination meeting to include the traditional Arab Bisht on the list of intangible cultural heritage of the UNESCO. The meeting that brought together representatives and experts from 12 Arab countries was held in cooperation with the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) and the Qatar National Commission for Education, Culture and Science (QNCECS).
Also in Nov., 2023, the ALECSO crowned the Cultural Village Foundation – Katara as the ‘City of the Arabic Novel, in a ceremony held at the pan-Arab organization’s headquarters in Tunis.
Organized by Cultural Village Foundation (Katara) since 2015, the Katara Award for Arabic Novel is one of the major cultural events taking place in the State of Qatar. The award has gone through several developmental stages and launched many initiatives and programs in each of its sessions. In September 2023, the city of Lusail was designated as the Capital of Culture in the Islamic World for the year 2030, during the Twelfth Conference of Ministers of Culture in the Islamic World, which was organized by the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) and hosted by the State of Qatar, represented by the Ministry of Culture.
The designation of Lusail City as the Capital of Culture in the Islamic World was a culmination of the efforts of the Qatari Ministry of Culture and its success in presenting an exceptional model through Doha as the Capital of Culture in the Islamic World. The State of Qatar also won the presidency of the Culture Committee of the Arab Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO).
The organization’s committees aim to involve member states to develop joint Arab action and enhance communication and participation to support the organization’s programs and activities in all fields, including education, culture, science, communication and information. In August 2023, Qatar National Library (QNL) was chosen to be the first regional office of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) in the Middle East and North Africa region.
Made on the sidelines of the 88th session of the Union’s General Conference in the Dutch city of Rotterdam, the announcement culminates QNL’s record of achievements in recent years, especially in promoting the dissemination of knowledge without restrictions, free access, creativity and cultural development, and consolidates its position as a leading cultural institution in the Arab world. In April 2023, HE Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Dr. Nasser bin Hamad Al Hanzab, received the certificate of the State of Qatar’s accession to the file “The Palm… Knowledge, Skills, Traditions and Practices” as an intangible cultural element on the list intangible cultural heritage.
On December 1, 2022, the State of Qatar joined the palm file during the seventeenth session of the UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, in Rabat. This accession is a reflection of the State of Qatar’s keenness to preserve the tangible and intangible cultural heritage, as part of the cultural formation of the common Qatari and Arab identity. During February 2023, Katara announced the completion of 13 volumes of the “Qatar Cultural Encyclopedia”, which explains daily life vocabulary, traditional proverbs, traditional expressions, marine life, plants, birds and insects, utensils and foods, and places.
In January 2023, the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies announced the completion of publishing the results of the second phase of the Doha Historical Dictionary (from the year 201 AH to 500 AH) ( Throughout the year 2023, the general cultural scene in Qatar featured many events, most notably the Katara Prize for Prophet’s Poet.
Throughout the year, Katara has staged many cultural events and festivals that stimulate the cultural scene in the State of Qatar. It held the 5th Qatar International Arts Festival 2023 in cooperation with MAPS International WLL and in partnership with Expo 2023 Doha. The event encompassed 12 activities showcasing a range of creative works including painting, music, sculpture, fashion shows, conferences, and artistic workshops.
The festival attracted more visitors and fine arts audiences to learn about the cultures and arts of the participating countries, and celebrated an elite group of creative international artists in an inspiring atmosphere that allowed them to unleash their creative energies, superior skills, and distinctive artistic works. Katara also held the 13th Katara Traditional Dhow Festival which showcased traditional handicrafts as a model of the core relationship between utility and beauty in the tools and aesthetics of professions and crafts related to the maritime heritage.
Among the key Katara-held cultural events was the Katara International Arabian Horse Festival (KIAHF 2023), which received great international interest. The festival is an important event that encourages owners of purebred Arabian horses in Qatar and urges them to develop their production of this unique type of horse. The Ministry of Culture organized the 32nd Doha International Book Fair themed “With reading we rise.” Staged at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center, the event brought together over 500 publishers from 37 countries. This edition, which hosted the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as a guest of honor, saw 750,000 books on display.
The Ministry of Culture also organized the Ramadan Book Fair 2023 and the Seminar Series – important cultural events that the Ministry of Culture is keen to host throughout the year. In May 2023, Qatar Museums (QM) hosted the INTERCOM Doha 2023 Conference under the theme “The Future Museum: Framing the Skills and Mindsets of the Visionary Leader”.
The event assembled participants from worldwide, including museum directors, curators, educators, researchers and communications specialists with the aim of exchanging ideas and learning about best practices in the field. In Nov., 2023, the QM organized the POW! WOW! Festival, a mural arts event that was held for the first time in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Bringing together 12 local, regional and international artists, the event sought to revitalize urban spaces throughout Doha. (QNA)
