Today saw the opening of the sixth annual Qatar British Festival in Doha. The festival celebrates the strong and ongoing cultural relationship between Qatar and the United Kingdom.

The 2019 Festival was officially launched by Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Qatar, His Excellency Ajay Sharma, with H.E. Dr Khalid bin Ibrahim Al Sulaiti, General Manager of Katara Cultural Village and Mrs Sam Ayton, Director British Council, Qatar.

The theme of this year’s festival is People and Place. Through the lens of public art, photography, music and film it will examine the impact of place on us and in turn, our impact on place and the long-lasting, positive effects of artistic exchange between the people of Qatar and the people of the United Kingdom. The festival will conclude with the Qatar-UK Alumni Awards; a celebration of the enduring success cultural exchange can bring to societies, through education.

Highlights from the Festival will include:

• Every Thing Every Time; a public art installation by FutureEverything. This is a ground-breaking installation which blurs art and technology. It is real-time digital writing that takes data from its position a city and turns it into a constantly changing poem about the location. It examines concepts of the ‘Smart City’, urging deeper reflection on the role of data in our lives and the connection between a city, its citizens and the technology that runs it.

• The Place I Call Home; a contemporary photography exhibition that explores the idea of ‘home,’ related to the experiences of young people living in the region and the UK at a time of rapid change and social mobility.
  
  
• Elgar Enigma Variations; award-winning concert violinist, Savitri Grier performs two famous pieces by Edward Elgar, Enigma Variations and Violin Concerto, with the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra.

HE Ajay Sharma, British Ambassador to Qatar, said: “The Qatar British Festival is a visible embodiment of the strong relationship between the UK and Qatar. It is a celebration of our cultures and through the various events on the programme it provides a unique and vibrant way of bringing people together. We are delighted that we are holding the Festival for its sixth year.”

H.E. Dr Khalid bin Ibrahim Al Sulaiti, General Manager of the Cultural Village Foundation- Katara, commented: “We are very pleased to partner with the British Embassy and British Council for the 6th year in a row to make the Qatar British Festival come to life and allow people from all walks of life to explore how you can use arts as a lens to better understand each other’s cultures and learn from each other’s heritage. As a Strategic Cultural Partner of the Qatar British Festival, we look forward to hosting a part of the programme that helps our visitors explore the theme of ‘People and Place’”.

Sam Ayton, Director British Council Qatar, concluded: “Our birthplace, where and how we are schooled and the places we live, all make a lasting imprint on the people we are today. The theme of this year’s festival seeks to explore the intricate relationship between people and place and the enduring legacy that comes from cultural exchange”

The sixth Qatar British Festival highlights British Council’s work and commitment to encouraging people to experience arts and culture from the Gulf region and the UK, and to recognise the historical link between the two countries. Last year’s festival was a great success with over 130,000 participants and visitors across more than 20 cultural events, with many partnerships forged and furthered.

We thank our partners for this year’s festival:

Social Media Partner: ILoveQatar.net

Strategic Partner: Katara Cultural Village,

Legacy Partner: Qatar Museums

Strategic Community Partner: Qatar National Library

Supported by: Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, HSBC, AFG College with the University of Aberdeen and UCL Qatar

Delivery Partners: Qatar Museums Culture Pass, Qatar University, Ministry for Municipality and Environment, Future Everything, Ffotogallery Wales, Doha Film Institute, Ajyal Film Festival and Qatar Music Academy.

Official Airline: Qatar Airways

Eco Partner: Paper Cut

Hospitality Partner: Marsa Malaz Kempinksi

Media Partner: Gulf Times

Acknowledgment of thanks to: J.Portman, Brand Consultancy

Twitter: #BritFestQA #Britqa #ukinqatar

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/britfestqa/

Instagram: @BritFestQA @qabritishcouncil @ukinqatar

Follow us: www.britishcouncil.org/qatar

Source: Press release

Follow us on our social media channels: @ILQlive @ILQlive @ILoveQtr ILoveQatar

Binu Cherian

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