With over 50 events completed and the biggest yet to come, the organisers of Qatar UK 2013 Year of Culture reveal a packed autumn schedule Doha, 15 September 2013: On the heels of the critically-acclaimed Fashion Exchange in London, Qatar UK 2013 organisers today announced a busy autumn schedule of events, emphasising that the best has yet to come. Building on the success of Qatar UK 2013 events in Qatar and the United Kingdom in the first half of the year, the autumn highlights announced today include: - The first visit to Qatar by the BBC Symphony Orchestra (30 September – 1 October, Katara Opera House) conducted by Sir Andrew Davis, performing works by three of England’s finest composers: Elgar, Britten and Vaughan Williams - Damien Hirst: Relics Exhibition (10 October 2013 – 22 January 2014, Al Riwaq), the artist’s first retrospective solo exhibition in the Middle East - Ben Barbour Exhibition (23 October – 16 November 2013) Following Ben’s artistic journey from Qatar to the UK on a vessel transporting Qatargas’ LNG this summer, the Doha based resident artist’s drawings will be on display in Katara for three weeks. In October and November, Qatar UK 2013 will also host a series of Café Scientifique – a series of informal events where scientists will host talks in public cafés and parks across Doha. Topics will vary from observation in human beings and animals to star gazing on the Corniche. The autumn programme will also include a ‘Women in Science’ day, in collaboration with Qatar Shell at the Qatar University on the 27th November, with talks and workshops from leading and inspiring Qatari and UK female scientists. For sporting enthusiasts, the Premier Skills coaching programme has been confirmed 19-23 October 2013, organised by Qatar Football Association and the Qatar Women’s Sport Association. Qatar UK 2013 will also be hosting an International Schools Football Tournament 12-18 December in Doha. Forthcoming UK events include: - The much anticipated V&A Pearls Exhibition (21 September 2013 – 19 January 2014) exploring the history of pearls at the world renowned Victoria and Albert Museum, London. - Hey’Ya: Arab Women in Sport (until 13 October) exhibition at the National Football Museum, Manchester - Ferozkoh: Traditional Arts from a contemporary Afghanistan (14 November 2013 – 19 January 2014) exhibition at the Leighton House Museum, London Qatar UK 2013 Year of Culture recently produced a film, celebrating the strength of the bilateral relationship between the UK and Qatar and highlighting some of the collaborative projects created during the Year of Culture, in the fields of visual and performing arts, sports, and science. Through events such as the first Arts and Disability Festival in the Middle East, the Ehtifal family day in Hyde Park as well as the artist Ben Barbour’s recent trip on an LNG vessel from Qatar to the UK, the enhanced cultural interchange has strengthened the relationship between the two nations, which will continue to flourish even when the Year of Culture concludes at the end of 2013. His Excellency Nicholas Hopton, British Ambassador to Qatar, said: “The Qatar UK 2013 Year of Culture has been a tremendously eventful year to date. People in both Qatar and the UK have had many opportunities to share and experience first-hand cultural, sporting and musical events from each other’s nations. The British Embassy is very excited about the upcoming UK Season here in Qatar and we are lending our full support to the project.” Commenting on the occasion, Miguel Blanco, Director of Strategic Cultural Relations, Qatar Museums Authority, said: “Qatar UK 2013 is the second bilateral Year of Culture coordinated by QMA. Working together with the British Council and our Platinum Sponsors - Qatargas, Shell and Vodafone - this cultural exchange initiative with the UK has given us the opportunity to promote cultural dialogue and programmes, strengthening bilateral relations between our two countries.” Martin Hope, Director of the British Council in Qatar said: “It has been an honour to work together with QMA on the Qatar UK 2013 Year of Culture; the year has been going from strength to strength with some fantastic experiences along the way. It has been and continues to be a year of firsts; we experienced STOMP in June, the BBC Symphony Orchestra is about to visit Qatar for the first time as is Relics: Damien Hirst Exhibition. The year has brought the best of Qatar to the UK and vice versa; we are really excited to get people of all ages and backgrounds involved and engaged in this cultural dialogue.” Hamad Al-Eida, spokesperson for Qatar UK 2013 Year of Culture, said”: “We are very pleased with the outcome of this collaboration in both Qatar and the UK to date. The Year of Culture has allowed us to experience and explore Qatari and British cultures in our countries, developing a deeper understanding for each other’s nations.” Mansour Rashid Al-Naimi-Public Relations Manager, Qatargas said: "Qatargas is pleased to be part of Qatar UK 2013 as a platinum sponsor and to provide all our support to such socially responsible initiatives which contribute to strengthening the relationship between the two countries and increasing the opportunities for cultural exchange. Through our Corporate Social Responsibility programme, we will continue to demonstrate our company's commitment to promoting activities in the fields of education, art, culture, community development and sports. We look forward to an exciting schedule of upcoming events for the rest of the Qatar UK 2013 autumn season". Rob Sherwin, General Manager Corporate Affairs and Deputy Country Chairman said: “Shell first invested in Qatar more than 50 years ago and has been promoting the bilateral relationship between Qatar and the UK since its earliest days. As the Qatar-UK programme gains further momentum with the opening of the highly-anticipated Pearls Exhibition and the BBC Symphony concerts, we are delighted to be supporting these events that showcase the best of both Qatar and the UK.” Mohammed Al Yami, Director of External Affairs, Vodafone Qatar said: “Vodafone Qatar is a British Company that is very proud to be operating successfully in Qatar through our partnership with Qatar Foundation- we are 77% owned here in Qatar mostly by local Qatari individuals. We are committed to fully support the Qatar National Vision 2030 by building a world class telecommunications infrastructure and to do whatever we can do to support the excellent and growing relationships between UK and Qatar. The Qatar UK Year of Culture is a really excellent initiative and is proving already to be a terrific success; we delighted and proud to be joint sponsor of the programme.” - ILQ News -

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