Qatar’s hub of art and culture brings to town a unique and colorful opportunity for cultural exchange Doha, March 16th 2011: Over 130 kites from 7 different countries will glide across the skies of Doha during Qatar’s first international kite extravaganza, Katara International Kites Family Day – a dynamic show involving kite flying demonstrations and workshops by some of the world’s most active kite enthusiasts. The event, which is open to the public, will take place from 3 p.m. – 10 p.m., on May 6 and 7, 2011, at the Esplanade in Katara – The Cultural Village During the weekend event, kite flying teams from China, India, Japan, Korea, Singapore, The Netherlands, and U.S.A. will demonstrate their kite flying skills to entertain spectators and conduct workshops on how to produce, design, and fly kites. “At Katara, our goal is to foster a rich and continuous growth of arts and culture in Qatar through engaging activities that leave a lasting, educational impact,” said Marcio Barbosa, General Manager, Katara – The Cultural Village. “We believe that the Katara International Kites Family Day is a fun-filled and innovative step towards this greater goal and will draw a lot of spectators, especially those who are kite lovers, as well as those who like to experience other cultures,” he said. Kites in a variety of colors, shapes, sizes, and cultural themes are to be seen during Katara International Kites Family Day 2011. Participating teams will display a variety of traditional, inflatable, sports, and LED-equipped kites during their performances. “Most of the members in my team have been flying kites over 20 years , some even have been flying kites for more than 30 years,” said Liu Zhiping, a kite flyer associated with the Weifang International Kite Festival Committee, who will represent Chinese culture at Katara International Kite Family Day. “We are all quite excited about this event, and look forward to putting on a great show in Qatar,” said Zhiping. Locally based partner non-governmental organizations (NGOs), including Algannas Society, Childhood Cultural Center, Qatar Fine Arts Society, Qatar Photographic Society, Qatar Society for Engineers, and Visual Art Center, will host informative activity booths at the event to raise awareness about their respective areas of interest. On both days, the event will conclude with 1,500 lanterns being lit and set adrift over Katara – The Cultural Village. About Katara International Kites Family Day Presented by Katara – The Cultural Village, International Kites Family Day is the first multicultural kite flying event to take place in Qatar. The family-oriented event is designed to raise awareness about kite flying and bring a culturally diverse group of kite fliers to Qatar, where they can experience first-hand Qatari arts, culture, and society. Over the course of event, professional kite flying teams will demonstrate a variety of kiting techniques using artistically designed kites to entertain spectators. International Kites Family Day is open to the public and offers additional recreational activities for both adults and children to engage in during their visit to Katara – The Cultural Village. About Katara – The Cultural Village Situated on the eastern coast of Doha, Katara – The Cultural Village is an integrated cultural landmark which possesses the character of a historic and inspirational breeding ground for arts and culture in Qatar. The village is built on 1,000,000 square meters, its interconnecting pathways and creatively placed buildings constructed to resemble Al Fareej, an ancient Qatari alley. Attractions offered by Katara – The Cultural Village include an open amphitheatre, an opera house, a cinema which can double as a drama theatre, a multi-purpose hall, handicrafts souq, book stall, and beach, in addition to a rich variety of international cuisine. Several locally based NGOs, including Algannas Society, Childhood Cultural Center, Qatar Fine Arts Society, Qatar Photographic Society, Qatar Society for Engineers, and Visual Art Center, currently operate in Katara – The Cultural Village. By hosting entertaining and informative festivals, exhibitions, forums, and other cultural events, Katara – The Cultural Village accentuates Doha’s globally recognized position as the capital of Arab culture.

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