Qatar Museums today announced the Republic of India as the Official Partner Nation for the 2019 Year of Culture. The announcement kickstarts an exciting array of programme of exhibitions, festivals, competitions and events that is all set to take place in both countries over the next 12 months.

The carefully curated programme is specially designed to promote mutual understanding, recognition and appreciation between both sovereign nations of the Republic of India and the State of Qatar. Qatar India 2019 Year of Culture will invite audiences in Qatar and India to explore their cultural similarities, as well as celebrate their differences.

HE the Indian Ambassador Mr. P. Kumaran stated, "We are happy to partner with Qatar Museums for the Qatar India 2019 Year of Culture ' and look forward to organising a number of cultural events during the course of the year, in a manner that effectively showcases the deep cultural roots and people-to-people links between India and Qatar over the years. These events will cover a wide range of activities including dance performances, musical presentations, film festivals, painting and photography exhibitions, food festivals, fashion shows, calligraphy exhibitions, textiles exhibitions and yoga. As part of this process, the Embassy will be working closely with the Indian community organisations in Qatar."

Ahmad Al Namla, Acting CEO at Qatar Museums said, “We are thrilled to confirm India as our partner nation for the Year of Culture 2019 and look forward to working with a range of leading institutions to deliver the incredible programmes that we have planned. Culture is one of the most effective tools for bringing people closer together and we look forward to our Year of Culture 2019 to celebrate the similarities and differences between both our countries through widespread participation and engagement both in Qatar and in India.”

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “We are delighted to be the Official Airline Partner of the Qatar India 2019 Year of Culture, which will take place in both the State of Qatar and in India. We firmly believe that culture is a powerful, unifying tool that can bridge gaps and bring people from different communities and societies together. We look forward to celebrating this significant cultural collaboration that will bring people from both sovereign nations together, especially in the fields of art, music, sports and heritage.”

The Qatar India 2019 logo reflects how festivals are at the heart of people’s lives in India. In fact, the numerous and varied festivals that are held throughout the year, offer a unique way of seeing Indian culture at its best. The Devanagari font, one of the most popular fonts for writing Hindi, is combined with Arabic to create a harmonious blend of the two scripts.

Some of the key events to look forward to in India include ‘The Monsoon Wedding The Musical, which is scheduled to take place in January 2019 in New Delhi, and a contemporary Art Qatar Exhibition – a landmark exhibition showcasing Qatar’s rapid social and urban transformation through the eyes of talented emerging artists from the country.

With regards to events taking place in Qatar, residents and visitors to the country will be able to enjoy the Year of Culture experience at the Doha International Book Fair 2019 where India will be the Guest of Honour. Other highlights include an exhibition by Raqs Media Collective, which makes contemporary art, edits books and curates exhibitions, and a ‘Festival of India’ event that will feature a range of visual arts and performances such as classical dance and music (both Indian and Western), as well as cinema and theatre.

The focus for most of the programmes of Qatar India 2019 Year of Culture will be on exploring and celebrating cultural, artistic and educational exchanges between the two countries. The Years of Culture programme, developed under the patronage of H.E. Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Museums, has gone from strength to strength with each passing year and the breadth and depth of activities have continued to expand.

Qatar India 2019, sponsored by Qatar Airways, was planned in collaboration with leading institutions in Qatar and India, including the Embassy of Qatar in New Delhi, the Embassy of India in Doha, Qatar's Ministry of Culture and Sport, Qatar foundation, The National Tourism Council, Doha film institute and many more.

Amongst the many highlights of the Qatar Russia 2018 Year of Culture were several initiatives and projects such as a friendly football match between artists and politicians from Qatar and Russia, a fashion show featuring Qatari designers, and the opening Pearls: Treasures from the Seas and the Rivers – all of which took place in Russia, as well as Russia’s participation as the ‘guest country’ at the Doha International Book Fair 2018.

The Qatar Russia 2018 Year of Culture was further graced by an unforgettable performance by the award-winning Igor Moiseyev Ballet, directed by Elena Shcherbakova, renowned artist and Executive Director of Igor Moiseyev State Academic Ensemble of Popular Dance. The Qatar Contemporary Art and Photography showcase exhibition held during the VII Saint Petersburg International Cultural Forum was also another notable major success, and finally, an exhibition of Russian-Avant Garde painting organised in partnership with the State Tretyakov Gallery and is currently on show at the Fire Station: Artist In Residence

Source: Press Release

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