Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation Publishing (BQFP) held its official launch at a reception hosted by Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle, London, in the presence of H H Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development. The event was held at the invitation of the Queen to mark one of several ground-breaking announcements between Qatar Foundation and British entities. Sheikha Mozah visited a private collection in the Royal Library with the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. On display at the reception was a Holy Quran from the 15th century as well as a collection of Arabic manuscripts, and books which were published by BQFP. Also at the reception, Sheikha Mozah met with Qatari students who are studying in the United Kingdom. “The launch of BQFP marks a far-reaching cultural partnership between Britain and Qatar, which strengthens the already close bilateral relationship between the two countries,” said Sheikha Mozah. “It also reflects Qatar Foundation’s commitment to progressive education and community welfare in Qatar, advocacy of closer relations between Islamic countries and the West, and Qatar’s aim to build a knowledge-based society.” BQFP is Qatar’s first international publishing house and aims to publish books of quality and originality in Arabic and in English, to promote the love of reading and writing, to help establish a vibrant literary culture in Qatar, and to establish publishing know-how and skills in Qatar. The venture will seek to identify and publish the next generation of great Arabic authors. BQFP will sell and distribute their books in Qatar, the Middle East and, through the Bloomsbury sales and marketing network, around the world. Publications will range from novels and non-fiction for adults and children through information and reference works to academic and educational titles. The events hosted by Qatar Foundation in London this week – including the launch of BQFP and an evening concert by Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra — celebrate the power of creativity and innovation and aim to strengthen the bonds between the two nations. The BQFP partnership is an example of the strong relationship between Qatar and the UK in trade, investment, education and research. http://thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=Local_News&subsection=Qatar+News&month=April2010&file=Local_News2010040731629.xml

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