Doha: Qatar Museums today announced 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 India and 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.

“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. 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,” Indian Ambassador P Kumaran said.

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.

“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,” Ahmad Al Namla, Acting CEO at Qatar Museums said.

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.

“We are delighted to be the Official Airline Partner of the Qatar India 2019 Year of Culture, which will take place in both Qatar and in India. 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,” Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, Akbar Al Baker, said.

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.

Source: The Peninsula Qatar