The organization Years of Culture has announced that they have chosen the Kingdom of Morocco as their partner for the year 2024. Over 80 events will take place in both Qatar and Morocco, covering different aspects of culture including social development, cultural heritage, creative industries, and innovation. These programs aim to facilitate exploration and connection between the people of both nations and establish long-term collaborations.
Qatar and Morocco established diplomatic relations in 1972 and have since collaborated effectively in various sectors such as security, judiciary, and tourism, resulting in mutual economic growth. The successful hosting of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 further demonstrated the strong diplomatic bond between the two countries, signifying a notable achievement in their longstanding bilateral relationship.
Years of Culture Chairperson Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani said, “Our partnership in 2024 with the Kingdom of Morocco will be the first Year of Culture that Qatar celebrates one-on-one with a North African country, bringing together two nations that share profound ties. The initiative will give the people of our countries dozens of exciting opportunities to learn deeply about one another and forge new connections, with a special emphasis this time on cultural heritage and its continuing influence on contemporary life. We look forward to a vibrant and wide-ranging program that will resonate far into the future for both the Qatari and Moroccan communities.
Qatar-Morocco
Adel El Fakir, Qatar-Morocco 2024 Year of Culture General Commissioner, said: “Qatar-Morocco 2024 is a unique event that reinforces the privileged relations between our two countries. It is also an exceptional opportunity to introduce to Qatar and to the whole world the rich cultural heritage of Morocco in all its diversity and its particularities which make our country a unique secular country, anchored in its roots, and at the same time open to the world.”
In 2012, Sheikha Al Mayassa initiated the Years of Culture project in Qatar, driven by the firm belief that cultural interactions hold great potential in fostering understanding among diverse societies. The program encompasses various activities such as art exhibitions, cultural festivals, educational partnerships, and exchanges, which are organized in collaboration with both local and international participants.
Many of the initiative’s long-running programs will return for Qatar-Morocco 2024. The Photography Journey, the longest-running Years of Culture exchange, will see photographers from Qatar and Morocco explore each other’s landscapes, capturing their perspectives on cultural diversity through their lenses. Additionally, shared traditions of arts and craftsmanship will be explored through artisan residencies and public workshops in both countries. Major exhibitions, culinary experiences, and sporting events will also take place throughout the year.
The forthcoming Design Doha biennial, which was previously disclosed, will encompass partnerships with designers from Morocco as a component of the Qatar-Morocco 2024 Year of Culture. This biennial event serves as a platform to highlight outstanding achievements and groundbreaking ideas within the design community in Qatar and the MENA region. It aims to establish professional opportunities and foster connections between practitioners from the Arab world and acclaimed design professionals worldwide.
Years of Culture
The Years of Culture program, led by Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, leads the way in establishing enduring cultural collaborations between Qatar and other countries. Its purpose is to foster appreciation and comprehension among diverse cultures and acts as a driving force for uniting people, fostering relationships, promoting dialogue, and enhancing comprehension. While the official activities take place over the course of one year, the impact of this initiative endures through legacy projects.
The Qatar-Morocco 2024 Year of Culture is developed in collaboration with organizations in Qatar with counterparts in Morocco and with assistance from the Moroccan Ministry of Youth, Culture, and Communication, Qatar’s Embassy in Morocco, and the Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco in Qatar.
SOURCE: Culture Connects such as Tourism: The Qatar- Morocco Case BY: eTurboNews | eTN