Director-General of the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) Mohamed Ould Amar and heads of other Arab national cultural committees praised Qatar’s hosting of the activities of “Doha, Capital of Culture in the Islamic World 2021.”
In their speeches addressed to the Ministry of Culture and Sports, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and the Qatar National Commission for Education , Culture and Science, they expressed their congratulations on the milestone, and emphasized the vitality of the cultural scene in Qatar. They said that hosting the event reflects the State of Qatar’s efforts in building knowledge, serving culture and spreading it at the local and international levels. They extended their congratulations to HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.
ALECSO’s Director-General said that hosting the event in Doha was a result of the State of Qatar’s efforts in creating a vibrant cultural scene, adding that the event also helps enhance cooperation between Arab and Islamic countries as well.
He noted that Qatar had always played an important role in culture ever since they were known as Katara in Ptolemy’s maps, the name latter given to Qatar’s cultural village. He praised Katara the cultural village for its innovative energy and for being a platform for all intellectuals and artists to meet.
Ould Amar praised the cooperation between the organization and the State of Qatar on many projects. That included launching the first Arab prize for heritage in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture, and hosting workshops on managing cultural heritage and protecting it. Katara also will soon organize the Arab week for international novels, which will launch soon. He added that ALECSO and the State of Qatar also participate in other projects on Arabic calligraphy and launching the Arab prize for novels.
Meanwhile, Secretary of ALECSO’s Executive Council Dr. Mourad Mahmoudi said that choosing Qatar as the capital of culture in the Islamic world for 2021 was based on merit, stressing that the State of Qatar will leave its mark on the edition.
A number of Arab officials concerned with cultural affairs expressed their hopes for the success of this year’s activities, adding that they are prepared to cooperate towards that goal. The acting secretary-general of Algerian national committee for education and science Nadia Bouhara congratulated the State of Qatar for hosting the event, and expressed her hope the event’s activities a success. Secretary-General of Iraq’s national committee for culture and sciences congratulated the State of Qatar for hosting the event, adding that Doha will be the best representative of Islamic culture during that period.
“Doha, Capital of Culture in the Islamic World 2021” activities, which take place over the course of 2021, are held under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture and Sports, in cooperation with the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), the Qatar National Committee for Education, Culture and Science, and the strategic partners in the country, namely, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, Qatar Foundation for Education Science and Community Development (QF), Qatar Museums, the Cultural Village Foundation (Katara), and other state institutions. Qatar Charity and the Social and Sporting Activities Support Fund (DAAM) as golden sponsors