Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al Thani, Chair of the Board of Trustees of Qatar Museums, inaugurated today the activities of the Year of Culture / Qatar-Indonesia 2023 / in a joyful reception hosted by the Museum of Islamic Art, during which musical performances and traditional dances were presented by Indonesian artists and members of the local community. Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa launched the Years of Culture initiative in 2012, which is an annual bilateral exchange that deepens understanding between Qatar and a partner country during a year of cultural events and activities. In her speech during the ceremony presented by Al-Jazi Al-Khayarin, the official spokesperson for the Years of Culture, Her Excellency said: "In this year of culture, we turn our attention eastward towards Indonesia, a large country whose vibrant, multi-layered culture was born many centuries ago through the crossroads of many civilizations. There are many things both nations value, including our countries’ role in the Muslim world, and much we share. We look forward to an exciting year of cultural exchanges, as we continue to develop our thriving creative and cultural industries".
Her happiness added: "The Years of Culture initiative helped us to highlight our best culture and arts, and contributed to strengthening our relations with brotherly countries, and enhanced mutual understanding between our people and the peoples of brotherly countries.". Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al Thani praised the cultural years work team, and the efforts and diligence they exerted in preparing for this cultural year, as they do every year. For his part, His Excellency Mr. Radwan Hassan, Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to the State of Qatar, began his speech with brief poetic verses in Arabic in praise of Qatar, at the beginning of which he said: Where do I begin? His Excellency added: "Indonesia and Qatar enjoy excellent relations based on common principles and common interests"Noting that the world "Today, more than ever, such multilateral cooperation is needed, and this starts with enabling our peoples to interact, learn and celebrate each other, which is why the activities of the Years of Culture are essential to strengthening ties between countries. Indonesia welcomes the opportunity to celebrate our strong partnership with Qatar through the Qatar-Indonesia Year of Culture 2023.". In an exclusive statement to Qatar News Agency (QNA), HE Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia Ridwan Hassan said: "The celebration of the Qatar-Indonesia Year of Culture 2023, which was inaugurated today by HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al Thani, Chair of the Board of Trustees of Qatar Museums, always seeks to bring peoples closer culturally and artistically, in a way that strengthens official relations between the two sides."He pointed out that what Indonesia will offer will go beyond what is cultural and artistic to what is commercial and in the religious field. For her part, Ms. Aisha Ghanem Al-Attiyah, Director of the Cultural Diplomacy Department at Qatar Museums, said: The Indonesian national slogan Bhinneka Tunggal Ika, or unity in diversity, fully expresses the spirit of the cultural year / Qatar-Indonesia 2023 /, as through our many activities that will be held In both countries, we will weave together diverse relationships characterized by strength and resilience.
After the opening speeches, the audience toured the new galleries containing artifacts from Southeast Asia, and includes an impressive collection of artifacts from Indonesia. The galleries remind visitors that the region today is home to the largest Muslim community in the world, highlighting the links between different cultures through holdings related to the trade of goods and the exchange of ideas in the Islamic world and beyond. The holdings feature gold jewelry and distinctive Indonesian textiles. In this regard, Sheikha Nasser Al-Nasr, Deputy Director of the Museum Affairs Department at the Museum of Islamic Art, said: "At the Museum of Islamic Art, we tell the story of the spread of Islam throughout the world, and the impact it had on art and culture. The Museum of Islamic Art, in its new look, completes this story, by adding galleries dedicated to the Indian Ocean region and Southeast Asia.". In addition, the Year of Culture / Qatar – Indonesia 2023 / will witness a series of performances, art exhibitions, sports and culinary events, photography projects, artistic residency and volunteer programs, and many others. With a special focus this year on Qatar’s experience in developing its creative and cultural economy, the Year of Culture (Qatar-Indonesia 2023) will address projects that will enhance the creative and cultural industries in both countries, while highlighting long-term sustainable partnerships, so this sector represents a strategic investment. Especially for countries with emerging economies such as Indonesia, where the creative and cultural economy accounts for 7% of the country’s gross domestic product, and is expected to witness greater growth, according to the Indonesian Agency for the Creative Economy. With the approach of the holy month, the blessed month of Ramadan will provide an opportunity to embark on a journey for a special culinary experience in both countries, as Indonesian chefs will add traditional ingredients to the menus of many restaurants in Qatar during the month of Ramadan, and special cooking shows will be organized at the Qatar International Food Festival, and at the time In the same way, recipes from Qatari cuisine and traditional celebrations such as the Garangao will carry over to Indonesia, and the two countries’ shared love of food continues to be celebrated during the summer, as chefs from Qatar and Indonesia travel on a culinary journey across Indonesia. The Years of Culture initiative, in partnership with Reach Out to Asia, is organizing a volunteer trip for a group of young people from Qatar to work with school children in Indonesia. The audience will also watch a special theatrical show entitled / My Life / (The Tree of Life): Searching for the Essence of Love, organized and presented by the Indonesian Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology. This show is specially presented in Qatar to celebrate the Year of Culture, and the work will be a wonderful visual exploration of the relationship between personal identity and cultural traditions. The longest cultural exchange program will also be organized within the Qatar Years of Culture initiative this year, a photography journey, supported by the Jakarta International Photography Festival, where two photographers from Qatar and Indonesia will take pictures of traditional practices, documenting and preserving the intangible cultural heritage in both countries. . A photo exhibition of the participants will then be held in Qatar and Indonesia later in the year. In the fall of 2023, the Years of Culture team will organize a cultural festival in Qatar to celebrate shared traditions such as craftsmanship and hospitality, three major events will celebrate the living cultural traditions of Qatar and Indonesia through a month of workshops during September, and a special exhibition celebrating the shared appreciation of The two countries are hosting rituals of hospitality, making coffee at the National Museum of Qatar during the month of (October), participating in the Ubud Festival for Readers and Writers, and the return of the annual cultural festival in the Flags Square and the celebration of Indonesia, the partner in the cultural year during the month of (November), in addition to film screenings in the two countries. The Year of Culture will also highlight the promotion of creative and cultural industries through three-month art residencies, in collaboration with Qatari and Indonesian designers, to encourage the direct participation of emerging talents from both countries. Residency programs in which countries cooperate will provide opportunities for Qatari product and fashion designers to discover traditional Indonesian handicrafts from local masters of jewelry design, metalworking, pottery, and embroidery. , Sumba (metal decoration), and Lombok (pottery). Each residency program will require participants to consider issues of waste management and sustainability in their choices of materials and designs for their artwork. Final works will be presented at high-profile festivals celebrating Indonesian culture and design, including the Contemporary Indonesian Art and Design Festival from October to November. 2023, and Jakarta Fashion Week in October 2023, as well as the mega year-end exhibition at the National Gallery of Indonesia. Also, some of the artworks of the brightest contemporary artists in Qatar will be transferred to Indonesia as part of the Art Jog Festival 2023, in which participating artists are asked to reveal their goals and motives behind their artworks, through various interactive activities and discussions, and what is known as Silahturahmi "the friendship" (a concept based on Islamic practices regarding maintaining or repairing bonds between family members or relatives adopted by the Muslim community in Indonesia) with artists.
