Qatar Museums announced that the Republic of India is the Official Partner Nation for the 2019 Year of Culture. The announcement kickstarts an exciting array of programme of exhibitions, festivals, competitions and events, 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 the Republic of India and the State of 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.

According to HE the Indian Ambassador P Kumaran, they are happy to partner with Qatar Museums and they look forward to organising cultural events to showcase the deep cultural roots and people-to-people links between India and Qatar over the years. He said that the Embassy will be working closely with the Indian community in Qatar.

Qatar Museums Acting CEO Ahmad Al Namla said they are thrilled to have India as partner nation for Year of Culture 2019 and look forward to working with a range of leading institutions to deliver their planned programmes.

Culture is one of the most effective tools for bringing people closer together and we look forward to our Year of Culture 2019 to celebrate the similarities and differences between both our countries through widespread participation and engagement in Qatar and India.’

Qatar Airways, the Official Airline Partner of Qatar India 2019 Year of Culture, through their Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker, also expressed delight with the partnership.

We firmly believe that culture is a powerful, unifying tool that can bridge gaps and bring people from different communities and societies together. 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.’

The Qatar India 2019 logo (cover image) 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.

Some of the key events to look forward to in India include ‘The Monsoon Wedding, The Musical’,  scheduled to take place this January in New Delhi, and a contemporary Art Qatar Exhibition to showcase Qatar’s rapid social and urban transformation through the eyes of emerging artists from the country.

The Years of Culture programme, developed under the patronage of HE 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 is sponsored by Qatar Airways and 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.

For updates and more information, visit qm.org.qa.