Qatar-Indonesia 2023 Year of Culture highlights the importance of sports as key to cross-cultural collaboration
The Years of Culture (YoC) initiative announced its partnership with celebrated Qatari entrepreneur and athlete Ali Bin Towar al-Kuwari who will serve as Ambassador for one of its premier programmes – CultuRide.
The tour, taking place in June, will gather professional athletes and cycling enthusiasts in Yogyakarta, Indonesia for a cultural tour of important historical sites. As Ambassador, Al-Kuwari will represent Qatar throughout the programme, bringing together the international communities through sports and cultural exploration.
The appointment was announced during a signing ceremony at the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum in the presence of Qatar Museums CEO Ahmed Al Namla, State Minister Dr Hamad Bin Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari, Qatar Cycling Federation President Dr Mohamed Al Kuwari, mountaineer and philanthropist Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Thani and first Qatari female Ironman participant Lulwa Al-Marri.
According to Qatar Museums Director of Cultural Diplomacy, Aisha Ghanem Al Attiya, the theme for this Year of Culture, Binneka, encourages people to weave together diverse cultural practices. Inspired by this calling, she said that Qatar is celebrating the incredible diversity of Indonesia by sharing it with Qatari residents through the eyes of one of the country’s most beloved adventurers and sportsmen.
We are excited to see the stories he uncovers along the way.
CultuRide Ambassador Ali Bin Towar al-Kuwari, meanwhile, said he is honoured to have the opportunity to experience Indonesia through a shared love and appreciation of sports, especially cycling.
He said that the Years of Culture initiative is a powerful platform to explore the beauty of different places and people, which he said he will explore through the CultuRide programme and through the new documentaries being developed by his team.
CultuRide tour
The CultuRide tour will launch from Fort Vastenburg, an 18th-century Dutch fort located in Gladak, Surakarta, Central Java, a major regional landmark in Indonesia. Throughout the two-day tour, participants will travel and learn about several cultural destinations surrounding Solo and Yogyakarta, finally arriving at the largest Buddhist temple in the world at Borobudur.
Led by al-Kuwari, many of Qatar’s well-known athletes will travel to Indonesia for the CultuRide tour. It will be an inclusive event, with participants representing a variety of professional and amateur cycling clubs, along with para-cyclists from Qatar and Indonesia.
Along with spearheading the CultuRide, al-Kuwari and his team are also preparing two documentaries to explore the traditions and practices that Qatar and Indonesia share, as well as highlight the unique experiences and practices found in both countries.
To learn more about the Years of Culture programme, visit their website at yearsofculture.qa.
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