Rabat – Qatar has named Morocco as its 2024 Culture Partner for its “Years of Culture” initiative, an honor that reflects the two countries’ long-standing “cultural exchanges.”
The Years of Culture initiative is an international cultural exchange program aiming to bring Qatar and other nations closer using culture as a conduit.
Morocco and Qatar are currently planning to co-organize over 80 events, covering a wide range of eras such as social development, cultural heritage, creative industries, and innovation, according to a statement from the Qatar Museums, a government entity.
Issued on Wednesday, the statement explains that the “dynamic programs aim to spark exploration and connection between the people of both nations and create lasting legacies of cooperation.”
Beyond culture, the two Arab nations launched official diplomatic ties in 1972 and have since extended their bilateral cooperation to encompass a wide range of fields including security, judiciary, and tourism, driving economic prosperity for their citizens, the statement explains.
The bilateral ties between the two countries received a boost in the lead-up to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, as Morocco shared its security expertise with the Gulf country.
Chairperson of the initiative, Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, said that Qatar’s partnership with Morocco in 2024 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.”
He explained that 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.”
He added that they look forward to a “vibrant and wide-ranging program that will resonate far into the future for both the Qatari and Moroccan communities.”
For his part, Adel El Fakir, Qatar-Morocco 2024 Year of Culture General Commissioner, said that this year’s edition is a “unique event that reinforces the privileged relations between our two countries.”
The event is equally 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.” He added that Qatar is a “unique secular country, anchored in its roots… [but] at the same time open to the world.”
The statement explains that Sheikha Al Mayassa launched Years of Culture in 2012 based on Qatar’s steadfast belief that cultural interactions are powerful tools for finding common ground between diverse societies.
Programming under the initiative includes art exhibitions, cultural festivals, educational partnerships, and exchanges, organized in collaboration with 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.
In addition, shared traditions of arts and craftsmanship will be spotlighted through artisan residencies and public workshops in both countries. Major exhibitions, culinary experiences, and sporting events will also take place throughout the year.
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