(MENAFN- The Peninsula)
Ayeni Olusegun/ The Peninsula
Ties between Africa and Qatar continue to develop in various ways – through investments, humanitarian aid and projects, and support for start-ups in promising locations.
Amir H H sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has toured several African countries recently, promoting investment, bilateral trades, cultural exchanges, and mutual respect.
H H the Amir's visits, Qatar's hosting of several African Presidents, and the opening of embassies and diplomatic representations have significantly elevated and transformed Qatar's engagement with Africa.
However, the cultural relationship between Qatar and Africa remains an untapped sector. With 54 countries, Africa is the second-largest and second most populous continent after Asia, with diverse cultures and traditions in food, architecture, art, music, dance, and more.
Etta Toure, President of AWDG.
To bridge this vacuum in cultural understanding, especially with Sub-Saharan Africa, the African Women Diplomatic Group (AWDG) recently hosted Qatari Women's Association (QWA) to an event themed“Welcome to Africa in Qatar” at the Embassy of the Republic of Guinea in Doha.
The AWDG, which is composed of wives of African Ambassadors and Heads of Missions accredited to Qatar and other women in the diplomatic field, was established to support the efforts of their spouses as they engage with the Government of Qatar. The Group is dedicated to facilitating understanding and encourage friendships between the people of Qatar and Africa.
Over the past years, the QWA has hosted AWDG members to Qatari cuisine, culture, and traditions.
Hosted by the AWDG President Etta Toure, spouse of the Ambassador of the Republic of Guinea to Qatar, Lansine Toure, the event introduced the Qatari women in attendance to the wonders of Africa.
The event began with an exhibition of various African artifacts, perfume oils and fabrics. The invitees, who included Qataris from several institutions, such as the Qu'ranic Botanic Garden (QBG), and businesswomen in Qatar, were introduced to Africa via a presentation. From the presentation, the Qatari audience was asked some questions and the winners received gifts from different parts of Africa.
The President of the AWDG, Etta Toure, said:“We have shared different ideas, traditions, and knowledge with people who are coming from a different background than our own.”
Toure, who replaced Anika Moosa as President, said:“We were surprised to learn that many Qataris have never visited Sub-Saharan Africa. It is in this context that we are planning to continue our engagement to promote friendships through our 'Welcome to Africa in Africa' events. The plan is to present Africa's culture, traditions, people and resources at future events with various Qatari women's groups.”
On her goals as president of the Group, Toure said:“The AWDG is part of a larger group, the Spouses of Heads of Missions (SOHOM) in Qatar. SOHOM has been in existence for some years now, and its focus is on building understanding and friendships between Qatar and the countries represented.
“In AWDG, I plan to build on what others have done in facilitating relationships between the people of Qatar and the continent of Africa. In the two years that I have been in Qatar, I have come to realise that AWDG members can be effective cultural exchange agents in Qatar, not only for our countries but for the whole continent.”
Hamda El Enazi, a member of the QWA, said:“This beautiful gathering has shown us how much we have been ignorant about this rich continent. It has every kind of resource known to us, but the most valuable resource is human. Africa is one of the wealthiest places of young population and wherever there is youth you will find future. Before this event, our ignorance about Africa was justified, but now onwards, ignorance is an unforgivable mistake.”
According to Statista, 1.04 million tourists arrived in Africa from overseas as of May 2021, significantly higher than the 533,000 international tourists who visited the continent in May 2020.
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