(MENAFN- The Peninsula) joelyn baluyut |
The Peninsula
Doha: The Qatar-Indonesia Year of Culture is strengthening the bilateral relations, said Ambassador of Indonesia to Qatar, H E Ridwan Hassan.
Talking to The Peninsula, he said that the year-long cultural exchange initiative involves, connects, and engages a large number of individuals to help them learn about the cultures of Qatar and Indonesia.
The envoy detailed a number of activities happening in both nations, the most recent of which is wherein two chefs from Indonesia and Qatar will be travelling around Indonesia this summer to work together on projects centred on their shared passion for food.
The Qatar-Indonesia Year of Culture was officially launched on March 12, and throughout 2023, both nations will host a range of cultural activities, including residency, volunteer opportunities, sporting and culinary events, and art exhibitions.
Indonesia is the first Southeast Asian country to partner with the Year of Culture initiative.
Ambassador Hassan said it is essential to celebrate cultural programmes and this type of multilateral collaboration is more important than ever for the world and it starts with empowering people with the freedom to communicate, educate, and celebrate one another.
“This is why Year of Culture programmes are crucial to strengthening ties between nations. Indonesia welcomes the opportunity to celebrate our robust partnership with Qatar through the Qatar-Indonesia 2023 Year of Culture.”
Indonesia was also the guest of honour at last month's Qatar International Food Festival which featured live cultural performances and cuisine demonstrations by Indonesian chefs.
Moreover, Iftar nights in Doha - Indonesian culinary experiences were held at the National Museum of Qatar in the last week of March.
This event was organised in collaboration with Javara, an Indonesian company devoted to preserving forgotten food biodiversity heritage, and will let residents of both nations experience new foods and flavours.
At its famous collections and institutions, including the Museum of Islamic Art and the Lusail Museum, Qatar Museums began showcasing some of the hidden treasures from Indonesia in February, including artefacts and poignant photographs that highlight the close ties between Indonesian and Qatari culture.
This year marks the 12th anniversary of the Year of Culture which is an international cultural exchange in Qatar that fosters greater understanding between nations and their people.
Previous Years of Culture were Qatar-Japan 2012, Qatar-UK 2013, Qatar-Brazil 2014, Qatar-Turkiye 2015, Qatar-China 2016, Qatar-Germany 2017, Qatar-Russia 2018, Qatar-India 2019, Qatar-France 2020, Qatar-USA 2021 and Qatar-MENASA 2022.