Doha: Minister of Education and Higher Education HE Lolwah bint Rashid Al Khater inaugurated on Wednesday the new premises of the French Institute of Qatar, located in the Al Tarfa area of Doha. Its inauguration is part of efforts to strengthen bilateral cultural exchange between the State of Qatar and the French Republic.

The inauguration was attended by Ambassador of the French Republic to the State of Qatar HE Arnaud Pescheux, and Dr. Nouf Khalid Al Suwaidi, Director of the International Cooperation Department at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and Secretary-General of the Qatar National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, along with senior officials from the Ministry and members of the French Embassy in Doha.

The French Institute, the largest cultural institution affiliated with the French Embassy in Doha and part of the global network of French Institutes, plays an active role in teaching the French language and culture and promoting the values of Francophonie through organizing classes, workshops, and cultural events, offering internationally recognized examinations, and providing Campus France services for students wishing to study at French universities.

In her address at the ceremony, Dr. Nouf Khalid Al Suwaidi said that the inauguration of the Institute's new headquarters represents far more than a mere expansion of a cultural institution, noting that it reflects the depth of the strategic alliance between the State of Qatar and the French Republic, an alliance built on trust and long-standing bilateral cooperation in academic, cultural, political, and humanitarian fields.

She added that the Ministry of Education and Higher Education has worked with the French Embassy and the institute to enhance French language programs in Qatari schools, organize academic collaboration events such as "France Day in Qatar," and support research and innovation partnerships between universities, in line with the goals of the Education Strategy 2025-2030, which aims to promote multilingualism and global citizenship.

She also commended the flourishing Qatari-French partnership in education, research, and the arts, highlighting joint educational institutions such as the Bonaparte and Voltaire schools and HEC Paris in Education City, in addition to cultural collaboration on pioneering projects like the National Museum of Qatar, designed by Jean Nouvel.

For his part, HE Ambassador of the French Republic to the State of Qatar Arnaud Pescheux affirmed that the relationship between the two countries is based on a shared vision that considers culture and education as fundamental pillars of development and bridges to human understanding. He added that the opening of the new institute reinforces mutual trust between the two countries and strengthens bilateral cooperation in the fields of culture and education.

The French Institute of Qatar boasts a legacy spanning nearly four decades of cooperation and cultural exchange. Today, it constitutes a comprehensive center for promoting the French language, fostering creativity and innovation, and expanding the bridges of cultural dialogue between Qatar and France.

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