Under the Patronage of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, cross-cultural exhibition ‘The Majlis Cultures in Dialogue’ of Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al-Thani Museum has opened in Valetta, the European culture capital.
The opening ceremony was attended by Malta President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca and a number of Maltese ministers and officials. From the Qatari side, the ceremony was attended by HE the Minister of Culture and Sports Salah bin Ghanem bin Nasser al-Ali, HE the Minister of State Hamad bin Abdulaziz al-Kuwari and HE Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim al-Thani along with a number of senior officials.
“The Majlis Cultures in Dialogue” is being organised at the initiative of the Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al-Thani Museum, in partnership with the Unesco Doha Office and the Qatar National Commission for Education, Culture and Science.
The exhibition, which features a collection of the Sheikh Faisal bin Qasim Al-Thani Museum, will tour a number of European countries, including France, Austria, Germany, Netherlands, Russia and the UK. The tour will continue through 2020.
“The Majlis Cultures in Dialogue” is part of a larger project that seeks to connect people, beliefs and cultures by offering a platform for respectful, yet incisive dialogue. Along with a programme of conferences and educational activities, the exhibition is designed to encourage visitors to respond to what they see and to share their own stories, creating dialogue between East and West, between young and old, between the past and the future.
At the opening ceremony, President Preca extended thanks to His Highness the Amir for his support for culture and patronage of the exhibition, pointing that the Malta’s capital Valletta is Europe’s cultural capital and that her country is a bridge for cultures in the heart of the Mediterranean.
“The exhibition contributes to achieving greater peace and diversity of cultures, where Arab culture is one of the pillars of the world heritage, calling for concerted efforts to celebrate diversity in all its forms.”
For his part, HE Salah bin Ghanem bin Nasser al-Ali said that the exhibition is of special importance due to the patronage of His Highness the Amir, adding that it is a global event because it reflects the cultural ties that Qatar seeks to affirm with the
countries of the world.
He also pointed that the exhibition promotes the value of civilisational dialogue among nations and the role of Qatar in devoting this value which allows humanity to progress, while considering the past as an arsenal of human experiences.
“The exhibition reflects the value of diversity and the impact of dialogue of cultures, and the openness of the East to the West, to emphasise that co-existence is based on dialogue, acceptance of the other and respect for culture.”
HE Dr Hamad bin Abdulaziz al-Kuwari praised the initiative of HE Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim al-Thani, pointing out that it is an example to make the private sector a companion to the public sector in culture, where his institution is very active in culture, as it has early awareness of the importance of culture, besides the collection of antiquities, artifacts and rare pieces.
HE Sheikh Faisal, the owner of this initiative, said: “We are grateful for the trust shown by His Highness the Amir and we believe that co-operation with Unesco serves the Qatari role in preserving history, culture and traditions for future
generations.”
The dignitaries at the event.
