Qatar’s openness in sharing spaces, rich culture highlighted

The World Wide Walls (WWW), formerly known as Pow! Wow!, international mural festival paints a positive image of Qatar and the Arab world, demonstrating openness in sharing spaces and rich culture with the global community, according to a participating artist from Ghana.
The event, which began on November 26 and running until December 2 at the Old Doha Port in the Mina District, features artists from around the world, including renowned Ghanaian artist Mohammed Awudu.
Speaking to Gulf Times Monday, Awudu expressed his admiration for Qatar’s cultural inclusivity and its role as a hub for art, saying: “This is a very good image for the Arab world, especially Qatar, opening its spaces for Arab people to share what they have, so for me, this is a big step for everybody to adopt each other from different spaces.
Awudu said his artwork carries a powerful message about freedom, cultural expression, and the acceptance of diversity: “My artwork being showcased here represents freedom, everybody deserves freedom.
About the location for the festival and his piece, Awudu shines a spotlight on the cultural fusion within his creation: “For me, this artwork is the best for this location, adding to the culture. I put African elements in my work that have a culture of Arabian or Middle East influence.”
He said residents and visitors will see “a lot of vibrant colours” at the Mina District once they finish the murals. “Today's the second day of painting and everybody is trying to put up a good energy. For me I just finished the sketch and it's just 1 o'clock so it’s good for me, I can continue painting.”
The World Wide Walls festival, organised by Qatar Museums (QM), aims to bring together local, regional, and international artists to beautify the walls in and around the Old Doha Port.
This initiative, which Awudu described as a “World Cup for artists”, provides a platform for diverse talents to showcase their art and contribute to the city's aesthetics.
QM, known for its commitment to public art initiatives, hosts the World Wide Walls festival biannually. This year's edition features 13 artists, including local talents like Noura al-Mansoori, Ghada al-Suwaidi, and Abdulla Alsallat, as well as international artists like Awudu, Kevin Lyons (US), Caratoes (Hong Kong/Belgium), Sofles (Australia), Ettoja (Lithuania), Lula Goce (Spain), Adry del Rocio (Mexico), Hood (Oman) and Belal Khaled (Palestine). In partnership with the Years of Culture initiative, WWW has also invited Indonesian artist Herzven to commemorate the Qatar-Indonesia 2023 Year of Culture.
The festival is open to the public from 8am to 10pm.