The Cultural Village Foundation-Katara has wrapped up the two-day Cultural Festival of the International Public Diplomacy to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the international diplomatic network.
The event was organised by Katara in collaboration with the embassies of 29 countries from the network's member states and drew record turnout from people of various nationalities.
Secretary-General of the General Public Diplomacy Network and CEO of the Katara Public Diplomacy Centre, Maryam Majid al-Saad expressed her pleasure with the festival's accomplishments, highlighting both its success and the unique cultural experiences it offered, where people from various nations engaged with one another, pointing out that the festival was not merely a cultural event, but rather a platform for civilisational communication and confirmation of the major role that cultural diplomacy performs in promoting understanding among nations.
Al-Saad lauded the effective collaboration between Katara and the embassies of the network's member states, adding that she is grateful to all participants for their contributions to the success of the event. She also praised the incredible public attendance and the outstanding interaction during the festival.
For his part, Director of Turkish Cultural Centre in Doha Prof Dr Ahmet Uysal expressed his happiness for the centre's participation in the festival, pointing out throughout the past years, Katara and its General Public Diplomacy Network have been providing all members of the network with the opportunity to hold numerous events in multiple realms to introduce cultures.
Prof Dr Uysal noted the long-standing co-operation between Katara and the Turkish Cultural Centre, which has led to numerous events showcasing Turkish culture, heritage, art, and history. He added that public diplomacy plays a pivotal role in strengthening relationships between nations and peoples, as it helps foster shared understanding and respect amid mounting global challenges and cultural differences.
He underlined that public diplomacy has become a fundamental tool for breaking cultural barriers and enhancing understanding among nations by fostering this understanding through a variety of events that help people internalise each others cultures.
The festival featured several activities, exhibitions, workshops and recreational shows, such as the cultural exhibition that showcased a collection of exhibits on handicrafts and workshops, in addition to a coin and stamp exhibition showcasing a selection of stamps from 29 countries of the network's member states, reflecting the culture of the participating countries in promoting environmental sustainability.
The audience also enjoyed the shows at the Al Thuraya Planetarium, featuring films from Qatar, Ukraine, Bulgaria, South Korea, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as entertainment performances from several countries of the General Public Diplomacy Network member states.
