QNA
Doha
Under the patronage of the Amir His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the 14th edition of the Katara Traditional Dhow Festival kicked off on Wednesday at the Cultural Village Foundation (Katara).
The festival, which will continue until December 7, was attended by Chairman of the Qatari Businessmen Association HE Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani and a number of ambassadors and representatives of diplomatic missions.
Speaking at the opening of the festival, Dr Khalid bin Ibrahim Al Sulaiti, Katara general manager said, "The Katara Traditional Dhow Festival is one of the most prominent cultural events that celebrates the Qatari and Gulf maritime heritage, and is an important opportunity to enhance the cultural identity of new generations, as it highlights the sea traditions that formed an important part of our daily lives in the past. With the 14th anniversary of the festival, this event has become a symbol of excellence in restoring and documenting that ancient maritime heritage that shaped the features of our civilised history.”
He added that the festival, which is one of the most important heritage festivals organised by Qatar and brings together a number of Gulf, Arab and friendly countries this year, is not only an occasion for celebration, but also a platform for education and awareness through its various activities and competitions.
Dr Sulaiti noted Katara’s role in preserving Qatar’s maritime heritage through various heritage events and providing an incubating environment that allows those interested of all ages to interact with this rich heritage and contributes to preserving it for future generations.
For his part, Jihad Al Jidah, a member of the festival’s organising committee, said the current version of the festival is the most creative in terms of location, crafts, and activities participating in the festival, as the location is characterised by a larger area, and crafts are present next to each other, in addition to the participation of many entities, exhibitions, and museums.
He pointed out that this festival has succeeded in attracting those interested in maritime heritage at the level of Qatar and the region, noting that the festival is witnessing an increase in the number of participants every year.
This year, the festival witnesses distinguished participation from 10 countries, namely Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Palestine, Iraq, India, Tanzania and Iran, in addition to Qatar as the organising country, which adds an international character to the festival that reflects the cultural and maritime diversity and the depth of relations between the participating countries and contributes to enriching the events and opening new horizons for cultural exchange.