Doha, Qatar: Deputy General Manager of the Cultural Village Foundation (Katara) and Director of its Human Resources Department Saif Saad Al-Dosari inaugurated the ‘Mark and Memory’ stamp exhibition. Organised by Katara in collaboration with the Qatar Philatelic and Numismatic Centre, the exhibition is hosted in Building 22 and will run from November 2 to December 3, 2026.
The exhibition takes visitors on a visual journey through time, evoking aspects of life in the past and the stories of ancestors. Through a collection of postage stamps, it documents various facets of cultural and social heritage, highlighting the role these stamps play in preserving identity and transmitting collective memory across generations.
This exhibition is part of Katara’s ongoing efforts to safeguard cultural heritage and promote its diverse elements. It underscores the significance of postage stamps as historical documents and visual records that encapsulate the social and cultural details of societies, thereby preserving their history and collective memory.
The title, ‘Mark and Memory’ draws upon two complementary concepts: ‘Wasm’ (mark/imprint) symbolises the enduring legacy left by previous generations across various spheres of life, while “Memory” represents the cultural and human reservoir, encompassing customs, traditions, values, and stories, passed down through generations, ultimately strengthening an individual’s connection to their roots and identity.
The exhibition features a collection of postal issues covering a variety of heritage-related themes. These include customs, traditions, and traditional attire, elements that reflect the distinctiveness and cultural identity of different societies, as well as the folk professions and crafts practiced by ancestors, which formed an essential part of their daily lives and livelihoods.
The exhibition also highlights traditional jewellery and ornaments, exploring their aesthetic and social significance. It evokes folk music and arts as authentic expressions of the spirit and culture of a people. Furthermore, it showcases the practice of pearl diving and the tools associated with it, underscoring the economic and social importance this trade held in the history of the Arabian Gulf region prior to the discovery of oil.
“Mark and Memory” (Wasm wa Dhakira) underscores the cultural and documentary value of postage stamps. Transcending their traditional function as a means for correspondence, these stamps serve as a miniature record of the history and civilizations of various peoples. Each stamp tells a story, encapsulating within its small frame the features of a historical era, as well as details of human life, the environment, and cultural heritage.
The exhibition offers visitors and philatelists the opportunity to explore facets of folk memory and discover the richness and diversity of cultural heritage, through postal issues that combine artistic merit with historical and documentary significance. The exhibition embodies the importance of collaboration between cultural institutions, heritage-focused organisations, and specialised hobbyist groups in raising awareness about the value of folk heritage.
It encourages new generations to discover and take pride in their history, in line with Katara’s mission to build bridges between the past and the present.
