Members of Years of Culture delegation during their visit to Chile.
Doha: A delegation from Qatar’s Years of Culture initiative, led by the Adviser on Latin American Affairs H E Mohammed Al Kuwari completed a successful mission to Chile from September 25–30, deepening cooperation across the cultural, governmental, and creative sectors.
The visit followed the delegation’s engagements in Argentina and aimed to solidify Chile’s participation in the Years of Culture programme, a regional partnership promoting cross-cultural dialogue and sustainable collaboration.
The delegation’s itinerary included high-level meetings with Chile’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DIRAC), Undersecretary of International Economic Relations Claudia Sanhueza, Undersecretary of Tourism Verónica Pardo, and Director of the National Cultural Heritage Service Nélida Pozo.
Talks centered on cultural diplomacy, tourism promotion, and heritage cooperation. DIRAC Director Mauricio Hurtado affirmed Chile’s strong commitment to establishing a lasting cultural partnership with Qatar under the Years of Culture framework.
The delegation visited leading cultural institutions, including the Museo de la Memoria y los Derechos Humanos, Centro Cultural La Moneda (CCLM), Centro Cultural Gabriela Mistral (GAM), and the Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino.
At the Museo de la Memoria, Executive Director Francisca Peró introduced the museum’s work on human rights education and memory preservation. The delegation also viewed the Palestine exhibition, which resonated with Qatar’s cultural values of empathy and intercultural understanding, and was identified as a potential exhibition for Doha.
At GAM, the delegation attended the inauguration of the Bienal de Arquitectura, alongside Minister of Housing and Urbanism Carlos Montes and GAM Director Felipe Mella, celebrating architectural innovation and sustainable urban design.
Meetings at CCLM with Executive Director Regina Rodríguez and Programming Director Felipe Bascuñán explored the potential of future exchanges and museum collaborations, while discussions at the Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino with Executive Director Cecilia Puga focused on future exhibition and curatorial exchanges following the acclaimed Hats of Atacama show.
The delegation also met Chile’s creative community at Vestidor Santiago, engaging with designers Guido Vera and the Munay Sisters, and at Il Posto Gallery, where Director María José Benvenuto discussed opportunities for collector and gallery collaborations.
Reflecting Qatar’s commitment to cultural dialogue through sport, the delegation visited Club Deportivo Palestino, welcomed by President Jorge Uauy, to explore community programmes and cultural outreach within Chile’s Palestinian diaspora.
Heritage cooperation was also a key theme, culminating in an agreement to hold a Heritage Workshop in Valparaíso on 26 November 2025, focusing on conservation and technical exchange between Qatari and Chilean experts.
