Abdulrahman Al-Marri, Media Officer at the Sheikh Hamad Award for Translation and International Understanding, and Sadiq Al-Amari, Director General of the Qatar Press Centre signing the agreement.
Doha, Qatar: The Sheikh Hamad Award for Translation and International Understanding signed a cooperation agreement with the Qatar Press Center (QPC) yesterday at the Center’s headquarters, marking a new chapter of institutional collaboration aimed at promoting translation and strengthening intercultural dialogue.
The agreement was signed by Abdulrahman Al-Marri, Media Officer at the Sheikh Hamad Award for Translation and International Understanding, and Sadiq Al-Amari, Director General of the Qatar Press Center.
During a press conference following the signing, Al-Marri emphasized the significance of the agreement, expressing hope that the memorandum would evolve into a long-term strategic partnership. “Through this memorandum, which we hope will grow into a strategic partnership, we aim to elevate the presence of translation as a fundamental value, and to reaffirm its role as a tool for dialogue, international understanding, and social cohesion,” he said.
He noted that the world today faces numerous political, economic, and social challenges, “but we believe that translation, as both a value and a medium, has the power to enhance dialogue and foster a spirit of fraternity between cultures and languages.”
Al-Marri stated that both sides plan to implement a shared vision through joint events and activities in the coming period to promote translation. While the Award primarily focuses on literary and book-based translation, he pointed to new opportunities within the fields of media and journalism. “This is an area we intend to work on together, strengthening journalistic and media translation and engaging audiences across Qatar, both citizens and residents, of all ages,” he said.
He highlighted that many children today grow up bilingual, inherently carrying translation skills, yet translation also remains a craft with its own standards, techniques, and requirements. “We value this partnership and look forward to accomplishing meaningful joint work,” Al-Marri added.
For his part, Al-Amari , expressed his satisfaction with the agreement. “We are pleased to formalize our cooperation with the Sheikh Hamad Award for Translation and International Understanding, even though our collaboration goes back more than a year. Today’s agreement paves the way to expand our joint activities,” he said.
Al-Amari affirmed the Center’s readiness to support any initiative that promotes a positive image of Arabs and Muslims and helps improve perceptions in Western public opinion. “This is a noble goal that we share with you. The entire capacity of the Qatar Press Center is dedicated to supporting the Award and its mission,” he said, noting that the Center also welcomes cooperation with other institutions that share similar cultural objectives.
Speaking to The Peninsula on the sidelines of the conference, Al-Marri reiterated that the memorandum would pave the way for diverse joint initiatives celebrating translation in all its forms, whether literary translation or media and journalistic translation. He described the agreement as an important step in strengthening institutional synergy among Qatar’s cultural and media entities and in engaging the local public, including citizens and residents of all ages.
