MoU for Qatar–Russia Year of Culture signed

Minister of Culture and Sports H E Salah bin Ghanem Al Ali paid a visit to Russia from November 15 to 17 at an invitation from the organising committee of the VI St Petersburg International Cultural Forum, to participate in the events of the international cultural forum. The Minister signed a joint declaration for cooperation with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Medinsky, on preparation for the Year of Culture Qatar – Russia 2018. 

Minister Al Ali said that Qatar is keen to cooperate with the Russian side to make the Year of Culture a basic pillar of friendship between the peoples of Qatar and Russia as a response to instructions made by Emir 
H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to have stronger relationships with Russia at the state and public levels.

On the sidelines of the forum, the Minister held several meetings with leaders of participating delegations and exchanged with them opinions on cultural issues and the role that should be played by cultural institutions to bring peoples closer and spread mutual understanding of culture and common humanitarian values. 

The Minister met with Mikhail Piotrovsky, Director of the State Hermitage Museum, and discussed the preparations for Year of Culture. Piotrovsky expressed his full support for the event to be entitled: “Qatar in the Hermitage” in Russia and “The Hermitage in Qatar”. The event will consist of several cultural lectures. 

The Minister also met also with Vladimir Gusev, Director of the Russian Museum, and discussed with him the ways of cooperation between the Russian Museum and Qatari museums to hold artistic exhibitions featuring the Russian art from the ancient times up to date.  

Al Ali emphasised that the Qatari Ministry of Culture and Sports is keen to develop the society awareness of the common values of peoples from different cultures, praising the Russian culture and its impact on human civilization.