Carissa E Gonzalez talking to The Peninsula, yesterday. Pic: Abdul Basit / The Peninsula
DOHA: Discover America Festival 2018, begins today in Doha, celebrating bilateral relationship between Qatar and the US.
It will also showcase US’s contributions to commerce, food, art, culture and education, in Doha. A variety of events, activities and special promotions will take place across the city throughout the week, said Carissa E Gonzalez, Public Affairs Officer, US Embassy.
The festival is in its fourth consecutive year and will held until November 4.
“We are very excited to work again with many of our Qatari partners to make it possible again and bring Discover America Festival to Doha. It is an opportunity that we like to offer to our Qatari partners here who will really experience and get to know little bit more about American culture and also to strengthen our trade, travel, investment and education ties,” Gonzalez told The Peninsula in an exclusive interview.
During the festival, the community will be able to experience the excitement of a live American band at the Mall of Qatar on November 3 and taste the unique flavors of American cuisine in specially-crafted menus at American food outlets in Doha. Food promotions on US products will be available at different outlets.
As part of Discover America Festival 2018, Embassy is partnering with Doha Film Institute for a film screening ‘Cinema Under the Stars.’ It will give an opportunity for movie lovers to enjoy a line-up of films to entertain the whole family in an alternative setting to traditional cinema, while enjoying the cooler outdoor evenings. Four consecutive open air screenings will include short and feature films at the Museum of Islamic Art. which will be free.
A business forum will be organized in partnership between Qatar Chamber and the American Chamber of Commerce, to attract local investors and business people.
“Last year during the festival we saw a significant uptake in terms of sales of US products and enhance in relations between Qatari and American businessmen. We also seek to increase awareness of diversity options available in the US for tourism, travel, culture and business,” said Gonzalez.
Over the past 20 years the bilateral trade between Qatar and the US has reached more than $62bn.
“We are seeing incredible growth in the economic relations. This relationship and trade investment is a long relationship, it is nothing new. We have over 120 US companies present here in Qatar,” said Gonzalez.
“In the first nine months of 2018, we have seen a growth of 85 percent in bilateral trade compared to last year. That’s one indicator of how the trade relations are growing,” she added.
In terms of education, the US mission here encourages Qatari students choosing a US university. In this regard, an office in the embassy provides guidance and information to the students who are interested in studying in the US. “Each student who goes to the US becomes sort of an ambassador. There are approximately 1,400 Qatari students studying in the US, in more than 42 states,” said E Gonzalez.
For complete list of Discover American Festival, accesss their website.
