Doha, May 15 (QNA) - The State of Qatar attaches great importance to the cultural sector, as it is one of the aspects that contribute to strengthening relations with sisterly and friendly countries. It considers it a gateway and a soft diplomacy that brings peoples together and fosters closer understanding between the two sides.

In this context, the Qatar America Institute for Culture, established in 2017 in Dupont Circle, Washington, D.C., serves as a permanent ambassador of culture between the United States and Qatar.

Although less than a decade old, the Institute has become a prominent Qatari cultural landmark in Washington, D.C., enriching cultural and educational exchange between Qatar and the United States in recent years.

Despite the presence of other Arab and international institutions in Washington, the Qatar America Institute for Culture remains unique as it represents the Qatari community. In addition to being an emerging non-profit organization with a public benefit, it has become a well-known cultural landmark and symbol in Washington, D.C., with its visitors increasing every year.

The Institute provides a unique environment for inclusive and interactive experiences that celebrate art and culture through art exhibitions, educational programs, scientific research, and cultural partnerships. It has also become a key hub for bringing together artists, museum professionals, storytellers, creatives, scientists, and academics, connecting them to a global network that extends from its headquarters in Washington, D.C., throughout the United States and around the world. In three years, it has built a community of more than 15,000 individuals who believe in its mission and enjoy its activities.

The Institute was established under the Qatari and US leadership, and with the support of the Embassy of the State of Qatar in Washington, D.C., as an independent organization bearing the name and vision of Qatar, dedicated to cultural and educational exchange and community building between Qatar and the United States. It has become one of the most important Arab cultural and artistic centers in the US capital, thanks to its clear role in highlighting hospitality and culture in Qatar and neighboring countries.

The Institute and its founders have undertaken a number of goals to achieve, the most important of which are: increasing dialogue, awareness, and understanding among American society about Qatar as a country, people, and culture, given the Qatari identity with its Arab and Islamic aspects, which is common with Arab and Islamic communities in the United States. The Institute is one of the most important Arab landmarks in the US, contributing significantly to increasing American society's interest in Arab and Islamic culture by creating a positive, hospitable environment for dialogue, asking questions, and experiencing the commonalities between different cultures, which will change stereotypical images of the Arab and Islamic worlds.

To this end, the Institute established an Arab Film House in partnership with the Doha Film Institute to screen films about Qatar and the Middle East. It also hosted an art exhibition in collaboration with the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC), focusing on UN human rights texts and their parallels in the Quran and Sunnah. It also included Arabic among the recognized languages ​​of the White House platform, allowing the White House visitors to read in Arabic. It also provides grants and artist residencies for emerging artists in the United States and Qatar, contributing to the representation and financial empowerment of artists.

The Institute seeks to establish cooperation with numerous cultural institutions and museums that have contacted it with the aim of making Arabic available among their official languages. In a short period of time and with limited resources, it has been able to attract thousands of visitors annually and to build solid relationships with various groups, both governmental and non-governmental, who view the Institute as a gateway to Arab and Islamic culture.

In order to connect with institutions in the country, so as to remain informed of what is happening in the country, the Institute has partnered with Qatar Foundation to host an educational exhibition focusing on the Arabic language and culture. This exhibition has been transported to several universities with limited economic income and ethnic diversity in the United States, which has contributed to introducing the Arabic language and the State of Qatar to a new audience that may not have had the opportunity to learn about a different language or culture. Additionally, it has cooperated with other entities to support its cultural programs and projects, such as the Embassy of the State of Qatar in Washington, Qatar Tourism, the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, Qatar Museums, Qatar Airways, the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met), the Smithsonian Institution, the Doha Film Institute, the Katara Cultural Village, Al-Markhiya Gallery, AlHosh Gallery, and others.

The Qatar America Institute for Culture is an extension of the Qatar-USA 2021 Year of Culture. It embodies the national vision of Qatar's prestigious and hospitable status, and reflects the Qatar National Vision 2030 by supporting the social pillar of engagement and interaction with various international communities, especially with the American community. It hosted the “Calligraffitiâ€‌, a street art event in several cities that blends calligraphy and the Arabic language, that ran throughout 2021. It also hosted a dessert recipe exchange (Spring 2021), where chefs from both countries were challenged to create traditional sweets from Qatar and the United States. In addition to other events such as the Pearls of Wonders exhibition (Fall 2021), the Farrer Art Gallery, the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, and the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art in Washington, D.C. It also organized an exhibition of exceptional textiles from the collection of the Museum of Islamic Art in Washington, D.C., in addition to open-air cinema screenings on cultural exchange in the desert (Fall 2021), as well as a car race in the desert (Spring/Fall 2021), and the Made in Qatar film event (November 2021). The program was held across the United States throughout 2021.

During the two countries' celebrations of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations, the Institute organized numerous events, despite the period marked by travel restrictions due to the global spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent restrictions and precautions. The Qatar-USA 2021 Year of Culture focused on the friendly diplomatic relations that have bound the two countries since 1972.

The Qatar America Institute for Culture is an independent, non-profit organization that creates and implements programs and research that highlight all forms of art and culture in the community. The Institute fosters artistic expression and promotes cultural dialogue between the United States, Qatar, and the Arab and Islamic worlds.

It is also a key institute for bringing together artists, curators, storytellers, creatives, scholars, and academics and connecting them to a global network that extends from its headquarters in Washington, D.C., to the entire world. The Institute provides interactive experiences in an inclusive environment for celebrating and appreciating art and culture through art exhibitions, educational programs, scholarly research, and cultural partnerships. (QNA)