Doha, February 04 (QNA) - The Kazakh Cultural Week kicked off on Wednesday at the headquarters of the Ministry of Culture, with HE Minister of Culture Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad Al-Thani and HE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Aida Balayeva, in attendance.

Also attending the week were a host of Their Excellencies, members of the diplomatic corps accredited to the State of Qatar, as well as a gathering of intellectuals, artists, and other interested parties.

The event aims to promote cultural exchange between the two nations, providing the public with the opportunity to gain a closer look at Kazakh heritage and its epochal arts, in addition to strengthening the bilateral relationship through culture as a bridge for civilizational dialogue and supporting future partnerships in various cultural and artistic fields.

The opening ceremony featured a series of vocal and musical performances inspired by Kazakh folk heritage, performed by senior acclaimed musicians from Kazakhstan, along with a musical segment blending the Qatari song “Shomi Lah” with Kazakh melodies, accompanied by lyrical words.

The ceremony also included artistic performances by a specialized Kazakh ensemble, with the participation of several Kazakh singers, in addition to a live showcase of traditional Kazakh heritage reflecting the country's identity.

The event continues until Saturday, with its diverse activities taking place at Darb Al Saai in the Umm Salal area, as part of efforts to strengthen cultural cooperation and ties between the two countries.

Director of the Department of International Cooperation at the Ministry of Culture, Nasser Al Malki, told Qatar News Agency (QNA) that the objective of these cultural weeks is to forge people-to-people cultural connections, highlighting that the Kazakh Cultural Week is a prelude to the cultural weeks planned in the country throughout this year.

He added that this event will be followed by other cultural weeks from Russia and Tajikistan for the same purpose, emphasizing that culture is a soft power that brings peoples together as a unified language across the world.

Regarding the Kazakh Cultural Week, Al Malki stated that it includes Kazakh folk music, as well as modern music, with the participation of several singers and musicians from Kazakhstan, in addition to presenting other distinctive corners showcasing artworks, handicrafts, and textiles, alongside Kazakh cuisine, as well as other hobbies that the people of Kazakhstan are keen to practice.

Regarding the possibility of Qatar organizing a similar cultural week in Kazakhstan, Al Malki suggested that this is indeed underway and is expected to take place next year, reflecting the purpose of the cultural weeks organized abroad by the Ministry or hosted in Qatar.

Al Malki further explained that the Kazakh week will be followed by cultural weeks for Russia and Tajikistan, and that Qatar's hosting of such weeks continues a successful pathway of cultural weeks since 2024, starting with Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, followed in 2025 by Saudi Arabia, Iran, Egypt, and Iraq, up to the current year.

He suggested that all these events are intended to forge bridges of cultural connection and offer the Qatari public the opportunity to engage with the artistic and civilizational heritage of other cultures. (QNA)