Doha, April 13 (QNA) - The cultural relations between the State of Qatar and the Arab Republic of Egypt are witnessing a remarkable development, reflecting the historical relations between the two brotherly countries, as they share common cultural, artistic and heritage ties, stemming from the depth of Arab culture and its roots extending throughout history.

The cultural activities between the two countries consolidate brotherhood and understanding, in light of the two countries' constant aspiration for more joint cultural and artistic cooperation, as seen in their mutual participation in various cultural events, which in turn contributes to strengthening rapprochement and the exchange of experiences and expertise based on cultural depth, artistic movement, and heritage roots that the two countries posses.

The joint cultural cooperation between the two countries was evident in the Egyptian Cultural Week, hosted by Qatar at Darb Al Saai in January. The event marked a new milestone in cultural cooperation between the two countries, with the Egyptian Ministry of Culture presenting various aspects of Egyptia life to the Qatari public, including art, music and popular Egyptian cuisine, attracting a large number of citizens and residents.

The Egyptian Ministry of Culture participated in a similar event in 2010, during which Doha was selected as the Arab Capital of Culture for the year 2010. The week-long event featured a theatrical performance, a visual arts exhibition, and literary seminars on Egyptian culture and its commonalities with its Qatari counterpart, with the participation of a select group of creatives from both countries.

The two countries support joint Arab efforts to preserve heritage and achieve Arab integration through digital projects and regional workshops, particularly the joint cooperation with the Memory of the World (MOW) Committee for the Arab region, which was launched at the conclusion of the regional conference 'Memory in Heritage: Fostering Cooperation on Documentary Heritage in the Arab Region,' organized by Qatar National Archives in January, in cooperation with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

In this context, among the heritage files that reflect the depth of the heritage roots between the two countries is the cooperation to register Arab heritage elements on the UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list, such as the palm tree files, Arabic calligraphy, and others. There is also a current cooperation towards nominating 'Sanbuk - Traditional Sailing Boats' as a joint Arab file. Doha witnessed the second meeting for the purpose of preparing this file in February.

To enhance cultural cooperation between the two countries, the Egyptian Ministry of Culture previously announced that the State of Qatar will be the guest of honor at the 58th edition of the Cairo International Book Fair in 2027, which reflects the depth of the cultural relations between the two countries shown through their mutual participation in book fairs.

The 33rd edition of the Doha International Book Fair (DIBF) 2024 marked Sur El-Azbakeya's first participation outside of Egypt, which also reflects the growing cultural cooperation between Qatar and Egypt. Eight libraries from the ancient Sur El-Azbakeya book market (some 100 years old) were brought to the DIBF 2024 to be presented to the fair's visitors. Various Egyptian houses also participated in the same edition, amidst a warm welcome from book lovers and collectors of antique books.

On the other hand, Qatar's participation in the 56th Cairo International Book Fair 2024 was an important reflection of the strong joint cultural cooperation between the two countries. This participation was considered the largest of its kind in the fair's history, with pavilions from the Ministry of Culture, the international Qur'an recitation authority, the Police Academy, Dar Al-Watad Publishing House, Roza Publishing House, and Katara Publishing House.

The 33rd edition of DIBF also included seminars and dialogue sessions that discussed the general cultural scene, including the publishing industry in the Arab world, and highlighted Qatari culture in terms of its richness and diversity, in addition to preparing interactive screens in the Ministry of Culture's pavilion to introduce the book fair's visitors to popular Qatari crafts.

Creatives from both countries are keen to participate in various cultural and artistic events, including art shows and exhibitions, as well as photography exhibitions, and literary conferences and seminars. This reflects the exchange of diverse creative experiences and expertise, based on the solid cultural foundations that unite the two countries.

In the same context, Egyptian creatives participate in numerous cultural awards launched by the State of Qatar, and have won many high ranks. These awards include the Sheikh Hamad Award for Translation and International Understanding, the Katara Prize for Qur'an Recitation, the Katara Prize for Arabic Novel, the Katara Prize for Prophet's (Peace Be Upon Him) Poet, and others.

Egyptian creatives have not only participated in Qatari cultural awards, but also had a presence in the State of Qatar's fine arts exhibitions, including those organized by the Ministry of Culture, Qatar Museums, the Cultural Village Foundation (Katara), the Qatar Fine Arts Society and others bodies.

Qatari fine art had a remarkable presence in the Egyptian capital, as many fine artists participate in Egypt's fine art exhibitions. Among those pioneers of Qatari fine arts who participated in Cairo's exhibitions is artists Salman Al Malek, Yousef Ahmad and Wafika Sultan Al Essa. (QNA)