News Date:Tuesday, 11 October 2022

DOHA: Katara Cultural Village Foundation has lined up a slew of fascinating mega events to entertain World Cup fans throughout the period of the tournament.

With scores of diverse and exciting events, the Katara celebrations promise to be one of the highlights the World Cup 2022 which Qatar has promised to be the best ever.

Addressing a press conference at Katara Cultural Village on Monday, Dr Khalid Ibrahim Al-Sulaiti, General Manager, and Khalid Al Sayed, Director, Events & Cultural Affairs, said the biggest sporting event in the world which Qatar is hosting offers Katara a unique opportunity to showcase the brighter aspects of Qatari culture and heritage to the world.

Among the World Cup celebrations include cultural, artistic, heritage and creative events. There will be 51 events that cover more than 300 activities, with the participation of 22 countries.

“We assure our guests that, on the occasion of the World Cup, they will witness a number activities which will be full of creativity and innovation in which Qatari and world cultures will shine – all of these hosted by Katara, which is the integrated cultural village that combines culture, arts, and sports,” said Dr Khalid Ibrahim Al-Sulaiti.

“There is no doubt that this historic event, which Qatar is honored to host as the first Arab and Middle Eastern country, constitutes an exceptional opportunity to present the bright side of authentic Qatari and Arab culture and traditions, allowing the nations of the world to get acquainted closely with our culture, values, and the society,” Dr Al Sulaiti said.

The events will be divided into five main categories: festivals, concerts, exhibitions, live shows, and events, and will run from 18 November to 18 December 2022.

All Katara facilities and streets will be in a continuous, celebratory mood with cultural activities during this period, which will contribute to highlighting Qatar’s culture, heritage, and identity to foreign visitors.

“Our objective is to offer our guests at Katara some memorable and enjoyable moments through several programmes and activities. They will spend some of their best and happiest moments with us,” said Khalid Al Sayed.

Among the most important events include the 12^th edition of the Katara International Traditional Dhow Festival, that shed light on the ancient maritime history aimed at restoring culture and preserving folk heritage. The festival showcases the legacy of Qatar’s ancestors, with the aim of presenting the cultural and popular heritage to the guests of the World Cup.

Also included in the programmes are the Street Arts Festival, which will be held in all the streets of Katara, which will give artists, actors, and musicians an opportunity to perform freely in front of their audience, both individually or collectively.

The fans will also attend concerts presented by international bands from Argentina, the UK, and several Arab countries, as music is a universal language shared by all.

Katara will also host art exhibitions and events from Paraguay, the Dominican Republic, Uruguay, Ecuador, Bosnia, Russia, Mexico, Indonesia, and Iran.

On Arab heritage, there will be exhibitions on ceramics, the Oud instrument, and Arabic calligraphy, as well as activities for children.

Katara has also launched an initiative to promote books by presenting 22 books from Katara Publishing House in both Arabic and English. In addition, all Qatari publishing houses will meet under one roof at Katara.