A high-level Qatari delegation arrives to Indonesia as part of the Qatar-Indonesia 2023 Year of Culture

Indonesia is the first country in Southeast Asia to take part in this dialogue

A high-level cultural delegation from Qatar has arrived in Indonesia as part of the Qatar-Indonesia 2023 Year of Culture initiative to jointly carry out cultural exchanges and deepen bilateral relations between the two countries across various sectors of the creative economy. Indonesia is the 11th partner country of the annual cultural exchange launched by Qatar Museums Chairperson Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa Bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani in 2012 and the first country in Southeast Asia. 

The Qatari delegation is led by His Excellency Dr. Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al-Kawari, Minister of State and President of Qatar National Library, as well as representatives from cultural institutions in Qatar. They were joined by Qatar’s Ambassador to the Republic of Indonesia Her Excellency Fawziya Edrees Salman Al-Sulaiti.

“We believe that culture is one of the most effective tools for bringing people together, encouraging dialogue and connection, and deepening understanding between peoples. Guided by Qatar’s National Vision 2030, we seek to strengthen cultural exchange and dialogue between global communities. For this reason, Qatar launched the "Years of Culture" initiative a decade ago to deepen understanding between nations and their people,” explained His Excellency Dr. Al-Kawari. 

The Qatar-Indonesia 2023 Year of Culture is organized under the theme of "Bhinneka," which means diversity - although Indonesia and Qatar share cultural and social similarities, both countries are home to diverse people who live together in harmony. This year will celebrate the unique aspects of Indonesian culture and its relationship to Qatari culture. Partnerships will also emphasize supporting the development of Indonesia's creative economy as one of the fastest growing emerging markets, including an emphasis on projects that will boost the creative industries in both countries with a focus on sustainable long-term partnerships.

“Similar to Indonesia, which has the largest Muslim population of any country in the world, Qatar is also a Muslim country. Both countries have a tolerant and diverse tradition, which we are very proud of. This partnership takes our Years of Culture initiative to a new level. The 2023 program is designed to support not only the development of culture, but also the creative industries in both countries, to jointly advance the successes that have been achieved," added His Excellency Dr. Al-Kawari.

During the visit, His Excellency Dr. Al-Kawari also held meetings with a number of ministers, including with Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno, Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Nadiem Makarim and Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi.

During the meeting with Mr. Sandiaga Uno, Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy of the Republic of Indonesia, His Excellency Dr. Al-Kawari, said, “I’m glad this is our Year of Culture because cooperation across the creative economy and tourism sectors is a matter of great interest for our country. Qatar is a growing country in the field of tourism, with last year’s FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ playing a big role in that. We have no doubt about the political will in Qatar and Indonesia to cooperate on developing the tourism and creative industries and we look forward to learning from your experience.”

During the meeting with Nadiem Makarim Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, His Excellency Dr. Hamad Al-Kawari, said, “What we are hoping to achieve through Years of Culture programming should be reflected across many aspects of cooperation between the two countries, including the education sector. We look forward to receiving you to share our experience in building Education City, which is a unique model gathering some of the best educational institutions in one location.”

During the meeting, Director General for Culture Dr. Hilmar Farid also discussed joint the possibility of a joint research program with the Qatar National Library to bring a new perspective on the historic spice trade route from Indonesia to the Arab World and the coast of Africa, exploring the Southeast Asian perspective in films with the support of the Doha Film Institute and cooperation with museum teams from both countries in a variety of training programs.

The year-long cultural collaboration between Qatar and Indonesia centers on 12 pillars, including art, fashion and design, music and theater, sports, film and photography, cuisine, literature, health and education, politics and economics, museums and exhibitions, sustainability, and science and technology. These pillars are brought to life throughout the year in Qatar and the partnering country through collaborative residency programs, photography exchanges, culinary trips, social projects, art exhibitions, and literary and film festivals. Qatar-Indonesia 2023 features an expansive program taking place across the country of Indonesia, including Jakarta, Medan, Jogjakarta, Bali, Sumba, Tasikmalaya, Ternate, Pontianak, and other cities and provinces.