The ministries of culture in the State of Qatar and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia inked Monday in Doha a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during the first meeting of chairpersons of the Qatar-Saudi Coordination Council’s Committee of Culture, Tourism and Entertainment.
HE Minister of Culture Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad Al-Thani and HH Minister of Culture in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al Saud signed the MoU.
Following the meeting, Assistant Undersecretary for Cultural Affairs at the Ministry of Culture Dr. Ghanem bin Mubarak Al Ali said the MoU dealt with the activation of cultural cooperation between the two countries, exchange of expertise and coordination on joint cultural files to be registered on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists.
In a statement to Qatar News Agency , Al Ali said the ministries of culture in the two countries jointly coordinated and cooperated on the registration of Arab heritage elements on the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage list, such as falconry, Arabic coffee and majlises. The Ministry of Culture is currently working to complete the registration of other elements, most notably the Bisht, he added.
The bilateral cultural cooperation also includes the participation in joint cultural events in the two countries, especially national events and book fairs, Al Ali added.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the guest of honor of the 32nd Doha International Book Fair, which kicked off Monday under the slogan ‘With reading we rise’.
Source: Qatar News Agency
