Qatar - MENASA

11th edition of Years of Culture

The 11th Edition of Years of Culture, Qatar-MENASA 2022 delivered a rich programme of experiences, exhibitions and events showcasing a variety of cultures from across the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (MENASA). 2022 also marked a decade of the Years of Culture initiative, with celebrations in honour of the 10th anniversary.

Deepening understanding between nations and their people.

In 2022, the Qatar-MENASA Year of Culture celebrated, for the first time, a whole region. An ambitious and inspiring cultural exchange took place with countries and communities from Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Bhutan, Egypt, India, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Maldives, Morocco, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Sri Lanka, Türkiye, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

An outstanding opening ceremony was held in the courtyard at Fire Station in Doha, featuring performances by renowned Qatari composer, singer and songwriter Dana Al Fardan and appetisers created by award-winning Palestinian chef Sami Tamimi.

The 2022 Years of Culture programme brought a remarkable variety of cultural events and experiences to Qatar from across the MENASA region. Highlights from the programme included the Turkish Shadow Puppets Show, Indian Community Festival at Museum of Islamic Art Park, a Yemeni traditional fashion showcase at the National Museum of Qatar and a celebration of Sri Lankan culture at Education City, among many others.

Qatar-MENASA 2022 also highlighted homegrown talents through events and exhibitions in Qatar, from renowned Qatari artists and designers working in sustainability to talented filmmakers, photographers and more. Qatar Museums hosted exhibitions by leading international artists including Pipilotti Rist, installed new public artworks and welcomed leading experts to give talks in Doha.

This landmark year for Qatar, hosts of the FIFA World Cup 2022™, saw the opening of new museums and public spaces in Doha, such as the 3-2-1 Qatar and Olympic Sports Museum and the Flag Plaza, which was inaugurated with a vibrant 10-day cultural festival.

Together we also celebrated the legacies of Years of Culture gone by, including Qatar-France 2020, with The Aubusson Tapestry Project; a collaboration between Qatari artist Bouthayna Al Muftah and a 600-year-old French institution, Aubusson Tapestry.

2022 also represented important occasions such as the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Qatar and Japan, which was marked with an exchange between artists Hayaki Nishigaki and Yousef Ahmad, and the popular Manga Style! Competition, open to the public. A private networking event was also held in Doha to commemorate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the State of Qatar and the USA.

The Qatar-MENASA 2022 Year of Culture culminated in a spectacular ceremony at the National Museum of Qatar, which included the world premiere of The Desert Rose symphony, composed for the occasion by Malek Jandali and performed by the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra.

In 2022 Qatar partnered with 26 MENASA countries with embassies in Doha