Ambassador of Mexico to the State of Qatar HE Graciela Gómez García recently decorated Qatar-based renowned Mexican artist and senior architect, Engineer Juan Miguel Ramírez, with the medal of ‘Mexicanos Distinguidos’.

The artist was feted at an official ceremony organised by the Embassy of Mexico in Diplomatic Club Doha. Those present on the occasion included Chief of Protocol, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Qatar, HE Ibrahim Yousuf Fakhroo; ambassadors from Latin American and Caribbean states; dignitaries; members of the Mexican community, and guests.

Speaking on the occasion, the Mexican ambassador said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico launched the ‘Mexicanos Distinguidos’ medal in 2018 “to recognise the outstanding services of our diaspora”. For the year 2021, from Qatar, she said she sent her recommendation for architect Juan Miguel Ramirez for his vast contribution to the field of art and for strengthening the cultural relations between Mexico and Qatar.

She paid her gratitude to the jury in Mexico for admitting her recommendation and selecting the 2021 awardee for the prestigious medal from Qatar. This is the second year in a row for a winner from Qatar. The medal is awarded in September every year, the month of the Independence of the country.

Ramirez, a Master’s in Architecture Design and Project Management from Mexico and the USA, has been living abroad for more than 25 years including 15 years in Qatar. His professional profile includes a number of prestigious civil projects with leading companies in Qatar.

Ramirez has had a passion for photography from age 11. He has been guided by renowned Mexican photographers Rene Barcenas and Antonio Berlanga. His work is a dream of light. He creates and recreates moments, atmospheres, and ideas – darkness with light or light with darkness fixed with the watermelons.
In 1989, he became a member of the Garden of Art, a group of artists that displays its work every Saturday in San Jacinto Park in San angel area in México City.

He is a founder member of Sociedad de los artistas muertos de hambre (Died of hunger artist society), and also a member of the International Artists of Doha (IAD). He is also a founder member of the Latin American Artists in Qatar (2017).

Talking about the occasion, HE Garcia said, “It is also a perfect occasion to celebrate the friendship between Mexico and Qatar. It seems that crises only make us stronger. A year ago, during the most serious part of the pandemic, our Qatari friends provided us with medical supplies to support our fight against COVID-19.”
She said that until now, Mexico has been donating thousands of vaccines to several brotherly nations in Latin America. “These gestures ratify our common commitment to create a better world by supporting those in need.”

The Mexican envoy said that more recently, Qatar and Mexico have been working together closely to support hundreds of displaced Afghan nationals, many of them journalist, and their families, who have been granted asylum in Mexico.
“Successful relocation in Doha and Mexico of the ‘Afghan Dreamers’, young members of an all- female Robotics National Team, is the latest collaboration between Mexico and Qatar. A joint effort that tells the world about our firm determination to fight for girls’ right to education, their right to pursue careers in science and technology or whatever they choose.”

Appreciating role of Qatar in this regard, on behalf of the people and government of Mexico, the envoy acknowledged “the extraordinary work rendered by the State of Qatar for Afghan brothers and sisters”.

On bilateral relations, she said the embassy of Mexico in Qatar is now fully open for business. “On both political and trade fronts, we are expecting high-level visits and a couple of trade missions to Qatar in the next few months, hopefully soon permitted by health conditions,” the envoy said, adding that there are a couple of promising sectors where both the countries may look into like tourism, gastronomy, academia, sports, art and culture etc.

Juan Remirez thanked HE GracieleGmez Garcia led team in Mexican embassy for having me selected among hundreds of Mexican expatriates serving in Qatar for this recognition, ‘and I receive it with great pride and full of emotion’. he said.

Ramirez, meanwhile, thanked “all those great Mexicans who have been with me in my personal development as a person and a professional”.  He also paid his special gratitude to his father Juan Ramírez García, teacher María Teresa de la Barrera, drawing and design teacher Miguel Corzo Nissen, architect Jesús Sánchez, and his wife Izel Emilia Mares “for her patience and love in these long years of coexistence and help develop my work. Without her, I would not be where I am now”.