Doha, 25 Nov. 2024

The British Council, the British Embassy, and Katara Cultural Village Foundation announced recently the programme for this year’s Qatar-UK Cultural Festival, which will take place from 25 November to 6 December across various venues, including Katara Cultural Village and Doha Design District at Msheireb Downtown Doha.

The Qatar-UK Cultural Festival 2024, now in its 9th edition, is an annual celebration symbolizing a long-lasting partnership and bringing together diverse communities through cultural exchange. With themes of community and collaboration at its core, the festival will showcase a vibrant lineup of performances by
leading UK and Qatari artists. This year’s festival also marks the British Council's 90th anniversary, emphasising its longstanding presence in Qatar since 1972.

Key events from the programme include:
• Up to Us: A project exploring identity through clothing, featuring an exhibition, schools’ workshops, a film followed by a panel discussion on people from different communities living in Qatar, and explores identity through our clothing choices.

• Selector Radio Live DJ Performance: A live DJ set at Katara Cultural Village, featuring MO AYOUB from the Selector Radio show.
• European Jazz Festival: A Welsh band (Huw Warren : Cowbois and Shepherds) performance in partnership with European Union National Institute for Culture, Katara Cultural Village Foundation and Welsh Government
• See Things Differently: In partnership with TASWEER Photo Festival, GREAT and Msheireb, the British Council launched “Great Stories Photography Competition” - celebrating creativity and connection with big focus on people-to-people links.
• 90 Podcasts: A series of podcast interviews with 90 influential stakeholders, celebrating the contributions that have shaped British Council’s success over the past 90 years.

Dr Khalid bin Ibrahim Al Sulaiti, General Manager of Katara Cultural Village Foundation, added: "We are pleased to continue our collaboration with the British Council and the British Embassy for the ninth edition of the Qatar UK Festival 2024. This event celebrates the enduring friendship and cultural partnership between our nations, reinforcing Qatar's role as a global cultural hub. Katara is committed to promoting cultural exchange and mutual understanding. We believe this festival will strengthen the cultural ties between Qatar and the United Kingdom, showcasing the robust connections that unite our peoples.”

The British Ambassador to the State of Qatar Mr Neerav Patel said: “This is a Festival for everyone. It showcases the power of art, music, photography and shared stories to link people of all ages and backgrounds. As we prepare for the first ever State Visit by His Highness the Amir to the UK, I am delighted that we can all experience these vibrant connections between our two countries in particular. I also congratulate the British Council on 90 years of creativity and connection.”

Dr Waseem Kotoub, Country Director for British Council Qatar, said: “As the UK’s cultural relations organisation, the British Council is dedicated to fostering mutual understanding and collaboration between nations. Through our partnership with Katara Cultural Village Foundation, we are creating meaningful opportunities for cultural exchange and artistic innovation that resonate with both our communities. This collaboration is a testament to our commitment to deepening the ties between Qatar and the UK. We greatly value our relationship with Katara and are excited to build on this foundation for future cultural partnerships.’’

The UK Festival is a partnership between the British Council and the GREAT campaign, and it is supported by many partner organizations and initiatives including:
• GREAT
• Katara Cultural Village
• British Embassy Doha
• Welsh Government
• Doha Design District
• Msheireb Downtown Doha
• Qatar International Art Festival
• TASWEER
• Qatar Music Academy
• Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar
• QBS radio
• Huawei
• European Union National Institute for Culture
• FNAC Qatar
• GEMS Wellington International School- Qatar