Doha: Under the patronage of HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, the 14th Traditional Dhow Festival is set to kick off Wednesday at the Cultural Village Foundation - Katara and continues until Dec. 7, 2024. The festival is recognized as a significant cultural event that honors the longstanding maritime heritage of Gulf states and beyond. According to Qatar News Agency, Katara's Director of Public Relations and Communications Department, Salem Mabkhout Al Marri, announced that the festival will see participation from 10 friendly and sisterly countries, namely Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Palestine, Iraq, India, Tanzania, and Iran, with Qatar as the host. This international participation is expected to add a diverse cultural dimension to the event, highlighting the maritime traditions of the region and the world. The festival will feature a rich program of activities, particularly maritime art shows on Thursdays and Fridays, including a maritime opera that showcases traditional maritime arts in the region, as stated by Al Marri. A special opera will also mark the launch of the 6th Fath Al Khair cruise, contributing a unique festive element that narrates a segment of the region's maritime history. Visitors can look forward to daily maritime art shows that include traditional Gulf music and performances, as well as celebrated Omani marine art pieces, enhancing the appreciation of the region's maritime cultural diversity. The event also offers a natural pearl show where visitors can learn about crafting and selling pearls and the techniques of opening oysters to extract them, reflecting the historical significance of the pearl industry in the region. Beyond art shows, the festival will present daily cultural symposia from Saturdays to Wednesdays, covering topics such as maritime heritage, diving, marine navigation, and the region's maritime history. These discussions will be complemented by professional educational workshops on shipbuilding and maintenance, fishing equipm ent, and a variety of handcrafts. The festival serves as an important cultural platform for fostering understanding among nations and honoring the maritime legacy that is integral to the Gulf identity. It offers visitors an opportunity to engage with and learn about the maritime arts and skills that are emblematic of the Gulf states and the world.