Doha: Katara Cultural Village concluded Sunday the second Gulf-European Cultural Forum held under the title "Katara and the Bridge of Andalusian Heritage: Enhancing Cultural Communication between the Gulf Arab States and Spain".
According to Qatar News Agency, the forum drew a contingent of academics, thought leaders, as well as poets from the GCC states and Spain. The second and final day showcased a variety of events, including an intellectual panel discussion and poetry evening, along with a book-signing ceremony in a cultural context that evoked the Andalusian legacy as an enduring model for cultural co-existence between east and west.
The intellectual seminar, the second within the forum's agenda, featured an array of research papers that drilled down on Andalusian heritage from multiple analytical angles. Dr. Anwar Al Saad presented a paper on Andalusian heritage and its impact on fashioning the shared cultural identity. The paper addressed the civilizational dimension of Andalusia as a space for human interaction and its role in deepening the values of diversity and cultural tolerance.
Dr. Mashael Al Okaili contributed a paper on civilizational communication between Andalusia and the Gulf: a reading of cultural extensions. This work highlighted the pathways of mutual influence between Arab culture in Andalusia and the Gulf region, and the importance of reclaiming this heritage to build a contemporary cultural dialogue.
Dr. Jose Puerta presented a paper on Andalusia in contemporary Spanish memory, exploring the presence of Andalusia in modern Spanish cultural consciousness and its reflections in literature, thought, and the arts. He emphasized that Andalusia remains a living bridge for engagement with Arab culture.
Researcher Ada Romero Sanchez presented a paper on Andalusian literature as a space for human convergence, reviewing Andalusian literary models that reflect coexistence and openness, and their role in enriching European and global literature.
Dawood Al Bousafi concluded the seminar with a paper on human values in Andalusian heritage and the possibilities of drawing inspiration today. His focus was on the shared values produced by that heritage and their potential in strengthening intercultural dialogue in a world facing mounting challenges.
The closing day also featured a poetry evening, the second within the forum's activities, bringing together poets from the Gulf and Spain, including Rashid Al Najm, Emilio Ballesteros, Maria Jose Munoz, Francisco Javier, and musician Jose Agudo. All presented poetic works reflecting the richness of human experience, diversity of aesthetic perspectives, and the creative interaction between Arabic and Spanish languages.
The program also included a book-signing event with participation from writers and thinkers: Dr. Rashid Al Najm, Saeed Al Saqlawi, Dr. Jose Puerta, Dr. Abdulaziz bin Nasser Al Mana, and Salma Boudi.
Forum coordinator Dr. Mohammed bin Abdullah Boudi affirmed that the forum had achieved its objectives in enhancing cultural communication between the GCC states and Spain, noting that Andalusian heritage represents an inspiring civilizational model for coexistence and human interaction. He added that the intellectual discussions and research papers presented during the forum reflected the profound shared commitment to re-examining this heritage and leveraging it to build enduring people-to-people connections, emphasizing that the success of this edition confirms the importance of continuing to organize such specialized forums, which make culture one of the overriding tools for human rapprochement and strengthen Katara's standing as a global crossroads for cultural radiance.
The organization of the forum aligned with the strategy of the Public Establishment for Katara, aimed at consolidating the values of dialogue and cultural diversity, and enhancing the role of culture as a soft power contributing to building a future based on mutual understanding and respect.