Doha: The Kazakh Cultural Week kicked off on Wednesday at the headquarters of the Ministry of Culture, with HE Minister of Culture Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad Al-Thani and HE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Aida Balayeva, in attendance.
According to Qatar News Agency, the event also saw the presence of a host of Their Excellencies, members of the diplomatic corps accredited to the State of Qatar, alongside a gathering of intellectuals, artists, and other interested parties. The objective of the event is to promote cultural exchange between the two nations, allowing the public to explore Kazakh heritage and its arts, while strengthening bilateral relationships through culture and supporting future partnerships in cultural and artistic fields.
The opening ceremony featured vocal and musical performances inspired by Kazakh folk heritage, performed by senior musicians from Kazakhstan. It also included a unique musical segment that blended the Qatari song "Shomi Lah" with Kazakh melodies, accompanied by lyrical words. Artistic performances by a specialized Kazakh ensemble and a live showcase of traditional Kazakh heritage were also part of the ceremony.
The event will continue until Saturday, with activities taking place at Darb Al Saai in the Umm Salal area, aimed at strengthening cultural cooperation between the two countries. Director of the Department of International Cooperation at the Ministry of Culture, Nasser Al Malki, stated that the cultural weeks aim to forge people-to-people cultural connections, with the Kazakh Cultural Week serving as a prelude to other cultural weeks planned throughout the year.
Al Malki mentioned that this event will be followed by cultural weeks from Russia and Tajikistan, emphasizing culture as a unifying language across the world. He noted that the Kazakh Cultural Week includes Kazakh folk and modern music, with participation from singers and musicians from Kazakhstan, and features artworks, handicrafts, textiles, and Kazakh cuisine.
Regarding a potential cultural week in Kazakhstan organized by Qatar, Al Malki suggested it is expected to take place next year. He highlighted that this initiative reflects the purpose of cultural weeks organized abroad or hosted in Qatar, continuing a successful pathway since 2024 with events for Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, and future weeks planned for Saudi Arabia, Iran, Egypt, and Iraq, up to the current year.
Al Malki suggested these events are intended to build cultural connections and offer the Qatari public the opportunity to engage with the artistic and civilizational heritage of other cultures.