Qatar's Foreign Minister Opens Arab Cultural House in Berlin
Berlin / Information Office / November 21
HE Qatar's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani opened the Arab Cultural House "Al Diwan" in the German capital of Berlin on Tuesday, aiming at spreading the Arab culture in the framework of the Qatar-Germany Year of Culture.
The Arab Cultural House will be the fruit of the Qatar-Germany Year of Culture, which was characterized by many cooperative projects and cultural exchanges.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said: "With the opening of the Arab Cultural House in Berlin today, we celebrate the old friendship between Germany and Qatar," adding that the Arab Cultural House will be a platform for vital cultural exchanges and development, and a testament to Qatar's commitment to building bridges with nations around the world.
The opening ceremony was attended by HE German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel and a number of officials and public figures in Germany.
for his part, HE Qatar's Ambassador to Germany Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said that the Qatar-Germany Year of Culture 2017 included many inspiring initiatives to build bridges between the two cultures.
HE the Ambassador underlined that the opening of the Arab Cultural House in Berlin offers a unique opportunity for strengthening the German and Arab cultural relations.
The Arab Cultural House "Al Diwan" has a significant importance as the first Qatari cultural center outside the State of Qatar. Its opening represents a new and distinctive chapter in the Qatari-German cultural relations.
The building of Al Diwan is one of the most beautiful buildings in the upscale district of Zehlendorf. The Embassy of the State of Qatar has restored and rehabilitated the ancient building to preserve its historical character and transformed it into an Arab cultural house, aiming at bringing together cultures, extending bridges of communication between them, and introducing the Arab culture in the arts, music, literature and cinema.
The Center will contribute to the strengthening of the Arab-German relations and the establishment of a broad strategic dialogue in the cultural field, which will contribute to mutual understanding of cultures, strengthen bilateral institutional relations through partnership with other cultural institutions in Germany, and introduce the rich Arab culture through the Center's huge library and reading room. The Center will help build lasting and deep understanding relationships that highlight commonalities among peoples.