Doha – Information Office – 29 April

HE Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the People's Republic of China Dr. Sultan bin Salmeen Al Mansouri opened Monday the pavilion of the State of Qatar participating in Beijing International Horticultural Exhibition 2019, in the presence of President of the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) Bernard Oosterom, Secretary-General of the Association Tim Briercliffe, and a number of visitors and media representatives.

The exhibition, which was opened by Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday, is attended by 110 countries and international organizations, as well as 120 non-governmental organizations.

The exhibition will last for approximately six months until the October 7.

The exhibition includes a large number of gardens and cultural activities, and aims to educate visitors about the important role of plants in enhancing the quality of life and ensuring the future of next generations.

In a statement to Qatar News Agency (QNA), HE Qatar's Ambassador to China Dr. Sultan bin Salmeen Al Mansouri stressed the importance of participating in such exhibitions and said that in view of the experience gained by the State of Qatar from active participation in such exhibitions, in addition to the keenness of the Qatari leadership and its emphasis on the importance of serious and effective participation in such activities, and the efforts of the Ministry of Municipality and Environment, such events positively reflect the cultural image and the bright side of the State of Qatar, especially in the field of interest in the environment, horticulture, agriculture and agricultural technology.

His Excellency explained that the participation in this exhibition has been planned, coordinated and prepared for more than a year, in order to ensure that the pavilion designs reflect the heritage, culture and originality of the country, pointing out that the design of the pavilion is inspired by the Sidra tree, and this tree is of great importance to the Qatari community, and it is planted in almost all houses in Qatar, and the design was inspired by the desire to reflect the importance, history and heritage of this tree.

On the role of such events in supporting green development through the exchange of experience, His Excellency said that experience does not come only through the practice and participation in such events, and in view of the great participation of the State of Qatar in many exhibitions related to this field, Qatar has qualified to host the exhibition in 2021, which will allow the State of Qatar to make more contributions in the field of gardening, agriculture and green development.

As for the role of the State of Qatar in preserving the environment and green life, and striving for green development, His Excellency said that Qatar attaches great importance to these efforts, in addition to the general trend in the country to ensure the use of environmentally friendly products, which is demonstrated by the use of environmentally friendly materials in this pavilion.

On the important role played by these exhibitions in achieving cultural exchange and knowledge of the heritage of countries, HE Qatar's Ambassador to China Dr. Sultan bin Salmeen Al Mansouri stressed that such exhibitions are frequented by a large number of people from different cultures and backgrounds, especially Beijing Expo 2019, which is expected to achieve important turnout, explaining that when visiting the pavilion of the State of Qatar, they will learn more about Qatari culture, which will open up wider horizons for cultural cooperation and knowledge of Qatari culture.

His Excellency added that the Chinese people in particular are eager to learn about other cultures because the Chinese people have an extended history and authentic culture, which has made people open to others cultures.

His Excellency pointed out that this exhibition, alongside its main role in agriculture, horticulture and the development of the green environment, provides an opportunity to learn about the culture, heritage and social practices. The pavilion of the State of Qatar will highlight the Qatari heritage, customs and traditions, as well as Qatar's history, social and cultural environment and urban development, and sports activities, and in the context of the exhibition's continuation for nearly six months, Qatar looks forward of presenting the honorable and civilized image of the State of Qatar.

His Excellency stressed that the Republic of China has a great deal of importance, and this pavilion and its size in this exhibition is in line with the Qatari-Chinese relations of rapprochement. Last year, the two countries celebrated the 30th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral relations, a relationship based on cooperation, mutual interest, mutual understanding and harmony and the pavilion building will be dedicated to the Chinese side after the exhibition, and therefore Qatar wanted this pavilion to be special for next generations, and to be present in international events and to be a symbol of friendship and bilateral cooperation.

The 503-hectare exhibition is located at the foot of the Great Wall of China's Yancheng District. The exhibition is expected to attract 16 million visitors from around the world.