Katara (cultural village)

A scale model of Katara.

Katara is a cultural village in Doha, Qatar. It is located on the eastern coast between West Bay and the Pearl.

It was soft-opened in October 2010 during the Doha Tribeca Film Festival (DTFF), an event that it has hosted ever since.[1]

Etymology

"Katara" was the historical name used for Qatar prior to the 18th century.[2]

Overview

Traditional architecture on display in Katara.

Many Qatari organisations have their offices in Katara. These include the Qatari Society for Engineers, Qatar Fine Arts Society, Visual Art Centre, Qatar Photographic Society, Childhood Cultural Centre, Theatre Society and Qatar Music Academy.[1] The QMA manages the QMA Gallery, a public art venue in the village.[3] The buildings and facilities at Katara were deliberately arranged in order to reflect the country's cultural and architectural heritage.[4]

Development projects

Doha Bay crossing (also known as Sharq Crossing) is a causeway between 600 m and 1,300 m which will link Hamad International Airport with the district of Katara. It is set for completion by 2021.[5]

A 38,000 km2 project dubbed "Katara Plaza" was launched in April 2015. It will feature a number of retail outlets.[6]

Facilities

The amphitheater in Katara.

Katara has an open amphitheater, an opera house, a multi-purpose cinema, a multi-purpose conference hall, a beach, and a souq.[1] A museum showcasing the country's maritime heritage was opened in November 2015.[7]

Events

Fath Al Kheir journey

A traditional mosque in Katara.

Fath Al Kheir journey is a voyage organized by Katara management to promote Qatar's maritime heritage. The first voyage took place in the Persian Gulf from 22 November to 18 December, 2013. A second voyage was launched on 6 October, 2015. The ship was manned by 40 Qataris in traditional attire and sailed around the Arabian Sea, with the key destinations being Oman and India. The Indian ambassador to Qatar hailed it as a milestone in the countries' bilateral relations[8]

Katara Art Forum

A two-day discussion forum for the arts was inaugurated in Katara in 2014. An annual event, the forum features international and local researchers who deliver speeches on topics such as the history of Arab art and Arab art groups.[9]

Aida

In October 2012, an event featuring Giuseppe Verdi's classic opera Aida was hosted in Katara's amphitheatre. It was the first opera to be held in Qatar. The Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra were featured in the opera, alongside at least 80 singers and 35 actors.[10]

Management

Dr. Khalid Bin Ibrahim Al-Sulaiti as the General Manager of Katara Cultural village.[11]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Katara set for soft opening". Gulf Times. 2010-10-16. Archived from the original on 18 July 2015.
  2. ↑ "Katara is a link to Qatar's historical and cultural roots". The Peninsula. 2 December 2015. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
  3. ↑ "QM Gallery Katara". Qatar Museums. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  4. ↑ "About us". Katara. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  5. ↑ "Qatar reveals huge infrastructure project". Construction Week Online. 17 December 2013. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  6. ↑ "Make Way For More: Katara Plaza Launched in Qatar". Entrepreneur. 13 April 2015. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  7. ↑ "افتتاح متحف المحامل التقليدية في "كتارا"". Qatar News Agency. 16 November 2015. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
  8. ↑ "Fath Al Kheir begins 44-day historic voyage to India". The Peninsula. 6 October 2015. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
  9. ↑ "Katara arts forum launches in 2nd edition". The Peninsula. 15 December 2015. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
  10. ↑ Alya Al-Othman (22 October 2012). "Opera Aida Enthralls Audience at Katara". Khaleejesque. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
  11. ↑ "Katara appoints Dr Khalid Ibrahim Al Sulaiti as GM". The Peninsula. 2012-10-22.

External links


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