Chairman of the Qatari-Russian Center for Cooperation (QRCC) Supervisory Board, former Ambassador of the State of Qatar to Russia Mr. Fahad bin Mohammed Al-Attiyah gave an interview to the online-media BURO. Artist Aidan Salakhova joined the conversation that touched upon cultural dialogue and other areas of cooperation between the two countries.

The interview participants recalled the most prominent Qatari-Russian cultural projects implemented in the recent years. Among them are the online film festival Qatar Film Days and the Cultural Creative Agency (CCA). The key task of the CCA is to further develop cultural initiatives launched during the Qatar-Russia 2018 Year of Culture.

Mr. Fahad bin Mohammed Al-Attiyah spoke in detail about the large-scale CCA cultural project (no)borders, which united a variety of events into a single cross-cultural movement. (No)borders namely included an artistic competition and an exhibition project named “Turbulence”, as well as the launch of the independent EastEast media, and several scientific and educational programs.

Mr. Al-Attiyah and Ms.Aidan Salakhova also touched upon topics related to the participation of women in cultural and public projects, the role of cultural initiatives in overcoming social and other contradictions, cultural life during the pandemic, and many others.

In the interview Mr. Al-Attiyah expressed gratitude to his Russian colleagues for fruitful cooperation. He noted that he will continue to support joint Qatari-Russian initiatives.

“This year Qatar will participate as a guest country in the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. For the Qatari investment community this is an incentive to pay more attention to the Russian economic potential and business community development. It is also very important for us to continue the implementation of new cultural projects in line with the Qatar-Russia 2018 Year of Culture achievements,” — he stressed.

The interview was prepared by BURO columnist Ivan Dubkov who is actively involved in numerous projects of the Cultural Creative Agency.