Doha,October 19 (QNA) – From museums and universities to scientific research, cinema and publishing, cultural cooperation between the State of Qatar and the French Republic has grown into a multifaceted partnership that transcends traditional artistic exchanges, building lasting institutional ties and creating new avenues for the exchange of knowledge, expertise and creativity.

Cultural cooperation between Qatar and France has deep historical roots, predating both the launch of the Years of Culture initiative and the institutional frameworks that underpin their partnership today. Developing alongside diplomatic relations established in 1972, these ties have grown to encompass the arts, education and academia, and have since extended to museums, scientific research, cinema and artist residencies.

A key milestone in formalizing this cooperation came in 1977, when the two countries signed a cultural cooperation agreement in Doha, laying the groundwork for closer institutional engagement. As cultural and educational institutions in both countries evolved, the partnership gained further scope, culminating in the signing of a comprehensive cultural agreement in Paris in 2014. Covering culture, the arts, heritage, archaeology, architecture and other fields, the agreement was ratified in March 2019 and entered into force in April of that year, providing a broader framework for bilateral cooperation.

In recent years, Qatar-France cultural cooperation has gained further momentum, evolving from cultural initiatives into a more structured partnership anchored in institutional collaboration. The Qatar-France 2020 Year of Culture marked a significant milestone, bringing exhibitions, artistic projects and educational programs to Doha and Paris while strengthening connections between artists and cultural institutions in both countries.

This momentum was reinforced in April 2025, when a series of partnership agreements further formalized cooperation and opened new avenues for joint cultural initiatives. The agreements provided a framework for broader professional exchange, artistic collaboration and institutional engagement.

The partnership is supported by a broad network of institutions, including Qatar’s Ministry of Culture, Qatar Museums, Qatar Foundation, universities and libraries, alongside French institutions working across the arts, heritage and education. Cooperation also encompasses efforts to promote Arab culture in France through exhibitions, seminars and intellectual programs, adding a reciprocal dimension to cultural exchange and fostering greater understanding between the two societies.

High-level exchanges have further strengthened Qatar-France cultural ties, with the April 2025 visit to Doha by HE French Minister of Culture Rachida Dati marking a notable milestone. During the visit, she conferred on HE Minister of Culture Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad Al-Thani the Order of Arts and Letters at the rank of Commander, one of France’s highest cultural distinctions.

The honor recognized HE Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad Al-Thani’s contributions to strengthening cultural relations between Qatar and France, his sustained support for the arts and literature, and his efforts to advance Qatar’s cultural landscape.

The visit also saw the signing of six partnership agreements involving the French Ministry of Culture, Qatar Museums and cultural institutions from both countries. The agreements covered professional training, the exchange of collections and exhibitions, research, artist residencies, arts education workshops and cinema cooperation.

Beyond facilitating exhibitions and cultural events, the agreements provide a framework for deeper professional and intellectual exchange, while opening avenues for joint projects that draw on the expertise and resources of museums, art centers, universities and research institutions in both countries.

The 2020 edition of Qatar Museums’ Years of Culture initiative, the ninth in the series, brought together visual arts, design, literature, cinema, music and educational activities. Its program engaged cultural institutions in both countries to foster mutual understanding and deepen appreciation of their respective cultures.

Among the program’s major highlights was Our World Is Burning, an exhibition presented at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris from February 21 to September 13, 2020, in collaboration with Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art in Doha. In Doha, the Fire Station hosted Picasso’s Studios from July to November 2020, in collaboration with the Musee national Picasso-Paris. The exhibition brought 108 works from the French museum’s collection to Qatar, spanning paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints and ceramics.

The program also extended into design and literature, with 12 emerging Qatari designers from Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar showcasing their work at the Maison&Objet design fair in Paris. Meanwhile, France was the guest of honor at the 30th Doha International Book Fair, providing a platform to showcase French literature and further strengthen cultural exchange between the two countries.

Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Qatar-France 2020 Year of Culture adapted to the circumstances, with some activities moving online while others continued. Its legacy extended beyond 2020. In 2022, the Aubusson Tapestry Project culminated in the unveiling of Yeebhom (Bring Them Back), a work by Qatari artist Bouthayna Al Muftah created in collaboration with the Cite internationale de la tapisserie in Aubusson, France. The project brought contemporary Qatari artistic expression into dialogue with a centuries-old French tapestry-making tradition.

Cultural cooperation between Qatar and France extends beyond artistic exchange to encompass research, intellectual engagement and dialogue on shared cultural concerns. Through joint initiatives, literary and artistic events, art exchanges and support for creative talent, institutions in both countries are expanding opportunities for collaboration and mutual understanding.

A notable example was the first international edition of the Ministry of Culture’s Season of Seminars, held in Paris on October 11, 2025, in partnership with the Arab World Institute (Institut du monde arabe). The event brought together Qatari, French and Arab academics, researchers and intellectuals to discuss the future of cultural dialogue between the Arab world and Europe, as well as the presence of Arab culture in European capitals.

Discussions also addressed the role of the Arabic language and translation in fostering intercultural communication, the importance of respecting cultural and linguistic diversity, and ways to advance dialogue among civilizations.

The partnership between the Middle East Council on Global Affairs and the French Institute in Qatar represents another avenue for deepening intellectual and cultural ties between Qatar and France. Formalized through a memorandum of understanding signed in late September 2026, the partnership aims to expand cooperation in research, intellectual dialogue, and cultural and knowledge exchange, while strengthening links among researchers and academic, intellectual and cultural communities in both countries and the wider region.

Also in September, a Qatar Creates Talk brought together HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al-Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Museums’ Board of Trustees, and Anne-Claire Legendre, President of the Arab World Institute in Paris, for a discussion titled “Culture as Diplomat: How Cultural Institutions Shape International Relationships.” The discussion explored the role of cultural institutions, museums, exhibitions and artistic partnerships in fostering international understanding and building lasting relationships between societies.

Through its artistic and intellectual initiatives, the Arab World Institute in Paris also serves as a platform for promoting Arab creativity and strengthening cultural exchange between the Arab world and France, creating opportunities for dialogue and engagement across cultures.

Among these initiatives is the Arab World Institute’s Design Prize, launched in 2023 to showcase design from across the Arab world and recognize both emerging and established talent. In the 2026 edition, Qatari designers Galyiah and Lolwa Al Mohannadi, co-founders of G&L Studio, were shortlisted in the Contemporary Crafts category for their collection Saraab. The collection was also featured in the prize’s accompanying exhibition, presenting a contemporary interpretation of Gulf vernacular traditions through light, color, materials and form, with inspiration drawn from architectural features such as gypsum mashrabiya screens and colored glass.

Literary and artistic initiatives have provided another avenue for cultural exchange. On September 27, 2026, Msheireb Museums, the French Institute in Qatar and the French Embassy in Qatar jointly hosted Poetry Day at Bin Jelmood House, at the initiative of the Arab World Institute in Paris and the Centre Pompidou. The event celebrated the legacy of Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish through a screening of An Orange from Jaffa, a short film by Palestinian director Mohammed Al Mughanni, followed by a discussion exploring how Darwish’s poetry continues to resonate in contemporary cinema and in reflections on identity, exile, displacement and belonging.

The translation of literary works between Arabic and French provides another avenue for cultural exchange between Qatar and France. One example is the French edition of A Qatari on the Banks of the Seine: Cultural Dialogue, by HE Qatar’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and President of UNESCO’s Executive Board, Dr. Nasser bin Hamad Al Hanzab.

Published under the title Un Qatari au bord de la Seine – Dialogue cultural, the book was translated by Khadija Toukkabri and published by the French publishing house L’Harmattan, following its release in Arabic by Rosa Publishing House. Drawing on the author’s experiences in France and his professional work at UNESCO, the book offers French-speaking readers a personal perspective on Qatar and its culture, creating further scope for cross-cultural understanding.

Museum cooperation represents another important dimension of Qatar-France cultural relations. On April 20, 2025, Qatar Museums and the Public Institution of the Musee d’Orsay and the Musee de l’Orangerie – Valery Giscard d’Estaing signed a framework agreement to strengthen collaboration between their institutions. The loan of Gustave Courbet’s self-portrait Autoportrait, also known as Le Désespere (The Desperate Man), painted around 1844-1845, marked the agreement’s first implementation. The loan was announced in October 2025 during an official tribute to Sylvain Amic, then President of the Musee d’Orsay and the Musee de l’Orangerie.

Owned by Qatar Museums, the painting is on display at the Musee d’Orsay in Paris until the opening of the Art Mill Museum in Doha, which will be dedicated to Qatar Museums’ collection of modern and contemporary art. Following an initial presentation at the Art Mill Museum, the work is expected to alternate between Doha and Paris, enabling audiences in both cities to experience the painting.

Cinema has also provided a platform for cultural engagement between Qatar and France. In June 2026, the Museum of Islamic Art hosted a screening of Inside Gaza, a documentary directed by Helene Lam Trong, in cooperation with Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of France in Doha. The film chronicles the experiences of Agence France-Presse (AFP) journalists who found themselves trapped in the Gaza Strip during the first months of the war that began on October 7, 2023. Drawing almost exclusively on AFP footage, much of it filmed by the journalists themselves, the documentary captures their daily lives and work as they reported from the besieged territory under extraordinary and dangerous circumstances.

Artistic exchange is another dimension of Qatar-France cultural cooperation, particularly through programs that support artists and bring together creative practices from diverse backgrounds. An example is Portals in Flux, an exhibition presented by Qatar Museums at Fire Station: Artist in Residence from October 28 to December 31, 2025. The exhibition marked the culmination of the ninth edition of the Artist in Residence (AIR) program and featured works by 15 artists based in Qatar, representing a range of nationalities and artistic disciplines. French artist Alexandrine Guerin was among the participants, reflecting the international perspectives and cross-cultural interaction fostered by Qatar’s contemporary art scene. (QNA)