The magazine has become immensely popular within a short period due to its rich and diverse content put together by a special editorial team. It’s distributed free in Qatar and abroad through diplomatic missions and to leading institutions and offices in all sectors, the statement noted.
'Culture' was conceived by Katara Publishing, which comes under Katara - the Cultural Village Foundation, as a forum to highlight the diversity of Qatar’s culture and serve as an interactive platform between various stakeholders and readers to promote the cultural sector and inform the local and international readers about the latest trends and activities in the sector.
“As the leading cultural institution in Qatar, we thought it’s our duty to bring out a publication that will give voice to the people and institutions in the cultural sector. Like in so many other areas, Qatar is leading in culture, too, with several major events that we organise attracting regional, global interest and participation,” said Prof Khalid bin Ibrahim al-Sulaiti, general manager of Katara.
The latest, 400-page issue of the magazine has its cover story on falconry, with a special focus on Souq Waqif Falcon Hospital, which has ultra-modern facilities for falcon care.
It also carries features on other crucial components of Qatari culture such as the abaya, gahwa (Arabic coffee tradition), batoola (traditional face-covering worn by Qatari women), souvenirs from Qatar and interviews with famous art, media, literary and film personalities like the late Virgil Abloh, Khalid Jassem, Dr Ahmad Abdul Malik, Khalifa al-Marri and Anas Abu Qamar, and several other features.
“The first two issues were received well and we are happy at the enthusiastic response. We have launched this magazine at a time when the global attention is turning to Qatar for several reasons. We believe that culture is an important component of a country’s outreach to the world, and Qatar understands the importance and power of culture in creating a positive image and influencing the world. This magazine seeks to add value to these efforts and broadens our communication with the world,” said Khalid al-Sayed, editor-in-chief of 'Culture'.
Shaikha Hamad Ahmad al-Thani, executive editor of the magazine, noted: “As the first magazine of its kind in Qatar, 'Culture' is filling a long-existing void. One major reason that has contributed to its success is that it has given a platform for players in this field to communicate with a larger audience and thus get noticed, and readers are getting rare insights into the country’s vibrant cultural scene.”
Among topics of a heritage nature, the issue deals with Arabic coffee, the method of making it and how to present it, as well as the traditions of Ramadan in Qatar, what has been updated and what the society has preserved from its ancient heritage, the official Qatar News Agency reported.
The magazine has shed light on the role of Al-Jasra Club as one of the oldest sources of cultural activities in Qatar. It has also covered the 31st edition of Doha Book Fair and its contributions to making reading a societal habit in Qatar and to the emergence of creative people in various fields of writing, especially creative literary writing.
On the artistic side, the third issue of 'Culture' deals with the experience of Khalifa al-Marri, the promising director, and the echoes of his film 'Alayan', in addition to the magazine's discussion of a number of art exhibitions.
With regard to events and initiatives, the issue refers to the second edition of the Katara International Arabian Horse Festival. It also touches upon sustainability initiatives at Qatar Foundation, such as the car-free day, as well as Qatar's landmarks, with the magazine highlighting the most prominent parks that can be visited in the country.
In the space designated for interviews, the magazine has conducted an interview with sports journalist Khaled Jassim, during which he talked about his programme 'The Majlis', which combines Qatari and Arab heritage and culture. It has also conducted an interview with novelist Dr Ahmad Abdul Malik, in which he talked about his recent writings and many issues related to culture and literature.
The future issues of the magazine will continue in the tradition of providing quality content to readers, the press statement added.
Those interested in getting copies of the magazine may contact Katara Publishing House.