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Heritage&culture in Qatar
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Culture in Qatar
Culture and the arts have received strong support in Qatar with the result that the country has an active and vibrant artistic community. Support for this field has been coordinated by the Department of Culture and Arts, which was established in 1977, and which supports preservation and expression of Qatar's heritage through collection of works, together with a full program of classification, study and analysis. The Department provides financial and moral support to the Qatari folklore troupe, as well as documentation, preservation and revival of handicrafts at the ancient Al Kut Fort. It also sponsors intellectual works, the arts, theatrical and fine arts movements.
In the early 1980's the theatrical movement witnessed new developments culminating in the establishment of Qatar National Theatre in 1982, which accommodates 550 seats and is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment.
As part of Qatar's focus on preservation of its traditional, historic and ancient heritage and encouragement of its cultural attributes, the Ruler's old fort residence in the heart of Doha, the country's capital city, was converted into the headquarters for Qatar National Museum, and is now under direction of the Department of Museums and Antiquities which supervises all Qatar's museums and archaeological digs.
The traditional art if boat building has been nurtured by a special Emiri Workshop which was established for the building and maintenance of traditional ships to preserve the Qashafah or shipbuilding profession. One of its most impressive achievements is construction of a large Bateel vessel by a Qatari shipbuilder (Qallaf). In addition to boat building support is given to a wide range of traditional handicrafts including sadu tailoring, jewellery manufacture, the pearling industry and making of traditional gold and silver embellished clothing.
Qatar's cultural movement remains active, both at home and overseas, through a programme of exhibitions, performances, lectures and readings. Qatari Cultural Weeks, which have been organised in several Arab and foreign countries, provide a valuable focus and celebration of these efforts. Finally, cultural centres in associated with youth movements, also organise a range of cultural and artisitc activities.
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