Qatar Museums and Al Shamal Municipality ink new agreement to preserve Al Zubarah UNESCO World Heritage Site

Doha: Qatar Museums (QM) and Al Shamal Municipality have signed on Monday a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance joint cooperation and preservation of Al Zubarah UNESCO World Heritage Site and promote cultural awareness among community members.

As part of the new agreement, Al Shamal Municipality will be responsible for cleaning and preserving Al Zubarah’s beach every month for the next five years. Al Shamal Municipality will also take part in QM’s local activities to help promote cultural awareness among community members. The MoU was signed by Mr. Ahmad Al-Namla, QM’s Acting Chief Executive Officer (ACEO) and Hamad Jumaa Al-Mannai, Director of Al Shamal Municipality.

Commenting on the occasion, QM’S ACEO Mr. Al-Namla said: “We’re pleased to sign this new partnership with Al Shamal Municipality to help preserve one of the most important heritage sites in Qatar, and promote cultural awareness about its importance. Al Shamal Municipality is one of the key cultural hubs in Qatar. As such, its preservation is key to Qatar Museum’s Department of Archaeology in line with QM’s vision. We hope this partnership inspires other entities to form similar agreements to promote cultural understanding within their Corporate Social Responsibility progammes.”

Hamad Jumaa Al-Mannai, Director of Al Shamal Municipality, added: “We’re pleased to partner with Qatar Museums to preserve this historic site of Al Zubarah, in line with our commitment to the country and its people. Not only are we going to help preserve the beauty and cleanliness of the site and its surrounding areas, but we will also set up several activities to help spread awareness about Qatar’s rich cultural history. We look forward to seeing the outcomes of this fruitful cooperation.”

The historic coastal town, Al Zubarah, is situated approximately 100 km north-west of Doha. Founded in the mid-18th century, the town developed into a centre of the pearling and international trade and rose to become the country’s largest and most important settlement. QM oversees its preservation and promotion by hosting various tourist visits and organising educational cultural activities all year-round for people in Qatar.

The Department of Archaeology at QM places great importance on Al Shamal Municipality given its historic significance. Some of QM’s efforts to preserve the area include the restoration of the iconic at Al Ruwais Mosque, one of Qatar’s oldest mosques, and its surrounding areas. Most recently, QM has also turned the abandoned Al Ruwais Police Station into an exciting touristic project.

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Press Contacts:
Rania Hussein,
Qatar Museums:
rhussein@qm.org.qa
(+974 4402 8535)
Federica Zuccarini,
Qatar Museums:
fzuccarini@qm.org.qa 
(+974 4402 8510)

Qatar Museums
Qatar Museums connects the museums, cultural institutions and heritage sites in Qatar and creates the conditions for them to thrive and flourish. It centralises resources and provides a comprehensive organisation for the development of museums and cultural projects, with a long term ambition of creating a strong and sustainable cultural infrastructure for Qatar. Under the patronage of His Highness the Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and led by its Chairperson, Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, QM is consolidating Qatar’s efforts to become a vibrant centre for the arts, culture and education, in the Middle East and beyond.

Since its foundation in 2005, QM has overseen the development of the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA), Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, and the Al Zubarah World Heritage Site Visitor Centre. QM also manages the QM Gallery at Katara Cultural Village, the ALRIWAQ DOHA Exhibition Space and the Fire Station: Artists in Residence. Future projects include the launch of the highly anticipated National Museum of Qatar and the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum.

QM is committed to instigating Qatar’s future generation of arts, heritage and museum professionals. At its core is a commitment to nurturing artistic talent, creating opportunities and developing the skills to service Qatar’s emerging art economy. By means of a multi-faceted program and public art initiatives, QM seeks to push the boundaries of the traditional museum model, and create cultural experiences that spill out onto the streets and seek to involve a wide audience. Through a strong emphasis on originating art and culture from within and fostering a spirit of national participation, QM is helping Qatar find its own distinctive voice in today’s global cultural debates. 

© Press Release 2019