The inauguration ceremony for Qatar-USA Year of Culture 2021 took place this weekend, officially launching this year’s edition of the annual cultural exchange programme.

The event, hosted by Qatar Museums and the United States Embassy, took place at the Katara Cultural Village Opera House and included performances from the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra and the US Air Forces Central Band.

High-profile guests included Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Museums; His Excellency Salah bin Ghanem Al Ali, Qatar Minister of Culture and Sports; His Excellency Sheikh Meshal bin Hamad Al Thani, Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the United States; and Ambassador Greta C. Holtz, Chargé d’Affaires, United States Embassy in Qatar.

Additionally, Ahmed Musa Al Amla, CEO of Qatar Museums; Aisha Ghanem El Atiyya, the head of Year of Culture; and Dominic Genetti, the president and general manager for ExxonMobil Qatar—the programme’s platinum sponsor—were also in attendance.

According to the Years of Culture website, the programme’s purpose is to expose Qatar to a global audience and “promote mutual understanding, recognition, and appreciation between countries” through various events. These include festivals, exhibitions, and competitions, and this year’s agenda is expected to be no different.

Commenting on this year’s programme, Ambassador Holtz said: “The Year of Culture programme provides an extraordinary framework within which our two nations can come together to celebrate our longstanding relationship and forge new connections through people-to-people exchanges.”

ExxonMobil Qatar president and general manager Dominic Genetti (left) and Qatar Museums CEO Ahmad Musa Al Amla (right).