By FEYZA GUMUSLUOGLU
Qatar has ambitious vision in all areas, from foreign policy to sports. What is its vision in the field of culture, in the framework of 2022 World Cup in particular?
Culture is an important factor in our strategy for 2022. Culture is helping to pave the way for the relations with other countries. We consider the culture as one of our cornerstone in our development. This is the vision and key strategy. I am sure that cultural years in general and Turkish one in particular, are going to enhance the relations, not only in culture but in general, sport, business, tourism and human interaction.
Almost 90 percent of the population in Qatar are expatriates. Is this a threat to the local culture?
It depends in the way we act. It could be a threat, and it could be a privilege. The highest time in the Arab civilization, there were good relations with other cultures. These cultures did not represent threat to Arab or Islamic culture. If we give a culture its importance, if we preserve our own culture, our folklore, music, and before all, Arabic language... Because the language is the core of our culture. If we do that, other cultures will enhance our own culture, not become a threat. But if we ignore preserving our culture, than it becomes a threat. I think we are aware of this. We give our heritage, our culture the greatest importance. Even our buildings are in Arabic and Islamic design. If you go to Katara or Souq Waqif, you can easily see how local Arab culture exists. We cannot live alone in this world; the world has become very small. We have to be open to other cultures and Qatar is one of the most open countries in the world. Almost every day we have an event from different countries and cultures. Last four years, we had four culture years with four different countries. We believe that our culture is benefiting from this.
There is an obvious Islamophobia and Arabophobia in the West, even increasing with the presence of ISIS. How can this phobia be overcome?
I think culture could play a very important role. Cultural years that we have create an understanding among people, which is one of the solutions. I believe that we can solve our problems through culture.
Qatar and Turkey have developed very close relations in recent years. Now we have 2015 as Turkey-Qatar cultural year. What makes Qatar-Turkey relations so special?
You have to ask this question in a different way: “Why the relations between these two countries should not be so special?” Indeed, they have to be very special. We live in the same area, we have the same concerns, we have common interests, we have cultural, historical relationship in the past. We have also trade, commerce, etc. We have every reason to have a special relationship. Our two leaders, The Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, they have the will to work together for the interest of the international community and interest of the two countries. Until the last moment, we had not decided about Turkey culture year. The decision was made within few hours. This reflects the political will of the leaders. I believe that this relationship should be an example for other countries to follow.
Turkish people do not know Qatar very well. How would you define the Qatari culture in relation with the broader Gulf and Arab culture?
I don’t think that Turkish people ignore Qatar, they know us very well. But we have to enhance the relations through this cultural year. Qatar has its local culture, folklore, music, fine arts, etc. As an Arab country, of course it belongs to the broader Arab culture. Furthermore, Qatar is open to other cultures in the world. We are a very open country, we trust our culture, we believe in the interaction with other cultures and if we are trying to do this, we have to do it first and foremost with a country like Turkey.
Turkish TV dramas are very popular in Qatar, like all other Arab countries. Do you think these dramas generated interest in Turkish culture or they were misleading?
Turkey is very well known country, it was a big empire. Every reader of history should realize its importance without watching these TV dramas. Of course some dramas are good, some are not good. I have watched some of them. Some give very good indication that the society is the same and this is what makes them very close to Arab’s hearts. But some are bad.
Can you give an example?
“Hareem al Sultan”, (Sultan’s Harem) for instance… From the drama point of view it is very good. But from the historical point of view it is bad. Because it is not reflecting the reality. Suleiman Kanuni was one of the greatest men in the history, he was the second Ottoman caliph and he almost doubled the territory of the Ottoman Empire. He was a man of jihad. Giving the impression that he has nothing to do with all of these but only with his harem, jariah (concubine) and problem among them in the palace is not correct. But still, it is very good to have this kind of phenomena. We have to take advantage of these dramas. But we have to select the good ones to reflect Turkish culture correctly. Unfortunately in the end, money plays the role, not the content of drama.
What kind of similarities and differences you observe between Turkey and Qatar?
Every country has its own character. There are a lot of similarities because Islam unites the two countries. Also Turkish language is very influenced by Arabic. Tough they changed the alphabet, vocabulary is still there.
How many times you have been to Turkey, apart from business trips?
Many times for business and two times for holidays. I have been to Istanbul and officially to Ankara. But for personal pleasure, I go to Istanbul. I love Istanbul. When Istanbul was the European capital of culture, at the same time Doha was the capital of Arab culture. I remember that during an interview with one Turkish TV, I said that Istanbul is the only city that could be a capital for any culture in the world.
What do you like the most about Istanbul?
First, the beauty of Istanbul. Second, richness of the culture, and I think this richness is going to make this year very exceptional from the other cultural years we had.
We know the events calendar in Qatar. What are the planned activities in Turkey during this year?
Plan is the same. We have more than 45 Turkish events in Qatar and we have more than 30 events in Turkey, not only in Istanbul, but in different parts of Turkey. Because we should not make all efforts in one city at the expense of others. And all cities of Turkey are beautiful, not only Istanbul.
The Peninsula
