Years of Culture Adviser on Latin America and Qatar’s former Ambassador to Mexico H E Mohammed Al Kuwari (left) with other officials.
Doha, Qatar: In just over three months, the Years of Culture partnership with Canada and Mexico has already begun to demonstrate the value of sustained cultural dialogue, setting the tone for a year rooted in discovery, mutual understanding, and human connection.
Years of Culture Adviser on Latin America and Qatar’s former Ambassador to Mexico, H E Mohammed Al Kuwari, said, “This commitment to understanding one another is made even more important amid today’s global conflicts. That is what 100 days of culture means right now: a different answer to the old yet urgent question, How do we continue to live together when so much seems determined to pull us apart? Programmes taking place as part of the Qatar Canada and Mexico 2026 Year of Culture invite people to glimpse the world through someone else’s eyes and, in doing so, recognise something of themselves.”
In remarks shared on social media, Canadian Ambassador to Qatar H E Karim Morcos said, “In these challenging times as the world faces uncertainty and conflict, cultural connection feels more important than ever. Culture reminds us of our shared humanity through food, art, and the simple act of coming together.”
In these first 100 days, starting with the opening collaborations at the Qatar International Food Festival and the region’s very first Art Basel Qatar where chefs and artists from Canada and Mexico brought their traditions to Doha, a foundation of understanding has already taken shape through food, storytelling, and shared public experiences.
Beyond the food festival, early planning and creative collaborations for exhibitions in Mexico and Canada have begun. Years of Culture looks forward to photography, sport, and design-led projects that build on the legacy of Qatar’s role in hosting the FIFA World Cup 2022.
For Qatar, this partnership carries particular resonance. In 2022, the nation stood at the centre of the world as host of the FIFA World Cup, an event that brought millions together through shared moments of joy, excitement, and human connection. It was an undertaking that required vision, commitment, and unwavering belief. Today, Qatar continues to invest in opportunities that create meaningful connections across borders and communities. It remains firmly committed to the belief that understanding must be continually nurtured, and that the spaces where dialogue and connection can flourish must be actively sustained and protected.
Canada and Mexico, too, have chosen to invest time and resources in creating space for genuine cultural exchange, making them great partners for the 2026 Year of Culture. Together, the three nations are making a collective statement: that culture still has the power to bring people together.
