Dr. Saleh bin Ali Al Marri
Doha, Qatar: The Sheikh Abdullah bin Zaid Al Mahmoud Islamic Cultural Centre has reinforced its role as a key platform for introducing Islam and fostering cross-cultural dialogue, delivering wide-ranging programmes in 2025 aimed particularly at non-Arabic speakers within and beyond Qatar.
Operating under the umbrella of the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, the centre translated the ministry’s vision into impactful initiatives that promote understanding, coexistence, and communication across cultures through diverse educational and awareness programmes.
According to the Ministry’s 2025 report issued yesterday, the centre organised 9,594 awareness and educational activities targeting non-Arabic speakers, benefiting 544,141 individuals.
It also conducted 66 Arabic language courses for non-native speakers, attended by 1,705 learners, alongside 1,894 events introducing Islam and its civilisation in multiple languages, reaching 132,513 beneficiaries.
Cultural exhibitions organised by the centre attracted more than 15,762 visitors, while the “Al Raqeem” exhibition, held alongside the Qatar International Arabic Calligraphy Competition, drew around 57,500 visitors.
Director of Sheikh Abdullah bin Zaid Al Mahmoud Islamic Cultural Centre Dr. Saleh bin Ali Al Marri said the achievements reflect sustained efforts to promote the values of moderation, tolerance, and coexistence, while enhancing religious and cultural awareness among expatriate communities, particularly non-Arabic-speaking Muslims in Qatar.
He noted that the centre’s field and knowledge-based work included thousands of targeted outreach activities and hundreds of programmes introducing Islam to diverse audiences, benefiting hundreds of thousands of residents. This, he said, demonstrates the breadth of the centre’s impact and its ability to engage with multiple cultures and languages.
The centre also organised two major cultural exhibitions that attracted thousands of visitors and contributed to presenting a positive image of Islam while strengthening civilisational dialogue.
In addition, it produced five new publications and distributed 219,864 multilingual educational materials addressing Islamic values and contemporary religious topics in accessible formats that support proper understanding and encourage positive integration within multicultural societies.
Dr. Al Marri highlighted the centre’s focus on teaching Arabic as a gateway to understanding the Quran and Islamic culture. During 2025, the centre delivered 66 specialised courses attended by 1,705 learners, including 242 participants representing 19 diplomatic entities, reflecting growing international confidence in the centre’s educational programmes.
The centre also played a key role in organising and supporting local and international initiatives, notably the “Al Raqeem” Arabic calligraphy competition. In collaboration with the Museum of Islamic Art, it hosted an exhibition showcasing winning artworks, which attracted approximately 57,000 visitors. Additionally, it organised a school-level Arabic calligraphy competition involving 479 students from public and private schools, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education.
Dr. Al Marri concluded that these integrated efforts reflect the centre’s mission to build informed religious awareness grounded in knowledge, dialogue, and coexistence, while reinforcing Qatar’s position as a leading model in cultural and religious outreach for diverse, multilingual communities.
