Doha,December 15 (QNA) - The activities of Katara 12th Traditional Dhow Festival are currently ongoing on Katara beach and will run until next Sunday within the events of Katara that are associated with the world cup tournament, with the engagement of the State of Qatar and 8 sisterly and friendly countries, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Sultanate of Oman, Iraq, Yemen, India, Turkey and Tanzania.
The engagement of these countries in the events comes to highlight various aspects of their maritime legacies, along with everything pertaining to arts, industries and traditional crafts that were associated with sea in the ancient times.
Qatar News Agency (QNA) interviewed a host of representatives of the countries that are engaging in these activities to have a glimpse of the nature of legacy and heritage in those countries, and how they go in alignment with the maritime legacy in Qatar.
The Cultural Counsellor at the Yemeni Embassy in Doha Safwat Al Ghashem said that this is the first engagement of Yemen in the activities of the traditional dhow festival that coincides with the world cup which is a source of pride for all Arabs, he said, because it introduces the Arab culture to the world, pointing out that the Yemeni pavilion offers the Yemeni culture with its various regions from Hadhramaut and Al-Shihr band is showcasing this maritime area which is consistent with the Qatari heritage.
Diving was on pearls, he said, where there is a great cultural commonality between Yemen and the Gulf until reaching Basrah, indicating that there is an agreement in heritage, creativity, and the arts convergence.
"We also present a participation from Al Hudaydah to express the culture of the Tihamah region and its relationship to the Red Sea and fishing as well, as well as showcasing a group of rare pictures of the ports of Aden " Al Ghashem said.
For his part, official of the Saudi House's pavilion Khalifa Al-Amiri said in a statement to Qatar News Agency (QNA) that the Saudi House is widely engaging in the activities of the 12th Traditional Dhow Festival this year through showcasing the Saudi popular heritage concerning the maritime legacy, in terms of the traditional crafts that were associated with ship manufacturing, where the Saudi pavilion showcases 14 crafts associated with the sea, the most important of which are Al-Qallaf, blacksmithing, and pottery, in addition to folk arts related to the sea.
The official who is in charge of the Tanzanian pavilion Ayoub Hilal Saeed pointed out that Tanzania was keenness to engage in the festival's activities, given the historical ties that bind Gulf countries in general with Tanzania, explaining that the Tanzanian pavilion presents the maritime heritage, including and the associated industries and tools, he said.
The participant from the Sultanate of Oman Abdullah Salem said that during his engagement in these activities he showcases a collection of antiques and rare collectibles related to the sea, which are the personal supplies of sailors on their long voyages, as well as many exhibits representing the models of famous ships in the Omani maritime heritage, pearl extraction tools, oysters, scales used by trolleys, and boxes. (QNA)