The embassies of Japan, the United States, Indonesia, South Korea and others in Qatar gathered to showcase their rich cultural treasures at the 2024 Doha International Book Fair (DIBF), which opened yesterday at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center. These booths create a collage of diversity from a variety of literary works and artifacts, inviting visitors to journey through the vibrant landscapes of their respective cultures. Kazuto Matsuda, a researcher and advisor at the Mexican Embassy, told Gulf Times. Highlighting the unique nature of this year's participation, Japan in Qatar said: “What's special about our booth this year is that it features Japanese calligraphy and origami, allowing visitors to write their name in Japanese to a skilled calligrapher.'' “We offer a variety of activities that allow children to carve their words beautifully.” Origami enthusiasts can marvel at the variety of creations, from various vehicles to popular anime characters like Pikachu and other objects, he said. Matsuda said that their main objective is to promote Japanese culture, as well as foster interest in Japanese tourism, language and literature, adding, “Year by year, people in Qatar are becoming more and more interested in studying Japanese and visiting Japan.'' The number of people showing this is increasing.” This highlights Japan's growing popularity in Qatar and the region. This year's DIBF, with the theme 'Knowledge builds civilization', will continue its literary festival until May 18th. The event will feature a wealth of literary treasures, with over 180,000 volumes from 515 publishers on display. Another regular participant is the U.S. Embassy in Qatar. The embassy has carefully selected an extensive collection of literary works by renowned American authors and publishers, designed to improve English language proficiency and inspire readers to explore diverse literature. Mr. Timmy Davis expressed his enthusiasm and encouraged attendees to explore the vast selection of books, saying, “We are very pleased to announce the participation of the United States Embassy in this year's Doha International Book Fair. Our booth We invite you to read, learn, and grow across America by exploring thousands of books in our collection of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Education, Sustainability. It covers topics such as possibilities. we are excited. It aims to share stories with book lovers in Qatar and promote literacy through cultural and academic exchanges between the two countries. ” Indonesian Ambassador Ridwan Hassan emphasized the important role of books in fostering understanding and tolerance. He said: “For the Indonesian Embassy, participating in the Doha International Book Fair is always our priority. Why? We believe that this book will help build understanding and tolerance in society from different backgrounds. I am grateful to the Ministry of Culture for its continued donations.” Indonesia also has a chance to participate in this great event. We are honored to welcome two Indonesian speakers at this book fair. ” Similarly, the Korean Embassy returned to the fair with an attractive display of literary works. The richness of Korean culture and tourism.
