Food, music, and pop culture: Qatar's 'Years of Culture' celebrates the beauty of places and people

Flag Plaza in Qatar is a public space that was launched to mark the 10th year of the country’s annual ‘Years of Culture’ exchange programme.

The project aims to foster partnerships with a different nation each year by sharing and enjoying "each country’s creative, cultural and artistic offerings."

This year’s chosen country is Indonesia, and the Southeast Asian nation has pulled out all the stops to showcase its vibrant culture.

When it comes to introducing people to different cultures and cuisine, there’s no better way than through a food festival.

For this year's Qatar International Food Festival, thousands of visitors gathered at Lusail Boulevard, all wanting a bite of what’s on offer. Among nearly 100 stalls offering a variety of international food and snacks, the spotlight this year was on Indonesian cuisine. 

The dinner capped off another successful edition of the food festival, but it’s one of many events in the ‘Years of Culture’ calendar.

"We enjoy a very good relationship between Indonesia and Qatar. But it is also good to have a better understanding among the people through the culture," revealed His Excellency Ridwan Hassan, the Indonesian Ambassador to Qatar. "Qatar-Indonesia Year of Culture is contributing a lot to these things."

It’s not just food that brings cultures together. Music, theatre and the arts are also universal languages that can portray a country’s culture, diversity and values. At the Katara Cultural Village, a special musical performance was staged to give a glimpse into the colourful world of Indonesian theatre.

At the Katara Opera House, a troupe of actors and actresses was flown in from different parts of Indonesia to perform ‘Hayati’ - a musical interpretation of some of the oldest and most