DOHA: The Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani will present Qatar's Museum of Islamic Art to the world at a spectacular ceremony beginning at 6pm today.
The opening ceremony will reveal the breathtaking architecture and priceless collection to the guests as the museum is officially unveiled. The inaugural ceremony will be a distinctive event in the modern history of Qatar. More than 1,000 specially invited guests, including political leaders, Hollywood celebrities, Arab singers, artistes and art critics, will be present to witness the historic moment.
The 382,000-square-foot architectural gem, designed by renowned architect I M Pei, will showcase the artistic achievements of the Muslim world in a fitting way.
A globally reputed event management company is working overtime to make the occasion a memorable one. Unconfirmed reports say that buildings all along the Corniche will switch off their lights during the opening ceremony to enhance the visual effect of the lighting at the magnificent museum.
The organisers have lined up a series of shows and cultural events to mark the event. Renowned cellist Yo Yo Ma will perform a solo piece after the opening ceremony. Ma and his team will stage the popular Arabic love story, "Lyla and Majnun", in a world premiere show tomorrow. A team of internationally renowned musicians, composers, visual artists and story-tellers from more than 20 countries will join the show.
Architect Pei will be the guest of honour at a ceremony on Sunday. Pei is expected to lead a discussion on "Islamic Architecture from Tradition to Modernity" on the same day.
The next two days will witness a conference and exhibition based on the theme "Beyond Boundaries - Islamic Art Across Cultures". The events will take place at the Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium. Reputed Islamic art academics, writers, researchers and historians will address the various sessions.
Mohamad Hassanein Heikal, advisor to the late Egyptian Prime Minister Gamal Abdel Nasser, and Dominique De Villepin, former French Prime Minister will be the guest speakers.
Arab envoys in Qatar have lauded the museum, saying it will play an important role in deepening the relationship between the East and West, provide space for a dialogue among civilizations and enhance intellectual freedom in general.
They said the museum represents an important part of the human legacy and will be an essential pillar in strengthening Islamic cultural heritage.
Saudi Ambassador Ahmed bin Ali Al Qahtani said the opening of the Museum of Islamic Art affirms Qatar's keenness to preserve Islamic heritage. The conferences, festivals and other various global forums hosted by Qatar can play a role in highlighting the true image of Islamic culture through this gigantic project, he said.
He added that the museum will contribute to bringing civilizations together and affirm the distinctive cultural status of Qatar at the regional and global level.
Ambassador Abdul Redah Abdullah Khori of the United Arab Emirates said the opening of the museum reflects the development of architecture in Qatar. "The museum is truly a unique architectural masterpiece."
The museum will showcase a unique Islamic art collection dating from the eighth century to the 19th century from across the Islamic world and the countries that have been influenced by Islamic artistic trends, such as India and Spain. The museum will also display metal works, ceramics, precious stones and jewellery, woodwork, textiles, ivory, examples of Islamic calligraphy, ancient books, and portraits.
Described as the cultural front of Qatar, this architectural and cultural landmark is expected to emerge as a permanent host to important Islamic cultural events in future.
© The Peninsula 2008
