Doha, April 15, 2013

Katara, the Cultural Village today announced the launch of a five-year strategic plan with a clear vision on how to achieve the project's objectives as an economically profitable cultural institution. The new strategy was announced in a press conference held with Palladium Group, the company founded by Drs. Kaplan and Norton, and a global leader in strategy execution consulting, which will be guiding the Katara team according to proven methodologies and international best practices.

Utilizing the Kaplan-Norton Strategy Execution Framework, the new strategy will comprise the values, vision, and mission of the Cultural Village in the coming years and determine the scope of work and objectives using quantitative indicators measured after the implementation of the strategy and at the time of its evaluation. Based on several benchmark studies, statistics, documents, information, questionnaires, interviews, and surveys, the Katara and Palladium teams will propose a final strategy to be approved.

Dr. Khaled Al-Sulaiti, General Manager, Katara stated, "This plan intends to make the best use of Katara's buildings and facilities to enrich the cultural movement, inspire creativity, and create an environment conducive to the support of cultural, intellectual, and artistic activities.

"As a meeting place for intellectuals and creative thinkers, Katara, the Cultural Village seeks to increase the cultural awareness through festivals, exhibitions, and seminars, in addition to conducting research work and studies in line with the goals and objectives of the institution. In line with the Qatar National Vision 2030, Katara aims to issue publications and periodicals promoting its objectives and activities in coordination with the Ministry of Culture, Arts, and Heritage, governmental and non-governmental institutions. Culture is a main pillar, on which societies are established based on their longstanding national cultural heritage," he continued.

The development of a comprehensive strategy based on Qatar National Vision 2030 will promote the abilities and capacities of the Cultural Village to keep up with multi-faceted cultural movement on the national, Gulf, Arab, and international fronts in arts, photography, painting, folklore, Arab and international music, theater, cinema, hosting professional and amateur artists, in addition to different local and international exhibitions.

Katara, Cultural Village Project has completed the final stage; other stages of the project are still under construction. The remaining phases will include the establishment of a mall, residential villas, hotels, and other facilities serving culture and tourism. However, the main target of the Cultural Village is to develop and nurture the capacities of talented Qataris.

Al-Sulaiti emphasized, "The Cultural Village Project is considered one of its kind in the region. Katara is not only heritage buildings or a commercial entertainment project; it is rather a group of projects focusing mainly on culture, an incubator of different cultures and civilizations, and a major turning point in the cultural movement in Qatar."

Katara is a recipient of ISO 9001: 2008 certification for the management of cultural affairs from MS Certification Company, one of the global leading companies in the field of application of quality management standards for administrative and financial world. This specialized international award demonstrates the quality performance and efficiency standards at Katara and culminates the hard work exerted by the Katara team in different stages. This award will be reflected positively on the level of services and events at the Cultural Village. The newly adopted strategy will raise the level of performance and enhance the quality management abilities of Katara.

Al-Sulaiti said, "Translating Katara's objectives into actions will convey our mission to people on the national, regional, and international levels. Katara aims primarily at reviving the cultural and artistic scene in the Qatari society through the true spirit and authenticity of culture in a contemporary environment. Our values encourage creativity and ambitions whilst promoting diversity and engagement in a well-educated and informed society."

The team working on developing the final strategy includes the General Manager, Managers, Heads of Sections, and many other staff members from different departments including senior management, strategic affairs, cultural events, public relations, human resources and finance, as well as Palladium experts. This team will be responsible for the review and implementation of this strategy from this current year until 2018 in accordance with Qatar National Vision 2030.

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About Katara - The Cultural Village
Situated on the eastern coast of Doha, Katara - The Cultural Village is a cultural landmark and inspirational breeding ground for arts and culture in Qatar. The village, built on one million square meters, is made up of interconnecting pathways and creatively placed buildings constructed to resemble Al Fareej, an ancient Qatari quarter.

Katara - The Cultural Village is home to an awe-inspiring open amphitheatre, opera house, cinema/drama theatre, multi-purpose hall, handicrafts souq, book stall, and beach.  Katara also hosts an array of restaurants that offer the best in international cuisine.

Several locally-based NGOs including Algannas Society, Childhood Cultural Center, Qatar Fine Arts Society, Qatar Photographic Society, Qatar Society for Engineers, Doha Film Institute and Visual Art Center, are based in Katara - The Cultural Village.

By hosting entertaining and educational festivals, exhibitions, forums, and other cultural events, Katara - The Cultural Village helps position Qatar as a cultural destination in the GCC and Arab world.

About Palladium Group, Inc
Palladium Group, Inc. is the global leader in helping organizations solve their most pressing strategy execution challenges. Founded by Drs. Kaplan and Norton, creators of the Balanced Scorecard, Strategy Maps, the principles of the Strategy Focused Organization, as well as of the Execution Premium Process™,  at Palladium we provide our clients with an integrated set of services--strategy and technology consulting, education, training, and certification--that deliver tangible results and enduring internal capabilities. 

The benefits of our approach are demonstrated through the members of the Palladium Balanced Scorecard Hall of Fame for Executing Strategy® which recognizes organizations that have achieved premium returns through outstanding execution.

Palladium Group services the Middle East region through a network of local offices and an expert international team.

Media contact:
Joan Cabezas
Managing Director
Email: jcabezas@thepalladiumgroup.com

For media enquiries, please contact:
Lara Mneimneh
Hill+Knowlton Strategies
lara.mneimneh@hkstrategies.com
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© Press Release 2013