Twenty-six students from Qatar’s Community College and employees of Qatar Museums are taking part in a volunteer program at the Al-Amal Center for Women’s Empowerment in Targa, Marrakech, from October 22 to 31.
Activities include art workshops, introductory photography sessions and cooking workshops. The program aims to promote cultural exchange between Morocco and Qatar while helping women and young girls develop practical skills to support their projects.
The initiative follows the Morocco-Qatar Years of Culture, which featured joint events in 2024. Organizers now hope to maintain that cooperation through practical projects that directly benefit local communities.
“Our visit to Morocco in 2024, during the Qatar-Morocco Year of Culture, made us want to continue these exchanges and build on that momentum,” said Hazem Idriss, head of the Community Services Department at Qatar Museums and spokesperson for the delegation.
“We are here to keep this spirit of sharing alive and continue working with our Moroccan sisters and brothers,” he added.
A mural inspired by both countries
At the Al-Amal center, the exchange has an artistic dimension. Participants are working together on a mural combining elements of Qatari heritage with Moroccan architectural and artistic references.
“We have drawn inspiration from both Qatari and Moroccan culture, and I hope that once completed, the mural will be beautiful and express both our culture and yours,” said Qatari visual artist and painter Mariam Al-Sayegh, who is taking part in the project.
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Photography workshops to support small businesses
The photography sessions have a more practical focus. They aim to help women present their products and creations more effectively, particularly in the food and catering sectors, by teaching them how to produce quality images to promote their activities.
Qatari photographer Fatima Al-Emadi is guiding participants through product photography techniques, showing them how to showcase their work and create visuals for purposes such as restaurant menus.
The sessions have brought together center employees and Moroccan participants. “This cultural exchange has given us a great deal. We are delighted to have taken part,” she said.
Cooking brings the two cultures together
Food is another focus of the program. Through traditional Moroccan and Qatari recipes, participants exchange cooking skills and discover each other’s culinary customs and traditions of hospitality.
For Maryam Hassan Al-Emadi, who leads the Qatari delegation’s cooking workshop, the initiative organized with Qatar Museums and the Al-Amal center offers an opportunity for mutual discovery.
“This experience allows us to discover Moroccan culture and share our own. We are here to learn from one another and pass on our traditions,” she said.
Introducing Qatari heritage
Other workshops offer participants a closer look at different aspects of Qatari heritage. Nouf Ibrahim Al-Abdullah, head of library programs at the National Museum of Qatar, highlighted traditions associated with the traditional Qatari home, the sea, the desert and Souq Waqif, known for its traditional clothing and spices.
“Through this workshop, we wanted to introduce Qatari heritage, including the traditional home and the values of generosity and hospitality associated with it, as well as the sea, the desert and, of course, Souq Waqif,” she explained.
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Egyptian architect Nahla Hijazi, who lives in Qatar, is also taking part in workshops exploring the two cultures. She pointed to similarities between Moroccan and Qatari heritage and the value of introducing participants to these shared elements.
“We held several workshops highlighting Qatari culture and showed participants how Moroccan and Qatari cultures can be brought closer together, as well as the elements they have in common,” she said.
Hijazi also spoke warmly about her reception in Morocco. “Moroccan culture is beautiful and diverse. It is full of generosity, hospitality, warmth, love and smiles,” she said.
Cultural exchange with practical benefits for women
For the Al-Amal center, the initiative is first and foremost an opportunity for mutual discovery. “Moroccan participants are discovering Qatari culture, while their Qatari counterparts are getting to know ours,” said Ghita Oussama, head of the training section.
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The workshops also offer practical opportunities for women supported by the center. Skills acquired during the photography sessions, in particular, could help them promote their products more effectively and develop their activities.
Through the program, participants hope to sustain ties between Morocco and Qatar beyond cultural events. In Targa, art, cooking and skills-sharing are providing ways to bring the two communities closer while supporting local initiatives.
