A photo exhibition opened on Sunday at Katara – the Cultural Village, marking the 70th founding anniversary of the People's Republic of China.

The show, titled 'Moments in History, 70 Years of Shanghai', features 70 ‘historical moments’ from Shanghai’s past seven decades of transformation.

Located at Katara’s building 47, it will run until October 3 and open to visitors from 10am to 10pm.

The event was organised by Katara, in co-operation with the Chinese embassy in Doha and the Shanghai Municipal Foreign Affairs Office, and inaugurated by Katara general manager Dr Khalid bin Ibrahim al-Sulaiti.

Shanghai Municipal People’s Congress Standing Committee chairwoman Minister HE Yin Yicui, Chinese ambassador Zhou Jian, and other dignitaries attended the exhibition at building 47, which was preceded by the launching of the Shanghai Radio Week in Qatar at building 15.


The opening ceremony included a writing of Chinese characters to mark the Shanghai Radio Week in Qatar. -supplied picture

Dr al-Sulaiti said the exhibition celebrates 70 years of the renaissance, development and modernity of Shanghai, described as one of the most famous gateway of China.

Shanghai is focusing on establishing itself today as an international economic, trade and shipping centre.

It is learnt that by 2035, it aims to become a global city of excellence, which is an innovative, humanistic and eco-friendly socialist modern metropolis with global influence.

Dr al-Sulaiti noted that the co-operation between Katara, the Chinese embassy in Doha, and the Shanghai Municipal Foreign Affairs Office underscores the depth and strong bilateral relations between Qatar and China.

He added that such partnership also enhances trust aimed at achieving a wide range of continuous co-operation, including culture and other areas between the two countries.


The exhibition has been divided into three sections, which highlight Shanghai's development. PICTURE: Nasar TK

According to Dr al-Sulaiti, the exhibition serves as an opportunity to explore the history of a fascinating city, as he encouraged the people of Qatar to see and learn about Shanghai’s rich culture and heritage.

The exhibition has been divided into three sections.

'Reborn after the war' (1949 to 1978) focuses on efforts by the people to rebuild Shanghai while 'Reform and opening up' (1978 to 2012) cites the opportunities brought by the transformation.

The third section, 'Pursuit of excellence' (2012 to 2019), shows images of Shanghai’s efforts to push for innovation as it strives to build its “four brands”: service, manufacturing, shopping, and culture.

In her speech, Yicui, who discussed Shanghai’s various developments, also highlighted the co-operation between Qatar and China in an array of fields which paved that way for further interdependence and openness.

Ambassador Jian, meanwhile, stressed that Katara is an important cultural institution, which builds bridges of communication between peoples, as well as a platform for exchanging knowledge and experiences.




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