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Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA) manager Mohamed Faleh al-Hajri met Sunday with Egypt’s Minister of Civil Aviation Dr Sameh ElHefny in Cairo. Al-Hajri also met with Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority president Sameh Fawzy.  During both meetings, discussions focused on ways to develop air transport and strengthen regulatory and operational frameworks in a manner that serves the interests of national carriers and supports travel, trade, and tourism between Qatar and Egypt.  Mechanisms for co-operation in the areas of air safety, aviation security, facilities, training programmes, capacity building, and the exchange of expertise were discussed, in line with adopted international standards and best practices.

Amid widespread acclaim for Doha’s cultural contributions, Egypt’s Minister of Culture Dr Ahmed Fouad Hanno officially handed over the ‘Guest of Honour’ mantle for the 58th Cairo International Book Fair (2027) to Qatar’s ambassador to Egypt and Permanent Representative to the League of Arab States Sheikh Jassim bin Abdulrahman bin Mohammed al-Thani. The ceremony took place during the closing events of the 57th edition of the fair, which launched on January 21 under the theme “One who stops reading for an hour falls centuries behind.” This year’s edition featured Romania as the ‘Guest of Honour’ and saw a distinguished participation from the Qatari Ministry of Culture alongside several Qatari publishing houses. In this context, Director of the Libraries Department at the Ministry of Culture and Director of the Doha International Book Fair Jassim Ahmed al-Buainain confirmed to Qatar News Agency (QNA) the ministry’s full readiness for the upcoming role. He emphasised that the Cairo International Book Fair remains one of the Arab world’s premier events in terms of international participation, publishing volume, and its prestigious cultural programme. Al-Buainain noted that the 58th edition is set to be exceptional, adding that Qatar’s robust presence in the current session reflects ongoing efforts to bolster the nation’s footprint on regional and global cultural stages, raise awareness of its heritage, and highlight Doha’s growing contributions to the global cultural movement. Director-General of Qatar’s Dar Al Kutub and First Vice-President of the Arab Publishers Association Ibrahim al-Bohashem al-Sayed described the designation as a “crowning achievement” for Qatar’s consistent and distinguished involvement in the fair. He highlighted Cairo’s fair as one of the oldest and largest in the world, maintaining its prestige since its inception in 1969 as part of the elite circuit of Arab fairs, alongside Beirut (1951), Baghdad (1957), and Doha (1972). He assured that preparations for Cairo 2027 would receive full support to match Qatar’s cultural standing and to strengthen bridges of co-operation with Egypt. He expressed confidence that the Guest of Honour showcase would be extraordinary, reflecting the evolution and diversity of Qatar’s cultural scene. He further lauded the significant support provided by the Ministry of Culture, led by His Excellency the Minister of Culture Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad al-Thani, which has facilitated a qualitative leap in Qatar’s participation over the last three years in terms of pavilion quality and accompanying events. President of the Arab Publishers Association Mohamed Rashad also praised the selection, noting that Qatar’s pavilion this year offered an impressive display of the nation’s literature and intellectual thought. He pointed out that the Qatari writers and intellectuals present demonstrated high professionalism, effectively articulating Doha’s cultural mission. Rashad highlighted the growing interest in Qatari participation, marked by an increase in the number of participating publishing houses this year. He also commended Qatar’s influential role within the Arab Publishers Association, specifically noting the re-election of Ibrahim al-Bohashem al-Sayed as first vice-president and the election of Dr Aisha Jassim al-Kuwari (CEO of Roza Publishing) to the board of directors and as chair of the Arab Relations Committee. These milestones, he concluded, reflect the commitment of Qatari publishers to playing a dynamic and proactive role on both the Arab and international stages.  

The 32nd Cairo International Festival for Experimental Theater kicked off at the Cairo Opera House with the participation of renowned talents in the field from the region and the world, including Qatar. The opening ceremony saw the honoring of the Qatari writer and producer Hamad Al Rumaihi, in addition to ten notable talents in theater from both Arab and foreign countries, in appreciation for their contribution to the theater movement regionally and globally in acting, directing, criticism, and academic studies. The Festival will feature 13 Arabic shows, including the Qatari play "The Ninth Hour" by director Mohammed Al Mulla, which won seven awards in the 37th Doha Theatre Festival. The managing team behind the Festival announced that it will publish 11 books that document recent theatrical movements globally, with the goal of supporting the criticism movement and providing references for researchers and theater workers. The Cairo International Festival for Experimental Theater was first held in 1988. It is considered one of the most notable events in the field in the region and the world. It provides a platform to showcase plays from all around the world, opens doors for dialogue and cultural communication, and introduces audiences to theater trends.