Qatar National Library and French Diplomatic Archives Sign Memorandum of Understanding

Press release

Published November 13th, 2018 - 06:49 GMT

The collaboration will allow for increased engagement, including joint research projects, between the two institutions.

Qatar National Library and the French Diplomatic Archives recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding for their collaboration in mutual areas of interest. The signing took place at the Library and was attended by senior members from both institutions.

The collaboration will allow for increased engagement, including joint research projects, between the two institutions.

Commenting on the agreement, Dr. Sohair Wastawy, Executive Director, Qatar National Library, said: ‘We are delighted to commence a collaborative relationship with the French Diplomatic Archives. This is the first step towards an exciting project to digitize the Archive’s historical records on Qatar and the Gulf region for the Qatar Digital Library. These records will greatly enrich our existing Gulf research collection and will benefit all those who are interested in the history and heritage of Qatar and the region.’

The agreement was signed by Dr. Wastawy, and His Excellency Franck Gellet, Ambassador of France to Qatar, on behalf of the Diplomatic Archives.

His Excellency Ambassador Gellet added: ‘We welcome the signing of this agreement which strengthens cultural cooperation between two important institutions. This collaboration will help develop high-quality research, and enable us to work on important digitization projects with the Archives.’

Background Information

Qatar National Library

Qatar National Library acts as a steward of Qatar’s national heritage by collecting, preserving and making available the country’s recorded history. In its role as a research library with a preeminent heritage library, the Library fosters and promotes greater global insight into the history and culture of the Gulf region. As a public library, we provide equal access for all of Qatar's residents to an environment that supports creativity, independent decision-making, and cultural development. Through all our functions, we provide leadership to the country’s library and cultural heritage sector.