Qatar's cultural village, Katara, inaugurated its Fourth Traditional Dhow Festival on Tuesday with the attendance of 300 participants from Gulf states, including Kuwait, India and the Zanzibar Archipelago.
The event, which ends on November 22, will cover marine life and traditions related to it, Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari said in a press conference.
The event is ever-changing and improving over the years due to experience, he said, regarding it as a cause of pride not only for Qatar, but for the Gulf in general.
For his part, Katara Cultural Village's Director General Khaled Al-Sulaiti said that organisers aim to expose other cultures to the culture of Gulf states.
Not only does Katara seek to protect local heritage, it also aims to build bridges of communication through the Gulf, Arab and Islamic dimensions, he added.
The festival is showcasing traditional dhow building techniques, used in the Gulf's post-oil discovery period when pearl diving and fishing were two of the main sources of income.