Qatar National Library donated and received a selection of books from the Félix María Pareja Islamic Library in Madrid. The books were exchanged by the Embassy of Spain to Qatar during a ceremony held at the Library on 10 November 2022.
The ceremony was attended by His Excellency Dr. Hamad Bin Abdulaziz Al-Kawari, Minister of State and President of Qatar National Library, and His Excellency Javier Carbajosa Sanchez, Ambassador of Spain to Qatar.
The exchanged books are part of several collaborations aimed at enhancing and strengthening bilateral relations between Qatar and Spain. The books selected by both the Library and the Félix María Pareja Islamic Library - which is run by the Spanish International Development Cooperation Agency (AECID) - present aspects of Qatar and Spain such as the history, arts and culture, architecture, Islamic studies and sciences.
Commenting on the occasion, Dr. Al-Kawari, said: “The visit by the delegation from the Spanish Embassy to the Library reflects the strong cultural relations between Spain and Qatar, which in turn reflects the strength of the mutual ties between the two countries. We thank the Embassy of Spain to Qatar and the Félix María Pareja Islamic Library for this wonderful selection of books that cover various topics, disciplines and areas that will help the community in Qatar expand their knowledge about Islamic studies and their research of Spain as well as enhance cultural exchange globally.”
“We also hope that the books gifted to the Félix María Pareja Islamic Library will cultivate a culture of reading and lifelong learning and promote a better understanding of Qatari culture among the general public in Spain,” he added.
Mr. Sanchez commented: “I am delighted to be a part of this book exchange between Qatar National Library and the Félix María Pareja Islamic Library. We thank Dr. Al-Kawari and the Library for their generous donation.”
“The Félix María Pareja Islamic Library has donated 86 books on a diverse range of topics, which include Al Andalus and Maghreb. I believe that this exchange of books will represent the first chapter in a longer path of cooperation between the two institutions,” he said.
