Russia Culture Days to open in QatarThe events will be held with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Culture of the State of Qatar from February 11 to 13 in Doha

6 February, 2026

This is the first major government project to be held in the emirate in the past decade, following the Russia-Qatar Cross-Cultural Year in 2018.

A cultural and educational program in the format of a street festival has been prepared for residents and visitors of Qatar, revealing the richness of our country’s folklore, arts, and traditions. The events will take place on the territory of one of the emirate’s largest cultural heritage sites, the Darb Al Saai cluster, home to Qatar’s major events. The venues will be open to guests from 16:00 to 21:00.

The program will open on 11 February with a concert featuring leading Russian folk groups from various regions of Russia, among them: the renowned Dagestani ensemble Lezginka, the indigenous Kalmyk song and dance ensemble Tyulpan (Tulip), the young company of Moscow Folk Choir, and the vibrant State Song and Dance Ensemble of the Republic of Tatarstan.

For creative enthusiasts and connoisseurs of handicrafts, there will be workshops and master-classes. Specialists from the Association of Folk Art and Crafts of Russia will tell about the main painting styles and help visitors to try their hand at various techniques, including Gzhel, Khokhloma, and Semyonovo painting, Abashevskaya toys, batik (fabric painting), and engraving.

A special program of the Republic of Tatarstan, specifically devoted to Kazan as the Cultural Capital of the Islamic World in 2026, deserves special attention. This honorary status was awarded to the city last February in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, at the 13th Conference of Culture Ministers in the Islamic World, held by the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. In Doha, Kazan artisans will present distinctive Tatar crafts, many of which echo traditional Qatari handicraft techniques. These include leather mosaic, weaving, special satin ribbon embroidery technique, calligraphy, and felting.

The two exhibitions will be open: an exhibition of Russian traditional costume by collector Sergei Glebushkin and Patchwork Mosaic of Russia by the V. Polenov House of Folk Art.

Over the course of the three festival days, visitors will be able to enjoy traditional Russian cuisine and attend solo concerts by the groups participating in the grand opening.

Russia Culture Days Abroad are annually held by the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation to systematically expand Russia’s cultural presence, promote national spiritual values and traditions in foreign countries, and support compatriots. In 2025, Russian events were held in Abkhazia, Belarus, Bulgaria, France, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mauritius, North Korea, Oman, Pakistan, South Ossetia, the UAE, and Uzbekistan. The organizer is the Federal State Budgetary Cultural Institution ROSCONCERT.