Minister of State and President of QNL H E Dr. Hamad Al Kawari signals the start of the CultuRide.
Jakarta: The Qatar-Indonesia 2023 Year of Culture (YoC) presented a celebration of culture through the CultuRide friendship cycling ride.
One hundred cyclists, including athletes, cycling enthusiasts and prominent public figures from Qatar and Indonesia, travelled 93km through a part of Indonesia filled with important historic monuments that are testaments to the country’s history of cultural diversity and religious tolerance.
CultuRide participants were treated to a history-laden route that passed through the Mataram Drainage system, a 30.8km-long waterway initiated by Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono IX, which plays a significant role in irrigating 15,734 hectares of rice fields in Yogyakarta.
Cyclists also passed through the Borobudur Temple and the Prambanan Temple, which exemplify the beauty of religious tolerance that has existed in Indonesia for centuries. Riders were also greeted with traditional dance performances from the local Sekar Kinanti dance company, including the Jogja Special Dance at the start line and a special “Pearls from the Desert” dance at the finish line.
Minister of State and President of Qatar National Library (QNL) H E Dr. Hamad Al Kawari appreciated Indonesia’s initiative in incorporating many of the 12 pillars of the Years of Culture approach to cross-cultural engagement. “One of the meanings behind an event like the CultuRide is the beauty of living in a country that celebrates cultural and religious diversity. This is also what encouraged us in choosing Indonesia as the first country in Southeast Asia to partner on the Years of Culture initiative,” the Minister said.
He added: “Geographically we may be far, but in our hearts we’re very close with Indonesia. We believe strongly that this year is going to be just the beginning in our relations across many aspects, which is why the Years of Culture initiative serves as a launchpad for ongoing cooperation.”
Bagus Hendraning Kobarsyih, Director of Middle East Directorate General Asia Pacific and Africa, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Indonesia, appreciated the enthusiasm of cyclists from both Qatar and Indonesia, as well as the impressive work of the Years of Culture organisers.
“This is the beginning of an important moment in deeper cooperation between Qatar and Indonesia. We will now progress towards other forms of concrete cooperation not only from a cultural perspective, but also in the sectors of tourism, trade and investment,” he explained.
Sharing his thoughts on the event, Mohammed Jaham Al Kuwari, President of the Qatar Cycling and Triathlon Federation, said: “The CuluRide event exemplifies what cultural exchange is all about. What better way is there to spur cultural dialogue and understanding than to get into the streets on bikes.”
