It was an extraordinarily cold and windy night in Doha — 6 degrees Celsius, yet the atmosphere was warm and lively at the 2026 Qatar International Food Festival (QIFF), where over 200 local and international vendors gathered to showcase cuisines from all over the world.
Among all these vendors, three stalls proudly represented Mexican food, offering staples like tacos, guacamole, salsas and churros. But taking center stage was Mexican chef Lupita Vidal, who closed the 2026 QIFF with a masterclass on Mexican cuisine.
A yearlong cultural exchange
The event was part of a year-long international cultural exchange program led by the government of Qatar, dubbed the Years of Culture program (YoC).
The initiative seeks to foster cultural dialogue and collaboration between nations with the aim of building lasting partnerships between Qatar and countries worldwide. Qatar’s partner countries this year are Mexico and Canada — who, like Qatar in 2022 — will be hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“The programmes seek to establish Mexico as a central partner in a sustained cultural collaboration that places creativity, knowledge exchange, and people-to-people connection at its core,” YoC said in a statement last week announcing the program in Mexico.
During the year-long initiative, Qatar will host influential personalities from Mexico’s culinary and creative arts scenes to introduce Qataris to Mexican culture. Meanwhile, cultural events in Mexico will introduce Qatar’s culture to audiences across the country.
Mohammed Al Kuwari, Qatar’s former ambassador to Mexico and the YoC advisor on Latin America, described the program as a long-term cultural investment.
“Years of Culture is about building relationships that endure,” said Al Kuwari, noting that the program seeks to “form partnerships that extend well beyond the year itself.”
YoC was born in 2012 — an initiative to build global understanding of the Arab world in the decade-long lead-up to the FIFA World Cup that would take place in Qatar in 2022. This year’s chosen partners echo the program’s initial purpose with a year-round calendar of tailored programs that showcase the unique nature of each participating country.
Which activities are planned for the 2026 YoC?
The YoC program works around four pillars, including cultural heritage, creative industries, social and economic development and innovation. Landmark events in both countries will represent film, arts, sports, education, gastronomy and social development.
The calendar of events kicked off with the QIFF in Qatar’s capital and Vidal’s participation, as she represented Mexican food through the flavors of her home state of Tabasco. There were also retail stands featuring Mexican products.
The next event was Design in Dialogue, a Qatar-Mexico residency which culminated in a public exhibition at the creative hub G56 during Design Week Mexico (Feb. 4-8), before traveling to the Design Doha Biennial between Apr. 16 and June 30. The initiative brings together designers, artisans, and materials to explore heritage crafts through contemporary practice.
“We have been building partnerships in Mexico for several years, and we are excited to see these relationships take shape during Mexico Design Week — a pivotal moment in Mexico’s cultural calendar — with projects that will continue to resonate in Qatar and beyond,” Fahad Al Obaidly, acting director of the Design Doha Biennial, said.
Art exhibitions across Qatar will also spotlight Mexican artists and designers, including a newly commissioned exhibition by Fernando Laposse at the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha. The program also includes commissions to Mexican artists for large-scale, key public sites in Qatar.
Finally, Mal Lawal, a biennial exhibition that invites private collectors to display highlights from their collections at the National Museum of Qatar, will bring together Qatari and Mexican collections to explore clothing and textiles as living cultural archives.
QIFF served as a glimpse of how the initiative will ultimately unfold – in smaller, personal interactions between people from different countries and backgrounds. Perhaps a Mexican artist discovering the warmth of Qatari hospitality, or a Qatari finding joy in mariachi music may spark curiosity and appreciation between cultures.
Everyday exchanges like these may well be the most lasting legacy of a year-long program dedicated to culture.
Gabriela Solis is a Mexican lawyer turned full-time writer. She was born and raised in Guadalajara and covers business, culture, lifestyle and travel for Mexico News Daily.
