Doha- Qatar, 25 March, 2018: Fifty One East, Qatar’s favorite department store, today announced a milestone collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Sports, FNAC International and the Yamaha Music Foundation, providing essential funding, expertise and support for emerging creative talents in Qatar.

The announcement took place during a press conference at the 28th Doha International Book Fair at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center, in the presence of H.E. Salah bin Ghanem Al Ali, Minister of Culture and Sports; H.E. Seiichi Otsuka, the Ambassador of Japan to the State of Qatar; Mr. Bader Al-Darwish, Chairman and Managing Director of Fifty One East and Mr. Olivier Deseez, the Counselor for Cooperation and Cultural Affairs of the French Embassy in Qatar.

H.E. Salah bin Ghanem Al Ali, Minister of Culture and Sports commented: “I am pleased to announce the collaboration with FNAC International and the Yamaha Music Foundation, which aims to support Qatari talents on national and international levels. This collaboration is also in accordance with the vision of the Ministry of Culture and Sports towards the development of society and the empowerment of youth.”

Mr. Bader Al-Darwish, Chairman and Managing Director of Fifty One East said: “As a leading force for creating meaningful partnerships for the nation’s greater good, we are proud to announce this new milestone with the Ministry of Culture and Sport, between our two leading partners, FNAC International and the Yamaha Music Foundation.”

“Such initiatives that support emerging Qatari talents are part of our business’s DNA. It is an ethos instilled into the heart of our company’s legacy and history, to contribute to society and engage with the local community,” Mr. Al-Darwish continued.

As Qatar continues to emerge as a destination for rich culture and natural artistic flair, the collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Sports will offer part-funded scholarships to help nurture local talents who wish to enroll at the Yamaha Music School, part of the international Yamaha Music Foundation. The Yamaha Music School in Qatar was launched at Fifty One East more than six years ago and has since become a fully-fledged learning experience that engages not only the children in class, but also encourages interaction with parents too.

Yamaha Music School will also offer recitals and concerts on a monthly basis at the Music Square at Fifty One East, Lagoona Mall, and once a year a major concert sponsored by His Excellency the Minister of Culture and Sports with internationally acclaimed artists who are affiliated with Yamaha. The recognized artists will join young Qataris from Yamaha Music School in a live performance at the Qatar National Theatre. Moreover, select remarkable talents will have the chance to participate in international events organized by Yamaha in coordination with the Ministry of Culture and Sports.

Additionally FNAC, the leading international French retailer for cultural, leisure and technological products, will dedicate a space in its stores at Lagoona Mall and Doha Festival City to showcase and sell the work of local Qatari artists under the patronage of the Ministry of Culture and Sports. Since it entered the Qatari market back in 2015, FNAC has become a cultural and entertainment hub hosting numerous international and local artists. The new collaboration will support all local talents in organizing book signings and album signing ceremonies, art fairs and performances. In addition, it will encourage Qatari school students to benefit from this cultural mélange and artistic ambience to further develop their talents.

Fifty One East consistently strives to give back to the local community to positively impact the nation of Qatar.