Qatar Museums has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the world’s second largest museum, Russia’s State Hermitage Museum.

Qatar Museums (QM) signed two Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Russian Ministry of Culture as well as Russia’s most renowned museum, the State Hermitage Museum during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2021),

The State Hermitage Museum is also the second largest museum in the world, with its collections containing in excess of three million items, spreading over six historic buildings.

“QM looks forward to what promises to be a fruitful partnership with the State Hermitage Museum. The initiatives outlined in the MoU will go a long way to further nurturing the cultural landscape in both countries and providing citizens and residents with a culturally enriching experience in which they can expand their knowledge about the respective cultures and traditions,” said QM CEO Ahmad Musa Al Namla at the signing ceremony.

Hermitage Museum Director Mikhail Piotrovsky said that the MoU between the two entities will see a cooperation in numerous initiatives, including exhibitions, public programmes, workshops and lectures to foster education, increase access to knowledge, and facilitate research.

“The agreement is for co-operation in various fields, such as study of Islamic art and holding of reciprocal days. We have conducted the Hermitage Days in Doha and we will have the Doha Days in Hermitage. Our plans also include quite a few exchanges of various exhibitions,” said Piotrovsky.

Read also: FM Sheikh Mohammed inaugurates Qatar pavilion at SPIEF 2021

In an interview with Qatar Radio, Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the Russian Federation Sheikh Ahmed bin Nasser Al Thani said that Qatar left a distinctive impact at  SPIEF 2021, and confirmed that Qatar is one of the largest foreign investors in Russia, with diversified investments amounting to more than $13 billion.

Qatar was this year’s special guest country at SPIEF where more than 50 private and public sector companies attended the event.