In Mardi Gras style, the US Embassy celebrates independence and US-Qatar relations with a New Orleans twist
In Mardi Gras style, the US Embassy celebrates independence and US-Qatar relations with a New Orleans twist
The US Embassy in Qatar celebrated the 247thth Celebrate United States Independence Day by bringing the beautiful streets of New Orleans, Louisiana to the Qatar National Convention Center. The US Ambassador to Qatar Timmy T. Davis, based in New Orleans, welcomed the guests of honor His Excellency Ali Bin Ahmed Al Kuwari, Minister of Finance, His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Qassim Al Abdullah Al Thani, Minister of Commerce and Industry , Mr. Saeed Al Hajri, Deputy Director of Protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to the sounds of jazz and brass bands.
In his address to the enthusiastic guests in a decorated room carnival Dressed in purple, green and gold, the US ambassador to Qatar delivered a speech emphasizing the importance of celebrating the rich diversity of the United States. The Ambassador also spoke about the strong bilateral relationship between the United States and Qatar and expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome and genuine hospitality he has experienced since his arrival.
“I am struck by the genuine kindness I see every day from the people of Qatar and others who call Qatar home. Building authentic relationships is a real element of Qatari culture. In the spirit of building our bonds of friendship, today I have a special opportunity to share with you all a snapshot of where I come from, my roots, my homeland, the city of New Orleans. New Orleans is a city that has seen its fair share of hardships and even the generosity of Qatar after Hurricane Katrine. It’s a place where music, food and culture thrive. The diversity of New Orleans comes from the rich history of its people… Dubbed the birthplace of jazz, it’s a place where the music is just as vibrant as the food.”
Ambassador Davis highlighted the success of the 5th US-Qatar Strategic Dialogue in Doha and other achievements from his nine-month service in Qatar. During the dialogue, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed trade and investment, education and culture, energy cooperation, labor rights, regional security and defense cooperation, and law enforcement and counterterrorism.
The theme of this year’s Independence Day celebrations is a New Orleans tradition that has evolved from a French religious celebration into a multicultural American celebration. At the first Mardi Gras in Qatar, three musical guests played American music all night, including the US Air Force Central Command’s Doha-based “AFCENT Band” and two bands from the United States: New Orleans Go-Go Funk and Brass Band ” Brass-A-Holics” and the bluegrass act “Barbaro” from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Guests caught strings of beads thrown from a giant float, and another carnival Tradition while enjoying beignets and other famous New Orleans dishes.
The event was made possible thanks to our generous sponsors, including:
Ali Bin Ali
Dell
Mannai Corporation
Fragomen
W hotel
ConocoPhillips
Holdings of the Alfardan Group
Almana group
Chevron Phillips Chemical Qatar
Crowell and Moring
Petroleum construction in Doha
DYARCO International Group
Excellent energy
ExxonMobil Qatar Limited Inc
IBM
Jaidah group
scale trade
LuLu Group International
MetLife
Baladna
AMCHAM
Al Faisal Holdings
Plaza Hollandi
Pepsi
Le Royal Meridian
Mean
caribou coffee
Estithmar Holdings
Fifty-One East
The post “Mardi Gras-style US Embassy celebrates independence and US-Qatar relations with a New Orleans touch” was first published on the US Embassy in Qatar.
