May 22nd 2017, 8pm, Al Hazm Galleria
We’re graced with the unique opportunity to celebrate the Italian National day in a location showing our compatriots and guests the best sample of what Italy can offer: excellence in design and architecture, beauty of the materials, magnificence of the artwork. 60,000 tons of Italian marble from Carrara, 7,500 tons of “Giallo di Siena” gemstones, 45,000 tons of “Travertino” limestone, all of them coming from Italy: Al Hazm certainly is one of the most ambitious projects in Qatar. It shows the outstanding results which can be achieved by the visionary leadership of the State of Qatar. Commitment to excellence, coupled with the willingness to attract the most skilled workforce, is showing how Qatar is ready to undertake major projects on the international scale. The strength of this dedication is visible in the pace of changes underway in Qatar, a true “urban renaissance”.
“Gallerias” have been first designed in Italy at the beginning of last century, when the emerging elite was looking for an open, inclusive place to socialize and flow freely to meet business partners and friends, surrounded by the beauty of architecture and tasting the most delicious Italian food. These huge arcades made of marble, covered by a colossal dome made of glass and steel, rose as iconic urban architectures in the most vibrant cities in Italy. Wandering in a “Galleria” truly is an Italian experience, an ancient and modern way of mingling with the community. In a way, it’s a concept showing the essence of the Italian attitude, what we call “Vivere all’Italiana”, our lifestyle: producing the most admired pieces of art and technology, ensuring the highest professionalism while combining the warmth of the human dimension. An Italian “Galleria” is a place where culture, literature, business, architecture, design all come together to trigger an innovative creative process, where visionary businessmen, artists and entrepreneurs meet to share experiences and conceive new ideas and projects. Inspiration for change comes by ensuring a lively interaction between science, culture, art and business. This is what a “Galleria” was designed for: to attract the smartest minds and the most skilled professionals, to let them socialize in an elegant setting and get inspired by the majesty of the architecture and the delightful food, to make them devise new ideas and businesses. It’s the modern reinterpretation of the Italian Renaissance, when an enlightened and visionary ruling family attracted to Florence the brightest artists and scholars, giving them a platform to explore the most diverse cultures and backgrounds, to produce revolutionary innovations.
Since I arrived to Doha few weeks ago, I’ve been impressed by the hospitality of the Qatari people and by the commitment to achieve unbelievable results through finest design and first class technology, investing in education and crafting a community of leading professionals. I’m sure that this modern Italian “Galleria” in the heart of this beautiful city, will stand as a landmark of the special relation of friendship between Qatar and Italy.
