Granada: The Tamim bin Hamad Chair for Arabic Language and Andalusian Culture was inaugurated on Monday at the University of Granada in Spain, in the presence of senior academic figures.
According to Qatar News Agency, the inauguration was attended by Dr. Khalid bin Fahd Al Khater, Director of Policy Planning at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and member of the Chair's board of trustees, alongside Prof. Margarita Sanchez Romero, Vice President of the University of Granada, and the chair's co-directors, Dr. Jose Miguel Vilchez and Dr. Ibrahim Mohamed Zein.
In remarks at the ceremony, HE Al Khater stated that the chair represents a serious academic initiative aimed at studying history and drawing lessons that can help shape the future. He described it as a milestone in cultural and academic relations between Qatar and Spain and a living embodiment of human ties that transcend geography and the passage of time. He noted that the chair was announced during the first Qatar-Spain Strategic Dialogue.
Al Khater mentioned that the academic chair seeks to revive the intellectual legacy of Andalusia as a historical model of coexistence and intercultural dialogue. He added that Qatar's sponsorship of the initiative reflects its belief that knowledge and culture are fundamental pillars of cohesive societies and underscores its commitment to supporting scientific research, preserving humanity's cultural heritage, and promoting the Arabic language as a vehicle for thought and scholarship that has contributed to the development of human civilization.
He also announced that the "New Ground Research" foundation would provide support to translate and localize the University of Granada's website into Arabic. He added that the initiative will enable Arabic speakers to access the university's academic programs, scholarly output, and scientific heritage directly.