DICID Welcomes French Ambassador and Comité Colbert President

14 Mar DICID Welcomes French Ambassador and Comité Colbert President

Yesterday Dr. Yusuf Al-Siddiqi, the executive director of DICID received HE Mr. Gilles Bonnaud, French Ambassador to Qatar. The ambassador was accompanied by Mrs. Elisabeth Ponsolle des Portes, president of Comité Colbert.

The meeting was attended by Dr. Patrick Laude, professor from Georgetown University in Qatar, editor in chief of DICID Interfaith Journal.

His Excellency Mr. Bonnaud exchanged views and opinions on a wide variety of issues with Dr. Al-Siddiqi, and co-operation between the two countries and interfaith issues were reviewed during the visit. This was first visit by the Western diplomat to the DICID. Mr. Bonnaud said in fluent Arabic: “This is a great honor for me to have this opportunity to visit your center, and I am extremely happy to be involved in bridging cultural and interfaith gaps between nations. So please count on my support.”

The guests also discussed future possible opportunities for youth interfaith activities and ways that both countries can work together in an attempt to bridge cultural gaps between not only Qatar and France, but also the gaps between the Gulf nations and Europe.

During the visit, Mrs. Elisabeth Ponsolle des Portes, CEO of Comité Colbert presented Dr. Al-Siddiqi with a copy of the Comité Colbert catalogue. Comité Colbert is a body grouping the top 70 French luxury companies governed by French Law and was founded in 1954 as an initiative of Jean-Jacques Guerlain. Comité Colbert’s objective is to collectively promote their shared values of combining tradition and modernity, craftsmanship and creativity and lastly history and innovation both in France and internationally.