Doha, Qatar: The Embassy of Finland in Qatar celebrated the richness of Finnish gastronomy and cultural heritage during a food-tasting event held at the Cultural Village Foundation (Katara) yesterday, highlighting the growing cultural ties and friendship between Qatar and Finland.
The event, organised as part of Finland Week, offered guests an opportunity to experience traditional Finnish delicacies while enjoying music and learning about the Nordic country’s culinary traditions.
Addressing the gathering, Ambassador of Finland to Qatar H E Juha Mustonen highlighted the importance of cultural exchange in strengthening bilateral relations and fostering mutual understanding between the peoples of both countries.
The Ambassador expressed appreciation to General Manager of Katara Prof Dr. Khalid bin Ibrahim Al Sulaiti for his continued support for Finnish cultural initiatives in Qatar.
“Since my arrival in Qatar, Prof Al-Sulaiti has been a true friend of culture. Tonight we share Finnish gastronomy. Later this week, at the Katara European Jazz Festival, we will share Finnish jazz music,” he said.
He noted that Finland Week celebrates education, design, music, gastronomy and history, while placing particular emphasis on the friendship between Qatar and Finland.
Describing Finnish cuisine, Ambassador Mustonen said its defining characteristics are simplicity, purity and a close connection to nature.
“Finland is a land of forests, a land of thousands of lakes,” he said, highlighting the country’s abundance of wild mushrooms, berries and fresh fish.
“Then we let the ingredients speak for themselves. Simple, pure and honest, that’s the Finnish way,” he added.
Guests were introduced to two traditional Finnish delicacies: karjalanpiirakka, a Karelian pastry featuring a thin rye crust filled with creamy rice porridge, traditionally served with butter, and korvapuusti, a Finnish cinnamon roll topped with crunchy pearl sugar.
The Ambassador emphasised that sharing food transcends cultural boundaries and serves as an important expression of hospitality and friendship.“Here in Qatar, as in Finland, sharing a meal is about far more than food. It is an act of hospitality. It is how friendships are made,” he said.
The evening also featured Finnish saxophonist and composer Pekka Pylkkänen, who has performed more than 2,500 concerts across over 70 countries. Ambassador Mustonen also highlighted a recent event at Qatar National Library commemorating 180 years of Finnish-Arab connections, reflecting the longstanding historical links between the regions.
