Own Correspondent
Imagine a world where rural areas are an attractive place for migration.
That vision comes to life at Countryside: A Place to Live, Not to Leave launched this week in Doha.
Blending storytelling with informative, engaging artworks that evoke rural setups around the world, the exhibition opens a window into a future where centuries of tradition meet homegrown technologies and solutions for sustainable living.
With global urbanization projected to reach about 68%-roughly 6.6 billion people-by 2050, the exhibition seeks to reimagine the rural landscape as a place people choose to live.
Running from October 2025 to June 2026, the Qatar Museums exhibition displays prototypes of rural settings in Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and China.
Curated by world-renowned architects Samir Bantal and Rem Koolhaas and sponsored by the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD), the show challenges dominant urban narratives and invites visitors to explore how rural life can offer human-scaled, ecological solutions to today’s global crises.
Speaking after the launch, Mr. Fahad Hamad Al-Sulaiti, Director General of QFFD, said: “The Countryside Exhibition embodies this principle, serving as a narrative platform that brings to life stories of resilience, innovation, and transformation from the world’s rural heartlands.
Our efforts are guided by the fundamental principle that sustainable development must place people and communities at its very center.”
Sheikh Abdulaziz Al Thani, Director of the National Museum of Qatar, added: “As a museum that explores the traditions rooted in Qatar’s desert and sea and looks ahead to extraordinary new possibilities on our nation’s horizon, we are excited to welcome our audiences to Countryside: A Place to Live, Not to Leave.”
About Author
