ATHENS — Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni discussed a plan of cultural exchanges with government and museum officials during a visit to Qatar, a statement said on Monday.

Mendoni met with her counterpart Salah bin Ghanem Al Ali and with the head of Qatar's Museums Authority, Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad Al-Thani.

A joint work group will be formed to discuss definite and immediate plans, the Culture ministry said, including planning a a Greece-Qatar Culture Year.

The minister of Qatar was invited to Greece to sign a collaboration memorandum in Athens that will include the protection of illegal artifacts trafficking.

As a first step, Greece will participate in the Doha International Book Fair in January 2022, and Qatar in the Thessaloniki International Book Fair in 2022. Other cultural events highlighting the visiting country will also be planned along the fairs' sidelines. In addition, the collaboration of the two countries will include translations of books between the two languages, while the translations will also be published in Braille.

While in Doha, Mendoni also met with Archbishop Makarios of Qatar, and with members of the Greek community working in the country.

Her visit will conclude with the inauguration on Monday (April 5) of the unveiling at the metro of Doha of a replica of the Charioteer of Delphi, a gift of the Greek government. She will also meet with cultural center "Katara Village" head, Dr Khalid bin Ibrahim Al-Sulaiti.