Kuwait keen on promoting culture

Information Minister and Minister of State for youth affairs Sheikh Salman Al-Sabah said Monday Kuwait was keen on paying a great attention to culture and that "it is keen to be a house of the Arab culture." Kuwait has always been supporting culture, arts and literature in order to convey a civilized image of "its local, regional and Arab culture for the whole world," Sheikh Salman said in an opening speech of Al-Arabi Magazine Forum, held under the theme of "the Peninsula and Arabian Gulf .. Half Century of Cultural Development." The three-day Forum is held under auspices of His Highness Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. Sheikh Salman said Kuwait was proud to host the elite Arab men of letters, adding that "culture means the rejection of wars and an attempt to understand, enforces constructive dialogue and enlightens important aspects of history and civilization." Within globalization, he noted, the Gulf youth should be attached more to their language and cultural identity which would contribute to better economic development, political stability and social cohesion. "Our job is to link the youth with their cultural roots ... to build a modern society and to provide for their sons a better future that is prosperous, secured and stable," said Sheikh Salman. Sheikh Salman underlined important role of media in shaping out "our life styles." He called for increasing the media and cultural messages to the youth. Al-Arabi Magazine Chief Editor Dr. Sulaiman Al-Askari commended the "exceptional" development in the Arab Gulf countries over the past five years, through the establishment of a giant infrastructure. "This generous, mobile and lively cultural surrounding in the region was not only created by oil but human before and after oil," said Al-Askari. He said the cultural and intellectual production of participants in the forum has gone beyond the Arabian Peninsula to the rest of the world. Meanwhile, Dr. Abdullah bin Ahmad Al-Feefi, in a speech on behalf of participants, said Kuwait was the beacon of Arabism and culture. He said Al-Arabi Magazine contributed to knowledge, culture and enlightenment in the Arab region. At the end of the opening ceremony, Gulf actors, actresses and artists were honored by the organizing committee. Former informatio minister Mohammad Al-Sanousi told KUNA Al-Arabi Magazine was a "huge cultural institute," hoping it would grow to be a cultural center in the Arab world. UAE poet Saif Al-Marri thanked the State of Kuwait for the service of culture and literature in the Gulf region for the past 50 years. Qatari actor Ghanem Al-Sulaiti said being honored by Al-Arabi Magazine has a special taste. Kuwaiti writer Laila Al-Othman expressed joy for being honored by Al-Arabi Magazine. She said she has been writing for 45 years and it was "a small payback for Kuwait."