HE Dr. Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al Kuwari, adviser at the Emiri Diwan and Qatar's candidate for director-general of the Organization of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has underlined that culture can serve as a locomotive for sustainable development and driving the global economy.
       HE Dr. Al Kuwari made the remarks last night in his capacity as President of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development "UNCTAD", at Forum d'Avignon, held over two days in the city of Bordeaux, southwestern France under the title: "role of culture in the field of business". It was attended by a number of ministers culture in the EU as well as Alan Juppe, mayor of Bordeaux and a large number of intellectuals, economists and researchers.
   HE Dr. Al Kuwari said that the sustainable development goals beyond 2015 consider culture as a driving force in terms of world trade which is not limited to material goods, but also depend on vibrant creative economy , which includes a range of applications turns to today's forum Avignon, noting that this type of the economy known for its ability to generate enormous profits, creation of citizen action, development of exports as well as a cure for many of today's world problems.
HE Dr. Al Kuwari called on the world's countries, especially the countries of the South to focus on creative industries in their development strategies, stressing that the rich cultural resources and creative competencies available in the developing countries can be a driving force for economic development and contribute to the global economy as a whole.
     He stressed the existence of a relationship between culture and trade which he said is clearly highlighted in the preamble of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Charter (UNESCO) Dr. Al Kuwari noted that the Thirteenth Congress of UNCTAD which was held in Doha had highlighted the importance of business and the creative industries, and cultural ones in particular.
Dr. Al Kuwari called on Forum d'Avignon to customize the Global Day of Culture in order to conduct a dialogue in which the world's cultures and unite against extremism and terrorism, a proposal that was welcomed by the participants of the Forum.