Arab top cultural officials begin talks in Riyadh

Arab cultural ministers and chiefs held their 19th session in the attendance of Kuwait's Information Minister, Minister of State for Youth Affairs and President of the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters Sheikh Salman Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah.
In a keynote speech, Saudi Minister of Culture and Information Abdulaziz Al-Khudairi stressed the need for necessary support to be given to establishing an Arab council of culture ministers, which will work to protect the sanctity of the Arabic language and protect the cultural identity of the region.
Bahraini representative, Majed bin Ali Al-Nuaimi, said that the conference comes to increase efforts on cultural empowerment, at a time when the region is in immense need of culture in order to instill its true identity.
"Culture should not be regarded a form of ideological luxury but should be considered a pillar of an Arab renaissance," he said, adding that it "supports self-belief as a major introduction to opening communication with the other." He also underlined the importance of culture in pointing out the common cultural legacy between nations of the Arab world, in the wake of current tensions, which should also be passed on to following generations.
This can only carried out through shedding light on creative minds, diversifying cultural venues and benefiting from the intellectual minds scattered densely throughout the Arab world, he added.