“Culture means abandoning wars, trying to understand, and having serious dialogues”

*Editor’s Note: The 12th ‘Al-Arabi’ Forum hosted by Al-Arabi magazine was held from Mar. 4 to 6 in Kuwait under the general of ‘Peninsula and the Arabic Gulf: Half Century of Cultural Renaissance.’ The forum has been called ‘a hub of Arabic culture,’ which could be a leading line to look into the authentic respects of Arab societies. Following is the speech by Sheikh Salman Sabah Al-Salem Al-Hamood Al-Sabah, Minister of Information of Kuwait.

We, in Kuwait, are proud that our country is becoming an annual reunion of some of the Great innovative Arabic minds, and the most prominent faces of Gulf culture.

I’d like to ensure that the Country of Kuwait, People and Government, ever since established, even before writing its democratic constitution, both ensure that it should be a home for Arabic literature. The cultural publications became available in every Arabic home, as it also supported the rest of Arts and literature fields, to give a civilized image of its local, regional and Arabic culture to the whole world.

Also the governmental aspiration to improve culture found people who are wealthy and affluent to sponsor it themselves. They made several prizes and supported scientific and literate production, by creative Arabs, with no discrimination, which is a good trait we get to see in Gulf countries, as it aims to create individuals able to help their nations.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Whenever I see these faces which contribute in cultural development, I find myself obliged to tell you all, this message, which might summarize our common thoughts, we are people of the same region, with similar traditions, harmonious heritage, and an identity which related each country to its neighbors, as an Arabic and Islamic nation on the Arabian Peninsula.

In the midst of the raging sea of globalization which broke all the boundaries between nations, and other entities are made on the cyberspace which takes no recognition in political or geographic boundaries, we have a bigger role, which is to help our youth to strengthen their roots.

The youth in the Arabian Peninsula, are the sons of the sea civilization and descendants of the desert culture, their fathers traveled the worlds’ ports, without losing their language, their family relations, or their heritage. But now they’re vulnerable to breaking away from this civilization and heritage. It’s not just considered cultural, linguistic, or media change, it’s also related to economic development, political stability, and social harmony.

Our biggest mission is to connect these youth to their cultural roots, so that they can admire what their ancestors did, and have the motive to build their modern society, and to provide to their children a future more stable, safer, and more prosperity.

As we are encouraging our youth to understand and have dialogues with those in other civilizations, we should also encourage them to do the same with their roots, by providing the suitable environment.

From this forum (Peninsula and the Arabic Gulf: Half Century of Cultural Renaissance) I’d like to urge everybody to support generations communication, and for media to care about two messages, preparing the youth to fight this era with heave challenges, and making use of their treasure-filled heritage.

This invitation isn’t for innovators only, it’s for all Arabic institutes that have proven to be able to do great cultural projects, supported by adequate infrastructure and trained people.
Ladies and Gentlemen,

We all agree on the importance of media in reshaping our lifestyles, as we agree that this new multimedia with its new technologies, and wide varieties and being easily attainable became the first motive for the youth.

And if we take into consideration that the youth is greatly affected by these multimedia mediums, as they constantly follow its news, get their information, ideas, and lifestyle from it, we’d realize the importance of keeping an eye on the content of such media.

Let us increase the positive media doses, whether was positive series’ and programs, documentaries about Arabic and Islamic characters who built this civilization, all these positive media would have great impact on the youth in the future and would fill them with positive energy, and save them from the claws of other destructive cultures. Also if the media cares more about sports, the youth would find more ways to spend their times doing more useful things. Because as we learned, a healthy mind requires a healthy body, that sports would improve.

Here we emphasize that our cultural vision isn’t restricted to books or journals or even spreading all kinds of arts, we look at culture as an approach which would help getting through these hard times that the humanity is going through.

Culture means abandoning wars, trying to understand, and having serious dialogues in order to understand history and other civilizations, with it we make our people able to live peacefully in this multi-cultured world.

I end my speech wishing the success of your aspirations in your home country Kuwait, and to reach the results you want.