H.E. Noura Al Kaabi:

• The conference is an important platform to widen prospects for Arab cultural cooperation
• The UAE is an active partner in leading Arab cultural cooperation efforts and strengthening cooperation amongst Arab countries
• Hosting the conference reflects our leadership's vision to support Arab culture

Abu Dhabi, UAE, December 11, 2021 – The Ministry of Culture and Youth has announced that it will host the 22nd session of the Conference of Arab Culture Ministers in collaboration with the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) on December 19-20, 2021. Taking place during Expo 2020 Dubai, the conference will host 21 ministers in-charge of cultural affairs in various Arab countries, Director General of ALECSO and other key figures from the Arab world.

The conference will discuss a comprehensive plan for Arab culture and its modernisation and discuss ways to keep it relevant today while promoting cultural cooperation among Arab nations. It will also seek to foster exchanges with other cultures around the world. The main discussions of the conference will centre on unifying Arab efforts in various cultural fields, including cooperation in the registration of intangible heritage with UNESCO, and the development of cultural and creative industries in the region. The event is also set to propose the ambassador programme to promote Arab culture.

It will focus on a number of topics, most notably the Status Report and the Future of the Arabic Language, published by the UAE Ministry of Culture and Youth, in partnership with the Arabic Language Advisory Council. Furthermore, the conference will discuss ways to develop and launch joint projects in the fields of culture, heritage, and the Arabic language. The participating ministers will also join the opening ceremony of the Arabic Language Summit, and Al Burda Festival and Award, which will be held in conjunction with this session.

Her Excellency Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, UAE Minister of Culture and Youth, applauded the session, set to be held at Expo 2020 Dubai – the world’s largest cultural platform, dedicated to celebrating the diversity of human cultures and providing an opportunity to learn about the cultures of 192 countries.

“The Conference of Arab Culture Ministers is a very significant platform to promote Arab cultural cooperation and devise new ways to ensure its enrichment and advancement,” H.E. Al Kaabi asserted. “The United Arab Emirates is committed to fostering greater cooperation with ALECSO and strengthening its role in supporting the organisation’s efforts.”

“The UAE is an active partner in leading Arab cultural cooperation,” H.E. Al Kaabi added. “Hosting the conference in the UAE reflects our wise leadership’s vision to support Arab culture as the link between the peoples of this region and reaffirms the pivotal role culture plays in forging stronger ties.”

His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Ould Amar, ALECSO’s Director General, revealed that the Organisation had prepared extensively for this critical conference. “The conference is very promising for our organisation and gives us great hope for the future of Arab culture,” he said. “The conference was planned after a lot of thought and deliberation in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, and by bringing together high-ranking ministers, it seeks to promote collaborative Arab activities in the fields of culture and heritage.”

His Excellency thanked the UAE for its great efforts and collaboration with ALECSO from the earliest stages of preparing for this occasion, saying: “The UAE will remain a key partner to ALECSO in various activities and programmes – particularly in the cultural field. This occasion demonstrated our commitment to the development of this partnership; it emphasised the great importance the UAE attaches to the culture and heritage, as well as their dedication to collaborate with all partners and stakeholders to advance them.”

“The UAE will continue to be a key partner for ALECSO – one that plays a significant role in its activities and programmes, particularly in the cultural field. The hosting of the 22nd session of the Conference of Arab Culture Ministers demonstrates the UAE’s commitment to this partnership and highlights the importance it assigns to the culture sector. The UAE has made tremendous contributions to promote the culture and heritage sectors, remaining committed to cooperating with all stakeholders to advance these sectors,” Dr. Amar added.

The 22nd session of Conference of Arab Culture Ministers brings together government officials, policymakers, and members of international organisations. The event will discuss the outcomes of the World Conference on Creative Economy, and draw up a five-year roadmap of joint Arab efforts to record intangible heritage with UNESCO. It’s a definitive platform for those interested in Arab culture and the Arabic language and forge conversations with Arab youth, to exchange ideas, tackle challenges and discuss new opportunities.

The Chair of the conference is set to be handed over from the Arab Republic of Egypt, Chair of the 21st Session, to the United Arab Emirates to lead the current session. The agenda includes the ratification of the theme and venue of the next session of the conference, which is expected to be hosted in Saudi Arabia.

Attendees will also participate in Al Burda Award and Festival, which feature intellectuals and innovators in Islamic culture from around the world, in an effort to enhance the UAE’s position as a cultural hub and an incubator for creative arts through various dialogue sessions, art exhibitions, and performances.

The 22nd session of the Conference of Arab Culture Ministers aims to strengthen cooperation between the UAE Ministry of Culture and Youth and ALECSO. The decision to host the 22nd conference in the UAE was announced at the 21st edition of the Conference held in Cairo, Egypt, which concluded with several notable achievements in the areas of collaborative Arab cultural activities. It also opened new horizons for the development of significant plans and cultural projects that promote Arab culture and broaden its reach.