Info. Min. touts Saudi King's support to Arab culture

RIYADH, Jan 13 (KUNA) -- In a speech at the 19th conference of Arab Ministers of Culture on Tuesday, Kuwait's Minister of Information Sheikh Salman Sabah Al-Salem Al-Humoud Al-Sabah praised the boundless support Saudi King Abdullah Bin Abdul-Aziz gives to propagating Arab culture worldwide.
Sheikh Salman, who is also Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Chief of the National Council for Culture, Arts, and Letters, listed the numerous accolades King Abdullah had been awarded for his indefatigable efforts to further the spread of Arab and Islamic culture in every corner of the world.
For instance, the Kuwaiti minister said, King Abdullah had been granted the highest medal of honor from the UNESCO for supporting peace and dialogue among various civilizations.
Likewise, Al-Azhar had also granted the Saudi Monarch an honorary Ph.D degree in the Study of Humanities for his unlimited support of the Islamic World.
Furthermore, King Abdullah was selected by the 8th meeting of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award as the year's most distinguished contributor to culture worldwide, said the Kuwaiti minister in his speech before the Arab ministers of culture.
The minister also made mention of the UN granting the title of Humanitarian Leader to the Kuwaiti Amir His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and the title of Humanitarian Center to the State of Kuwait.
The minister gave the conference a synopsis of Kuwait's cultural achievements over the years, noting that Kuwait published a highly-esteemed pan-Arab magazine known as Al-Arabi Magazine and a coveted dictionary for the Arab reader everywhere known as Taj Al-Aroos Dictionary.
Since the theme of the conference is "the Arabic Language : a gateway to integrated human culture," the minister further listed Kuwait's penchant to boost the importance of the Arabic language and Arab and Islamic cultures.
For example, he said Kuwait established toward the middle of last year an Arabic language center whose resources can be tapped into by all those interested in the Arabic language and literature.
The minister also said that Kuwait last October opened a highly-regarded national library with departments for children, the youth, and people with special needs.
Sheikh Salman urged in his speech to the Arab ministers of culture the establishment of a pan-Arab cultural TV station and a portal on the internet to inform the world about the beauty of the Arabic language and its culture.
The meeting of the Arab ministers of culture began in Riyad yesterday with the participation of 30 Arab countries and Arab cultural organizations. It focuses on the Arabic language, its contributions to world culture and steps at boosting its attributes for generations to come. (end) yms.ajs