The Minister of Culture and Sports, H E Salah bin Ghanem Al Ali during the regional conference on cultural diversity at National Museum of Qatar, yesterday. Pic: Baher Amin / The Peninsula
The Minister of Culture and Sports, H E Salah bin Ghanem Al Ali, said that the common human coexistence does not mean similarity in identity but means diversity and multiculturalism because the progress of humanity was and will be conditional on it.
“The search for the common human ground has become inevitable but that all the people have their own identity that distinguishes them and the common human coexistence does not mean similarity in identity but means diversity, because the progress of humanity was and will be conditional on it,” H E the Minister said.
Addressing the regional conference on cultural diversity, which was launched yesterday at National Museum of Qatar with the participation of senior officials and representatives of the Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) countries, the Minister affirmed that the culture is considered a bridge for communication, understanding and progress.
“At a time when the world has become a small global village and technological development has led to the reduction of distances between everyone, the transmission of culture has become easier compared to before,” H E the Minister said.
The two-day conference is being organised by the Ministry of Culture and Sports in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) under the slogan ‘Culture: Bridges of Dialogue and Understanding’.
H E the Minister also pointed out in his speech that the fruits of technical progress make us hope to promote dialogue between peoples and their continued openness without ignoring the threat to peoples themselves from the misuse of technologies. “We need to promote the existential dignity of humans, no distinction between man and his brother, whatever the difference in colour, language, culture or economic situation. People who respect the dignity of man will be able to establish communication between them, therefore, cultural dialogue among the peoples of the region will achieve its objectives in creating a real bridge to communicate, when we believe and work to promote human dignity,” H E the minister said.
For his part, the General Secretary of ACD, Pornchai Danvivathana, expressed his delight to participate in the event which witnesses the presence of cultural experts and specialists in dialogue among peoples in Asian countries.
He also has appreciated the efforts of the State of Qatar in supporting and promoting intercultural dialogue and highlighting cultural diversity among the peoples of Asia.
