Panellists at a session during the conference.
Doha: The 6th Scientific Conference of the Gulf Geographical Society began yesterday, which is held under the theme “The Geographical Dimensions of the Culture Industry in the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries.”
It will continue until tomorrow, with the participation of a group of researchers, academics and specialists in Qatar, the GCC countries, Egypt and Jordan.
The conference reviews, through 50 working papers, the role of Gulf cultural institutions in linking geographical sciences with the culture industry in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, addressing the natural and human geographical dimensions and their role in the culture industry in the Arab Gulf countries, and to modern geographical technologies and their impact on the culture industry.
Katara General Manager, Prof. Dr. Khalid bin Ibrahim Al Sulaiti said in his speech at the opening of the conference that “Katara seeks to always be a meeting place for peoples and cultures, as it combines in its various facilities and activities, between culture and geography, to open up to all creators.”
Dr. Khaled Hamad Aba Al Zamat, President of the Geographical Society of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, expressed his happiness that the conference witnessed the official participation of the heads of geographical societies in Egypt and Jordan.
He added that the conference focuses on problems and solutions for the culture industry, and why culture has not reached the level of other sectors such as industry and sports. On its first day, the conference witnessed a series of sessions presented by experts from Qatar and a number of Gulf countries, which touched on important topics centred on the role of cultural institutions in the culture industry. It also conducted discussion sessions that dealt with the role of geography in preserving the Gulf identity.
Dr. Ali Abdullah Al Dosari, President of the Saudi Geographical Society, expressed his happiness to participate in this conference, which reflects a cultural gathering to consolidate and enhance the important cultural role in the Arab Gulf countries and its influence and impact on its Arab and international environment, indicating that there are common concerns related to the preservation of natural, tangible and non-tangible heritage.
Dr. Asmaa Al Ketbi, President of the Emirates Geographical Society, said: “Such conferences are important in establishing and promoting new concepts and terminologies in the Arab region, such as the name “Cultural Industry,” which is known at the level of researchers and academics, as the culture industry is not just information, but rather a group. Customs, traditions, arts and heritage, and as we all know that culture is not manufactured but rather developed.”
She added that this kind of conference and the accompanying discussions, research and working papers are opportunities that inspire the participants and motivate them to provide more serious work towards serving culture in its broadest sense.
