Oman chairs meeting of GCC Undersecretaries of Culture

Muscat: The Sultanate of Oman on Tuesday chaired a meeting of GCC undersecretaries of culture under the chairmanship of Sayyid Said bin Sultan Al Busaidi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth for Culture.

Sayyid Said pointed out that the meeting caps up a long march of diligent cultural action culminating in the GCC Cultural Strategy that serves as a guideline for cultural projects, events, plans and programmes. The overall outcome of the strategy kept pace with developments in the regional, Arab and international arenas.

The meeting builds on the achievements made so far and explores vistas for shaping a solid intellectual system that preserves the GCC cultural identity and protects its Arab and Islamic principles in a world that is witnessing the emergence of ideas that are not in harmony with customs and traditions and values of tolerance, Sayyid Said affirmed.

For his part, Khalid Ali Al Sunaidi, GCC Assistant Secretary for Economic and Development Affairs, valued the support of GCC leaders and their keenness in joint action in the field of culture.

He said that culture constitutes one of the basic pillars of national identity and cultural heritage in GCC states. He added that culture contributes to achieving sustainable development and that it is worth moving forward through the conservation of cultural values.

The meeting, held at Al Bustan Palace Hotel, discussed a number of topics, including the 10-year GCC Cultural Strategy (2020-2030), the coordination of positions among GCC states during international cultural forums and the implementation of annual plans for cultural events and activities, besides international cooperation in the field of culture.