A common cultural policy is necessary for meeting social and economic developments worldwide, Mubarak bin Nasser of the Qatari Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage told a meeting of senior GCC cultural officials.
"Once a common cultural policy is created; proceeding from our tolerant Islamic Shariaa, Islamic and Arabic heritage and inherent traditions, then there will be ability to keep up with swift social, economic and technological transformations," he said.
The meeting is a prelude to another bigger meeting of the GCC ministers of culture due to be held here on Wednesday.
During the two-day meeting, the conferees will thrash out a cultural strategy recommended by a symposium held in Kuwait in May as a prelude to further deliberations and referral to the ministers ahead of sending it to the GCC Supreme Council.
This strategy is an all-out framework for all cultural events and festivals in the GCC member countries.
The agenda also involves a cultural development drive, a cultural memo of understanding between the Secretariat of the GCC and Arab Institute in Paris and a report on cultural programs and activities.
Kuwait is being represented in the meeting by Bader al-Refai, secretary-general of the Kuwaiti National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters.
