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Comprehensive plan for development of Arab culture to be discussed at UAE conference

The UAE Ministry of Culture and Youth announced on Saturday that it will host the 22nd session of the Conference of Arab Culture Ministers in collaboration with the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) on December 19-20, 2021.
The conference, taking place during Expo 2020 Dubai, will host 21 ministers in-charge of cultural affairs in various Arab countries, the Director General of ALECSO, and other key figures from the Arab world.

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The conference will discuss a comprehensive plan for Arab culture and its modernization and discuss ways to keep it relevant today while promoting cultural cooperation among Arab nations. It will also seek to foster exchanges with other cultures around the world.
The main discussions of the conference will centre on unifying Arab efforts in various cultural fields, including cooperation in the registration of intangible heritage with UNESCO, and the development of cultural and creative industries in the region.
The event is also set to propose the ambassador programme to promote Arab culture.
It will focus on a number of topics, most notably the Status Report and the Future of the Arabic Language, published by the UAE Ministry of Culture and Youth, in partnership with the Arabic Language Advisory Council.
Furthermore, the conference will discuss ways to develop and launch joint projects in the fields of culture, heritage, and the Arabic language.
The participating ministers will also join the opening ceremony of the Arabic Language Summit, and Al Burda Festival and Award, which will be held in conjunction with this session.
Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, UAE Minister of Culture and Youth, applauded the session, set to be held at Expo 2020 Dubai – the world’s largest cultural platform, dedicated to celebrating the diversity of human cultures and providing an opportunity to learn about the cultures of 192 countries.
“The Conference of Arab Culture Ministers is a very significant platform to promote Arab cultural cooperation and devise new ways to ensure its enrichment and advancement,” Al Kaabi asserted. “The UAE is committed to fostering greater cooperation with ALECSO and strengthening its role in supporting the organisation’s efforts.”
“The UAE is an active partner in leading Arab cultural cooperation,” Al Kaabi added. “Hosting the conference in the UAE reflects our wise leadership’s vision to support Arab culture as the link between the peoples of this region and reaffirms the pivotal role culture plays in forging stronger ties.”
Dr. Mohamed Ould Amar, ALECSO’s Director General, revealed that the Organisation had prepared extensively for this critical conference. “The conference is very promising for our organization and gives us great hope for the future of Arab culture,” he said.

“The conference was planned after a lot of thought and deliberation in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, and by bringing together high-ranking ministers, it seeks to promote collaborative Arab activities in the fields of culture and heritage.”

“The UAE will remain a key partner to ALECSO in various activities and programmes – particularly in the cultural field,” he said.

The 22nd session of Conference of Arab Culture Ministers, while bringing together government officials, policymakers, and members of international organizations, will discuss the outcomes of the World Conference on Creative Economy, and draw up a five-year roadmap of joint Arab efforts to record intangible heritage with UNESCO. It’s a definitive platform for those interested in Arab culture and the Arabic language and forge conversations with Arab youth, to exchange ideas, tackle challenges and discuss new opportunities.
The Chair of the conference is set to be handed over from the Arab Republic of Egypt, Chair of the 21st Session, to the United Arab Emirates to lead the current session. The agenda includes the ratification of the theme and venue of the next session of the conference, which is expected to be hosted in Saudi Arabia.
Attendees will also participate in Al Burda Award and Festival, which feature intellectuals and innovators in Islamic culture from around the world, in an effort to enhance the UAE’s position as a cultural hub and an incubator for creative arts through various dialogue sessions, art exhibitions, and performances.

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‘Dream come true:’ Fans react to WWE Night of Champions wrestling event in Jeddah

Fans in Saudi Arabia were treated to an extravaganza of acrobatic combat and shocking storylines when World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) held its Night of Champions event at Jeddah’s Superdome on Saturday night.

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The evening was full of action as Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn beat Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa to retain their tag team titles, with Zayn winning over scores of new local fans as he walked into the ring wearing a traditional Saudi thobe and introduced himself in Arabic.

Earlier in the show, Seth Rollins defeated AJ Styles to win the world heavyweight championship, and there were also appearances by WWE veterans Brock Lesnar and Triple H.

Al Arabiya English caught up with some of the fans at Jeddah Superdome after the event.

Danya Hamdi has been watching WWE since the age of 8. At 21, she finally had the chance to attend her first live event.

“It was amazing, to be honest,” she said. “It was the first time I came to a WWE event and it was fabulous… It was amazing, like achieving my dream.”

Hamdi, who lives in Jeddah, attended the event with her sister Reef and their mother.

Although she was not a fan of the professional wrestling league before Saturday night, Hamdi says that Sami Zayn’s donning of the thobe was enough to win over her mother.

“I was mind blown by his Arabic. I think my mom really liked it, and she doesn’t like WWE… she became a fan.”

32-year-old Basem Degnah first saw the WWE in the flesh at the 2018 Greatest Royal Rumble event in Jeddah.

Since then, he’s attended events in both the US and Saudi Arabia. But Saturday’s Night of Champions was a “historic day” to him.

“I think it’s one of those events that’s once in a lifetime.”

The Jeddah local who has been a fan of the WWE for more than 20 years said that his favorite match of the night was the opening championship fight between Seth Rollins and AJ Styles.

“I would never, ever imagine, if you asked me back in the 90s, that we would see these incredible superstars performing in front of us.”

“This is really, honestly, a dream come true to a lot of Saudi fans.”

Indian nationals Harpreet Singh, 30, and Parmaat Singh, 36, became fast friends when they spotted each other’s Sikh turbans in the crowd at the event.

Harpreet previously attended the Elimination Chamber event in February 2022, and plans to catch future shows when the WWE returns to Jeddah.

Both men said that the highlight of the evening was seeing longtime WWE superstar Brock Lesnar fight again, defeating Cody Rhodes.

Ali Ahmed, 25 and also from Jeddah, was so enthralled by the last match between Roman Reigns, Solo Sikoa, Sami Zayn, and Kevin Owens, that he almost lost his voice from cheering.

“It was like a dream. I didn’t believe it until I saw it in action,” he said.

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Over 1,500 climate activists detained in Netherlands

More than 1,500 people were arrested during a protest by the Extinction Rebellion climate group in The Hague on Saturday, Dutch police said.

Activists blocked a section of a motorway in the centre of city during the afternoon, in protest against Dutch fossil fuel subsidies.

Police said they had used water cannon to disperse activists blocking a major road in the city, and arrested “a total of 1,579 people… 40 of whom will be prosecuted” on charges including vandalism.

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One of the activists bit a policeman during his arrest, police said.

Several Dutch celebrities were among the protesters, including Carice van Houten, best known for her role as Melisandre in the hit TV series “Game of Thrones.”

The Dutch news agency ANP reported that she was arrested but later allowed to return home.

It did not specify if she was among those who would be prosecuted.

The protests marks the seventh organized by Extinction Rebellion in this area of The Hague, but the highest number of people arrested so far, according to ANP.

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