Minister of Culture H E Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad Al Thani with other officials during the event.
Doha, Qatar: Minister of Culture H E Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad Al Thani yesterday inaugurated the fifth edition of the “Season of Seminars” at the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies, in the presence of several Their Excellencies, senior officials and diplomats, as well as a group of researchers, academics and those interested in cultural and intellectual affairs.
The Ministry of Culture is organising this year’s season in partnership with the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies, Hamad Bin Khalifa University and Lusail University, as part of efforts to expand cultural and academic partnerships and strengthen the participation of research and educational institutions in cultural events.
The first seminar featured an open dialogue on current intellectual issues with Arab thinker Dr. Azmi Bishara, Director General of the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies. The session was moderated by writer and media professional Jassim Salman, supervisor of the Season of Seminars.
Dr. Bishara discussed a number of current issues, as well as the concepts of identity and the state and their transformations in Arab societies. He also addressed political and intellectual developments in the West and Israel and their repercussions on the Palestinian cause.
He praised Qatar’s interest in culture and knowledge and its support for major projects that have served Arab culture, beginning with the center itself, which has developed into a prestigious platform and destination for researchers from around the world. He also highlighted major projects undertaken by the center, including the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language and the Arab Encyclopedia “Arabica”.
Dr. Bishara stressed that his interest in questions of identity and the state forms part of an ongoing intellectual project that keeps pace with developments in the social sciences worldwide. He underscored the importance of producing knowledge from within the Arab context rather than limiting efforts to criticising Western thought and Orientalism.
Dr. Bishara noted that the Arab context prompted him to delve deeper into the question of identity, adding that, based on his research, he had not found a comprehensive Arab theoretical work addressing the issue. This led him to devote considerable time to researching it and developing his ideas into his book The Question of Identity.
He stressed the need for Arab intellectual production to have a presence at the global level and keep pace with international developments, engaging with Western knowledge production on an equal footing rather than from a position of being behind it.
