Doha: The Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage H E Dr Hamad Abdulaziz Al Kuwari yesterday underlined the importance of creative interaction between Arab and European youth to enable them to better understand changes sweeping the world today and affecting development and intercultural dialogue.
He said such interaction would contribute to formulating policies to ensure the rights of young people at the social, economic and political levels.
Addressing the opening of the Fourth Arab-European Youth Forum, he said the event aimed at highlighting the attention being paid by Qatar and its leadership to young people and their issues to find ways to encourage them, develop their abilities and qualify them socially and culturally.
He said Qatar National Vision 2030 stresses interest in young people, which has been translated realistically in the Qatar National Strategy 2011-2016.
The Minister said Qatar believes in the influence of cultures on overall relations between peoples and nations, and that the exchanged knowledge between cultures generate a common understanding and establish relations based on common interests, which enhance tolerance and mutual respect.
He said the youth work in today’s world does not stop at state borders or national cultures and, therefore, the role of the youth should not be ignored and they should not be isolated from cultural influences.
The Minister called on all countries to adopt a constructive dialogue between different cultures, led by young people in a way to push these countries towards construction and development, not in the direction of conflict and competition.
Dr Al Kuwari also stressed the significant role being played by young people, especially in light of changes taking place in the Arab world and said the driving force of the Arab youth in the leadership of change and society building renders them a support for the future and present of the nation.
He said he was looking forward to seeing rich discussions on youth work’s three aspects submitted by the three-day forum — human rights and development, participation and dialogue of cultures.
The Minister hoped that discussions would come out with recommendations to enhance the capacities of the youth and their ability to play an active role within their communities. QNA
