Doha: The Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage H E Dr Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al Kuwari, reaffirmed Qatar’s support for libraries, noting that libraries have assumed a high status as part of the cultural activity in the context of the state’s keenness on freedom of thought and access to information.
In his speech at the opening session of the first regional conference of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) in the Arab region, hosted by the Ministry of Culture titled “The Role of Associations and National Libraries in Supporting Freedom of Access to Information under Intellectual Property Rights”, Dr Al Kuwari said this conference comes within the activities and events Qatar, as one of the fruits of the comprehensive development taking place under the patronage the Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and the Heir Apparent H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
He said the intellectual creativity, with its distinguished civilisations, generates keenness to preserve and encourage human beings right to have access to information and knowledge as a fundamental right, calling on all concerned parties to join hands to serve knowledge and culture without fear.
The Minister said the changes and the rapid developments taking place in the contemporary world make it incumbent on the Arab world to be an active partner in change. QNA
