Under the distinguished patronage of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, the 12th Conference of Ministers of Culture in the Islamic World successfully concluded its proceedings on Tuesday. Hosted by Qatar, represented by the Ministry of Culture, and organized by the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), this significant event spanned from September 25th to 26th.
During his tenure as the chairman presiding over the concluding sessions of the conference, HE the Minister of Culture, Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad al-Thani, expressed gratitude to ICESCO for their meticulous planning and execution of the conference. He also commended ICESCO for its dedication to supporting and rejuvenating cultural initiatives within member states through innovative programs and initiatives.
In his closing address, Dr. Salem bin Mohamed Al Malik, the Director-General of ICESCO, extended heartfelt appreciation to Qatar for graciously hosting the current conference. He praised Qatar for providing all the essential resources necessary to ensure the conference’s resounding success. Dr. Al Malik also hailed the sense of responsibility and cooperation that pervaded the conference venue.
Dr. Al Malik emphasized ICESCO’s commitment to the approved programs, visions, and projects, highlighting that they have taken comprehensive notes regarding the Doha Declaration. Furthermore, it was decided that the next conference session will convene at ICESCO’s headquarters in Morocco.
The ministers of culture and heads of delegations participating in the 12th Conference of Ministers of Culture in the Islamic World unanimously endorsed the Doha Declaration to reinvigorate cultural initiatives. The declaration underscored the pivotal role played by culture in achieving sustainable development for Islamic world communities, nurturing deep-rooted and creative individuals, and inspiring individuals, institutions, and communities to align with government policies that prioritize creative values and groundbreaking cultural programs in national development plans.
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The declaration emphasized the utmost importance of prioritizing culture as one of the fundamental pillars of peace, security, and development in its comprehensive and sustainable dimensions. It recommended the periodic and systematic review of national and cultural plans and strategies, aligning them with the priorities of national development plans and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This adaptive approach ensures responsiveness to national, regional, and international developments, especially in the context of the digital age and its ongoing transformation.
At the conclusion of the conference, the ministers of culture in the Islamic world underscored the necessity of establishing and enhancing professional digital platforms with multiple languages. These platforms would facilitate access to Islamic cultural content in various forms, requiring integrated plans and the allocation of essential financial and technical resources for digitizing various cultural products such as digital books, videos, and virtual representations of exhibitions, museums, and heritage sites.
The conference united in denouncing the uncivilized behavior of individuals with extreme racial biases who burn copies of the Holy Qur’an. It called upon cultural authorities in such countries to take swift action to prevent such acts, emphasizing that these actions do not align with the principles of freedom of expression or promote cultural diversity and coexistence.
Additionally, the conference called for increased partnership and coordination with ICESCO to harness its expertise in heritage preservation. This includes leveraging remote sensing technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to monitor the impact of climate change, disasters, and pandemics on cultural activities and heritage sites in the Islamic world.
The conference also acknowledged and praised Qatar’s efforts in conserving heritage and investing in its development dimension through groundbreaking initiatives such as the establishment and enhancement of various museums and the organization of cultural exhibitions.
The declaration commended ICESCO’s initiative in establishing a heritage center at its headquarters in the Islamic world. It also recognized the ongoing efforts of the Heritage Committee of the Islamic World in collaboration with ICESCO to preserve heritage in member states. Furthermore, it supported ICESCO’s initiative to develop a strategy to combat illicit trafficking in cultural property within the Islamic world, ensuring alignment with international agreements and national laws.
The declaration called for the establishment of a legislative framework for the system of living human treasures, which includes identifying and recognizing holders of intangible cultural heritage. This framework would outline the necessary conditions and procedures for obtaining this status, as well as the resulting intellectual property rights, with the assistance of specialists.
In terms of reinforcing the role of cultural economy in achieving the SDGs, the Doha Declaration affirmed support for ICESCO’s initiative to promote the mechanisms and strategies of cultural economy. It also endorsed the new mechanisms proposed by ICESCO for the development of its program for capitals of culture in the Islamic world. The conference celebrated the successful hosting of the capitals of culture in the Islamic world (2019-2022) in Doha, Jerusalem, Tunis, Bissau, Rabat, and Cairo, highlighting the exceptional efforts of the host countries in this regard.
The conference emphasized the need to present an action program and executive visions in collaboration with the Consultative Council for Cultural Development in the Islamic World. These initiatives aim to safeguard Islamic culture and its landmarks in Al Quds Al Sharif, which are under threat of systematic erasure and Judaization. Additionally, they seek to promote cultural and environmental tourism and showcase the rich cultural treasures of the Islamic world.
Furthermore, the conference stressed the significance of supporting entrepreneurship and startups in traditional and cultural industries, protecting traditional handmade products, strengthening the cultural economy to foster sustainable development, creating job opportunities, and developing skills within the cultural sector.
The conference demonstrated unanimous support for an initiative put forth by the Saudi Ministry of Culture and ICESCO to standardize and enhance cultural indicators in the Islamic world. This led to the signing of a bilateral agreement between the two parties. The statement also advocated for the addition of an 18th development goal to the international community’s 2030 development goals, emphasizing the importance of culture in development and urging the UN to include it among its 17 SDGs.
In the closing statement, the conference urged educational institutions in the Islamic world to develop educational curricula that preserve family values and act as a bulwark against efforts to dismantle those values. It supported ICESCO’s call, in coordination with member states, to include culture on the agenda of the World Summit on the Future scheduled for 2024. Additionally, the conference called for the adoption of modern technology techniques and applications, particularly artificial intelligence and the metaverse, to study and anticipate the future of culture in a rapidly changing world. The conference emphasized the collective responsibility to establish the foundational principles that safeguard the cultural identity of the Islamic world.
Finally, the conference expressed solidarity with the Kingdom of Morocco and Libya in the aftermath of the Al Haouz earthquake and Storm Daniel, with participating countries pledging to provide the necessary capabilities and assistance to these two nations.
The third working session featured speeches by heads of delegations and representatives of participating organizations and bodies, fostering insightful discussions and offering strategies for revitalizing cultural efforts in the Islamic world. The conference stands as a testament to the commitment of Islamic nations to preserving and advancing their cultural heritage in an ever-evolving global landscape.