Baku - Ministers of culture of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) have accepted nomination of Sharjah as capital of Islamic Culture for the year 2014 in recognition of remarkable contributions made by H.H. Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council member and Ruler of Sharjah, under the instructions by UAE President H.H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai H. H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, for preserving, promoting and disseminating culture at local, Arab and Islamic levels.
Sharjah was named capital of the Islamic culture at the sixth conference of OIC ministers of culture which got underway yesterday in the Azeri capital Baku under the auspices of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.
H.E. Abdul Rahman Mohammed Al Owais, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development and head of the UAE delegation, spelled out the UAE vision and stances towards Islamic causes and cultural issues.
Al Owais congratulated Sheikh Sultan on the glorious occasion, saying “the new title provides a boost to Sharjah cultural development march and comes as a tribute to Sharjah's offer of its Islamic cultural panorama in the form of a host of cultural and Islamic events.
“The new cultural achievement crowned Sharjah for its leading cultural role at local, regional, Arab and international arenas,” the UAE minister added. The conference also announced Baku as capital of Islamic culture for 2009.
First Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Elchin Efendiyev read a message from President Aliyev to the meeting in which he said. "Declaration of Baku as the capital of Islamic Culture for 2009 is a high assessment given to the rich history and culture of our country.
“Our country always welcomed the support of member countries of the Organization of the Islamic Conference. I believe the details of topical issues of the Islamic culture will be discussed at the conference and it will determine new ways of development of cultural cooperation between our countries and peoples".
About 25 ministers, 11 deputy ministers from over 45 states, representatives of 18 international organizations are attending the conference which will last till October 15. - Emirates News Agency, WAM
MidEast.RU, October, 14th 2009
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