By Mohammed Osman

DOHA: H E Dr Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al Kawari (pictured) Cultural Adviser to the Emiri Diwan and Qatar’s candidate for the Unesco Director-General’s post has proposed to devote an international day to ‘Culture of Peace’.

Addressing an international symposium in Suosse city in Tunisia on Monday Dr Al Kawari said Tunisia is becoming a model for modernity and civil state respecting human rights and a developing democracy while facing the challenge of terrorism.

The symposium on ‘Promoting Values of Peace and Dialogue’ was organised by Islamic Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) with the Tunisian Ministry of Education and Arab League Educational Cultural and Scientific Organisation (ALECSO) under the patronage of Tunisian Prime Minister Habib Essid.

“From here where the Arab Spring spark started I repeat the suggestion I made at the Avignon Bordeaux Forum on March 31 to dedicate a day to ‘Culture of Peace’” said Dr Al Kawari.

“My visit to Tunisia came after South Africa the land of tolerance reconciliation co-existence and the homeland of Nelson Mandela” he added.

The forum is important in view of the significant changes Arab countries are witnessing Dr Al Kawari said adding that Arab intellectuals are required to think about these developments study the situation and find out their potential impact on Arab societies and their development.

Under such circumstances the issue of peace and how to enhance peace and stability in the Arab world should top discussions because a similar situation in the post-world war era led to the establishment of the Unesco Dr Al Kawari said.

“I believe that Unesco has a great role to play in the process of peace-making more than any time before and this is one of the reasons that made me to stand for the post of its Director-General.”

He stressed that Unesco was created to respond to the firm belief of intellectuals that humanity’s moral and intellectual solidarity and knowledge are the bases to establish a lasting peace and develop human societies of different cultures and civilisations.

The role of thoughts and knowledge in peace-making and development of societies were the issues intellectuals were engaged with in the 20th century and which led to the establishment of Unesco.

“After 70 years we are in a similar situation and using culture as a tool for building peace has became more significant. Our battle today is not in a military filed but a battle with brains in the field of culture” Dr Al Kawari added.

Dialogue and culture are the foundation stones to establish peace Dr Al Kawari said adding the world is facing a cultural war rather than a military one and real peace should be built inside human minds through planting common human values before thinking about economic and political agreements between governments because peace is based on the intellectual and moral solidarity of mankind.

“If we want to fight terrorism our battle field then is culture which is the cornerstone of global peace. In the past educated people and intellectuals were the victims of terror and today they are facing similar challenges” he added.

He said education is the right of every person and no society can take the burden of human development with half of its people remaining illiterate.

Gender equality is a condition for development especially in education as females are the most disadvantaged group in today’s world. Education is the way to empower women and ensure their effective participation in society building Dr Al Kawari said.

“No doubt that all of you share with me the pain we feel due to what the Arab heritages are facing today including destruction and looting under the forces of darkness.

“But we are optimistic that our world not only drives people to war but also make them think about peace and set up its basis” he added.

The GCC Higher Education Ministers meanwhile supported Qatar’s bid for the Unesco Director-General’s post.

This came as the ministers of higher education and scientific research held their 18th meeting at the GCC General-Secretariat in Riyadh.

Minister of Education and Higher Education H E Dr Mohammed Abdul Wahed Al Hammadi headed Qatar’s delegation.

The ministers affirmed their support to Qatar’s nomination of Dr Al Kawari for the post.The Peninsula