DOHA - Globalization and its impact on Arab societies will be the focus of discussions at a symposium titled "social changes and the dialect of culture and values" being held at the Doha Sheraton from January 22 to January 25.
The symposium is being organised by the National Council for Culture, Arts and Heritage. It will bring together a host of intellectuals representing the different ideological streams in the Arab world including Islamists, nationalists and liberalists.
Prince Hassan bin Talal of Jordan, who is president of the Arab Thought Forum will be among the dignitaries attending the opening session on January 22, to begin at 7pm.
He will speak on the topic "social changes and its impact on culture and values."
The symposium will also analyze the relation between dictatorship and the "culture of hatred" and explore ways to promote the culture of tolerance and acceptance, the organisers disclosed at a press conference held at the Marriott hotel yesterday.
The Council president Mishal Al Thani, its secretary general Mubarak Al Khulaifi, Dr Ahmed Abdul Malik, head of the media committee for the symposium and its general coordinator Dr Abdullah Ibrahim were present at the press conference.
"The basic objective of this symposium is to analyze the Qatari reality and link it with the social changes, putting strategic plans to develop it. To achieve this goal, relevant topics have been selected for discussion," said Mubarak Al Khulaifi
In the opening session, Dr Fred Haliday will speak on "conflict of cultural fundamentals," while Dr Burhan Ghalyun will address the topic: "globalization of values or globalization of chaos."
Issues of cultural diversity and domination of a single cultural identity over the world will also be discussed at this session.
Topics for the second day include: Knowledge society: its culture and values; values of hatred and values of tolerance; Arab culture and social changes.
Discussions on the third day will focus on issues concerning Arab women. Dr Juhaina Al Eisa from Qatar University will speak on "ways of integrating women into developing societies," while Dr Khulsum Ghanim, who is also from Qatar, will speak on "cultural development and social changes."
Other topics in the session are "the cultural role of women in the Arab society" and "the Arab women and values of the consumerist society."
On the last day, Dr Abdul Hameed Al Ansari from Qatar will speak on "dictatorship and the roots of the culture of hatred." Dr Khalid Al Karki will handle the topic, "nationalist culture and religious culture: conflict or dialogue."
The culture and values of traditional societies and the impact of external pressures on them will also be discussed at the final session. All the sessions on the last three days are scheduled to begin at 6pm.
© The Peninsula 2007
