Sheikh Salem bin Khalid Al Qasimi, Minister of Culture and Youth, stressed in a speech during his participation in the meeting of culture ministers of the Group of Twenty held in Varanasi, India.. the importance of continuing joint cooperation between all parties and strengthening the position of culture to face climate challenges.
He addressed the UAE’s commitment to the priorities of the G20, especially in reducing disparities and enhancing cooperation between countries of the South, praising the joint efforts made by the working group on culture in the G20 in this regard.
Moreover, Minister also stressed the importance of culture in enhancing partnership and cooperation between countries, which will be focused on during the twenty-eighth session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), which the UAE will host next November.
While speaking about climate change and its impact on all aspects of life, His Excellency said, “Today, cultural heritage is at risk due to climate change all over the world. These historical places are priceless treasures for peoples and must be protected and preserved because they remind of the authentic identities of societies, and we must pay attention to those capabilities that… “It is exposed to risks over time, which negatively affects the living human heritage and limits its transmission across generations.”
Minister pointed to the efforts and commitments made by the UAE with regard to the protection of human heritage, such as its recent partnership with the African World Heritage Fund to support the preservation and protection of cultural and natural heritage, which is of exceptional universal value on the African continent, as this partnership focuses on sites affected by climate change and capacity-building programs. For community members.
His Excellency stressed the importance of supporting the global vision for a sustainable future based on diversity and inclusion. He spoke about the role of culture and creativity in formulating meaningful solutions to global challenges, and the efforts of the UAE to support the use of the power of creative institutions by strengthening a strong cultural and creative ecosystem in the country.
He said, “The UAE National Strategy for Cultural and Creative Industries is the first of its kind in the Arab and Gulf region, and aims to promote the growth of the cultural and creative industries sector and increase its contribution to 5% of the national GDP by 2031.”
His Excellency highlighted the UAE’s partnership with the World Intellectual Property Organization “WIPO” to benefit from its methodology for measuring the economic contribution of copyright-based industries to the creative economy to accurately measure its performance and its contribution to the gross domestic product.
He added that the newly launched National Grants Program for Creativity and Culture enables creators and small and medium-sized companies to have opportunities to support, sustain and develop skills, pointing also to the UAE’s cooperation with UNESCO for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of heritage sites in the city of Mosul, Iraq, and its main role in the International Coalition for the Protection of Heritage in different regions. The “thousand” conflict that has funded about 180 projects so far.
His Excellency stressed that, in line with the priority of the presidency of the Group of Twenty, the UAE focuses heavily on promoting and empowering pioneers of culture.
He talked about the importance of education as a vital tool that guarantees the transmission of culture and heritage across generations, which plays an effective role in providing learners with the knowledge and skills they need.
Concluding his speech, His Excellency said, “As we approach the twenty-eighth session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), which the country will host next November at Expo Dubai, we look forward to meeting you again to achieve the common aspirations of the working group concerned with culture and taking action A group event that highlights the partnership between culture, climate and climate change, and the role the creative industry plays in addressing many climate issues.
