DUBAI — On behalf of Minister of Culture Prince Badr Bin Abdullah Bin Farhan Al Saud, Deputy Minister of Culture Hamed Bin Muhammad Fayez participated Monday in the opening ceremony of the second edition of Al Burda Festival, taking place Dec. 19-21, organized by the United Arab Emirates' Ministry of Culture and Youth.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia marked its presence as guest of honor at the festival, which is dedicated to Islamic arts and culture.

In a speech delivered on behalf of the minister of culture, the deputy minister of culture expressed appreciation of the UAE for organizing the festival, which celebrates Islamic arts, shines a light on its role in the modern human experience, and embraces its power to promote peace and global communication.

He added that the Kingdom’s recent success, in cooperation with 15 Arab countries, in registering Arabic calligraphy on the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage consolidates its status as a global icon of Arab culture and confirms the value of the artistic word in cultural communication between nations and peoples.

The deputy minister said, “If Arabic calligraphy reinforces the importance of unique forms of expression within a single culture, then with this cross-cultural validation it also confirms the universality of Islamic art.”

He underlined the Kingdom’s commitment to highlighting the value of this art through several initiatives, providing opportunities for artists, practitioners, and cultural experts to explore the relationships between various forms of Islamic art, and within the wider context of global cultures and historical periods.

The Kingdom’s participation in Al Burda Festival comprises cultural activities organized by the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission in cooperation with the Academy of Arabic Poetry, including an interactive presentation of the “Revised Encyclopedia of Arabic Poetry,” winner of the Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Prize.

Other activities include a musical performance of poems in classical Arabic presented by the Music Commission, a cinematic presentation of the achievements of the “Year of Arabic Calligraphy” initiative, and the distribution of souvenirs to visitors. — SPA