For his part, HE Director of the UNESCO Regional Office in Doha Salah El Din Zaki Khaled asserted the UNESCO's keenness to support creative and cultural activities, in addition to promoting and protecting the freedom of all forms of cultural expressions in light of a consolidated conviction that investment in creativity can change communities, making them meaningful and more inclusive.

Culture is an active and vital driver for sustainable development and is essential to achieve the sustainable development goals of 2030, he pointed out, adding that culture contributes to human, social and economic development, as well as good education, social integration, sustainable cities, and environment etc.

He praised the efforts undertaken by the State of Qatar in improving the career, social and economic status for the artists and those who work in the sector of culture whether in Qatar or other countries, noting that Doha has joined the network of the creative cities in design area, along with its participation in the UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development MONDIACULT 2022- that was held in Mexico.

His Excellency hailed the burgeoning artistic and creative movement that has evolved in Qatar in the recent years, either through the efforts made by the Ministry of Culture, or the Qatar Museums which leads several initiatives in the areas of culture, arts and creativity promoting Qatar's outstanding role in rapprochement and inter-cultural dialogue.

HE Director of the UNESCO Regional Office in Doha said the UNESCO looks forward to cooperating with the State of Qatar and working together in pursuit of promoting the creative economy and countering its challenges, pointing out that the UNESCO's celebration of this day on May 21, each year is not essentially dedicated to highlighting the world's rich cultures, but rather to emphasizing the fundamental role of intercultural dialogue in achieving peace and sustainable development.

Source: Qatar News Agency