MANAMA, JUNE 26 (BNA) INFORMATION MINISTER JIHAD BIN HASSAN BUKAMAL SAID THE MINISTRY IS LOOKING FORWARD TO LAUNCH STRONG TIES WITH INTERNATIONAL CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS SO AS TO BOOST BAHRAIN'S STATUS ON THE WORLD'S CULTURAL MAP.
RECEIVING THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF BERLIN-BASED HOUSE OF WORLD CULTURES TODAY, BUKAMAL VOICED CONFIDENCE THAT THE MINISTRY WILL SET UP SOUND RELATIONS WITH THIS INTERNATIONALLY-RENOWNED CULTURAL CENTRE WHICH IS BEST KNOWN FOR ITS PROFESSIONAL CULTURAL PROJECTS AND PROGRAMMES THAT CAN BE HIGHLY BENEFICIAL TO BAHRAIN'S CULTURAL LIFE. ON HIS PART, THE DIRECTOR EXPRESSED THE INSTITUTION'S READINESS TO COOPERATE CULTURALLY WITH BAHRAIN WHICH, THANKS TO ITS NATURAL AND HUMAN POTENTIALS AS WELL AS CULTURAL OPENNESS, IS ENTITLED TO BECOME A CULTURAL CENTRE IN THE REGION. IN AN EXCLUSIVE STATEMENT TO BAHRAIN NEWS AGENCY, OFFICIAL IN CHARGE OF PROGRAMMING IN MUSIC, THEATRE AND DANCE AT THE HOUSE OF WORLD CULTURES NOUREDDINE BIN RAJAB HAILED THE ASSIDUOUS CARE ATTRIBUTED BY BAHRAINI DECISION-MAKERS TO CULTURE AND HERITAGE. THE HOUSE OF WORLD CULTURES WILL ORGANISE NEXT JULY A FESTIVAL UNDER THE MAIN THEME OF WATER IN WHICH SEVERAL ART AND MUSIC GROUPS FROM ACROSS THE WORLD ARE EXPECTED TO TAKE PART, BIN RAJAB SAID, NOTING THE CURRENT VISIT TO BAHRAIN AIMS TO GET ACQUAINTED WITH THE HISTORY OF BAHRAINI SEAMEN, PEARL DIVING AND THE SONGS THAT USED TO ACCOMPANY THOSE SEA TRIPS. GALALI ART GROUP WAS SELECTED TO REPRESENT BAHRAIN AT THE FESTIVAL GIVEN ITS PROFESSIONAL AND DYNAMIC PERFORMANCE ON STAGE AS WELL AS ABILITY TO MERGE HERITAGE WITH MODERNITY, WHICH HELPS CHANGE THE PRECONCEIVED WESTERN BELIEF THAT ARAB CULTURE IS SHEERLY FOLKLORE- BASED, HE ADDED. THROUGH SUCH ACTIVITIES AND FESTIVALS, THE HOUSE OF WORLD CULTURES AIMS TO ENHANCE DIALOGUE BETWEEN CULTURES WORLDWIDE, ACHIEVE MORE RAPPROCHEMENT AND ELIMINATE PREJUDICES, HE SAID. HMQ 26-JUN-2008 22:28