Najjar attends Arab Culture Ministers’ meet in Riyadh

AMMAN — Minister of Culture Haifa Najjar said culture is a "key" driver of sustainable development, and creativity and innovation are prerequisites to achieve its "effective and integrated" core.

Najjar's remarks came during her participation in the 23rd Conference of Arab Culture Ministers, which began its activities under the title "Culture and Green Future", currently held in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported citing a ministry statement.

Najjar added that climate change has "serious" effects on humanity, which requires action to enhance people's understanding of its adverse effects.

The minister stressed the need to “harness culture to create a scenario to understand climate change socially by shaping ideas about this issue”.

Calling for defining local and regional priorities, she stressed the need to launch new relationships for research and adaptation planning by diagnosing related barriers.

This process also involves ways to improve communication to shape common understandings and push cooperation through better negotiation of diverse worldviews, the minister pointed out.

In addition, she noted importance of cultural institutions to highlight priorities for climate change adaptation as a "collective, strategic and purposeful" behaviour by management of natural resources.

The minister noted perceptions of climate change adaptation as a cultural process are a "key" prerequisite to ensure success of "Culture and Green Future" project.