On Wednesday, President Bashar al-Assad received a delegation of participants at the central ceremony for the Arab Writers’ Union (AWU) on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of its foundation.
The meeting dealt with the intellectual and cultural situation in Syria and the challenges that it’s facing in light of the cultural war in the country.
Assad pointed to the important role played by the educated in scientific and methodical evaluation and analysis of the system of values, concepts, habits and traditions that prevail in society and deciding what is useful to protect, preserve and consolidate it, and what is wrong to enlighten and change, through conscious interaction with the culture of modernity and technical development in the world.
The president underlined the importance of intellectuals in finding a critical discourse and consolidating a general awareness.
Assad called for attention to be given to the Arabic language, as it is the most important bearer of the culture and mentality that is committed to issues of the homeland and society in addition to the collective Arab identity.
The president said he considers investing in cultural projects as the most profitable investment, because it builds up a persons knowledge, develops the individual and benefits society and the homeland.
For their parts, the Arab and Syrian intellectuals participating in the ceremony, stressed the need for launching cultural mechanisms capable of effecting and interacting with the spirit of time.
This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
