Arab Thought Foundation declares the winners of Arab Creativity Awards and launches its 11th conference

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

In a press conference held by Arab Thought Foundation at the headquarters of the Lebanese Press Association, the Foundation launched its annual "FIKR11" conference: "Citizens and Government: Future Vision", which will be held in Dubai on 26 and 27 November. Both the Secretary General of the Arab Thought Foundation, Dr. Soleiman Abdel Moneim, and Deputy Secretary-General and FIKR Executive Director Mr. Hamad AlAmmari spoke during the press conference. In his speech, Dr. Abdel Moneim said: FIKR11 novelty is that it treats a subject of daily concern for Arabic citizens since it deals with citizen-governments relation from economic and social perspectives. Besides, this coming conference complements FIKR10 theme which discussed the ongoing transformations in the Arab world from the political and cultural perspectives. So this year events will complete the diagnosis of the Arabic situation. It is worth mentioning that ATF does not take side to any opinion or idea but creates time and place so that the nations intellectuals and experts provide us with their visions and perceptions. From his side, Mr. AlAmmari welcomed the attendance and declared: Last year we held our FIKR10 conference in Dubai, were back again this year under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to reaffirm our appreciation for the space for dialogue and exchange of opinions granted by the city to explore a future that comply with the ambitions of our Arab citizens whether authority figures (who are citizens as well), businessmen, scientists, intellectuals or ordinary citizens for whom were striving to achieve progress, development, reform and success. Mr. AlAmmari presented the conference program; he revealed the names of speakers participating in the sessions, speakers who will enrich FIKR11 with their relevant experiences and knowledge. Therefore Secretary General of the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions Mohammad Nidal Al Shaar from the Syrian Republic, and director of Middle East programs at FUNGLODE, the Foundation for Democracy and development,

Mustafa Abou Nabaa, from the Dominican Republic will address the public in the Competition & Cooperation: Looking beyond National Borders session. Furthermore, Mr. AlAmmari shed the light on several parallel workshops designed for specialists dealing with the repositioning of governments to adapt to information era; for government officers who are involved in Building Infrastructure for Future Generations and looking for new ways to activate social media, especially in the domain of government communication; and experts studying the Arab countries competitive advantages. Jean Ogassapian the former state minister for administrative affairs in Lebanon will also take the floor in a plenary session titled: The Arab World in 2020: Development and the Future of Government as well as Mr. Abdul Aziz AlHorr, Chief Executive Officer of Qatar Finance and Business Academy who will address the meeting in Creating 11 Million Jobs: A New Role for Government session during which relevant summaries of research and studies will be presented. The conference will officially conclude with the word of Mr. Khalid Yahya, Head of the Educational Programs at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture and the evening will witness the distribution of Arab Creativity Awards hosted by the Cultural and Scientific Association. After this detailed presentation of FIKR11 program, Dr. Abdel Moneim declared the names of the awards winners: Scientific Creativity Award Artistic Creativity Award Media Creativity Award Economic Creativity Award Social Creativity Award : Doctor Mohamed Ghonim, from Egypt : the painter Abdulla Muharraqi, from Bahrain : National Center of arts of puppets, from Tunisia : Doctor Mohamed Saeed Al-Lootah, United Arab Emirates : Kuwait Society for the advancement of Arab children

The technical and literary awards have been withheld this year as well as the Most Important Arabic Book. Finally, Dr. Abdel Moneim enumerated the projects that will be launched by the Arab Thought Foundation during the conference, such as Lets Promote our Language initiative, with the presence of His Royal Highness Prince Khalid Al-Faisal and many Arab Ministers of Culture, heads of Arabic language Academies, and the elite of intellectuals and linguists; and the fifth Arab report for Cultural Development, which became a cultural observatory to monitor the status of culture and knowledge in the Arab countries.
*Arab Thought Foundation is an international, independent, non-profit organization; it has neither governmental affiliation nor sectarian or partisan orientation. It strives to support intellect with capital in order to reinforce pride in the nation constants, principles, values and morals conformingly with the responsible freedom approach. It is involved in different areas of knowledge such as science, medicine, economics, management, media and literature. It seeks to unite the intellectual and cultural efforts advocating for, promoting and maintaining Arab solidarity and identity.