RIYADH: Hundreds of people gathered inside the conference halls of Riyadh’s King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center on March 8 for the inaugural Future of Education, Science and Culture International Forum.
The first panel kicked the forum off with a discussion involving Mohammed Ouled Amar, director general of the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization; Salim Al-Malik, director general of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization; and Costanza Farina, director of the UNESCO regional bureau in Beirut and representative of UNESCO to Lebanon and Syria.
The panel discussed the future of international and multilateral organizations in a time of global social, economic and technological transformation.
Discussions focused on the role multilateral organizations can play in cross-cultural dialogue and development, as well as promoting peace and security through culture and education.
Moderator Lara Habib, senior business news presenter at Al-Arabiya, began the session by quoting US industrialist Henry Ford: “Coming together is the beginning. Staying together is progress, and working together is success.”
For over 50 years, multilateral organizations have played a significant role in shaping the world and establishing the international institutional framework.
Panelists agreed that international dialogue between multilateral organizations is crucial to respond to present challenges and forge a future in unison.
“The challenges we are facing today, like access to education, don’t affect just one country but many countries,” Farina said.
“To address such issues, international organizations need to co-create solutions, opportunities, innovative and transformative solutions. We need to talk about what we can change, improve, and move forward. And there are many opportunities to do so while working together in this (the Middle East) region.”
Ouled Amar said that challenges can bring people together in the quest for future solutions. However, people and nations must do so without ignoring or forgetting their heritage.
“I believe in the importance of change, but also in preserving our traditions and heritage in face of great change that is taking place internationally across the world,” he said.
“The challenges will remain as we continue to serve our collective objectives, and after over 50 years of serving such aims by our three organizations, it is through a conference such as this in Saudi Arabia that we can grow closer together, working together multilaterally to address solutions for the world’s challenges.”
Panelists said that access to education is key to confronting the myriad issues facing the Arab world, including climate change, food security and conflict.
“We cannot bring about peace and security in the region if we do not provide more access to education and science, and if they are not given their rightful place,” Ouled Amar said.
