JCCI meeting to set guidelines for cultural club
Published: Mar 14, 2010 19:42 Updated: Mar 14, 2010 22:04
JEDDAH: The Jeddah Information and Culture Club will be established following the first meeting of its founding members on Tuesday, according to Turrad Al-Asmari, a founding member and the director of media at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI).
“The meeting at the chamber will discuss the objectives and programs of the club to be forwarded to the minister of culture and information for his final approval,” Al-Asmari told Arab News.
He said the new club would not be a competitor to either the Saudi Journalists Authority or the Society of Media and Communications working under the umbrella of King Saud University.
“It will undertake activities that will serve the arena of culture and information, cater to the needs of media persons and upgrade their standard through training,” he said.
Al-Asmari said Tuesday’s meeting would be limited to the 18 founding members who are media and cultural personalities.
Among others, the founding members include: Dr. Abdul Aziz Ismail Daghestani, Dr. Abdullah Marie Bin-Mahfouz, Amira Khashghari, Raniah Salamah and Dr. Sami Al-Mahana.
Al-Asmari said the idea to establish the club came as a result of brain storming sessions among founding members in the light of the remarkable development Saudi Arabia is witnessing in the field of culture and information. “The enthusiasm of the founding members was inspired by the unlimited support and encouragement to this sector extended by Minister of Culture and Information Dr. Abdul Aziz Khoja,” he said.
Jamal Bannoun, a Saudi media specialist and a founding member, said the idea was mooted several years ago but came out to the open after Dr. Khoja, who always supports innovative ideas, was appointed minister of culture and information.
“Then only those who mooted the club came together again to crystallize the idea prior to obtaining official approval from the ministry for its establishment,” he said.
Bannoun said the membership of the club would not be limited to Saudis but will be open to non-Saudis working in Saudi media organizations.
“The project will contribute to advancement of the sector in its various fields and will be of interest to all those working in this field,” he said.
Bannoun said the project comes a year after the launching of Dr. Abdullah Dahlan Information Center at JCCI’s Exhibitions and Conferences Center.
