JEDDAH, 15 July 2005 — Culture and Information Minister Iyad Madani has emphasized his ministry’s plan to reorganize literary and cultural institutions in the Kingdom after studying their present situation and requirements.
Speaking to reporters after visiting the Literary Club in Dammam on Tuesday, he also commended the national dialogue forums being held in various parts of the country with the participation of people having different thoughts, ideas and backgrounds.
On Tuesday, Madani chaired a meeting of the board of directors of the Saudi Cultural and Arts Society (SCAS) in Riyadh and said Saudi women would play a significant role in cultural, literary and artistic activities.
“Women are part and parcel of our society and part of the Saudi cultural scene. I hope the Saudi Cultural and Arts Society will not ignore them. Cultural activities are for everybody,” he said.
Madani said he preferred SCAS to remain an independent institution managed by a board of directors. “We don’t want to make it a department of the Culture and Information Ministry.”
The minister refuted suggestions that his ministry was imposing censorship on media organizations in the country. “There’s no censorship,” Al-Watan Arabic daily quoted him as saying.
The Riyadh meeting discussed prospects of holding an annual cultural and art festival and presenting awards to prominent men of letters and artists.
It also discussed matters related to holding the fourth drama festival in Riyadh and setting up heritage centers in Yanbu, Al-Jouf, Dawadmi, Araar, Majmaa, Unaizah, Al-Kharj, Jubail, Alkhobar, Shaqra and Bisha.
