By Abdulwahed Al-Talbi
TAN TAN, Moroccan Desert, May 23 (KUNA) -- His Highness the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah is keen on preserving cultural heritage as a pillar of unity of the nation, Amiri Diwan Advisor Mohammad Sharar said Saturday.
Paying more attention to cultural heritage will contribute to spreading culture of peace, love and solidarity among people, Sharar told KUNA in a statement.
Sharar is visiting Tan Tan in the Moroccan Desert to participate in the cultural festival, sponsored by Moroccan King Mohammad VI, which is due until May 27.
He said Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Heritage Village was an embodiment of His Highness the Amir's interest in supporting and preserving Arab culture.
His Highness the Amir's humanitarian endeavors are just part of his keenness on spreading the culture of peace, which encouraged the UN last year to name His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad as a "Humanitarian Leader," and Kuwait as a "Humanitarian Center," noted Sharar.
He said organizers of Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Heritage Village have invited the Tan Tan Festival officials to visit the village next February.
Meanwhile, Sharar also visited the pavilion of the United Arab Emirates in the festival, which he said reflected a genuine image of the heritage of the UAE.
Sharar, who also visited the pavilion of Tunisia, said the Gulf region shared cultural values.
Director of the UAE's pavilion Abdullah Al-Qubaisi, in a statement to KUNA, commended His Highness the Amir's role in preserving human civilization.
Tan Tan festival is an annual event bringing together more than 30 tribes from southern Morocco and other nomadic peoples of northwest Africa. Originally these were spontaneous and regular meetings of these peoples for a week around the month of May.
Part of the agricultural and herding calendar of the nomads, these gatherings were an opportunity to meet up, to buy, sell and exchange foodstuffs and other products, to organize camel- and horse-breeding competitions, to celebrate weddings and to consult herbalists.
The festival also consisted of a range of celebrations such as musical performances, popular chanting, poetry contests and other Hassanie oral traditions, and games.
The UN cultural agency, UNESCO, announced in 2005 proclamation of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity of the Tan Tan festival. (end) adt.bs