LOC01:39
22:39 GMT
By Abdullah Al-Mershed
AMMAN, July 24 (KUNA) -- Jordan's Culture Minister Mustafa Rawashdeh lauded Kuwait on Thursday as a key patron for the Arab culture and a leading contributor to the efforts for enriching it.
This remark was made by Al-Rawashdeh in statements to KUNA after inaugurating the Kuwaiti pavilion at the 39th Jerash Cultural Festival in Amman.
He admired the Kuwaiti pavilion which showcases the rich heritage and civilization of the Arab country.
Kuwait is a known for its cultural activities and the efforts to preserve heritage and traditional crafts, he said.
For his part, the representative of Kuwait's Minister of Information and Culture and Minister of State for Youth Affairs, Abdulrahman Al-Mutairi, Secretary-General of the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters, Dr. Mohammad Al-Jassar, said in statements to KUNA that his country is always interested in partaking in the Jerash Festival, which is one of the oldest cultural and art festivals in the Arab region.
He added that Kuwait's pavilion this year's edition of the festival focuses on showcasing its culture and heritage, noting that a number of craftsmen representing traditional crafts such as shipbuilding and bisht-weaving are present at the Kuwaiti pavilion.
Moreover, a diwaniya corner was located at the pavilion to acquaint visitors about the Kuwaiti diwaniya, cuisine, and hospitality, he said.
Al-Jassar explained that the Kuwaiti delegation participating in the festival met with Jordanian Minister of Culture Mustafa Al-Rawashdeh on the sidelines of the festival to discuss Kuwaiti-Jordanian cultural relations.
He pointed out that an agreement was reached between the Kuwait Cultural Library and the National Library in Jordan to cooperate in organizing and digitizing the libraries.
For his part, Kuwaiti Ambassador to Jordan Hamad Al-Marri told KUNA that the Jerash Festival enhances the exchange of cultures and arts between Arab countries.
He described it as one of the most important cultural and art festivals in the Arab region.
Kuwait continues its annual participation in the Festival, but this year is special as it celebrates being the Capital of Arab Culture, he said.
He added that these cultural festivals bring the peoples of the world closer, especially Arab countries, with their shared culture, customs, and traditions, and strengthen relations between peoples.
The Jerash Festival of Culture and Arts is an annual event held in the ancient city of Jerash. It was inaugurated by Jordanian Prime Minister Jaafar Hassan on Wednesday, and will continue until August 3.
It's a major cultural event in Jordan, attracting artists and visitors from around the Arab world and beyond. The festival features a variety of performances, including folklore dances, concerts, plays, opera, and popular singers, as well as traditional handicrafts.
This year's festival, held under the theme "Jerash Festival: Authenticity and Continuity", places strong emphasis on youth engagement. (end)
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