Al-Maliki for the Culture of Moderation , not Obscurantism

BAGHDAD,(ST)_Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki stressed  that cases of extremism , spread in the Arab countries, supported by superficial thought,  are dealing with heritage selectively and backed by  entities that  have the money but  not the knowledge and   fed with  hatred instead of love and enlightenment.

Al- Maliki said during commemorating Baghdad ‘s Arab Culture Capital festival on Saturday   that Iraq ‘s  culture has been  characterized by diversity, and brought  together applied science and humanities, combined  medicine, engineering, chemistry and astronomy as well as literature and the arts, jurisprudence and philosophy and  religious schools  were built for over a thousand years and continued giving and creativity in various Islamic sciences , introducing an educational system  which is still  esteemed and functional.

 He called on Arab scholars, intellectuals, enlightened to spread the culture of tolerance, moderation instead of violence and provocation.
Al- Maliki  also called on the Arab intellectuals and writers to “spread the culture of moderation instead of the culture of controversy and obscurantism.” Stressing that “the main axis of Baghdad’s festival is to remove extremism.”

The three day cultural activities festival  will be concluded by ( I saw Baghdad) Opera  , which will be followed by months-long cultural activities including literary and art exhibitions, folklore festivals, round tables on heritage and archaeology, and poetry and literature symposiums.

The Arab Capital of Culture is under a program set up in 1995 by the UNESCO, which aims to highlight the value of Arab civilization and encourage cultural openness in the region.

T. Fateh