HRH Prince Khalid Al Faisal provides opening remarks Monday at Fikr17, which is being held in the Kingdom for the first time this week at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture in Dhahran.
Fikr17, a leading cultural conference in the Arab World, features 12 sessions under the theme “Toward New Arabic Thought,” with 80 speakers, as well as 36 sponsors and partners. The event, which runs through Thursday, is expected to draw more than 600 attendees from the around the region and beyond.
The event has been featuring several workshops and talks, as well as an exhibition for the Fikr17 event. Key offerings include the “Youth Café,” where attendees will participate in talks and workshops held at Ithra’s Library and Plaza examining current global challenges and the important role of dialog.
In line with Fikr17’s thought-provoking themes, Ithra’s curators have selected three installations by prominent pioneering Arab artists such as Saudi artist Muhannad Shono, the late UAE artist Hassan Sharif, and Moroccan artist Younes Rahmoun, exhibited at Ithra’s Plaza and Lush Gardens.
A Commitment to Providing A Cultural Platform
Ithra’s partnership to host Fikr17 demonstrates the Center’s commitment as a leading cultural platform for impact-driven programs that champion cultural enrichment and promote the importance of the exchange of ideas.
This year’s conference features high profile attendees and speakers, including HRH Prince Khalid Al Faisal, President of the Arab Thought Foundation; HE Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary General of the League of Arab States; Professor Henri Awit, Director General of the Arab Thought Foundation; HE Dr. Anwar Gargash, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs; and Dr. Ghassan Mourad, professor of Computational Linguistics and Digital Media at the Lebanese University.
Awit delivered the opening address, which was followed by an inspiring video about Ithra. Aboul Gheit also addressed attendees on the opening night Monday, with HRH Prince Faisal welcoming everyone to the first-ever Fikr held in the Kingdom.
A Shared Mission to Promote Learning and Spread Knowledge
In addition to the opening session, Fikr17 includes three public sessions and eight specialized sessions for attendees. Fatmah Alrashid, acting director of Ithra, commented on the significance of the partnered initiative. “Ithra is proud to partner with the Arab Thought Foundation to host Fikr17 at the Center as part of our shared mission to promote learning and spread knowledge, creativity, and innovation through impact-driven opportunities addressing global topics,” said Alrashid. “Fikr provides a significant regional platform to promote the importance of dialog and the exchange of ideas championed by the Arab World in a collaborative setting. Ithra is dedicated to delivering programming designed to accelerate human potential, foster youth empowerment and champion Arab culture, identity, and talent.”
Since launching in 2002, Fikr has become a leader in cultural conferences within the Arab World, providing an interactive platform for dialog, development, and idea exchange designed to empower the next generation of Arab youth. The conference promotes discourse in addressing significant global topics in its duration.
For more information about the Arab Thought Foundation and Fikr17, visit arabthought.org.