Bethlehem – Ma’an – Today, Thursday, Minister of Culture Imad Hamdan reviewed the most prominent cultural needs of Bethlehem Governorate.
This came during his visit and an accompanying delegation that included the general directors of the Ministry, Bethlehem Governorate, as part of a series of visits organized by the Ministry in various Palestinian governorates under the guidance of the Prime Minister, to support and enhance the cultural scene, identify its most prominent needs, and exert all means to activate and advance it.
At the beginning of his visit, Minister Hamdan met with the Governor of Bethlehem Governorate, Muhammad Taha, who welcomed the Minister and his accompanying delegation.
The governor appreciated the role of the Ministry of Culture in holding cultural events and activities in the governorate, and stressed the continued fruitful cooperation between the ministry and the governorate.
The Governor briefed Minister Hamdan on the exceptional circumstances of the governorate, and the fierce a
ttack, closures, and barriers surrounding the governorate, due to the occupation measures that cut off the West Bank from each other.
Minister Hamdan said: ‘We view Bethlehem as the gateway to Jerusalem, the tourist capital of Palestine, stressing the role of the Ministry of Culture in embracing institutions working in the cultural field as well as individuals, and the necessity of supporting various cultural sectors.
Minister Hamdan added that preserving the Palestinian identity and promoting the Palestinian narrative is one of the priorities of the Ministry of Culture, as the Ministry works to mobilize various cultural sectors.
The Minister and his accompanying delegation met, at the headquarters of the President Putin Foundation, the Cultural Family in Bethlehem, with members of the Cultural Advisory Council, representatives of cultural centers, and workers in the cultural field, including artists, writers, academics, and heritage specialists.
The Minister listened to their demands and needs and the im
portance of overcoming all obstacles to support these institutions regardless of their tasks, and the importance of touching on the cultural reality of life in the governorate.
By strengthening the ongoing partnership between the Ministry and Bethlehem cultural institutions, the Ministry is an incubator for Palestinian cultural action, in all its forms, and an incubator for the creativity of male and female creators.
The Minister and the accompanying delegation also visited the Dheisheh camp in Bethlehem, and met with the popular committees for camp services, to emphasize that the camps connect us with memory and narratives, sending a greeting to the people of the Dheisheh camp, whose name was associated with struggles and confrontation of the occupation.
Stressing that the popular committees are a major element in these camps, the attendees demanded a real and serious effort to develop the work of these institutions inside the camps in particular, as Dheisheh camp hosts approximately 15 cultural instituti
ons.
The Minister and the delegation accompanying him concluded his tour with a visit to Dar Al-Kalima University in Bethlehem, and met, on behalf of the University’s President, Dr. Ihab Bseiso, Vice President of Dar Al-Kalima University for Communication and International Relations, and Dr. Noha Khoury, Vice-President of Dar Al-Kalima University for Academic Affairs, and members of the Academic Council, and discussed with them Mechanisms of joint cooperation, and he reviewed its most prominent academic programs and specializations related to culture and arts, stressing the Ministry’s intention to create a communication bridge with the most prominent universities interested in the Academy of Culture, and the necessity of strengthening communication and cooperation relations between the Ministry of Culture and Dar Al-Kalima University with the aim of developing the cultural scene in Palestine.
Source: Maan News Agency
