Deputy Minister of Education of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Faisal bin Abdulrahman bin Muammar, who is also member of the Executive Council of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), confirmed that Saudi Arabia, in its capacity as home of the two holy mosques and heart of the Islamic world, would remain supportive for any international effort aiming at reducing all kinds of terrorism and extremism and reaching a peace-loving and co-existing world community. In a keynote speech before UNESCO's 184th session in Paris this week, bin Muammar praised the role being played by UNESCO at all levels. He hailed the organization's declaration expressing its concern over the unacceptable decision by Israel to annex the holy Ibrahimi mosque in Al-Khalil city and Bilal bin Rabah mosque in Bethlehem to the Israeli heritage, noting that the measure is an attempt rejected by all international conventions, including the United Nations Charter. He said the Kingdom has designed tens of local and international cultural events addressing its citizens and the nearly seven million expatriates from friendly countries who reside in the Kingdom and contribute to its vast renaissance, citing the giving-away ceremony of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques International Prize for Translation scheduled for the headquarters of UNESCO in Paris in May 2010. He described the move as one of a series of initiatives aiming at narrowing the gap between world cultures and civilizations and as continuation to the call by King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz for dialogue among followers of religions and culture over the last few years and the years ahead. Just recently, the Kingdom announced a new initiative titled King Abdullah International Prize for Heritage and Culture, he concluded.
