Under the patronage of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and in collaboration with the Arab League Secretary-General, the Arab Thought Foundation, ATF, will hold its annual FIKR15 conference in Abu Dhabi at the St. Regis Saadiyat from December 12th – 14th.

Coinciding with the 35th anniversary of the GCC’s founding and the 45th anniversary of the UAE’s establishment, FIKR15 is titled "Arab Integration: The Gulf Cooperation Council and the United Arab Emirates".

Henry Awit, Director-General of the ATF, said that Arab integration had been selected as a topic of discussion for its conferences and publications under the initiative of the Foundation’s President, H.R.H. Prince Khalid Al Faisal. He also explained that Arab integration is a strategic cultural goal that the foundation seeks to spread and establish in light of the risks and divisions, crucial challenges, and threats to unity and identity facing the Arab region.

Awit added that this year, the foundation will continue discussing the issue of Arab integration by studying the two unique and detailed experiences of the GCC and the UAE, complementing the two previous conferences in the series.

The conference brings together officials and policy-makers from the UAE and GCC states, as well as delegates from governmental and non-governmental bodies affiliated with the Arab League and Arab development funds. Private sector bodies, cultural and media organisations, research centres and relevant international federations will also be represented at the conference, along with participation from leading intellectuals, experts and media personnel.

Prior to the opening ceremony, ATF will launch the 9th Annual Arab Report on Cultural Development this coming Sunday. The annual report is issued on subject matters closely related to FIKR conferences. This year’s report, which focuses on the cultural scene throughout GCC states, is entitled, "Culture and Cultural Integration in the GCC: Policies, Institutions and Manifestations".

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