Information Minister Sheikh Salman Sabah Salem Al- Humoud Al-Sabah speaks during a lecture on Gulf identity. — KUNA photos

KUWAIT: A national Gulf identity is not merely a slogan but a "necessity" that needs to be reinforced, Minister of Information and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Sabah Salem Al-Humoud Al-Sabah said yesterday. Sheikh Salman, who is also Chairman of the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters (NCCAL), made those remarks in a speech he gave during a lecture on Gulf identity, organized by the NCCAL, against the backdrop of Kuwait being named the "Capital of Islamic Culture 2016." He underscored that a Gulf identity has become an urgent need in an age of increased solidarity and camaraderie, adding that the country's leadership have always emphasized the importance of such an identity.

Speaking on tourism in GCC nations, Sheikh Salman said that bolstering cultural ties would further solidify the camaraderie between GCC countries, as he called on increased exchange between youth to further those ties. Meanwhile, President of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH), Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz that the GCC possesses all the tools needed to forge a unified identity. The Saudi official also spoke of his country's aspirations to turn the tourism sector into a robust industry, adding that Arab culture has come under threat as of late, "as it would behoove us to be more open and active." Furthermore, Kuwaiti academic Dr Mohammad Al-Rumaihi said that culture contains both humanitarian and scientific aspects to it, as he stressed that a nation's ideologies and laws are what shape up the sense of identity. - KUNA