Oman's Nizwa handpicked capital of Islamic culture for 2015

The eighth Islamic Conference of Ministers of Culture, which concluded here on Wednesday, has chosen the Omani city of Nizwa as the capital of Islamic culture for 2015. The coming Ninth Islamic Conference of Ministers of Culture will be held in the Sultanate of Oman in November 2015, according to the final communiqu{ of the conference. The conferees approved a proposed executive plan for the implementation of Saudi Arabia's initiative for dialogue among followers of religions and cultures. The initiative is primarily meant to enhance the values of peace and security, consolidate the bases for reconciliation, and tolerance, and highlight the contribution of Islam and Muslims in this field and the service of the entire humanity, the statement said. They also stressed the necessity of promoting cultural rights, including participation in public life, education and information technology, it added. Kuwait's Minister of Information and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Sabah Al-Saleh Al-Sabah participated in the inaugural ceremony of the eighth Islamic Conference of Ministers of Culture.