Speech of
Khaled Abdel Shafi
Manager Regional Hub in Amman - UNDP
Knowledge Summit 2016 – Press Conference
19th September – Grand Hyatt Dubai
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is our pleasure to host you today in this press conference to announce the launch of the Arab Reading Index as the latest initiatives of the Arab Knowledge Project, a joint venture between UNDP-RBAS and Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation.
The Arab Reading Index aims at monitoring the status of reading and reading practices across the various sectors and geographies of the Arab region, through adopting a rigorous scientific methodology combining desk research with field surveys, especially as the index will involve an electronic survey tool that is expected to be one of the largest surveys in the Arab region in terms of participation levels and scale.
The Arab Reading Index we are announcing today is set to become a valuable and distinguished contribution in the context of the Arab Knowledge Project, opening up a Pandora box of future prospective approaches to the study and examination of the cultural and knowledge scene in the Arab Region, especially as it will facilitate the monitoring and evaluation of the cultural levels in the Arab Region through standardized tools that accurately and clearly define reading-related concepts, indicators, variables and controls.
Hence we are eagerly looking forward for the indicator results to become an insightful input in the making and development of informed policies that further encourage reading and consider it a basic pillar in the establishment of the knowledge society and a prelude in the achievement of sustainable human development in the Arab Region.
We also look forward that the indicator will provide us with better answers to questions like the global standing of the Arab Region in terms of Reading; the value and practices of reading in the daily lives of Arabs; to what extent is the practice of reading texts [in print or electronic formats] standing in face of the rising new media; and to what extent is the current Arab environment attractive for writers and encouraging for readers? Among other questions.
Reading is an important indicator in the evaluation of societal values of openness and thought development, in addition to being an important indicator on the prospects of development and civilization advancement. I am quotinghere on "Who leads the human race in civilized countries?" those who know how to read and write.
Additionally, we are very keen to emphasize the importance of the Arab Knowledge Index as an initiative that sheds much needed light on the importance of reading in achieving what we aspire to of sustainable human development and knowledge society. We hope thus that this index will encourage each and every one of us to read more and more, to make reading a basic habit in the lives of everyone, because societies of individuals who read are more capable of enlightenment and empowerment above all enslavements of thought and chances of extremism and dogmatism, and more capable of finding innovative and creative solutions to the many social, economic, political and ecological challenges of our world. Not to mention that creativity is best rooted in the nations that read with devotion.
Thank you for being with us on this occasion that means and carries a lot of hope for us.
And we do look forward to welcome you again soon to share with you the results of the index.
Thank you.