The Arab Thought Foundation has announced the agenda of this year’s annual conference, FIKR17, in partnership with King Abdul Aziz Center for World Culture (Ithra). The conference, held under the theme “Towards a New Arab Thinking,” will be held in Dhahran between Dec. 2 and 5th.
FIKR17 will bring together high-level officials, politicians, intellectuals, and media personalities led by Prince Khalid Al-Faisal, president of the Arab Thought Foundation, and Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit. Over the course of FIKR17, these thought leaders will tackle key questions facing the Arab world and its future, including:
• What are the challenges of technology, science and modern approaches to knowledge?
• Where are we currently from renewing our societies and social concepts?
• Where does the Arab individual stand within the international system, and how does he tackle the subject of globalization while defending an interactive identity that is open to the world?
• Where are Arab intellectuals in their attempts to renew Arab thought, and in building a renewed philosophy capable of making contributions to the global effort of contemporary thought?
FASTFACT
‘The conference, held under the theme “Towards a New Arab Thinking,” will be held in Dhahran between Dec. 2 and 5th.’
FIKR17 will open with a formal ceremony at 7 p.m. on Dec. 2, including a speech by Professor Dr. Henry Awit, director-general of the Arab Thought Foundation, followed by a speech from a representative of Ithra. It will also include speeches by Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit and Prince Khalid.
On the next day, FIKR17 will start with an opening session titled “Arab Thought and Innovation Prospects,” followed by the first general session entitled “Today’s world …tomorrow’s world: Transformations, challenges, and visions.”
On Dec. 4, the conference will continue with four specialized morning sessions covering the topics of “Towards a new understanding of growth,” “Industry and manufacturing: Analysis of pillars for development,” “Digital economy,” and “The role of civic society in renewing Arab thought.”
On the final day, the conference will conclude with detailed reports on the specialized sessions. The third general session titled “Arab intellectuals and their role in Arab thought renewal” will be held, followed by the closing remarks.
