Syria's Aleppo begins stint as Islamic cultural capital
Syria-Regional, Culture, 3/20/2006

Hundreds of Arab and foreign personalities gathered in the Syrian city of Aleppo for the opening ceremony at the start of its time as the Arab states' capital of Islamic culture for 2006.

Yemeni, Sudanese and Palestinian ministers of culture were present for the event, including Culture Minister Riad Naasan Agha and Prime Minister Naji Otri alongside Syrian officials and Ismaeli leader Karim Agha Khan.

"It is the responsibility of all of us, as an Arab and international family, to declare at this occasion that when we meet, we raise the banner of friendship and peace that is our universal message," said Agha.

"We appeal to the world for dialogue, Christians and Muslims united to edify this culture," he said. "Muslims brought civilization to (Spain's) Andalusia. They protected the Jews and recognized and guaranteed everybody's right of expression."

Agha said earlier that Aleppo had been chosen by the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) because of its role as the "main point of passage between East and West," where cultures have met and melded in an "example of coexistence among religions, communities and races."

Inaugural events included the rededication of the 12th-century Great Mosque, which has been under restoration for the past five years and a concert by hometown singer Sabah Fakhri, who is renowned in the Arab states.

Within the festivities of Aleppo the Capital of Islamic Culture for the year 2006, Minister of Culture Riadh Nasa'an Agha opened two exhibitions for plastic art and Arab writing Sunday.

The exhibitions, that many Syrian plastic artists and calligraphers participated in, included about 200 of paintings that express the great history of Aleppo as well as its Islamic rich civilization.

Later, the Minister opened Aleppo's Book Exhibition which was organized by al-Assad National Library and Syrian Publishers' Union.

Nasa'an Agha underlined the importance of the book exhibition which constitutes an important opportunity to encourage reading and publishing.

"The Ministry recently has published about 100 books related to Aleppo's position across history," the minister told SANA.

"This event is an historic Islamic-Christian encounter and a message to those who feel hatred towards Islam and who seek to damage its image," said Otri.

"This Islam... is our pride, particularly at times when it is the object of a fierce campaign of defamation," he said.

Throughout the year, plays, films, conferences, roundtables, book salons, concerts and parades will be held to honor the city for its traditional architecture and cultural, scientific, artistic and economic activities.

Located 350 kilometers (220 miles) north of the Syrian capital, Aleppo is celebrated for its fortresses, gates, covered souks (markets), caravansaries, mosques, churches, Turkish baths, hospital and schools.

It is a city whose origins extend back into the mists of time, and rivals Damascus for the title of the world's oldest, continually inhabited city.

It stands at the crossroads of several trade routes, including the famed Silk Route, from the second millennium BC, and has been successively ruled by the Hitties, Assyrians, Arabs, Mongols, Mamelukes and Ottomans.

In addition to Aleppo, the OIC also designated Isfahan, Iran as the Islamic cultural capital for Asia and Timbuktu, Mali as the capital for Africa.

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