Syria hosts a conference on Arabic language

Syria's Minister of Higher Education Hani Murtada on Thursday said the aim of learning a foreign language is to get acquainted with the culture of other countries and build bridges of rapprochement among nations.

" I hope that the foreign students who study at Syrian universities will present a true image to the Arab citizen that is different from what some western media broadcast," Murtada added during the opening of the Second International Conference on Teaching the Arabic Language to foreigners at the languages' institute in Damascus University.

"Damascus University was the first Arab university that gives an Arabic form to the higher education even in the field of technical sciences ... this has boosted the language position on the scientific, literal and cultural levels," Rector of Damascus University Mohammad Issam Awa said.

He added that convening the conference in Damascus is considered a topping to the world reputation of the Arab Language Teaching Center of Damascus University.

A number of intellectuals and researchers from ten Arab and foreign countries are participating in the workshops and lectures of the 3-day conference.