Intellectuals hold many answers, says UAE's Gargash

Dr Anwar Gargash was speaking at the Arab Writers Union in Abu Dhabi.

Intellectuals should conduct in-depth analysis of the problems of their home countries to provide the best possible solutions for governments, Dr Anwar Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, said yesterday.

History has seen many intellectuals lead their countries to progress, serving as whistle-blowers, standing against tyranny and unveiling plots, he said.

"Our Arab nation is in desperate need of such men today," said Dr Gargash at a meeting of the permanent office of the Arab Writers Union in Abu Dhabi.

He said that the meeting came at a time when some Arab countries were facing internal instability and foreign intervention. He also said that the UAE leadership paid attention to innovators, writers and authors, in recognition of the vital role they play in supporting the development process.

The minister praised the UAE leadership as a model of freedom of creativity and openness to other cultures.

The UAE, he noted, had become an incubator for culture, citing many prominent cultural events, such as the Sheikh Zayed Book Award and Sultan Al Owais Award for Sciences and Arts, saying that these cultural events, hosted by the UAE, stood as a clear testimony to the freedom of expression and thought that writers as well as Emiratis and expatriate residents, enjoy.