Jordan Times
Monday, August 8, 2005
Culture, Arts Council draft law sent to PM
AMMAN (Petra) — A draft law governing the work of
the National Founding Council for Culture and Arts has been forwarded to Prime
Minister Adnan Badran, Council President Sharif Fawaz Sharaf told a meeting on
Sunday.
The draft will now have to pass through the proper legislative channels to
become law, Sharif Fawaz told a seminar at the Jordan Information Centre.
The council, created this year with a mission to upgrade the cultural sector in
the Kingdom, groups around 40 members representing the public and private
sectors, municipalities and intellectuals from across the Kingdom.
Sharif Fawaz said the draft defines the council as an independent body tasked
with the improvement of the local cultural sector.
Although separate from the Ministry of Culture, the council is supposed to
complement the ministry's role, he said.
He added that the council's contribution to the sector includes drafting
long-term national policies for culture and arts.
The bill permits the council to establish a cultural support fund to guarantee
the sustainability of its activities. The draft allows the private sector to
contribute to the fund.
Sharif Fawaz said the founding council has been consulting local cultural
organisations and individuals to hear their views on means to upgrade cultural
activities.
In March, former Culture Minister Asma Khader said the founding council would
prepare for the establishment of a permanent cultural council, adding that it
was part of the reform and restructuring plan of the Culture Ministry and the
local cultural sector.
In an April meeting with the council's members, the premier expressed his
government's support for the founding council and called for a national cultural
strategy that can absorb “the positive aspects of globalisation and safeguard
our special status and identity.”