The Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organisation (Alecso) celebrated the Unesco's adoption of the proposal submitted by Katara to allocate an international week for novel to be marked in October each year.
On the occasion, the Alecso honoured Katara, represented by its director-general, during a celebration attended by an elite of dignitaries in the culture and arts sector and a large number of novelists.
Director-General of the Cultural Village Foundation — Katara Dr Khalid bin Ibrahim al-Sulaiti gave a speech on the occasion, expressing delight with the Unesco's adoption of Katara's proposal.
Dr al-Sulaiti noted that the international week for novel will be announced from October 13 to 20.
He extended thanks to the Alecso for its continuous support for the cultural initiatives launched by Katara, and valued the support for the proposal provided by Alecso Director-General Dr Mohamed Ould Amar; noting that the co-operation between Katara and Alecso, represented in supervising the Katara Prize for Arabic Novel and participating in supervising the jury committees, contributed to give the award more specialisation, transparency and impartiality, along with providing Arab novel works at a high degree of creativity.
The Unesco Executive Council approved in its 210th session of 2020 and international week of novel to be marked in the period from October 13 to 20 of each year, based on the proposal made by Katara in 2016.