The first edition of the Arabic Language Summit kicked off Sunday at Dubai Exhibition Center at Expo 2020 under the theme “Dialogue of Societies and Communication of Civilizations”, under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of the United Arab Emirates and ruler of Dubai. The summit discusses Arabic language issues in various fields and subjects, in addition to discussing the top recommendations of the report “The State of the Arabic Language and Its Future”, published by the Ministry of Culture and Youth in December 2020. The launching ceremony of the summit was attended by Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit, and a number of ministers responsible for culture in the Arab world, and directors of Arab and international organizations specializing in cultural affairs. Addressing the gathering, Aboul Gheit said that the Arabic language is the core of traditional Arabic culture and its unique identity, and makes a connection between its past and present. He added that the first agreement made in the Arab League was the Cultural Treaty of November 1945, which mainly focused on the Arabic language and encompassed a myriad of subjects bearing on translation, lawmaking and standardization of scientific terms. Aboul Gheit boasted that the United Nations (UN) had recognized Arabic as a sixth official language in 1973, estimating that the number of Arabic speakers worldwide is likely to skyrocket to 647 million by 2050. On her part, UAE Minister of Culture and Youth Noura Al-Kaabi said the strong question is how far the Arabic language can keep up with changes and what should be done in this regard, hoping that the conferees will give answers to all relevant questions. The event is expected to explore a host of issues and subjects pertinent to education, technology, Arabization of digital content and creative and cultural production, the minister said. She spoke highly of the registration of Arabic calligraphy on the list of intangible cultural heritage of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) a couple of days ago. The two-day first-ever summit marks a platform for interaction and dialogue that brings together decision-makers, stakeholders and the public, and reflects the efforts of the UAE Ministry of Culture and Youth and the Abu Dhabi Center for the Arabic Language, to improve the status of the Arabic language. It coincides with the International Day of the Arabic Language on Dec. 18 every year, and the Arabic language. — Agencies