By ’Wale Olapade
A delegation from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) National Defence College Course 10 has paid a courtesy visit to the headquarters of National Council for Arts and Culture in Abuja
The visit is a study tour to Nigeria as course requirements for participants in the area of arts, culture, tourism as well as music.
Speaking, the head of the delegation Col. Mobarak Mohammed Hassan Al Zaabi said the visit was part of the curriculum of the college, which provides opportunity for the course participants to undertake a tour of various countries of the world, share cultural ideas, and build strong diplomatic ties.
According to him, “The aim of this visit is to conduct research into areas between Nigeria and United Arab Emirates as well as efforts and impacts of Nigerian government on regional and international stability through briefs and interactive sessions.”
He added that the participants were pleased to visit the home of culture in Nigeria to understudy how the country has been able to co-exist despite its multi-cultural differences in nature, which has aided human capital, and economic development in the African sub region.
He promised to use the outcome of their visit as bedrock for cultural collaboration between both countries.
In his response, the Director General, National Council for Arts and Culture, Otunba Segun Runsewe who is also the President, World Craft Council (WCC) African Region expressed delight over the visit, which according to him “will open vistas of cultural exchange and collaboration between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates.”
The Director General stated that apart from military hardware, it is also a step in the right direction for the military to undertake studies on the Arts, Culture and Tourism sectors of other countries using their Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis.
According to Runsewe, this will provide a veritable platform for cultural diplomacy and tolerance around the world. He reiterated the need for harmony among various countries of the world.
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