Family Cohesion Symposium concludes

SALALAH– The 3rd Family Cohesion Symposium entitled “Family Protection in International Experiences,” concluded today(August 21st) at Crowne Plaza Salalah Hotel.

The three-day symposium was organized by the Directorate General of Social Development in Dhofar Governorate, in cooperation with the Executive Office of the GCC Council of Ministers of Social Affairs.

Sheikh Sa’ad bin Mohammed al-Mardhoud al-Sa’adi, Minister of Sports Affairs patronized the concluding ceremony of the symposium, which was attended by Sheikh Mohammed bin Sa’ayed al-Kalbani, Minister of Social Development, a number of undersecretaries, as well as GCC undersecretaries of development and social affairs and number of participants from within and outside the Sultanate.

The closing ceremony included a speech of the Ministry of Social Development, reading of the results and recommendations of the symposium, the distribution of certificates to the participants and the heads of the organizing committees.

Dr. Yahya bin Badr al-Ma’awali, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Social Development, gave a speech during which he recalled the success of the symposium and the consensus to benefit of the working papers and the discussions. He stressed the importance of benefitting of the practitioners who are directly involved in dealing with families.
He added that what distinguishes this version of the symposium is the participation of the Executive Office of the GCC Council of Ministers of Social Affairs, as well as the presentation of experiences of different states.

Mahmoud Ali Hafez, Director of Social Affairs in the Executive Office of the GCC Council of Ministers of Social Affairs read the results and recommendations of the symposium, including the call for developing social policies for the family within the framework of comprehensive development plans and coordinating government and community efforts in the implementation of programs and projects to enhance the status of the family and adopting programmes and intensive training courses.

The symposium recommended the intensification of programmes for the rehabilitation of the persons intending to marry in GCC countries and the development of legislations on the family, in addition to exchanging experiences and information on programmes for the protection of the family.

The symposium recommended the use of different communication media means on programmes addressed to family cohesion and protection, in addition to entrusting the Executive Office to conduct a study about consumerism and its impact on the values and behavior of the children in the family and the GCC community.-ONA