Datuk Rashidi Hasbullah said Malaysia as a host, had chosen the theme 'MOBILE MINDS: Culture, Knowledge and Change' in line with the new dimensions on arts and culture. (NSTP/AHMAD IRHAM MOHD NOOR)

PUTRAJAYA: The 8th World Summit on Arts and Culture to be held in Kuala Lumpur from March 11 to 14 is set to attract over 500 participants including artists, academicians, researchers and policy makers from more than 60 countries.

Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry's chief secretary Datuk Rashidi Hasbullah said Malaysia as a host, had chosen the theme 'MOBILE MINDS: Culture, Knowledge and Change' in line with the new dimensions on arts and culture.

He said the summit will be co-hosted by International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies (IFACCA) and the National Department for Culture and Arts (JKKN) of the Tourism and Culture Ministry.

"The summit will be attended by representatives from 73 IFACCA member countries - policy makers, arts leaders, researchers and key players in the world of arts and culture," he said during a press conference held on the pre-launch of the event here today.

Also present were JKKN director-general Tan Sri Norliza Rofli and IFACCA executive director Magdalena Moreno Mujica.

Rashidi said the summit would a be platform for a variety of perspective on how the government and policy makers find a balance between preserving culture and development, and people's transformation.

The conference would also make it easy for participants to interact dynamically in dialogues regarding culture; to share experiences and to learn from each other.

Norliza also said 97 participants had registered so far, 63 of them from international participants.

"We want the locals to grab this opportunity too because it is a great platform to develop Malaysia's culture and arts globally," she said, adding that Malaysia was chosen to host the conference based on the country's diversity of people of different races and faiths.

Mujica said Malaysia was chosen because they wanted to explore the issues of culture and arts without being tied down in one group, but from different perspectives.

"We want to share with the international community on good practices to develop culture and arts."

IFACCA is a global network of arts councils and ministries of culture, with member institutions in over 70 countries and the last World Summit on Arts and Culture was held at Malta in 2016 and at Chile in 2014. - NST ONLINE