Expert: Arab world must drive thirst for knowledge

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Tuesday 09 Feb 2016 - 13:35 Makkah mean time-30-4-1437 (Image from MENA Herald) Dubai, (IINA) - Jim Al-Khalili, professor of Theoretical Physics & Chair Public Engagement in Science at the University of Surrey, said on Monday that the government of the Arab world must drive a thirst for knowledge among the population, WAM reported. Al-Khalili made these remarks during the first day of the World Government Summit, which is being held from Monday to Wednesday in Dubai under the patronage of UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum. "We all acknowledge there is a problem today with scientific achievements in the 21st century in the Arab world”, said Al-Khalili. ''Some view street signs with suspicion as imposed by the West, and less than half of a percent of the GDP of many Muslim countries is spent on research & development, woefully little compared to the rest of the world". Al-Khalili highlighted the achievements of the 9th century ‘Golden Age of Science’ to the delegates at the World Government Summit. "Scholars back then believed profoundly that God had given them brains to seek knowledge to understand the world to better, to understand the words of the Qur'an. They were curious about the world, this is the most important thing about science", he explained. According to Al-Khalili, there was no reason the region couldn’t revive the thirst for knowledge. "Driving the thirst for knowledge is the way how we solve problems for the betterment of humanity", he stated, adding that the situation today is not entirely bleak, citing examples of knowledge seeking in the region, such as educational cities in the Gulf and scientific research facilities in the Levant. AG/IINA