New Delhi, Nov. 27 (ANI): In a bid to enhance culture as tool for regional integration, scholars from South Asian countries including Afghanistan came together to discuss the importance of cultural commons and cultural diversity in regional integration for peace and development through a conference titled 'Culture as a Factor in Regional Cooperation in South Asia' .
The two-day conference was attended by policy makers, academics, civil society actors and young professionals from the entire South Asian region.
As a part of the conference, the participants discussed cultural exchanges in the region through literature, music, cinema, lyrics, drama, paintings, architecture and culinary innovations.
Speaking on the occasion Deputy Minister of Culture, Afghanistan Sayed Mossadeq Khalili, noted that culture makes it easier to understand each other and overcome political barriers.
Speaking on Afghanistan, he said that a stable Afghanistan can ensure regional stability as it connects South Asia with Central Asia. Afghanistan on the other hand can also benefit from the diversity of South Asian region.
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He highlighted the suffering of Afghanistan and said that the blame lay on the menace of terrorism, adding that decade of wars in Afghanistan has led to its loss of historical glories and culture.
"All the problems we have in Afghanistan came from outside of the country. This is because of terrorism. Terrorism does not recognize the borders or the nations and it is everywhere. Afghanistan is a victim of terrorism," he said.
The South Asia Conference is an annual conference, organised by the IDSA. South Asia Conferences have attempted to engage policy makers, scholars and grassroots activists to dialogue on key concerns with the objective to achieve sustainable peace and security.