In a break with the past and to enrich the process, this year's forum for national dialogue includes a wide array of speakers and participants. Dr. Fahd Bin Sultan Al-Sultan, Deputy Secretary General of the King Abdul Aziz Center for National Dialogue said the center has adopted a new mechanism for selecting participants. This is meant to enrich the dialogue, to raise a variety of views and prevent participation of the same people. The 8th National Meeting for Intellectual Dialogue took place in Najran for three days starting Thursday. The gathering is entitled: “Health Services: A Dialogue between Society and Health Institutions”. Al-Sultan said health was chosen as a topic because of the importance of the issue for society. Dr. Abdullah Omar Naseef, Deputy Chairman of the National Forum for Intellectual Dialogue said the variety of the topics will enrich the process. He said the culture of dialogue should not be limited to elite groups in society or only for those involved in the cultural and intellectual fields. He said these meetings advocate for moderation, tolerance and flexibility. According to the center's official website, 70 participants will attend including scientists, physicians, officials, academics and writers. The Minister of Health, Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeah and a number of Saudi health leaders and officials will participate in certain sessions, where specific issues will be discussed. These themes emerged from five preparatory meetings which took place last year in the provinces of Alkharj, Yanbu, Khamis Mushayt and Qurayyat.
