Saudi Gazette report

DHAHRAN – Events organized by King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) in Dhahran have attracted over a million visitors from inside the Kingdom and abroad, during the current fiscal year, Saudi Press Agency said in a report.

The Acting Director of the center, Fatima Al-Rashed, said that the center’s message focuses on enriching the nation and its present and future generations.

The center’s message can be summarized into three major themes — developing cultural knowledge and scientific know-how, stimulating creativity and innovative thinking, and building bridges of cultural interaction between different cultures and peoples.

She said that Saudis top the list of visitors to the center at 83 percent while non-Saudis form 17 percent. The below-30 age group comprised 50 percent of the total number of visitors. About 1,000 training workshops were held at the center, benefiting 10,000 participants. They included local, regional and international initiatives, programs and experiences, Al-Rashed said.

Ithra Center has presented 36 theatrical shows varying between Russian Mariinsky orchestras, Vienna orchestras, Italian orchestra of la scala, in addition to 1,300 movies, aside from permanent and variable exhibitions, and hosting international exhibitions like the Leonardo da Vinci and Edvard Munch Exhibition, with visitors exceeding 20,000.

Al-Rashed said that Ithra Center has produced various products exceeding 85,000. They varied between audiovisual products, works of art, publications, and Saudi films that won several prizes in international fora

The center has also produced 11 Saudi films, most prominent being “Joud”, a visual movie that narrates the development of the Kingdom and the attributes and qualities of "the Kingdom of generosity, welfare and humaneness.

The acting director said over 3,000 Saudi young men and women volunteers have recorded about 250,000 hours of voluntary work. They received about 40,000 hours of training in several workshops aimed at building their personalities and enhancing life skills.

She said that the center has become distinct and renowned for three pioneering programs. They are “Tanween”, which is deemed the season of creativity and innovation; the national reading contest “Iqraa”, which aims to encourage boys and girls throughout the Kingdom to develop the habit of reading and instill the love to read in their daily lives. Finally, the “Jusoor” program presents Saudi culture and creative talents to world cities.