Opinion

The Kingdom’s cultural revival

June 08, 2018
The Kingdom’s cultural revival

Waleed Shwaila



In between the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf lies a Kingdom spanning over two million square kilometers. It is a Kingdom that serves as a bridge between the Arab and non-Arab worlds. Blessed with size, culture and resources, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has always served as an ambassador for the Middle East; possessing a strong cultural foundation that is surely impressive and welcoming. However, that cultural strength has never reached its full potential. Indeed, far from it.

Via a royal decree, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has announced the creation of a new ministry: The Ministry of Culture. It was an unexpected, yet smart decision. Under Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman’s historic Vision 2030, this decision makes complete sense. A Ministry of Culture can have an immediate positive impact on the Quality of Life 2020 program, as well as the National Transformation Program. With goals such as increasing the number of visitors seeking cultural leisure from 750,000 to 1,200,000 by 2020, the new ministry could help achieve the objectives of Vision 2030 in a quicker and more efficient manner.

Aside from the creation of the new ministry, an even more positive decision was made. Via a royal decree, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman appointed a young intellectual to lead the new ministry. Prince Badr Bin Abdullah Al-Farhan Al-Saud will lead the new Ministry of Culture, and you could not find a better leader to take on this crucial task.

The champion of Saudi youth Crown Prince Muhammad has laid out an inspirational game plan through Vision 2030, and rest assured that our ambitious new Minister of Culture will execute it and do his part in achieving the vision.

Prince Badr is a man of many talents. He is a student of law, having graduated from King Saud University’s law program. Before accepting his role as Minister of Culture, he served as Chairman of the Saudi Research and Marketing Group, as well as Governor of the Royal Commission for Al-Ula. He still holds his position as Governor.

As Chairman of SRMG, Prince Badr was dynamic and innovative. Many great achievements were accomplished during his tenure leading SRMG, such as inking a partnership with Bloomberg LP to launch Bloomberg Al-Arabiya, an Arabic-version of Bloomberg based in the Middle East. Also, Prince Badr established SRMG offices in major foreign capitals, such as Washington DC and London. These are just a few of his achievements, and his outstanding record speaks for itself. These two achievements serve the purpose of promoting Saudi culture locally and globally. So even before being appointed Minister of Culture, Prince Badr was already ahead of the curve aggrandizing our Kingdom’s culture both at home and abroad.

As Governor of the Royal Commission for Al-Ula, Prince Badr has also undertaken the responsibility of developing the Al-Ula region. He has taken steps to protect ancient artifacts, as well as to bring foreign development initiatives to ensure that Al-Ula is developed with the utmost delicacy and care. Prince Badr’s past actions make it clear that he deserves much credit for the efforts he has made to develop the Kingdom’s culture.

In the recent past, there has been a cultural enrichment within Saudi Arabia. The Saudi people, both young and old, have become more involved and expressive in art, music, theater, and other forms of art. More and more cultural events are taking place in cities and towns around the Kingdom. An increasing number of art fairs, educational discussions, and social gatherings are now on the schedules of young, vibrant Saudis seeking enlightenment, as well as older, wiser Saudis seeking further awareness and entertainment. The optimism and excitement around Vision 2030, along with strong initiatives by institutions such as Misk, have led to a growth in cultural awareness and proud patriotism that is noticeable within the Kingdom and abroad.

Prince Abdulaziz Bin Turki Al-Farhan Al-Saud, a close relative of the new minister, was extremely excited to hear of the royal decree establishing the new ministry and appointing the sophisticated young minister to lead the way. He said: “This new ministry provides an opportunity for a culture that was once buried. But thanks to our ambitious Crown Prince’s vision and dedication for a better and stronger Kingdom, a developed and enriched Saudi Arabian culture will soon be a reality instead of merely a dream. And with Prince Badr leading the task, we are in great hands.”

Saudi Arabian youth across the Kingdom share Prince Abdulaziz’s view on the recent royal decree, and they anticipate that Prince Badr will strengthen our culture locally, as well as raise its profile abroad.

The writer is a foreign affairs and protocol analyst.


June 08, 2018
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