Arab News, Thu, Mar 28, 2024 | Ramadan 18, 1445
Saudi Arabia, China sign deal to boost cultural cooperation
Saudi Arabia:
Saudi Arabia and China on Wednesday signed an agreement to enhance cooperation
across multiple cultural sectors during a visit to Beijing by the Kingdom’s
culture minister.
Prince Badr bin Abdullah signed a memorandum of
understanding with Chinese Minister of Culture and Tourism Sun Yeli after talks
on increasing collaboration between the two sides.
The deal seeks to increase cooperation in the
areas of museums, cultural heritage, theater and performing arts, visual arts,
architecture and design arts, libraries, and traditional and craft arts.
The two sides agreed to exchange regulations and
policies and take part in each other’s festivals and other cultural events.
The deal also involves artistic residency programs
between government and private institutions as well as sharing expertise and
organizing cultural activities.
The Saudi Ministry of Culture is keen to promote
international exchanges as one of its strategic goals under the Vision 2030
initiative, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
During the meeting, Prince Badr congratulated Sun
on his appointment as minister of culture and tourism in December and hailed the
existing ties between the two countries.
He also invited Sun to visit the Kingdom to see
its many cultural treasures and learn about its heritage and people.
During the visit, Saudi Arabia was chosen to be
guest of honor at this year’s Beijing International Book Fair in June, at which
the Ministry of Culture will be represented by the Literature, Publishing and
Translation Commission.
“With the support of the leadership of the two
friendly countries, Saudi-Chinese cultural cooperation begins a new chapter with
several agreements,” Prince Badr said on X.
“I was pleased to sign a memorandum of
understanding between the Saudi Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Culture
and Tourism of China to promote cultural cooperation, (and witness the signing
of a) cooperation agreement for the Film Commission with the Chinese film group
Bona.”