Saudi Arabia, India Discuss Strategies to Strengthen Cultural Cooperation

The Saudi Assistant Minister of Culture, Rakan bin Ibrahim Al-Touq, met with the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture, Meenakashi Lekhi, in Varanasi. SPA
The Saudi Assistant Minister of Culture, Rakan bin Ibrahim Al-Touq, met with the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture, Meenakashi Lekhi, in Varanasi. SPA
TT

Saudi Arabia, India Discuss Strategies to Strengthen Cultural Cooperation

The Saudi Assistant Minister of Culture, Rakan bin Ibrahim Al-Touq, met with the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture, Meenakashi Lekhi, in Varanasi. SPA
The Saudi Assistant Minister of Culture, Rakan bin Ibrahim Al-Touq, met with the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture, Meenakashi Lekhi, in Varanasi. SPA

The Saudi Assistant Minister of Culture, Rakan bin Ibrahim Al-Touq, has met with the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture, Meenakashi Lekhi, in the Indian city of Varanasi.

The meeting took place on Saturday during the official visit of the Saudi Assistant Minister to India, where he represented the Kingdom at the G20 Cultural Ministers' Meeting.

At the beginning of the meeting, the Al-Touq expressed his gratitude to the Indian Minister for the warm hospitality and commended India's exceptional leadership during its G20 presidency this year. He acknowledged India's dedication to advancing the cultural agenda throughout its term.

Al-Touq reiterated the Kingdom's support for the cultural priorities outlined by the Indian presidency.

The meeting focused on strategies to strengthen cooperation and cultural exchange between the two countries. Discussions dealt with the enhancement of cultural exchange and training programs across various cultural domains, including the film industry, culinary arts, organization of visual arts exhibitions, helping with the residencies of artists in both countries and sharing expertise in documenting intangible cultural heritage and preserving historical sites.



Saudi Arabia, France Discuss Boosting Cultural Cooperation

The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
TT

Saudi Arabia, France Discuss Boosting Cultural Cooperation

The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat

Saudi Assistant Minister of Culture Rakan bin Ibrahim Al-Touq has met with French Ambassador to the Kingdom Patrick Maisonnave to discuss boosting cultural cooperation between the two countries.

Al-Touq praised France's efforts to enhance existing cultural cooperation, commending the French Ministry of Culture's support for initiatives under the memorandum of understanding signed between the two sides in 2021. He highlighted the deep strategic partnership between the two nations across various cultural sectors, mainly film, heritage, museums, fashion, libraries, theater and performing arts, and visual arts.

The ambassador also praised Saudi Arabia's efforts to expand cultural relations with France in the service of both nations. He conveyed France's appreciation to Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan for his dedicated efforts to foster cooperation between the two sides.

Their talks focused on current cultural partnerships between Saudi Arabia and France, reviewing future opportunities and practical steps to promptly implement cultural cooperation and exchange.

The meeting was attended by the Ministry of Culture's Undersecretary for International Cultural Relations Eng. Fahd bin Abdulrahman Al-Kanaan.