AlUla World Archeology Summit to Attract Hundreds of Speakers, Experts

More than 80 speakers and 300 experts, as well as individuals interested in antiquities and cultural heritage are set to take part in the summit’s sessions. SPA
More than 80 speakers and 300 experts, as well as individuals interested in antiquities and cultural heritage are set to take part in the summit’s sessions. SPA
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AlUla World Archeology Summit to Attract Hundreds of Speakers, Experts

More than 80 speakers and 300 experts, as well as individuals interested in antiquities and cultural heritage are set to take part in the summit’s sessions. SPA
More than 80 speakers and 300 experts, as well as individuals interested in antiquities and cultural heritage are set to take part in the summit’s sessions. SPA

The Royal Commission for AlUla Governorate issued the list of local and foreign speakers and participants scheduled to participate in the first "AlUla World Archeology Summit", which will be held from September 13 to 15.

More than 80 speakers and 300 experts, as well as individuals interested in antiquities and cultural heritage are set to take part in the summit’s sessions and dialogues, alongside dozens of government and non-governmental institutions, international organizations and media practitioners.

The summit will focus on archaeology, which comes up with discoveries around the world.

It is one of the initiatives of the Royal Commission for AlUla, which is leading the process of comprehensive development of AlUla as a leading global destination of cultural and natural heritage. The summit seeks to use the insights gained from cultural heritage and scientific progress to the benefit of humanity, which contributes to achieving the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.

Speakers and participants will take part in exploratory trips to key heritage sites in AlUla, which will provide a global platform for scientific discussion and collaboration, as well as for tackling contemporary global archaeology issues to reach common visions and solutions inspired by cultural heritage.

The Royal Commission for AlUla aims, through the summit, to highlight the various historical, geographical and heritage attractions, and to organize conferences that put AlUla on the map of the most important historical sites in the world, as well as to activate partnerships with international organizations, since this most important place and archaeological site tells the history of human civilizations.



Saudi Culture Minister Meets with Scholarship Students in Manga Production Program in Japan

The Saudi Minister of Culture met with Saudi scholarship students in the Manga Production Foundations Program at his residence in Tokyo on Saturday. SPA
The Saudi Minister of Culture met with Saudi scholarship students in the Manga Production Foundations Program at his residence in Tokyo on Saturday. SPA
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Saudi Culture Minister Meets with Scholarship Students in Manga Production Program in Japan

The Saudi Minister of Culture met with Saudi scholarship students in the Manga Production Foundations Program at his residence in Tokyo on Saturday. SPA
The Saudi Minister of Culture met with Saudi scholarship students in the Manga Production Foundations Program at his residence in Tokyo on Saturday. SPA

Saudi Minister of Culture, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission (LPTC) Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, met with Saudi scholarship students in the Manga Production Foundations Program at his residence in Tokyo on Saturday.

This specialized training program, organized in collaboration between the commission and Manga Productions, a subsidiary of the Mohammed bin Salman Foundation (Misk), aims to nurture talented manga artists through professional training rooted in Japanese techniques, the birthplace of this art form.

During the meeting, Prince Badr emphasized the Saudi leadership's unwavering support for developing human capabilities across all fields, highlighting the importance of academic and professional training in cultural disciplines.

The meeting was attended by CEO of LPTC Dr. Mohammed Hasan Alwan, CEO of Manga Productions Essam Amanullah Bukhari, and students studying manga art at Kadokawa Contents Academy (KCA), one of Japan’s leading institutions for training and recruiting talent in manga creation.

The program includes virtual workshops, an intensive training course, and overseas training in Japan. It has also launched competitions blending manga with Saudi cultural themes, such as "Munjanha," which transforms Arabic proverbs into manga stories; "Manga Al-Qaseed," which adapts Arabic poems into manga; and "Manga Al-Ibil," which celebrates the cultural symbolism of camels in Saudi Arabia.

The program has benefited over 1,850 participants through virtual workshops, with 115 advancing to the intensive training phase, resulting in the creation of 115 manga stories. Among these, 21 students were sent to Japan for advanced training. The competitions garnered significant engagement, receiving 133 submissions for "Munjanha," over 70 for "Manga Al-Qaseed," and more than 50 for "Manga Al-Ibil."