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Saudi Arabia Takes Part in Conference of Ministers of Culture in Islamic World in Qatar

Saudi Assistant Minister of Culture Rakan bin Ibrahim Al-Touq speaks at the event. (SPA)
Saudi Assistant Minister of Culture Rakan bin Ibrahim Al-Touq speaks at the event. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Takes Part in Conference of Ministers of Culture in Islamic World in Qatar

Saudi Assistant Minister of Culture Rakan bin Ibrahim Al-Touq speaks at the event. (SPA)
Saudi Assistant Minister of Culture Rakan bin Ibrahim Al-Touq speaks at the event. (SPA)

Saudi Assistant Minister of Culture Rakan bin Ibrahim Al-Touq participated in the 12th Conference of Ministers of Culture in the Islamic World, which was held by the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) in Qatar between September 25 and 26.

The event, organized by the Qatari Ministry of Culture under the theme "Renewing Cultural Work in the Islamic World", brought together ministers of culture, members of the organization from Islamic countries, and representatives of regional and international organizations concerned with cultural affairs.

Al-Touq, who was attending on behalf of Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al Saud, said Saudi Arabia has mobilized all its potential to boost the Islamic cultural sector and maintain its place on the world's cultural map.

It has sought to deepen the debate on the main characteristics of the Islamic world, which are not limited to its culture and enlightening values, its history and civilization, and its contribution to the heritage of humanity, but include academic and economic features, he remarked.

He stressed that the initiatives and programs announced by Saudi Arabia emphasize the keenness of the government of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to lend support to all efforts that serve the Islamic world and help preserve its culture.

Speaking at the conference, Al-Touq revealed the launch of the Culture Index in the Islamic World project, in cooperation with ICESCO, which will activate a memorandum of understanding signed by the Ministry of Culture and ICESCO on the sidelines of the 23rd session of the Conference of Arab Culture Ministers.

He said through the project, the Ministry of Culture seeks to monitor the transformation and evolution of the cultural scene and document its achievements. It will enrich it through cultural indicators: culture for economic development, culture for environment, climate and resilience, culture for social development, and culture for openness and diversity.

Al-Touq also unveiled the Paths of Hajj program that will focus on building files and databases to identify and classify mosques, and heritage and historical sites on Hajj routes, help efforts aimed at preserving and protecting them, and support all sectors associated with the performance of the holy pilgrimage.

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Culture

Students Discover 1,800-Year-Old Roman Villa Beneath School Gym

Students' curiosity uncovered what had lain hidden beneath the earth for centuries. (Special Superintendency of Rome)
Students' curiosity uncovered what had lain hidden beneath the earth for centuries. (Special Superintendency of Rome)
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Students Discover 1,800-Year-Old Roman Villa Beneath School Gym

Students' curiosity uncovered what had lain hidden beneath the earth for centuries. (Special Superintendency of Rome)
Students' curiosity uncovered what had lain hidden beneath the earth for centuries. (Special Superintendency of Rome)

Archaeologists in Rome have uncovered the remains of a luxury Roman residence dating to the second century CE beneath a high school near the Colosseum, after students' curiosity about mysterious underground rooms led to a formal excavation of the site.

According to Live Science, students at Liceo Scientifico Cavour, located just steps from the Colosseum, had long shared stories about hidden chambers beneath the school's gymnasium. What began as rumors ultimately led to a remarkable archaeological discovery.

During unofficial explorations of the underground spaces, students came across evidence of an ancient structure beneath the school.

After informing a teacher, who alerted the relevant authorities, archaeologists were called in to investigate the site. Excavations carried out earlier this year revealed that the dark passageways and partially lit rooms formed part of an elaborate Roman residence dating back nearly 1,800 years.

Liceo Scientifico Cavour occupies a building near the Colosseum that originally served as the headquarters of a Catholic missionary organization. When the complex was constructed in the late nineteenth century, preliminary excavation work uncovered part of an ancient domus, the term used for a large Roman urban residence.

The area is among the most historically significant parts of ancient Rome. Prominent figures including Cicero, Pompey and Octavian, later known as Augustus, are known to have lived there. Yet the district remains only partially understood by archaeologists because layers of modern construction cover much of the ancient landscape.

Researchers say the discovery offers a rare opportunity to study a section of ancient Rome that has remained largely inaccessible, while shedding new light on the city's residential life during the height of the Roman Empire.

Culture

Saudi, Malaysian Translation Associations Sign MoU to Promote Cultural Exchange

The MoU aims to enhance cooperation in the fields of translation and publishing, promote cultural and knowledge exchange, and support scientific and academic efforts of mutual interest. SPA
The MoU aims to enhance cooperation in the fields of translation and publishing, promote cultural and knowledge exchange, and support scientific and academic efforts of mutual interest. SPA
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Saudi, Malaysian Translation Associations Sign MoU to Promote Cultural Exchange

The MoU aims to enhance cooperation in the fields of translation and publishing, promote cultural and knowledge exchange, and support scientific and academic efforts of mutual interest. SPA
The MoU aims to enhance cooperation in the fields of translation and publishing, promote cultural and knowledge exchange, and support scientific and academic efforts of mutual interest. SPA

The Saudi Arabian Translation Association and the Malaysian Translators Association have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) at Saudi Arabia's pavilion, the guest of honor at the 2026 Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair.

The MoU aims to enhance cooperation in the fields of translation and publishing, promote cultural and knowledge exchange, and support scientific and academic efforts of mutual interest.

It also seeks to facilitate the exchange of expertise and specialized consultations, contributing to advancing the translation sector and strengthening its presence on the international cultural scene.

The memorandum represents an important step toward building sustainable professional and cultural partnerships that contribute to strengthening civilizational dialogue between Saudi Arabia and Malaysia, while opening the door to joint projects and initiatives that support translation activities and expand the exchange of literature and knowledge between the two languages.

The MoU comes as part of the cultural momentum witnessed by the Kingdom’s pavilion at the 2026 Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair, led by the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission through a diverse cultural and knowledge-based program that highlights the growing stature of Saudi culture and its presence in international forums.

This underscores the importance of international book fairs as effective platforms for enhancing cultural cooperation and signing agreements and partnerships that contribute to expanding prospects for joint work among cultural and knowledge institutions around the world.

Culture

Saudi Heritage Commission Uncovers Over 1,700 Artifacts at Ancient Al-Juhfah Miqat Site

Discoveries included diverse fragments used in daily life, six pottery kilns, a water channel - SPA
Discoveries included diverse fragments used in daily life, six pottery kilns, a water channel - SPA
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Saudi Heritage Commission Uncovers Over 1,700 Artifacts at Ancient Al-Juhfah Miqat Site

Discoveries included diverse fragments used in daily life, six pottery kilns, a water channel - SPA
Discoveries included diverse fragments used in daily life, six pottery kilns, a water channel - SPA

Saudi Arabia's Heritage Commission completed the first season of its joint scientific mission with the University of Exeter at the ancient Al-Juhfah Miqat site, uncovering more than 1,700 artifacts, including pottery, glass, stone pieces, shells, and worked objects, confirming the site's significance along the Egyptian pilgrimage route.

Discoveries included diverse fragments used in daily life, six pottery kilns, a water channel believed to have served pilgrims and travelers, and 13 tombstones dating to the Umayyad and Abbasid periods. Some finds originated from the Levant, Egypt, and Ethiopia, reflecting the diverse origins of pilgrims who passed through this miqat, SPA reported.

Al-Juhfah Miqat is located 187 kilometers northwest of Makkah and has been an established miqat since the early Islamic period, associated with the Prophet's migration, and is known to have flourished in the second Hijri century, with water facilities and shops serving pilgrims.

These works are part of the Heritage Commission's efforts to survey and document archaeological sites along the Hijrah route between Makkah and Madinah, using advanced technologies to reveal the historical and civilizational depth of the Kingdom.