عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Culture

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)
TT
TT

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.

Most Viewed

 
 
Culture

Before Dawn, Ancient Drum Rite Wakes Istanbul Faithful to Fast

Turkish drummer Hakan Ozbingol plays drum and sings traditional songs in the streets of Istanbul, to wake Muslims up for the suhour, the Ramadan meal eaten at night, on February 24, 2026. (AFP)
Turkish drummer Hakan Ozbingol plays drum and sings traditional songs in the streets of Istanbul, to wake Muslims up for the suhour, the Ramadan meal eaten at night, on February 24, 2026. (AFP)
TT
TT

Before Dawn, Ancient Drum Rite Wakes Istanbul Faithful to Fast

Turkish drummer Hakan Ozbingol plays drum and sings traditional songs in the streets of Istanbul, to wake Muslims up for the suhour, the Ramadan meal eaten at night, on February 24, 2026. (AFP)
Turkish drummer Hakan Ozbingol plays drum and sings traditional songs in the streets of Istanbul, to wake Muslims up for the suhour, the Ramadan meal eaten at night, on February 24, 2026. (AFP)

It's 3:30 am and lights are slowly coming on in the homes lining a narrow Istanbul street as people are woken up by the rhythmic thump of a drum.

Emerging onto a balcony, Sibel Savas and her grandson look down as the drummer -- or davulcu in Turkish -- wanders through the Ayvansaray neighborhood, his drumbeat waking the faithful for a last meal before the daily Ramadan fast begins at sunrise.

For the past 55 years, Hakan Ozbingol has got up at 3:00 am every day during Ramadan to play his davul, a large double-headed drum carried with a strap and played while walking through the streets.

He inherited the role from his father, with whom he started venturing out when he was 10.

Although their nightly sortie is purely voluntary, local residents traditionally give a tip at the end of the month, says Ozbingol, who is now 65.

If once this amounted to enough to buy the children a nice gift, these days it's barely enough "to buy them clothes or to cover the bills", he sighs, as people struggle to cope with Türkiye's bitter economic crisis.

But for him, it's not a job but more of a sacred duty.

"As long as it's to do with Allah, this drum will never fall silent. We're doing Allah's work, it's our duty," he said hoarsely, trudging with bent back through the winding streets.

- Ottoman roots -

According to Harun Korkmaz, a music historian at Istanbul University, the Ramadan drum rite "dates back to the end of the 19th century" when the Ottoman military bands, or mehters, performed several times a day, setting the pace of daily life.

"The davulcu are continuing this tradition," he told AFP of a tradition that began in Istanbul and spread to the rest of the country.

As well as drumming, "real" davulcu will also chant "mani", or short rhythmic poems, under people's windows to flatter a sleepy audience, Ozbingol explained.

"In Türkiye, there are few davulcus who know how to sing mani. It's not enough to pick up the drum and bang on it while walking around," he said, proudly tapping his temple to show where he keeps this knowledge.

The tradition began in the Fatih district near Istanbul's historic peninsula, and most of today's Ramadan drummers come from Türkiye's Roma community, who today number around 2.7 million, research figures show.

As the davulcu walks the street where washing lines vie for space with Turkish flags draped from the high facades of the buildings, he is warmly greeted by a pensioner called Zafer, who is also a musician.

"If the Roma weren't here there would be nothing. They are the musicians and Istanbul's Ramadan drummers," the 71-year-old told AFP.

- 'A tradition that must not die' -

Still holding her grandson, Sibal Savas says she has no alarm clock and relies on the early-morning drum rite to wake her up.

"This tradition is important to us this. It comes from our ancestors," she told AFP.

In a nearby street, another drummer, 58-year-old Yurdaer, is trying to play a little more quietly as he passes the home of an elderly neighbor who has heart problems.

Across Istanbul, Türkiye's largest city, there are a total of 3,000 davulcu who go out nightly to wake the faithful in 961 neighborhoods, explains Selami Aykut, who heads an organization representing the megacity's local mayors.

Since the pandemic, when the nightly rite was briefly halted, the authorities doubled the number of accredited drummers.

"We have increased the number we work with in order to better pass on our Ottoman traditions to young people, so that they can feel the excitement of Ramadan," Aykut told AFP.

With street vendors hawking traditional foods increasingly scarce across the city's streets, their services replaced by supermarkets, the davulcu is one rare tradition not at risk of disappearing due to his unique role at Ramadan.

"There are no more people selling boza (a fermented cereal-based drink), no more yoghurt sellers, nor other street vendors -- they've almost all disappeared," said Ozbingol.

"Only the davulcu are left," he murmurs, wandering off up the street.

Culture

Prince Mohammed bin Salman Project Restores Historical Al-Jaloud Mosque in Hail

​​​​​​​The recent renovation by specialized Saudi firms increased the mosque's capacity from 80 to 129 worshippers and its area to 250 square meters - SPA
​​​​​​​The recent renovation by specialized Saudi firms increased the mosque's capacity from 80 to 129 worshippers and its area to 250 square meters - SPA
TT
TT

Prince Mohammed bin Salman Project Restores Historical Al-Jaloud Mosque in Hail

​​​​​​​The recent renovation by specialized Saudi firms increased the mosque's capacity from 80 to 129 worshippers and its area to 250 square meters - SPA
​​​​​​​The recent renovation by specialized Saudi firms increased the mosque's capacity from 80 to 129 worshippers and its area to 250 square meters - SPA

The Prince Mohammed bin Salman Project for the Development of Historical Mosques has completed the comprehensive restoration of Al-Jaloud Mosque in Hail Region as part of its first phase.

Dating back to 1761 (1175 AH), this 265-year-old landmark in Samira Governorate served as a vital stop on the ancient pilgrimage route between Makkah and Kufa, SPA reported.

Originally constructed from mud, stone, and tamarisk wood, the mosque has undergone several expansions, including a notable 1371 AH project funded by King Saud bin Abdulaziz.

The recent renovation by specialized Saudi firms increased the mosque's capacity from 80 to 129 worshippers and its area to 250 square meters.

By integrating modern building standards with traditional architectural identity, the project fulfills the Saudi Vision 2030 objective of preserving the Kingdom's urban heritage while rehabilitating historical sites for worship.

Culture

Saudi Coffee Remains Key Crop and Cultural Treasure during Ramadan

The ministry encourages consumers to choose national coffee products for their nutritional value - SPA
The ministry encourages consumers to choose national coffee products for their nutritional value - SPA
TT
TT

Saudi Coffee Remains Key Crop and Cultural Treasure during Ramadan

The ministry encourages consumers to choose national coffee products for their nutritional value - SPA
The ministry encourages consumers to choose national coffee products for their nutritional value - SPA

The Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture has confirmed that Saudi coffee is a key national agricultural crop and an important cultural legacy, especially during Ramadan.

Coffee cultivation thrives in the southwestern and southern highlands, benefiting from a favorable climate and fertile soil.

Regions such as Jazan, Aseer, Al-Baha, Makkah, and Najran host over 1.3 million productive coffee trees, yielding more than 870 tons of coffee annually, according to SPA.

Jazan leads with over 966,000 trees producing more than 642 tons. Aseer has more than 243,000 trees yielding around 175 tons.

Al-Baha boasts about 72,000 trees; Makkah has over 12,000 trees yielding more than 10 tons; and Najran has over 9,000 trees producing over seven tons.

The ministry encourages consumers to choose national coffee products for their nutritional value, emphasizing that supporting local agriculture promotes farmer livelihoods and enhances food security in line with Saudi Vision 2030 goals.