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Saudi Arabia Participates in UNESCO Executive Council's 217th session

The Saudi participation, consisting of the National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, and various competent national bodies. SPA
The Saudi participation, consisting of the National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, and various competent national bodies. SPA
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Saudi Arabia Participates in UNESCO Executive Council's 217th session

The Saudi participation, consisting of the National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, and various competent national bodies. SPA
The Saudi participation, consisting of the National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, and various competent national bodies. SPA

Saudi Arabia, represented by its permanent delegation to UNESCO, participated in the works of the 217th session of the Executive Council of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), which kicked off Monday.

The event is being held at UNESCO’s headquarters in the French capital, Paris, and continues until the 18th of this month.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's delegation is headed by the Saudi Ambassador to France Fahd Al-Ruwaili, who delivered the Kingdom's speech in the presence of high level representatives of the Council's 58 member states, Chairman of the Executive Council of UNESCO, President of the General Conference of UNESCO and Director-General of UNESCO.
Al-Ruwaili recalled the outcomes of the expanded 45th session of the World Heritage Committee, which was hosted by capital, Riyadh, from September 10 to 25 last year, stressing the potential that the Kingdom abounds in hosting such a meeting, citing the presence of nearly 3,000 delegations from UNESCO member states, observers, advisory committees and UNESCO employees, SPA reported.

He presented Saudi Arabia's bid to host the World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development (MONDIACULT) 2025, stressing the Kingdom’s aspiration to cooperate with all concerned parties in achieving this objective.

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Murakami Tells Alma Mater He Was a ‘Terrible Student'

This picture taken on June 29, 2024 shows Japanese author Haruki Murakami posing during a photo call following a performance entitled the “Haruki Murakami produce Murakami JAM vol.3 – A hot and gentle fusion night”, at the Sumida Triphony Hall in Tokyo. (AFP)
This picture taken on June 29, 2024 shows Japanese author Haruki Murakami posing during a photo call following a performance entitled the “Haruki Murakami produce Murakami JAM vol.3 – A hot and gentle fusion night”, at the Sumida Triphony Hall in Tokyo. (AFP)
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Murakami Tells Alma Mater He Was a ‘Terrible Student'

This picture taken on June 29, 2024 shows Japanese author Haruki Murakami posing during a photo call following a performance entitled the “Haruki Murakami produce Murakami JAM vol.3 – A hot and gentle fusion night”, at the Sumida Triphony Hall in Tokyo. (AFP)
This picture taken on June 29, 2024 shows Japanese author Haruki Murakami posing during a photo call following a performance entitled the “Haruki Murakami produce Murakami JAM vol.3 – A hot and gentle fusion night”, at the Sumida Triphony Hall in Tokyo. (AFP)

Publicity-shy Japanese author Haruki Murakami told his alma mater Tuesday that he was far from being a model scholar, as he collected an honorary degree in a rare public appearance.

"It feels kind of strange being given the award, considering what a terrible student I was," said Murakami to laughter from the audience at Waseda University.

"I would skip classes and forget about studying. I was just doing whatever I wanted and causing loads of trouble to the university," the 75-year-old said.

The degree is therefore a "pretty generous gesture on Waseda's part," the novelist, dressed in academic regalia, told the rapturous audience of hundreds of admiring fans and Waseda students.

Awarding the honorary doctorate, Tokyo's prestigious Waseda University hailed the "cosmopolitan atmosphere" of Murakami's work and his ability "freewheelingly to zigzag between the real and the surreal".

The author of "Norwegian Wood" and "Kafka on the Shore" is known for his intricate tales of the absurdity and loneliness of modern life, which have been translated into about 50 languages.

Perennially tipped for a Nobel prize, Murakami is a reclusive figure and famously media-shy.

Readers of his works are drawn into the "Murakami world" where giant frogs challenge office workers in battle and mackerel rain down from the sky.

"The City and Its Uncertain Walls", his first full-length novel in six years, hit shelves in Japan last year, and copies of its English translation were released in November.

In his short, self-deprecating speech, Murakami said he had "gained absolutely nothing" from his previous six honorary doctorates -- all awarded by universities abroad -- calling them "useless".

"It's not like they come with pension money... And just because you have honorary doctorates doesn't mean your books sell," he quipped to another bout of laughter.

This is not to say, he added, that he is not grateful to his alma mater.

"Had I not enrolled in Waseda, I might have not pursued the career as a novelist at all," Murakami said, calling the award a milestone in his "life cycle".

Typical of his taciturn style, Murakami offered no clue as to what his next project will be, but he ended his speech on a bright note.

"I want to keep writing good novels," he said.