‘Culture Gate’... Digital Platform to Document, Explore Saudi Cultural Wealth

The platform displays artifacts that were discovered in Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
The platform displays artifacts that were discovered in Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
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‘Culture Gate’... Digital Platform to Document, Explore Saudi Cultural Wealth

The platform displays artifacts that were discovered in Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
The platform displays artifacts that were discovered in Saudi Arabia. (SPA)

The Saudi Ministry of Culture has launched a new digital interface that opens doors to explore the kingdom’s cultural wealth, enhance its presence in the national and global spaces, and reflect the modern evolution that took place in all the cultural sectors in the past few years.

The “Culture Gate” is a platform that provides the audience with an easy access to art and heritage valuables and rare memorabilia that Saudi Arabia has preserved as a witness on the authenticity of the land and the legacy of its inhabitants, and meets the world’s need to explore the details of the Saudi culture through museums, theater, arts, music, fashion, and films, in addition to many other culture components of the Saudi culture.

The platform offers an interactive map that showcases the massive cultural and heritage wealth across Saudi Arabia, and enables visitors to enjoy fun and constructive tours in museums, libraries, theaters, and Islamic and historic sites, as well as urban heritage sites and antiquities discovered on the kingdom’s lands.

One platform that witnesses on the richness of Saudi Arabia

The “Culture Gate” features an inclusive database that covers the sector, its assets, infrastructure, institutions, antiquities, and accomplishments, and enables the interested audience to contribute by uploading all sorts of cultural materials.

The platform also shares written works made by the “Saudi Translation Observatory” including a collection of books translated into Arabic, a collection of books on the Saudi heritage and historic sites, in addition to old Arabic manuscripts loaded with valuable information. Saudi Arabia has a great share that accounts for 27 percent of all the Arabic and Islamic authentic manuscripts. The platform displays the natural and cultural Saudi sites and their rich history.

The “Culture Gate” also features man-made arts including the traditional Saudi crafts and cultural practices, as well as an inclusive insight on the Saudi cuisine, dishes, and traditional Arabic spices, stone carvings that document the life and civilization of the Arabic populations in the past, and historic discoveries that highlight the fine Saudi heritage. Moreover, it lists the cultural records of museums, libraries and theaters.

Documentation of the cultural sectors

Since launching its all-sector strategy, the ministry of culture has led accelerating efforts to preserve and document all kinds of cultural and historic information and details from all the Saudi regions. It has also worked on registering many natural and historic sites on international lists.

In addition to upgrading the cultural scene with initiatives aimed at activating the literary and artistic fields, the ministry has ensured to preserve the historic legacy of the kingdom as part of its aspirations to build a prospering future of culture in line with the ambitious transformation program promoted by the Saudi Vision 2030.

The cultural sector plays a major role in accomplishing the Vision’s goals by emphasizing culture as a lifestyle, and harnessing culture to serve the economic growth and the kingdom’s global position.

The Saudi culture sector has managed to enlist 11 local cultural elements on the UNESCO’s Intangible Heritage List, and seven natural sites on the World Heritage List, in addition to registering around 5,000 craftsmen and women in the National Craft Record.

The Cultural Gate comes as part of the ministry’s efforts to gather the Saudi cultural resources in one platform that serves the interested audience and promotes the cultural wealth nationally and globally.



Malaysian Rice Porridge a ‘Trademark’ Ramadan Tradition

This picture taken on March 5, 2025 shows an Indian Muslim mixing ingredients to prepare the popular dish "bubur lambuk" at Masjid India during the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan in Kuala Lumpur. (AFP)
This picture taken on March 5, 2025 shows an Indian Muslim mixing ingredients to prepare the popular dish "bubur lambuk" at Masjid India during the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan in Kuala Lumpur. (AFP)
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Malaysian Rice Porridge a ‘Trademark’ Ramadan Tradition

This picture taken on March 5, 2025 shows an Indian Muslim mixing ingredients to prepare the popular dish "bubur lambuk" at Masjid India during the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan in Kuala Lumpur. (AFP)
This picture taken on March 5, 2025 shows an Indian Muslim mixing ingredients to prepare the popular dish "bubur lambuk" at Masjid India during the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan in Kuala Lumpur. (AFP)

As dusk fell, hundreds of Muslims at a mosque in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur feast on bowls of fragrant rice porridge known locally as "bubur lambuk", part of a Ramadan tradition dating back decades.

Slow-cooked with various spices in giant pots and stirred with oversized ladles, bubur lambuk is traditionally prepared by volunteers in mosque courtyards before being distributed to the public for iftar, the fast-breaking meal in the largely Islamic nation.

But the broth, specially prepared at Masjid India, a well-known Kuala Lumpur mosque, serves a unique version of the porridge using a recipe originating from India.

"This tradition has been passed down from generation to generation, from the 60s to the 70," he told AFP.

"So it has become a trademark. If it (Nombu Kanji) wasn't there, it wouldn't be complete."

Mosque volunteers use 140 kilograms (308 pounds) of rice daily to cook the porridge, which is served in bowls to prayer attendees or packed into 1,000 large plastic packets to be distributed to the public.

Each packet is enough to feed a family of four.

"From the perspective of making things easier for the people in this area, sometimes the homeless who struggle to get food, low-income workers, and office workers who sometimes don't have time to go home and cook benefit from this," he said.

"So, the preparation of iftar meals by mosques helps make their daily lives more convenient (during Ramadan)."

Mohaiyadin Sahulhameed, a local resident originally from India, said the porridge served at the mosque reminded him of home.

"Back in our village, the way we cook is using large woks, with curry leaves, mustard seeds, cinnamon, and all sorts of ingredients mixed together. When combined with rice, it creates a rich aroma, quite similar to how it's done here," he said.

The mosque's cook, Sathakkathullah Hameed, said he saw preparing the large pots of porridge daily as a religious calling.

"During this fasting month, I want to help others. Allah grants rewards, mercy, and blessings, and, God willing, He will provide sustenance," he said.

"And when people eat the porridge I cook, they say 'Bismillah,' (in the name of God) and I respond with 'Alhamdulillah' (praise be to God)."