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Culture, Tourism Committee of Saudi-Omani Coordination Council Holds 1st Meeting

Officials from the Saudi and Omani culture ministries attended the meeting - SPA
Officials from the Saudi and Omani culture ministries attended the meeting - SPA
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Culture, Tourism Committee of Saudi-Omani Coordination Council Holds 1st Meeting

Officials from the Saudi and Omani culture ministries attended the meeting - SPA
Officials from the Saudi and Omani culture ministries attended the meeting - SPA

The culture, media, tourism, and social development committee of the Saudi-Omani Coordination Council held its first-ever meeting on Wednesday in Muscat.

The undersecretary of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture for International Cultural Relations Fahd bin Abdulrahman Al-Kanaan, co-chaired the meeting alongside Sayyid Said Sultan al-Busaidi, the undersecretary of Oman’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth for Culture.
Officials from the Saudi and Omani culture ministries attended the meeting, SPA reported.

The two sides held discussions on issues of mutual concern to agree on recommendations and initiatives that serve culture, tourism, health, media, sports, education, human resources, and social development in both countries.

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Culture

Thieves Steal Paintings by Renoir, Cézanne and Matisse from Italian Private Museum

A visitor looks at works by Auguste Renoir during the press review of the exhibition 'Renoir the draughtsman at 'the Orsay museum, Monday, March 16, 2026, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Emma Da Silva)
A visitor looks at works by Auguste Renoir during the press review of the exhibition 'Renoir the draughtsman at 'the Orsay museum, Monday, March 16, 2026, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Emma Da Silva)
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Thieves Steal Paintings by Renoir, Cézanne and Matisse from Italian Private Museum

A visitor looks at works by Auguste Renoir during the press review of the exhibition 'Renoir the draughtsman at 'the Orsay museum, Monday, March 16, 2026, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Emma Da Silva)
A visitor looks at works by Auguste Renoir during the press review of the exhibition 'Renoir the draughtsman at 'the Orsay museum, Monday, March 16, 2026, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Emma Da Silva)

Thieves made off with three paintings by Renoir, Cézanne and Matisse worth millions of euros (dollars) from a museum near the city of Parma in northern Italy, police said on Monday.

The heist took place on the night of March 22-23, with thieves forcing open the entrance door, The Associated Press quoted police as saying.

The three stolen paintings are “Fish” by Auguste Renoir, “Still Life with Cherries” by Paul Cézanne, and “Odalisque on the Terrace” by Henri Matisse.

The Magnani Rocca Foundation, a private museum, lies in the heart of the countryside 20 kilometers (12 miles) from Parma.

Local media reported that the thieves were able to nab the paintings in less than three minutes and escape across the museum gardens.

Established in 1977, the foundation hosts the collection of the art historian Luigi Magnani and also includes works by Dürer, Rubens, Van Dyck, Goya and Monet.

The museum believes a structured and organized gang was responsible for the theft, which was interrupted by the alarm, local media reported.

The museum didn't post any statement about the theft on its website and wasn't reachable for a comment, as it is closed on Monday.

The crime in Parma comes after a series of high-profile heists at major European museums, including a major incident in October where thieves stole jewels and other items worth 88 million euros ($101 million) from the Louvre in Paris.

Culture

Iran Says US, Israeli Strikes Damage 120 Museums, Historic Buildings

First responders inspect a residential building hit in an earlier US-Israeli strike in Tehran, Friday, March 27, 2026. (AP)
First responders inspect a residential building hit in an earlier US-Israeli strike in Tehran, Friday, March 27, 2026. (AP)
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Iran Says US, Israeli Strikes Damage 120 Museums, Historic Buildings

First responders inspect a residential building hit in an earlier US-Israeli strike in Tehran, Friday, March 27, 2026. (AP)
First responders inspect a residential building hit in an earlier US-Israeli strike in Tehran, Friday, March 27, 2026. (AP)

US and Israeli strikes on Iran have damaged at least 120 culturally or historically significant sites across the country since the start of the war, the head of Tehran city council's heritage committee said.

"At least 120 museums, historical buildings and cultural sites across various provinces were directly targeted and sustained serious structural damage," said Ahmad Alavi.

He was quoted by state TV as naming UNESCO-listed Golestan Palace -- sometimes likened to Versailles -- as well as Tehran's Marble Palace, Teymourtash house and Saadabad Palace.

One of the capital's most visited sites, the Saadabad Palace complex includes an extensive park and museums dedicated to Iranian history.

In addition to the cultural institutions, it also houses the residences of the Iranian president and governor of Tehran province, with judicial and Revolutionary Guards facilities located nearby.

The United States and Israel launched their campaign against Iran on February 28, killing its supreme leader and setting off a war that has since embroiled practically all of the Middle East.

Iran, whose history spans several millennia, possesses significant cultural heritage that has largely been spared from mass tourism.

According to the UN, at least four of the country's 29 UNESCO-listed sites have been damaged in the war: Golestan Palace, Chehel Sotoun Palace in Isfahan, the Masjed-e Jame mosque in the same city, and the prehistoric sites of the Khorramabad Valley.

Culture

Saudi Culture Ministry Launches UK-KSA Arabian Peninsula Cultural Research Fellowships

The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
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Saudi Culture Ministry Launches UK-KSA Arabian Peninsula Cultural Research Fellowships

The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat

The Ministry of Culture has launched the UK-KSA Arabian Peninsula Cultural Research Fellowships in partnership with Effat University and the National Archives of the United Kingdom, to support archival-based research, advance cultural inquiry on the Arabian Peninsula, and strengthen collaboration between researchers and institutions in Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom.

The program includes a 10-week research residency at the National Archives of the United Kingdom, where participants receive hands-on training in archival methods and gain access to a wide range of archival collections and cultural institutions across the UK. It supports diverse areas of cultural research related to the Arabian Peninsula.

This initiative aligns with the Ministry of Culture’s strategic vision for advancing cultural research, reflecting its commitment to fostering both local and international collaboration and promoting meaningful cultural exchange.

The fellowship is open to researchers and cultural heritage specialists capable of conducting independent research in English, regardless of their professional level.