Symbol of Modernity Ali Sarhan Al-Qurashi Passes Away

Dr. Ali Sarhan Al-Qurashi
Dr. Ali Sarhan Al-Qurashi
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Symbol of Modernity Ali Sarhan Al-Qurashi Passes Away

Dr. Ali Sarhan Al-Qurashi
Dr. Ali Sarhan Al-Qurashi

The Saudi cultural, literary and academic scene lost Dr. Ali Sarhan Al-Qurashi, one of the most prominent figures of the literary and critical movement in the Kingdom, and a symbol of literary modernization, who was known for his critical studies and academic work at the local and Arab levels.

Dr. Al-Qurashi was a modernist intellectual, who faced the pressures of the extremist movements that were influential in universities in the mid-1980s. He was seen as a defender of modernity and an icon of its literary symbols.

Alike his generation of Saudi intellectuals, who were exposed to the pressures of a religious movement that fought modernity, Al-Qurashi confronted challenges that had prevented him from obtaining a doctorate from Umm Al-Qura University, until 1990, when he successfully presented his dissertation, entitled, “The Poetic Image in the Poetry of Bishr bin Abi Khazim Al-Asadi.”

Al-Qurashi spoke about this period, which also saw the deprivation of another academic, Saeed Al-Sarihi, from obtaining an academic degree. He said that he was forced to “disavow modernity” in a letter he wrote to the university administration, as the only way to convince the professors to move forward with discussing his thesis.

Al-Qurashi enriched the literary and cultural arena with many critical studies, in addition to narrative and poetic works. He worked as professor of literature and criticism at Taif University, and established many literary forums.

His most prominent works include: “Exaggeration in Arabic Rhetoric,” “You and Language,” “Energies of Creativity,” “The Human Vision in the Movement of Language,” published in the Riyadh Book Series in 1997, and “The Poetic Personality of Taif.”

Other important contributions include: “The Journey of the Self in the Space of the Ancient Poetic Text,” “The Woman’s Text,” and “The Story of Language and the Text of Writing,” published by the Riyadh Book Series in 2003.



Saudi Culture, Commerce Ministers Sign MoU to Empower Entrepreneurs in Cultural Sector

The partnership seeks to empower cultural entrepreneurs and organizations - SPA
The partnership seeks to empower cultural entrepreneurs and organizations - SPA
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Saudi Culture, Commerce Ministers Sign MoU to Empower Entrepreneurs in Cultural Sector

The partnership seeks to empower cultural entrepreneurs and organizations - SPA
The partnership seeks to empower cultural entrepreneurs and organizations - SPA

Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan and Minister of Commerce and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority (Monsha’at) Majid Al-Kassabi signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Wednesday at the Ministry of Culture in Al-Bujairi district, Diriyah.

According to SPA, the MoU aims at fostering collaboration between the Ministry and Monsha’at, particularly through business incubators and accelerators tailored to the cultural sector.
The partnership seeks to empower cultural entrepreneurs and organizations by offering targeted training programs designed to address sector-specific needs. It also includes strategic consulting services to strengthen entrepreneurs' skills and advance their projects through innovative, sustainable approaches. These efforts aim to generate substantial economic and cultural impacts, promote awareness, and raise knowledge about investment opportunities and growth potential in the cultural sector.
Key elements of the agreement focus on enhancing commercial innovation and integrating modern technologies for small and medium-sized cultural enterprises, ultimately contributing to a thriving cultural landscape and bolstering their role in the local economy.
The MoU aligns with the Ministry of Culture’s broader strategy to build strategic partnerships across sectors. It aims to empower entrepreneurs and innovators by providing access to essential resources and opportunities, advancing the cultural sector, and fostering a climate of creativity and innovation in line with the objectives of the National Strategy for Culture under Saudi Vision 2030.