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Royal Institute of Traditional Arts Launches the 'Confluence of Saudi-Korean Culture' Show

The show takes place at the Red Hall of the Princess Noura University Theater in Riyadh - SPA  
The show takes place at the Red Hall of the Princess Noura University Theater in Riyadh - SPA  
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Royal Institute of Traditional Arts Launches the 'Confluence of Saudi-Korean Culture' Show

The show takes place at the Red Hall of the Princess Noura University Theater in Riyadh - SPA  
The show takes place at the Red Hall of the Princess Noura University Theater in Riyadh - SPA  

The Royal Institute of Traditional Arts, in partnership with the Korean National University of Arts, launched on Monday the “Confluence of Saudi-Korean Culture” show.
The show, the first of its kind in the Kingdom, takes place at the Red Hall of the Princess Noura University Theater in Riyadh and will run for three days, SPA reported.
The show provides attendees with the opportunity to delve into the richness of Saudi and Korean arts. It features a range of combined theatrical and performance shows, highlighting five Saudi performing arts alongside five Korean counterparts.
This presentation aims to deepen the cultural and artistic understanding of both sides.
The event concludes with an integrated performing art that combines steps and rhythms derived from both cultures. Additionally, there is an accompanying art exhibition featuring traditional arts in various fields such as metals, pottery, wooden crafts, and hand embroidery.
These artistic works narrate the story of the confluence between art and artists.
Visitors of the show will watch 50 performers from Saudi Arabia and South Korea, including artists from the Royal Institute of Traditional Arts and the Korean National University of Arts. The Saudi part of the theatrical show reflects the cultural diversity of the Kingdom by showcasing various arts such as Al-Samri, Al-Daha, Al-Liwa, Al-Khatwa, and Al-Khabiti.
This cultural event offers a unique journey blending heritage and modernity in an exceptional artistic experience, with the presence of prominent leaders in the cultural sector who will provide their full support to this pioneering initiative.
The CEO of the Royal Institute, Dr. Suzanne Al-Yahya, indicated that the show enhances the artistic movement and promotes global cultural exchange with the Kingdom.
Dr. Al-Yahya added that it serves as a meeting point for traditional arts from different countries on both local and global scales, while also elevating awareness of traditional arts and disseminating them locally and internationally.

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Culture

Saudi Theater Commission Concludes First Leg of Public Performing Arts Program in Riyadh

The event in Riyadh featured roaming folk arts, circus, and puppet shows, along with interactive experiences for families and children. SPA
The event in Riyadh featured roaming folk arts, circus, and puppet shows, along with interactive experiences for families and children. SPA
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Saudi Theater Commission Concludes First Leg of Public Performing Arts Program in Riyadh

The event in Riyadh featured roaming folk arts, circus, and puppet shows, along with interactive experiences for families and children. SPA
The event in Riyadh featured roaming folk arts, circus, and puppet shows, along with interactive experiences for families and children. SPA

The Theater and Performing Arts Commission concluded the first leg of its public performing arts program in Riyadh on Saturday, after three days of theatrical shows, live performances, and interactive experiences in public spaces.

The event in Riyadh featured roaming folk arts, circus, and puppet shows, along with interactive experiences for families and children.

The program's second leg will be held at the Cultural House in Dammam from November 18 to 21. The program covers six cities: Riyadh, Dammam, Buraidah, Hail, Taif, and Jeddah, and runs until December 19.

Culture

Saudi Heritage Commission Unveils Evidence of Human Activity Dating Back 125,000 Years at Mundafan Palaeolake

Saudi Heritage Commission Unveils Evidence of Human Activity Dating Back 125,000 Years at Mundafan Palaeolake
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Saudi Heritage Commission Unveils Evidence of Human Activity Dating Back 125,000 Years at Mundafan Palaeolake

Saudi Heritage Commission Unveils Evidence of Human Activity Dating Back 125,000 Years at Mundafan Palaeolake

Saudi Arabia’s Heritage Commission has unveiled the findings of an archaeological and environmental study conducted at the Uruq Al-Julaybah site, located along the shores of the ancient Mundafan Palaeolake in the Empty Quarter of Najran Region, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Friday.

Carried out in collaboration with Australia's Griffith University, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), and several national and international research institutions, the study revealed evidence of human activity dating back 125,000 years during a humid period in the Arabian Peninsula, evidenced by stone tools as well as animal and plant remains along the ancient shoreline.

Published in Science journal, the study indicates that Mundafan Palaeolake spanned approximately 340 square kilometers and reached a maximum depth of about 29 meters. Sedimentary and geomorphological data, alongside aquatic organism remains, point to a relatively stable freshwater body surrounded by open grasslands and vegetation that sustained diverse human and animal populations.

Across more than 130 locations at the site, researchers documented over 500 vertebrate and invertebrate fossils, including hippopotamuses, extinct long-horned buffalo, camels, Arabian oryx, gazelles, ostriches, mollusks, and freshwater crustaceans (ostracods), reflecting the rich ecological diversity of Mundafan Palaeolake during the humid periods of the Pleistocene epoch.

Researchers recovered 5,511 stone artifacts, each exceeding two centimeters in size, from the primary study area, more than 98% of which were crafted from flint. Analyses confirmed the use of the Levallois technique, an advanced core-preparation method characteristic of Middle Paleolithic toolmaking used to control the shape and size of resulting flakes and points, demonstrating that these implements were both manufactured and utilized on-site.

Despite surface erosion over time, the spatial distribution of the stone tools alongside fossil deposits and preserved organic remains indicates repeated, cumulative human habitation over an extended period. Microscopic, chemical, and use-wear analyses identified preserved organic residues, including plant fibers, wood, resins, fats, and collagen, as well as traces of palm and woody plant processing, pointing to diverse daily activities around the palaeolake.

Several stone points displayed impact fractures and traces of hafting onto handles. Chemical testing also detected plant-derived compounds associated with Acokanthera schimperi, a species traditionally used in hunting, suggesting the possible use of composite hunting technologies, though researchers noted that current evidence is insufficient to determine exact preparation methods, concentrations, or efficacy.

Director General of the Antiquities Sector at the Heritage Commission Dr. Ajab Alotaibi noted that fieldwork continued throughout the 2023 season under the commission's mandate to oversee and fund archaeological surveys and excavations. He underscored the commission's commitment to fostering multidisciplinary research partnerships bringing together Griffith University, KAUST, King Saud University, and specialized international centers.

Dr. Abdullah Alsharekh of the Department of Archaeology at King Saud University's College of Tourism and Archaeology affirmed that the shores of Mundafan Palaeolake provided an ideal habitat roughly 125,000 years ago, where the convergence of fresh water, wildlife, flora, and raw materials supported stone-tool production, hunting-gear preparation, resource processing, and fiber working.

Professor Michael Petraglia of Griffith University stated that the discovery significantly advances understanding of early human settlement across the Arabian Peninsula, highlighting the role of sites like Uruq Al-Julaybah in documenting human habitation during past humid phases.

Dr. Frans van Buchem of KAUST noted that collaboration across diverse scientific disciplines yielded a comprehensive portrait of ancient human behavior and prehistoric environments.

The research forms part of the Heritage Commission's broader efforts to leverage advanced scientific methodologies and global partnerships to illuminate the history of human settlement and environmental transformation in the Kingdom.

Culture

King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language, ALECSO Launch Unified Arabic Terminology Dictionary Platform

The dictionary platform aims to address the fragmentation of terminology dictionaries across multiple publications and different structures - SPA
The dictionary platform aims to address the fragmentation of terminology dictionaries across multiple publications and different structures - SPA
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King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language, ALECSO Launch Unified Arabic Terminology Dictionary Platform

The dictionary platform aims to address the fragmentation of terminology dictionaries across multiple publications and different structures - SPA
The dictionary platform aims to address the fragmentation of terminology dictionaries across multiple publications and different structures - SPA

The King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language (KSGAAL), in partnership with the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO), launched the Unified Arabic Terminology Dictionary platform during the 28th regular session of the ALECSO General Conference, held in Muscat, Oman.

The session saw the adoption of resolutions concerning two projects submitted by Saudi Arabia and implemented by the academy in cooperation with ALECSO and in coordination with the Saudi National Commission for Education, Culture and Science.

The launch coincides with Saudi Arabia’s presidency of the ALECSO Executive Council and comes within the framework of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed to strengthen joint Arab action and develop linguistic, knowledge-based, and digital resources, according to SPA.

The dictionary platform aims to address the fragmentation of terminology dictionaries across multiple publications and different structures, which has made it difficult to search their contents collectively or link them to digital applications. To address this, data from these dictionaries has been restructured in accordance with international standards, enabling instant searches across all their contents through a single interface. Application programming interfaces (APIs) have also been developed to connect the unified dictionary with external systems.

The conference also adopted the “Language Policy System in Arab Countries” project, which is intended to serve as an Arab reference supporting research, planning, and linguistic policymaking. The project includes data, studies, and reports documenting the state of linguistic policies in Arab countries and analyzing their impact.

The ALECSO General Conference commended Saudi Arabia’s efforts to serve the Arabic language and strengthen its regional and international presence. It also praised KSGAAL’s contributions to developing linguistic policies, indicators, and standards; building databases, corpora, dictionaries, and Arabic language processing tools; and harnessing scientific and technological capabilities to support joint projects.

The conference also commended Saudi Arabia, represented by KSGAAL, for implementing the two projects and supporting joint Arab efforts in the field of Arabic language. It called on linguistic, scientific, and academic institutions in Arab countries to benefit from the projects’ outcomes, contribute to enriching their content, update their data, and strengthen cooperation with the academy in related fields.

The launch of the platform and the adoption of the two project decisions mark a continuation of KSGAAL’s efforts to build strategic partnerships, develop digital language solutions, and strengthen integration among institutions concerned with the Arabic language. These efforts reinforce Saudi Arabia’s contribution to supporting joint Arab initiatives and providing scientific and knowledge-based references that serve the Arabic language and keep pace with its development.