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Chinese Cultural Delegation Visits King Abdulaziz Public Library

The King Abdulaziz Public Library (KAPL). SPA
The King Abdulaziz Public Library (KAPL). SPA
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Chinese Cultural Delegation Visits King Abdulaziz Public Library

The King Abdulaziz Public Library (KAPL). SPA
The King Abdulaziz Public Library (KAPL). SPA

A Chinese cultural delegation has visited the King Abdulaziz Public Library (KAPL) in Riyadh.

The delegation was briefed on Wednesday on the library's programs, activities, and artistic and cultural exhibitions. The visit aimed to facilitate cognitive and scientific dialogue between Saudi and Chinese cultures and introduce students and scholars to the most prominent features of ancient and contemporary cultures.
The library also celebrated the Year of the Camel, which was declared by the Ministry of Culture for 2024. A luncheon was held in a camp outside Riyadh, which included various cultural activities such as learning about camels, their breeding, and their upbringing in the Kingdom's desert and on the Arabian Peninsula. Additionally, the library displayed a group of publications related to camels.
In recent years, Saudi-Chinese cultural relations have witnessed remarkable interaction represented by cultural exchange and the holding of various events.
Since the establishment of the KAPL branch at Beijing University, the library has held many events about Saudi and Arabic literature and introduced them to China.
It is also currently translating some examples of Saudi and Arabic literature into Chinese while translating several Chinese literary publications and books into Arabic.

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Pharrell Advocates for Reviving Arts Competitions for 2028 Olympics at Louis Vuitton Event 

Pharrell Williams upon arrival at the Louis Vuitton Foundation on the eve of Paris Olympics opening ceremony, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, July 25, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP)
Pharrell Williams upon arrival at the Louis Vuitton Foundation on the eve of Paris Olympics opening ceremony, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, July 25, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP)
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Pharrell Advocates for Reviving Arts Competitions for 2028 Olympics at Louis Vuitton Event 

Pharrell Williams upon arrival at the Louis Vuitton Foundation on the eve of Paris Olympics opening ceremony, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, July 25, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP)
Pharrell Williams upon arrival at the Louis Vuitton Foundation on the eve of Paris Olympics opening ceremony, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, July 25, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP)

If given the chance, Pharrell Williams would reintroduce arts competition into the Olympics, reviving a tradition that's been missing for nearly 80 years.

Williams is aiming to reinstate arts competitions back on the world's biggest sports stage, starting with raising awareness through his star-studded Louis Vuitton event Thursday in Paris. He passionately shared his goal to see the tradition revived by the Olympics in 2028 the night before the Games’ opening ceremony.

“We get to remind people that at one point, the Olympics actually had the arts as a section that ran all these competitions,” Williams before the event. “Sculpture, architecture, visual arts. The idea we get to put the arts back in. ... Why not take this moment to bring awareness?”

Art competitions first came into fruition at the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm with medals awarded in five categories: architecture, literature, music, painting and sculpture. However, the International Olympic Committee ended the competitions in the 1948 games. An attempt to bring it back was denied four years later.

Williams, the musician-turned-designer, hosted the ritzy A-list event at the Louis Vuitton Foundation building. Attendees included popular figures such as LeBron James, Steven Spielberg, Mick Jagger, Zendaya, Anna Wintour, Charlize Theron, Serena Williams, Rosalía, Snoop Dogg, Queen Latifah and Zac Efron.

Williams called the inside of the event like an “indoor carnival.” He curated a select group of world-renowned artists including KAWS, Daniel Arsham and Derek Fordjour to design interactive art installations.

Some of the sports represented at the event included archery, tennis, basketball and equestrianism along with carnival games. “The game will begin on the inside tonight,” he said.

Through donations, Williams said he wanted the event to support Olympic hopefuls as well as 36 athletes across 11 different countries who are competing on the Refugee Olympic Team this year.

“We get to raise money for the other athletes who don't have the means to get the gear or proper training equipment,” said Williams, who added that he spoke about creating music for the games with Thomas Bach, the president of the IOC.

The famed producer said he recorded a track called “Triumph is Cosmos.”

“This is like the victory lap around the solar system,” he said.