Saudi Minister of Culture Meets Japanese Counterpart in Tokyo 

Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al Saud. (SPA)
Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al Saud. (SPA)
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Saudi Minister of Culture Meets Japanese Counterpart in Tokyo 

Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al Saud. (SPA)
Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al Saud. (SPA)

Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al Saud held talks on Tuesday with Japanese Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Dr. Masahito Moriyama in Tokyo.

The officials discussed means to boost cultural cooperation between their countries in light of the Saudi-Japanese Vision 2030, which represents a translation of a long history of close cooperation and strategic partnerships between Riyadh and Tokyo.

The Saudi Minister praised the cultural cooperation achieved between the two friendly countries, stressing the importance of strengthening it and expanding its horizons in line with the ambitions of the two countries.

Prince Badr praised the great interest being given to the Kingdom’s participation in Expo 2025 Osaka and wished all success to the friends in Japan in hosting it.

In turn, the Japanese Minister thanked his guest for efforts exerted by the Saudi Ministry of Culture to boost cultural exchange between their countries.

He also highlighted the fruitful partnership with the Kingdom in many cultural sectors, hoping to deepen the cultural cooperation.



Nigeria’s Museum Agrees with Royal Ruler on Custody of Benin Bronzes 

Examples of Benin bronzes which, together with collections such as the Parthenon sculptures, are the subject of talks of their return to countries of origin, are displayed at the British Museum in London, Britain, January 25, 2023. (Reuters) 
Examples of Benin bronzes which, together with collections such as the Parthenon sculptures, are the subject of talks of their return to countries of origin, are displayed at the British Museum in London, Britain, January 25, 2023. (Reuters) 
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Nigeria’s Museum Agrees with Royal Ruler on Custody of Benin Bronzes 

Examples of Benin bronzes which, together with collections such as the Parthenon sculptures, are the subject of talks of their return to countries of origin, are displayed at the British Museum in London, Britain, January 25, 2023. (Reuters) 
Examples of Benin bronzes which, together with collections such as the Parthenon sculptures, are the subject of talks of their return to countries of origin, are displayed at the British Museum in London, Britain, January 25, 2023. (Reuters) 

Nigeria's national museum commission will be responsible for retrieving and keeping priceless Benin Bronzes, taking on the task with the assent of the royal ruler appointed sole owner and custodian of the objects nearly two years ago, its head said.

Nigeria is on a quest to recover thousands of intricate bronze sculptures and castings that were looted by British soldiers during a raid on the then-separate Kingdom of Benin, located in what is now southwestern Nigeria, in 1897.

The stolen bronzes are among Africa's finest and most significant heritage objects and are mostly in Europe.

In March 2023, then-president Muhammadu Buhari signed a decree saying the Oba, or king, of the historic kingdom of Benin rightfully owned all returned Benin Bronzes and was responsible for managing all places where the artifacts are kept.

Olugbile Holloway, director general of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), told Reuters that the Oba did not have the infrastructure to care for the bronzes.

"So, the Oba has given the NCMM the blessing to display, conserve and to pursue reparation of these objects. So, there is no more ambiguity," said Holloway.

In 2023 the NCMM had said the University of Cambridge's Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology put on hold plans to return more than 100 artifacts after the government decree.

Holloway, however, said it was now a matter of time before an agreement would be reached with Cambridge University for the artifacts' return.

"The return of these objects is not just about displaying them in the museum or taking care of them. It is about the dignity of our people and undoing the injustice of 1897," he said.