Saudi Arabia: Qiddiya City Unveils Groundbreaking Performing Arts Center

The first cultural asset of the newly announced Qiddiya City, the center is poised to receive over 800,000 visitors each year. SPA
The first cultural asset of the newly announced Qiddiya City, the center is poised to receive over 800,000 visitors each year. SPA
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Saudi Arabia: Qiddiya City Unveils Groundbreaking Performing Arts Center

The first cultural asset of the newly announced Qiddiya City, the center is poised to receive over 800,000 visitors each year. SPA
The first cultural asset of the newly announced Qiddiya City, the center is poised to receive over 800,000 visitors each year. SPA

Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC) has announced an innovative Performing Arts Center to enrich Saudi Arabia's cultural landscape and enhance the array of attractions within Qiddiya City.

The first cultural asset of the newly announced Qiddiya City, the center is poised to receive over 800,000 visitors each year.

“Qiddiya City is more than just the home of entertainment and sports, but a leader in the preservation and promotion of Saudi culture. For this reason, we are thrilled to announce the addition of the Qiddiya Performing Arts Center to Qiddiya City,” said QIC Managing Director Abdullah Aldawood.

He said the center “will be a beacon of creativity and innovation that will elevate Saudi Arabia's cultural landscape to new heights.”

With its ground-breaking modern design, pioneering technology, and commitment to nurturing talent, the center embodies the spirit of Qiddiya City as a place where imagination knows no bounds,” added Aldawood.

The center will host over 260 indoor and outdoor performances and events every year. Over 3,000 seats are spread across three theaters, each offering a 360° experience merging physical and digital elements. A cantilevered amphitheater offers breathtaking views of the City’s lower plateau while a fully adaptable 500-seat venue is suspended from above.

Leveraging state-of-the-art technologies such as Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and Artificial Intelligence, the Center will host groundbreaking productions that push the boundaries of traditional theater.

Moreover, it will serve as an incubator for young Saudi talent, providing educational opportunities and resources to nurture the next generation of writers, producers, and actors.

The Performing Arts Center is set to create thousands of career opportunities across more than 100 job categories in the creative and cultural sectors.

A rooftop sky garden, art galleries, and green spaces will extend the cultural experience, while the Centre's iconic architecture will serve as a symbol of civic identity.

The dramatic setting of the building is a tribute to the performances it will host. The promenade walk extending across the Tuwaiq cliffs will lead to a shaded section beneath the center offering a viewing platform across the City.

This section will act as an extension of the center’s microclimate that begins with a waterfall in the Center’s lobby and cools the surrounding neighborhood.



Jazan Festival 2026 Kicks Off Thursday with Grand Parade

his year’s festival offers an unprecedented experience that brings together the charm of the region’s unique geographic diversity - SPA
his year’s festival offers an unprecedented experience that brings together the charm of the region’s unique geographic diversity - SPA
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Jazan Festival 2026 Kicks Off Thursday with Grand Parade

his year’s festival offers an unprecedented experience that brings together the charm of the region’s unique geographic diversity - SPA
his year’s festival offers an unprecedented experience that brings together the charm of the region’s unique geographic diversity - SPA

The Jazan Festival 2026 will launch on Thursday in a carnival anticipated by thousands of visitors from within the region and beyond.

The festival will open with a grand celebratory parade starting at 3:45 p.m. along the Jazan city waterfront, signaling the start of an entertainment and cultural season that will extend for several months, according to SPA.

This year’s festival offers an unprecedented experience that brings together the charm of the region’s unique geographic diversity, from its towering green mountains and golden beaches to its picturesque islands, alongside the authenticity of its rich heritage, complemented by modern touches in entertainment programs designed to meet the aspirations of all age groups.

Performing arts inspired by local folklore will add an authentic dimension, while moving installations will flow in harmonious rhythm.

Completing the visual spectacle, integrated light and sound shows will create an enchanting atmosphere before the festivities conclude with a dazzling fireworks display lighting up the Jazan sky in vibrant colors.


UNESCO Chair in Translating Cultures Hosts Lectures on Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage

The program was presented as an advanced knowledge initiative that combined theoretical perspectives with practical application - SPA
The program was presented as an advanced knowledge initiative that combined theoretical perspectives with practical application - SPA
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UNESCO Chair in Translating Cultures Hosts Lectures on Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage

The program was presented as an advanced knowledge initiative that combined theoretical perspectives with practical application - SPA
The program was presented as an advanced knowledge initiative that combined theoretical perspectives with practical application - SPA

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Chair in Translating Cultures at the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies (KFCRIS), with support from the Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission, organized a training course and a series of specialized lectures on the translation and safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage, SPA reported.

The program was presented as an advanced knowledge initiative that combined theoretical perspectives with practical application, opening space for in-depth discussion of the challenges of translating intangible heritage as a living, evolving form of culture closely tied to its cultural, social, and performative contexts.

The course and lectures adopted a comprehensive approach that views translation as a cultural tool for preserving oral memory and building bridges between local specificity and the global sphere.

This approach was reflected through applied models, field experiences, and contemporary conceptual frameworks.


Ancient Egyptian Pharaoh’s Boat Is Being Reassembled in Public at Grand Egyptian Museum

People walk next to King Khufu's boat gem, also known as the Solar Boat, as work to restore the second solar boat has started with wooden planks part of the 1,650-piece structure being installed on a metal frame through Egyptian-Japanese cooperation with two Japanese universities, marking the start of preparations for the second boat's public display at the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), near the Giza Pyramid Complex, in Giza, Egypt, December 23, 2025.
People walk next to King Khufu's boat gem, also known as the Solar Boat, as work to restore the second solar boat has started with wooden planks part of the 1,650-piece structure being installed on a metal frame through Egyptian-Japanese cooperation with two Japanese universities, marking the start of preparations for the second boat's public display at the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), near the Giza Pyramid Complex, in Giza, Egypt, December 23, 2025.
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Ancient Egyptian Pharaoh’s Boat Is Being Reassembled in Public at Grand Egyptian Museum

People walk next to King Khufu's boat gem, also known as the Solar Boat, as work to restore the second solar boat has started with wooden planks part of the 1,650-piece structure being installed on a metal frame through Egyptian-Japanese cooperation with two Japanese universities, marking the start of preparations for the second boat's public display at the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), near the Giza Pyramid Complex, in Giza, Egypt, December 23, 2025.
People walk next to King Khufu's boat gem, also known as the Solar Boat, as work to restore the second solar boat has started with wooden planks part of the 1,650-piece structure being installed on a metal frame through Egyptian-Japanese cooperation with two Japanese universities, marking the start of preparations for the second boat's public display at the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), near the Giza Pyramid Complex, in Giza, Egypt, December 23, 2025.

A boat belonging to an Egyptian pharaoh is being assembled in full view at the Grand Egyptian Museum’s exhibition hall.

Staff began piecing together the cedarwood boat, one of two that were found that belong to King Khufu, Tuesday morning as dozens of visitors watched.

The assembly of the 42-meter (137-foot) -long vessel, which sits next to its already-assembled twin that has been on display, is expected to take around four years, according to Issa Zeidan, head of restoration at the Grand Egyptian Museum. It contains 1,650 wooden pieces.

King Khufu ruled ancient Egypt more than 4,500 years ago and built the Great Pyramid of Giza.

“You’re witnessing today one of the most important restoration projects in the 21st century,” said Tourism and Antiquities Minister Sherif Fathy, who attended the event.

The $1 billion museum, also known as GEM, was touted as the world’s largest when it was lavishly inaugurated last month. It's home to nearly 50,000 artifacts, including the collection of treasures from the tomb of the famed King Tutankhamun, which was discovered in 1922. The museum, located near the pyramids at the edge of Cairo, is expected to boost Egypt’s tourism revenues and help bolster its economy.

The boat was one of two discovered in 1954, opposite the southern side of the Great Pyramid. The excavation of its wooden parts began in 2014, according to the museum’s website.

The exact purpose of the boats remains unclear, but experts believe they were either used to transport King Khufu’s body during his funeral or were meant to be used for his afterlife journey with the sun god Ra, according to the museum.