Saudi Arabia, Qatar Seek to Boost Cultural Cooperation

The meeting was chaired by Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan and his Qatari counterpart, Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad Al Thani. SPA
The meeting was chaired by Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan and his Qatari counterpart, Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad Al Thani. SPA
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Saudi Arabia, Qatar Seek to Boost Cultural Cooperation

The meeting was chaired by Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan and his Qatari counterpart, Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad Al Thani. SPA
The meeting was chaired by Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan and his Qatari counterpart, Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad Al Thani. SPA

The Culture, Tourism and Entertainment Committee of the Saudi-Qatari Coordination Council held on Monday its first meeting at the Riyadh International Book Fair.

The meeting was chaired by Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan and his Qatari counterpart, Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad Al Thani.

The committee members discussed the committee's achievements, its objectives and initiatives in the cultural, tourism, and entertainment domains, and issued several recommendations aimed at boosting cooperation between the two countries.

The two countries have close ties and strive to boost cooperation and integration, in line with the Saudi Vision 2030 and Qatar's National Vision 2030.
The two ministers also toured the fair, where Qatar is the guest of honor.

Some 2,000 publishing houses from 30 countries are taking part in this year's fair, which brings together local and international writers, publishers, and readers, promoting cultural exchange and knowledge sharing.



US Returns to Iran Latest Batch of Ancient Clay Tablets

Achaemenid-era clay tablets returned from the United States and on display at Iran's National Museum in Tehran on October 2, 2019 - AFP
Achaemenid-era clay tablets returned from the United States and on display at Iran's National Museum in Tehran on October 2, 2019 - AFP
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US Returns to Iran Latest Batch of Ancient Clay Tablets

Achaemenid-era clay tablets returned from the United States and on display at Iran's National Museum in Tehran on October 2, 2019 - AFP
Achaemenid-era clay tablets returned from the United States and on display at Iran's National Museum in Tehran on October 2, 2019 - AFP

The United States has returned to Iran more than 1,000 clay tablets dating from the Achaemenid-era, official media said, reporting the sixth such handover of its kind.

Iran's official IRNA news agency said Thursday evening that the tablets, 1,100 in all, were returned with President Masoud Pezeshkian who had attended the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Found at the ruins of Persepolis, the capital of the Persian Achaemenid Empire which ruled from the 6th to 4th centuries BC in southern Iran, the repatriated tablets reflect how the ancient society was organised and its economy managed.

According to AFP, the tablets constitute records of "the rituals and the way of life of our ancestors", said Ali Darabi, vice-minister of cultural heritage, cited by IRNA.

The tablets were returned to Iran by the University of Chicago's Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures, West Asia & North Africa, formerly known as the Oriental Institute.

A large portion of the tablets were returned in three batches between 1948 and 2004 before the rest were blocked by legal action until 2018.

More than 3,500 tablets were repatriated in September, 2023.

"The American side undertook to return the rest," Darabi said, cited by Iran's ISNA news agency.