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Japan Crown Prince, Princess Visit Saudi Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka

Japanese Crown Prince Akishino and his wife, Crown Princess Kiko, visit the Saudi Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka. (SPA)
Japanese Crown Prince Akishino and his wife, Crown Princess Kiko, visit the Saudi Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka. (SPA)
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Japan Crown Prince, Princess Visit Saudi Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka

Japanese Crown Prince Akishino and his wife, Crown Princess Kiko, visit the Saudi Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka. (SPA)
Japanese Crown Prince Akishino and his wife, Crown Princess Kiko, visit the Saudi Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka. (SPA)

Japanese Crown Prince Akishino and his wife, Crown Princess Kiko, who are the honorary presidents of Expo 2025 Osaka, visited the Saudi Pavilion participating in the global event, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Tuesday.

Saudi Ambassador to Japan and Commissioner General of the Saudi Arabia Pavilion Ghazi Binzagr welcomed the Crown Prince and Princess of Japan upon their arrival. He commended the visit, saying it highlights the deep, historical, and friendly relations between Saudi Arabia and Japan. He emphasized the pivotal role of the expo in fostering human connection and dialogue among nations.

The ambassador briefed the Japanese Crown Prince and Princess on the pavilion's components, including a model for Expo 2030 Riyadh. They viewed creative elements reflecting Saudi cultural identity and future aspirations and received commemorative gifts inspired by the heritage of AlUla, which features the first Saudi site to be included on the UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage List.

Saudi-Japanese relations have seen rapid development over the past decades. In 1981, Saudi Arabia witnessed the first visit from the Japanese Imperial House, followed by another visit in 1994.

In 2017, the Saudi-Japan Vision 2030 initiative came to light, yielding over 80 joint projects across various fields, including renewable energy, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and healthcare, thereby strengthening the two countries' strategic partnership.

The visit by the Crown Prince and Princess of Japan to the pavilion is part of their participation in the official Japan Day ceremony at Expo 2025 Osaka. It coincides with the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Japan, which falls on June 7, 2025. This historic occasion represents a significant milestone in the ongoing partnership based on mutual respect, cultural exchange, and constructive diplomatic cooperation.

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Culture

Historic Linah Marks Saudi National Day with Heritage Events, International Performances

Linah is one of the most prominent historical sites in northern Saudi Arabia - SPA
Linah is one of the most prominent historical sites in northern Saudi Arabia - SPA
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Historic Linah Marks Saudi National Day with Heritage Events, International Performances

Linah is one of the most prominent historical sites in northern Saudi Arabia - SPA
Linah is one of the most prominent historical sites in northern Saudi Arabia - SPA

Historic Linah, located south of Rafha in Northern Borders Region, will celebrate Saudi National Day with a series of national and heritage events at the Historic Linah Market.

The program features performances by local and international artistic groups, along with a variety of artistic segments, solo musical performances, and equestrian and camel-riding displays, SPA reported.

The festivities will also include puppet shows, children’s competitions, and a musical evening showcasing traditional songs.

The Historic Linah Municipality has completed preparations across sites, parks, and roads, decorating streets with national flags and festive lighting to welcome visitors and create a celebratory atmosphere that reflects national pride.

Linah is one of the most prominent historical sites in northern Saudi Arabia.

Once a key stop along ancient caravan routes, the town’s historic palaces and market continue to stand as enduring witnesses to the region’s collective memory.

Culture

Germans Arrested for Louvre Stunt in Mona Lisa Hall

A person photographs Leonardo da Vinci's painting Mona Lisa at the Louvre museum, Aug. 31, 2025, in Paris. (AP)
A person photographs Leonardo da Vinci's painting Mona Lisa at the Louvre museum, Aug. 31, 2025, in Paris. (AP)
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Germans Arrested for Louvre Stunt in Mona Lisa Hall

A person photographs Leonardo da Vinci's painting Mona Lisa at the Louvre museum, Aug. 31, 2025, in Paris. (AP)
A person photographs Leonardo da Vinci's painting Mona Lisa at the Louvre museum, Aug. 31, 2025, in Paris. (AP)

Two Germans were arrested Saturday after they stuck two paintings on a wall of the hall that hosts the Mona Lisa in Paris's Louvre museum, police sources said.

The two men used sticky tape to stick the two paintings -- measuring 30 by 40 cm -- in the hall where visitors flock to see Leonardo Da Vinci's masterpiece.

One showed one of the two men wearing armor, while the other was a portrait of the two men accompanied by a woman.

Security officers at the museum detained the two men and called the police, who arrested them for minor damage to the wall. Interviewed by police, they said they had done it for fun.

The two men will be summoned to appear in court once the museum files a formal complaint for the damage, said the police sources.

The Mona Lisa itself, now behind a thick layer of protective glass, suffered no damage in the incident.

Museum officials are more than usually alert these days after a spate of heists at French museums and galleries, which have highlighted inadequate security in some cases and led to questions about whether criminal gangs see them as soft targets.

The Louvre itself was targeted last October when eight items of jewelry worth millions of dollars were stolen during a daylight heist.

Even though four suspects have been arrested, the stolen items have still not been found despite extensive searches by French investigators.

The burglary stunned the world, embarrassed France and revealed a series of security lapses, including the museum's old-fashioned CCTV system.

Many of the museum's security flaws had already been highlighted in a 2019 audit ordered by the museum, the findings of which were never acted on.

The Louvre welcomed around nine million visitors last year, far above its intended capacity, which has led to overcrowding problems.

In May, French President Emmanuel Macron announced a major overhaul of the museum, which will include a new space for the Mona Lisa and a new museum entrance.

Culture

Saudi Culture Ministry, ALECSO Sign Executive Program for Intangible Cultural Heritage

The agreement focuses on organizing a specialized symposium to exchange expertise on safeguarding policies, methodologies, and practices. SPA
The agreement focuses on organizing a specialized symposium to exchange expertise on safeguarding policies, methodologies, and practices. SPA
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Saudi Culture Ministry, ALECSO Sign Executive Program for Intangible Cultural Heritage

The agreement focuses on organizing a specialized symposium to exchange expertise on safeguarding policies, methodologies, and practices. SPA
The agreement focuses on organizing a specialized symposium to exchange expertise on safeguarding policies, methodologies, and practices. SPA

The Ministry of Culture has signed an executive program with the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) to establish a cooperative framework to safeguard intangible cultural heritage and advance shared Arab cultural goals.

Thursday’s agreement focuses on organizing a specialized symposium to exchange expertise on safeguarding policies, methodologies, and practices.

It also includes formulating recommendations for bilateral and multilateral cooperation and showcasing living Arab heritage practices on the international stage to unify regional preservation efforts.

Building upon a 2022 memorandum of understanding between the ministry and ALECSO, the executive program underscores both parties' commitment to broadening institutional partnerships that ensure the long-term protection and sustainability of intangible cultural heritage.