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Saudi Tourism Minister Visits Kingdom's Pavilion at Osaka Expo, Meets His Japanese Counterpart

Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb and other officials at the Osaka 2025 Expo. (SPA)
Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb and other officials at the Osaka 2025 Expo. (SPA)
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Saudi Tourism Minister Visits Kingdom's Pavilion at Osaka Expo, Meets His Japanese Counterpart

Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb and other officials at the Osaka 2025 Expo. (SPA)
Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb and other officials at the Osaka 2025 Expo. (SPA)

Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb met with Japanese Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Hiromasa Nakano in Tokyo on the sidelines of a visit to the Saudi Pavilion at Osaka 2025 Expo, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Wednesday.

Al-Khateeb formally invited Japan’s government and tourism leaders to participate in the 26th UN Tourism General Assembly and the inaugural TOURISE Summit to be held in Riyadh in November. These two global events will reinforce Saudi Arabia’s role as a convener of international collaboration and tourism innovation.

A statement from the Saudi Tourism Authority, said the minister toured the Osaka 2025 Expo, where Saudi Arabia’s world-class tourism offering and its commitment to sustainability, innovation, and international collaboration. He also visited the pavilions of Japan and Spain.

A central highlight at the Expo 2025 Osaka was the TOURISE networking reception at the Saudi Arabia Pavilion, where Al-Khateeb received and engaged with an influential group of leaders from the public and private sectors.

The event highlighted the TOURISE platform and invited Japanese partners to take a pivotal role in the inaugural forum as well as the UNWTO General Assembly in Riyadh.

The minister stated: "Saudi Arabia’s tourism transformation is the pride of the Arab world and a beacon for the global sector. Our presence in Osaka and our partnership with Japan reflect how Vision 2030 is unlocking opportunity, attracting investment, and building bridges between cultures."

"As we prepare to host the world’s tourism leaders in Riyadh, we invite our Japanese and global partners to join us in shaping the future of tourism, rooted in innovation, sustainability, and shared prosperity," he added.

"Saudi Arabia’s approach, backed by more than $800 billion in giga-projects and infrastructure, including NEOM, The Red Sea, and Diriyah, is positioning the Kingdom as the fastest-growing tourism destination worldwide, with the ambitious goal of welcoming 150 million visitors by 2030. This momentum was evident at Osaka 2025 Expo through dynamic cultural showcases and impactful meetings," he stressed.

Saudi Ambassador to Japan and Commissioner General of the Saudi Pavilion Dr. Ghazi Faisal Binzagr said: "Japanese visitors to our pavilion have shared their curiosity and interest in visiting Saudi Arabia. With each meaningful exchange, we connect through our culture and traditions between Saudi Arabia and Japan. We look forward to welcoming Japan and the rest of the world to share with us our hospitality, culture, and world-class tourism destinations."

CEO of the Saudi Tourism Authority and Vice Chair of TOURISE Fahd Hamidaddin said: "Saudi Arabia is reshaping the tourism landscape, not just for our nation, but for the region and the world."

"With TOURISE, we are building a global platform for innovative partnerships and shared investment. The world will witness this transformation in Riyadh in November, when we convene leaders from every continent to chart a new course for tourism. Japan’s participation will be integral to this vision," he stated.

The outcomes of this visit directly support the Saudi Vision 2030 goals, driving economic diversification, creating thousands of new jobs, and reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s soft power and leadership on the international stage. As Riyadh prepares to welcome the world at the UN Tourism General Assembly and TOURISE, Saudi Arabia is ready to shape the future of global tourism.

The Saudi Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka reflects the Kingdom’s commitment to offering unique and pioneering cultural experiences both locally and globally, fostering connections between local heritage and the wider world.

The pavilion's design is inspired by the Kingdom's traditional and urban architecture, embodying its history, culture, and heritage.

The Saudi Pavilion recently received the Gold Award at the New York Architectural Design Awards in the Cultural Architecture – Interactive and Experiential Spaces category, in recognition of its distinctive design that captures the essence of Saudi culture.

It showcases the Kingdom’s remarkable transformation under Saudi Vision 2030, emphasizing sustainability, innovation, and international cooperation.

Since its opening, the pavilion has welcomed over two million visitors, establishing itself as one of the most popular attractions and strengthening Saudi Arabia’s reputation as a global tourist destination.

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Culture

Prince Mohammed bin Salman Project Restores Century-Old Uqlat Al-Suqur Mosque in Qassim

The renovation utilized traditional mud, stone, and wood to preserve the mosque's authentic Najdi architectural style. (SPA)
The renovation utilized traditional mud, stone, and wood to preserve the mosque's authentic Najdi architectural style. (SPA)
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Prince Mohammed bin Salman Project Restores Century-Old Uqlat Al-Suqur Mosque in Qassim

The renovation utilized traditional mud, stone, and wood to preserve the mosque's authentic Najdi architectural style. (SPA)
The renovation utilized traditional mud, stone, and wood to preserve the mosque's authentic Najdi architectural style. (SPA)

The Prince Mohammed bin Salman Project for the Development of Historical Mosques has completed the restoration of the Uqlat Al-Suqur Mosque in Qassim Region, revitalizing a heritage landmark dating back to 1922, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Saturday.

Originally the only mosque in the area, it served as a vital religious and social hub for education and community governance.

The renovation, executed by specialized Saudi firms, utilized traditional mud, stone, and wood to preserve its authentic Najdi architectural style.

The project increased the mosque's area to 544 square meters, expanding its capacity to 250 worshippers while maintaining its historical identity.

The initiative aligns with Vision 2030 to preserve the Kingdom's urban heritage and boost the cultural and religious significance of its historical mosques for future generations.

Culture

Tomb More Than 1,000 Years Old Found in Panama

This handout picture released by Panama’s Ministry of Culture shows an archaeologist working inside a pre-Hispanic tomb approximately 1,200 years old, discovered at the El Cano Archaeological Park in Cocle, Panama, on February 20, 2026. (Handout / Panama’s Ministry of Culture / AFP)
This handout picture released by Panama’s Ministry of Culture shows an archaeologist working inside a pre-Hispanic tomb approximately 1,200 years old, discovered at the El Cano Archaeological Park in Cocle, Panama, on February 20, 2026. (Handout / Panama’s Ministry of Culture / AFP)
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Tomb More Than 1,000 Years Old Found in Panama

This handout picture released by Panama’s Ministry of Culture shows an archaeologist working inside a pre-Hispanic tomb approximately 1,200 years old, discovered at the El Cano Archaeological Park in Cocle, Panama, on February 20, 2026. (Handout / Panama’s Ministry of Culture / AFP)
This handout picture released by Panama’s Ministry of Culture shows an archaeologist working inside a pre-Hispanic tomb approximately 1,200 years old, discovered at the El Cano Archaeological Park in Cocle, Panama, on February 20, 2026. (Handout / Panama’s Ministry of Culture / AFP)

Archaeologists have discovered a tomb more than a thousand years old in Panama containing human remains alongside gold and ceramic artifacts, the lead researcher told AFP on Friday.

The discovery was made at the El Cano site in the Nata district about 200 kilometers (124 miles) southwest of Panama City.

Scientists and archaeologists have already unearthed other remains of pre-Hispanic cultures in the region that has been excavated for two decades.

The skeletal remains were found surrounded by gold objects and pottery decorated with traditional motifs, pointing to these being "high-ranking" individuals, archaeologist Julia Mayo told AFP, adding that the tomb was built between 800 and 1000 AD.

"The individual with the gold was the one with the highest social status in the group," she said.

That body was found with two bracelets, two earrings, and pectoral jewelry that featured bats and crocodiles, she added.

The El Cano archaeological site is linked to the societies that inhabited the central provinces of Panama between the 8th and 11th centuries.

"This is where they buried their dead for 200 years," said Mayo.

Nine other tombs "similar" to the one found on Friday had already been found at the site, she added.

Panama's Ministry of Culture said the discovery was "of great importance for Panamanian archaeology and the study of pre-Hispanic societies of the Central American isthmus," referring to the land that connects North and South America.

According to experts, these excavations demonstrate that death did not represent an end for these societies, but a transition to another phase where social status remained important.

Culture

When in Rome: Budapest Pizzeria Offers Time-Travel Twist with Ancient Rome-Inspired Pie

László Bárdossy, head chef of the Neverland Pizzeria adds topping on the restaurant's Roman-era pizza in Budapest, Hungary, on Feb. 11, 2026. (AP)
László Bárdossy, head chef of the Neverland Pizzeria adds topping on the restaurant's Roman-era pizza in Budapest, Hungary, on Feb. 11, 2026. (AP)
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When in Rome: Budapest Pizzeria Offers Time-Travel Twist with Ancient Rome-Inspired Pie

László Bárdossy, head chef of the Neverland Pizzeria adds topping on the restaurant's Roman-era pizza in Budapest, Hungary, on Feb. 11, 2026. (AP)
László Bárdossy, head chef of the Neverland Pizzeria adds topping on the restaurant's Roman-era pizza in Budapest, Hungary, on Feb. 11, 2026. (AP)

In Hungary’s capital, a city best known for its goulash, a pizzeria is inviting diners to travel back two millennia to a time before tomatoes, mozzarella or even the word “pizza” were known in Europe.

At Neverland Pizzeria in central Budapest, founder Josep Zara and his team have created a limited-edition pie using only ingredients that would have been available in ancient Rome, long before what we know today as pizza ever existed.

“Curiosity drove us to ask what pizza might have been like long ago,” Zara said. “We went all the way back to the Roman Empire and wondered whether they even ate pizza at the time.”

Strictly speaking, they did not. Tomatoes arrived in Europe centuries later from the Americas, and mozzarella was as yet unknown. Some histories have it that the discovery of mozzarella led directly to the invention of pizza in Naples in the 1700s.

But Romans did eat oven-baked flatbreads topped with herbs, cheeses and sauces, the direct ancestors of modern pizza, which were often sold in ancient Roman snack bars called thermopolia.

In 2023, archaeologists uncovered a fresco in Pompeii depicting a focaccia-like flatbread topped with what appear to be pomegranate seeds, dates, spices and a pesto-like spread. The image made headlines around the world, and sparked Zara’s imagination.

“That made me very curious about what kind of flavor this food might have had,” he said. “That’s where we got the idea to create a pizza that people might have eaten in the Roman Empire, using only ingredients that were in wide use at the time.”

Zara began researching Roman culinary history, consulting a historian in Germany as well as the ancient cookbook De re coquinaria, thought to have been authored around the 5th century. Following his research, he compiled a list of historically documented ingredients to present to the pizzeria's head chef.

“We sat down to imagine what we might be able to make using these ingredients, and without using things like tomatoes and mozzarella,” Zara said. “We had to exclude all ingredients that originated from America.”

Head chef László Bárdossy said the constraints forced the team into months of experimentation, and a few false starts.

“We had to discard a couple ideas,” Bárdossy said. “The fact that there wasn’t infrastructure like a water system at the time of the Romans made things difficult for us, since more than 80% of pizza dough is water. We had to come up with something that would have worked before running water.”

The solution: helping the dough rise using fermented spinach juice. Ancient grains such as einkorn and spelt, widely cultivated in Roman times, formed the base, and the dough ended up slightly more dense than that of most modern pizzas.

The finished pie is topped with ingredients associated with Roman aristocratic cuisine, including epityrum, an olive paste, garum, a fermented fish sauce ubiquitous in Roman cooking, confit duck leg, toasted pine nuts, ricotta and a grape reduction.

“Our creation can be called a modern pizza from the perspective that we tried to make it comprehensible for everyone,” Bárdossy said. “Although we wouldn’t use all its ingredients for everyday dishes. There is a narrow niche that thinks this is delicious and is curious about it, while most people want more conventional pizza, so it’s not for everyday eating. It’s something special.”

For Zara, the project reflects Neverland Pizzeria’s broader philosophy.

“We’ve always liked coming up with new and interesting things, but tradition is also very important for us, and we thought that these two things together suit us,” he said.

However, he added, there is a modern boundary the restaurant will not cross.

“We do a lot of experimentation with our pizzas. But of course, we definitely do not use pineapple,” he said.