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Cultural Development Fund Highlights Economic Value of Saudi Culture in Davos

The Cultural Development Fund (CDF) logo
The Cultural Development Fund (CDF) logo
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Cultural Development Fund Highlights Economic Value of Saudi Culture in Davos

The Cultural Development Fund (CDF) logo
The Cultural Development Fund (CDF) logo

The Cultural Development Fund (CDF) is participating in the Saudi House pavilion initiative, led by the Ministry of Economy and Planning, during the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum 2026, held in Davos, Switzerland, from January 19 to 23.

Through this participation, CDF aims to showcase the economic value of Saudi culture, highlight its role in diversifying the national economy and enhancing quality of life, attract international investment in the cultural sector, and spotlight Saudi cultural entrepreneurship.

According to a statement from the fund, the CDF’s participation includes a networking breakfast bringing together global economic leaders and investors from various countries, with the aim of raising awareness of Saudi culture as an economic force and a key pillar of Saudi Vision 2030.

The event will also provide a platform for exchanging perspectives and opportunities with international investors and financial institutions, while offering a closer look at the enablers of the Saudi cultural sector and its investment opportunities.

As part of the event, the CDF will host a panel discussion titled “Investing in Culture as an Economic Engine” that will feature CEO of the Cultural Development Fund Majed bin Abdulmohsen Al-Hugail, alongside Deputy Minister of Cultural Strategies and Policies at the Ministry of Culture Albara Al-Auhali.

The discussion will address the economic value of culture globally and locally, highlighting the CDF’s role in providing financial solutions that support cultural enterprises and enable their contribution to GDP growth and quality of life. The session will also explore cultural policies and their impact on strengthening the sector’s economic and investment potential.

Within the NextOn dialogue series organized by the Saudi House in Davos, the Cultural Development Fund will enable supported cultural projects to share their success stories and highlight their role in enhancing cultural production and increasing its economic value.

Participating entrepreneurs include Co-Founder of AlMashtal Creative Incubator Princess Noura bint Saud bin Naif, and CEO of Arabian Housing and Building company (AHB) Khalid Henaidy, who will speak about the role of entrepreneurship in shaping the future of the Kingdom’s cultural economy.

‏This participation underscores the CDF’s role as a center of excellence and financial enabler for the cultural sector in the Kingdom, and forms part of its efforts to strengthen the presence of Saudi cultural dynamism on the global stage. It aligns with the CDF’s objectives to maximize the cultural sector’s economic and social impact, increase its contribution to GDP, quality of life, and advance the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.

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Culture

Crowds Flock to Istanbul's Museum of Innocence before TV Adaptation

Pamuk brought his bestselling novel to life in a red-painted house in Istanbul. Yasin AKGUL / AFP
Pamuk brought his bestselling novel to life in a red-painted house in Istanbul. Yasin AKGUL / AFP
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Crowds Flock to Istanbul's Museum of Innocence before TV Adaptation

Pamuk brought his bestselling novel to life in a red-painted house in Istanbul. Yasin AKGUL / AFP
Pamuk brought his bestselling novel to life in a red-painted house in Istanbul. Yasin AKGUL / AFP

On a cobbled street in Cukurcuma, a district on Istanbul's European side known for its antiques shops, the story penned by Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk in his bestselling novel "The Museum of Innocence" has been brought to life.

Inside a red-painted house, visitors are confronted by a wall of 4,213 cigarette butts, many of them lipstick-stained, others angrily stubbed out, all obsessively kept by the book's protagonist, Kemal Basmaci.

Just days before Friday's launch of a serialized Netflix adaptation of the novel, hundreds of curious visitors have come to the museum, squeezing past one another on the narrow wooden stairs up to Basmaci's attic room.

At the entrance, Umit, who runs the museum and declined to give his surname, said there had been about 500 visitors per day since Netflix began running trailers for the nine-part series, compared to 200 on a normal day.

"And that will likely double after it comes out," he predicted.

Set in the 1970s, the series features a young man from a wealthy Istanbul family who is devastated by the end of his relationship with Fusun, a distant cousin from a working-class background.

The break-up sends him on an obsessive mission to collect anything that is hers, AFP said.

Hence the wall of cigarette butts mounted on pins, each painstakingly labelled by circumstance, collected over an eight-year period starting from 1976.

There are hundreds more items on display, from bits of jewelry to items of clothing, photos, cinema tickets and bottles of Meltem soda, which was popular in the 1970s -- a huge collection of mundane mementoes passionately collected to fill the void left by Fusun's absence.

They are laid out in 83 display cases, the same number of chapters in the book.

Nobel literature prize-winner Pamuk, who opened the museum in 2012, four years after the novel was published, has admitted to being a similarly compulsive collector.

- 'Truth in it' -

The novel emerged when he began writing about the objects he had saved, everything from family keepsakes to trinkets picked up at the bazaars, which gradually brought his characters to life.

The museum showcases objects that make up the story, but the story also developed as he acquired new objects, the museum website says.

And the whole novel opens a unique window onto a decade of Istanbul history.

Songul Tekin, 28, a visitor who loved the book, said she is convinced some of it really happened and came to the museum to "see it in real life".

"It's told in real depth. There has to be some truth in it because otherwise you would never have so many objects and so much detail," she told AFP.

She arrived with a friend and her copy of the novel -- a gesture which lets visitors enter for free, thanks to a ticket on page 485 of the Turkish version of the book.

Also visiting was Aydin Deniz Yuce, a psychologist in his 30s who is a huge fan of Pamuk's works.

Although "The Museum of Innocence" was not his "favorite", he said he was really keen to see the Netflix series and is convinced the "handsomeness" of the main actor, Selahattin Pasali, will be perfect for creating a credible Kemal.

- Turkish series, global popularity -

With the novel translated into more than 60 languages, the museum has drawn international interest.

Visitors from China, Hungary, Italy, Japan and Russia turned up over the space of a few hours, an AFP correspondent said.

Poring over the display cabinets, Zeng Hu and Zeng Lin An, sisters from Hubei province in central China, said they were now intrigued to read the book and watch the series, although Netflix is not available in China.

Speaking to AFP at the screening late on Thursday, Pamuk said he was happy with the adaptation by Istanbul-based production company Ay Yapim after a disastrous first attempt several years ago.

"Since I was so dissatisfied and unhappy with my first try with Hollywood, I decided I wouldn't allow anyone to make a film of any of my books without seeing the complete script first," he said.

That meant working closely with a scriptwriter for 18 months before any money changed hands, which gave him "tight control" over the script.

"Once every two months, we would meet, like students doing homework. I would go over the scriptwriter's texts, criticize it, improve it, suggest other things," Pamuk said.

"It worked magically."

Hugely popular, Turkish television dramas and series, known as "dizi", are now available in 170 countries.

Global demand for them rose by 184 percent between 2020 and 2023, figures from Parrot Analytics show.

In 2024, Türkiye was the world's third-largest exporter of television series, after the United States and the UK.

Culture

Prince of Wales Explores AlUla Arts Festival, Engages with Local Artists

The prince met with a group of talented young men and women from AlUla active in various artistic and cultural fields - SPA
The prince met with a group of talented young men and women from AlUla active in various artistic and cultural fields - SPA
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Prince of Wales Explores AlUla Arts Festival, Engages with Local Artists

The prince met with a group of talented young men and women from AlUla active in various artistic and cultural fields - SPA
The prince met with a group of talented young men and women from AlUla active in various artistic and cultural fields - SPA

AlUla Arts Festival captured the interest of the Prince of Wales and heir apparent to the throne of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Prince William during his recent visit to AlUla, SPA reported.

He viewed a selection of standout works by Saudi and international artists, ranging from contemporary installations to immersive open-air experiences inspired by AlUla’s landscapes and rich heritage.

He was also briefed on the festival’s creative programs, which annually transform AlUla into a dynamic platform for art and innovation, attracting artists and visitors from around the world.

During the visit, the prince met with a group of talented young men and women from AlUla active in various artistic and cultural fields.

He listened to their experiences and contributions to the governorate's cultural development, supported by ongoing efforts to strengthen the creative sector and expand its local and international presence.

Culture

Saudi Cinema Expands International Footprint at Berlin Festival

Saudi Cinema Expands International Footprint at Berlin Festival
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Saudi Cinema Expands International Footprint at Berlin Festival

Saudi Cinema Expands International Footprint at Berlin Festival

The Film Commission took part in the 76th Berlin International Film Festival, held from February 12 to 22, to showcase its key achievements in advancing the Saudi film sector and highlighting a selection of films that demonstrate the talent of Saudi filmmakers and the Kingdom’s expanding production infrastructure.

It presented the Kingdom’s diverse filming locations and spotlighted major milestones, including Norah, the first Saudi film selected for the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival, SPA reported.

The commission signed several cooperation agreements with leading international film institutions, including the French National Center of Cinema. It also launched artistic initiatives in Berlin in collaboration with global partners and cinemas, demonstrating the Kingdom’s expanding cultural and creative network.

CEO of the commission Abdullah Al-Qahtani said: "Saudi cinema goes beyond filmmaking to building cultural bridges and sharing authentic stories with global audiences."

He noted that strengthening strategic partnerships and investing in local talent are central to positioning the Kingdom as a hub for creative industries, adding that continued participation in international festivals broadens exposure to the richness and diversity of Saudi culture.