Saudi National Culture Strategy to Reinforce, Grow Local Innovation

Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan during the launching of the national strategy for culture. SPA

Riyadh: Abdulhadi Habtor

11:42-28 March 2019 AD ـ 21 Rajab 1440 AH

Riyadh: Abdulhadi Habtor

11:42-28 March 2019 AD ـ 21 Rajab 1440 AH

Saudi National Culture Strategy to Reinforce, Grow Local Innovation

Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan during the launching of the national strategy for culture. SPA

Saudi Culture Minister Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan has unveiled a set of new initiatives designed to transform and reinforce the cultural sector into an essential part of life in the Kingdom.

The transformation is set to aid local cultural innovation.

Speaking before a crowd of Arab delegates, officials, intellectuals, diplomats and local and international media, Prince Badr reaffirmed on Wednesday that the ministry had adopted the motion after months-long preparation and due process, ever since King Salman bin Abdulaziz issued the decree for establishing the culture ministry on July 2, 2018.

The ministry “intends to create an environment that supports national talents in all areas and sectors, and to preserve the country’s culture and wealth,” he said.

“Our country is proud of its innovators and talents who, with their works, have reached unprecedented heights and won important awards,” he said at the ceremony.

Highlighting the importance of support presented by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Prince Badr noted that the transformation strategy “marks a turning point in the history of our nation. It is rare that a nation undergoes such a massive revival of its culture, and that is exactly what is happening.”

“The transformation of arts and culture will benefit all Saudis, young and old, from every corner of our country. It will help build bridges of understanding,” he added.

“For our children, we will build a Saudi Arabia where their creative spirits can flourish, confident in their past, stepping out into the future and into the world.”

The Saudi Cabinet, a day earlier, had upheld recommendations made by the Council of Economic Affairs and Development on approving the National Culture Strategy.

The strategy will include a range of policies and initiatives, as well as a summary of the culture ministry’s previous efforts to develop the cultural sector and make it an important contributor to the national economy.

Cultural reinvigoration in the Kingdom had began with the launch of Vision 2030 by the Crown Prince in 2016.

By 2039, the culture ministry is looking to have its sector contribute 3 percent of the GDP.

Rain Checks Spread of Japan Wildfire

This photo taken and released on March 6, 2025 by the Fire and Disaster Management Agency shows firefighters walking amongst burnt trees as they battle a wildfire in Ofunato city of Iwate Prefecture. (Handout / Fire and Disaster Management Agency / AFP)

10:50-6 March 2025 AD ـ 06 Ramadan 1446 AH

Rain Checks Spread of Japan Wildfire

Rain appears to have halted the spread of Japan's worst wildfire in more than half a century, officials said Thursday, as residents expressed relief the smoke was gone.

The blaze had raged around the northern city of Ofunato for more than a week, killing one person and forcing more than 4,500 residents to evacuate their homes.

The rain, which began falling Wednesday following a record dry period, had helped firefighting efforts, a local fire official said.

"Thanks in part to the rain, the situation has subsided to an extent," Ofunato Mayor Kiyoshi Fuchigami told a regular briefing.

"We realize many residents are aching to return home," he said, adding that evacuation orders would be lifted when safety was confirmed.

Several columns of white smoke and fire sources persisted during the day, officials said.

"The fires haven't been fully put out yet," another Ofunato official told the briefing.

Residents were more positive, however.

"I'm relieved to see no smoke", one elderly woman told public broadcaster NHK, while a man said he was "very happy that we had rain yesterday".

The wildfire burned about 2,900 hectares (7,170 acres) -- around half the size of Manhattan -- making it Japan's largest in more than 50 years, surpassing the 2,700 hectares engulfed by a 1975 fire on Hokkaido island.

Japan endured its hottest summer on record last year as climate change pushes up temperatures worldwide.

Then in February, Ofunato received just 2.5 millimeters (0.1 inches) of rainfall -- breaking the previous record low for the month of 4.4 millimeters in 1967 and well below the average of 41 millimeters.

At least 78 buildings are believed to have been damaged, although details are still being assessed, according to the fire agency.

The number of wildfires in Japan has declined since a 1970s peak.

However, there were about 1,300 in 2023, concentrated in the period from February to April when the air dries out and winds pick up.

Greg Mullins, a former fire and rescue commissioner for the Australian state of New South Wales, told AFP this fire as well as the recent ones in Los Angeles were "highly unusual" because they took place in the cooler winter months.

"In both cases the fires were preceded by hot summers, which increased evaporation and drying of vegetation, followed by large rainfall deficits that parched the landscape," he said.

"This is a common by-product of climate change," said Mullins, a founder of the Emergency Leaders for Climate Action group.

Saudi National Culture Strategy to Reinforce, Grow Local Innovation

Saudi National Culture Strategy to Reinforce, Grow Local Innovation

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Rain Checks Spread of Japan Wildfire

Rain Checks Spread of Japan Wildfire

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