What Do Letters Reveal About the Creative Mind?

Letter writing is an antiquated practice with a contemporary afterlife, as a number of recent collections of literary correspondence reveal. | Photo: Duane Michals
Letter writing is an antiquated practice with a contemporary afterlife, as a number of recent collections of literary correspondence reveal. | Photo: Duane Michals
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What Do Letters Reveal About the Creative Mind?

Letter writing is an antiquated practice with a contemporary afterlife, as a number of recent collections of literary correspondence reveal. | Photo: Duane Michals
Letter writing is an antiquated practice with a contemporary afterlife, as a number of recent collections of literary correspondence reveal. | Photo: Duane Michals

“LETTERS ARE ABOVE all useful as a means of expressing the ideal self; and no other method of communication is quite so good for this purpose,” wrote the novelist and critic Elizabeth Hardwick in a 1953 essay about literary correspondence. “In conversation, those uneasy eyes upon you, those lips ready with an emendation before you have begun to speak, are a powerful deterrent to unreality, even to hope.” Only in our letters are we able to frame our cleverest selves, to pose both the questions and answers, to make ourselves known as we wish to be known. Those of us experiencing a serious uptick in our email correspondence right now — it seems all it took for us to re-embrace the epistolary form was a global pandemic — are freshly acquainted with the clever breeziness, the missives framed as “just checking in,” from people we once knew far better than we do now.

If letters are acts of self-imagining, why, one might wonder, do we read literary letters? But as even the letters inspired by today’s crisis remind us, letters have the primacy they do precisely because they tend to illuminate a great deal more than the author might have intended. As Hardwick herself would later, very painfully, grasp — they can illuminate our attitudes toward our work, our lovers, and ourselves. Additionally, there’s a drama to the form: the back-and-forth of letters (or email) creates a natural suspense — the wait for a response, for the letter that might change everything — as well as a kind of temporal suspension: In sitting down to gather one’s thoughts, one strikes life’s pause button, creating space for reflection; the roving mind seeks its release. A note of luxuriant relish isn’t uncommon, the empty page like a beautifully lined drawer in which to carefully tuck away the inner life. Anyone who has drafted a long email, allowing their thoughts to run amok, only to delete most of it in mild embarrassment before sending will understand the impulse; in the days of the typewriter or pen, that forward momentum, the “how can I tell what I think till I see what I say?” as E. M. Forster put it, isn’t quite so easily forestalled.

I think we read letter collections in large part for the pleasure of seeing other, humanizing sides of our literary heroes: Henry James’s catty gossip; Sylvia Plath’s sewing projects; James Joyce’s raunchiness. Letters are leaky in all sorts of ways — the baby wakes from the nap and cries; the air-raid siren sounds; the social mores and psychodynamics of other eras filter in. Even the most pragmatic and logistical of exchanges tend to have a gravity about them due in no small part to their near obsolescence of form. It’s hard to imagine that in 50 years we’ll be picking up “The Collected Emails of Zadie Smith.” It also seems unlikely that any contemporary author would want that. Email — already an old-fashioned form — isn’t really the electronic replacement of the letter but a different mode of communication entirely: fleeter, tactical, somehow both more and less disposable. It is unwise to commit too much of oneself to electronic code, which lives on in some ether or another, unflung into the fireplace.

It’s especially for these moments of uncorked interiority, I think, that we still read literary letters. In short: it’s about the voyeurism. Some of us might admit that we read our literary heroes’ letters also in the way some might watch reality television, waiting for the moments when the persona drops in the high heat of emotion, for the letters dashed off in passion or rage. When Princeton released T. S. Eliot’s letters to Emily Hale — all 30 years’ worth — last October, 50 years after Hale’s death, it triggered the release of Eliot’s disclaimer by his estate, penned in anticipation of the letters’ posthumous release. He had not really loved her, he just thought he had, he wrote, unconvincingly. “Emily Hale would have killed the poet in me. I had already observed that she was not a lover of poetry, certainly that she was not much interested in my poetry. I had already been worried by what seemed to me evidence of insensitiveness and bad taste.” He had not slept with that woman, he went on.

A collective cringe met Eliot’s untimely disavowal, but surely any of us who carry a certain dread of cleaning out our inboxes — old email, that bitterest of madeleines — will understand Eliot’s horror at imagining, even posthumously, the publication of his lovelorn notes. Who among us can really pretend to be so constant in our affections, in our selves, that we wouldn’t want to delete evidence of our own first loves? And yet, as historians and biographers know well, a body of letters written over time is often the best clue we have to art’s mysterious origin points. To reread Plath’s “Ariel” in the context of her last letters before her death, the brilliant, bristling style falling away, is to marvel at the triumph of creativity amid despair. Letters reveal, if not “the authentic self” — one imagines the shiny gold seal — then certain key tensions that ignite expression (or suppression, in the case of the writer Alice James, who arguably bested her brothers Henry and William in her powers of observation and self-scrutiny). From Eliot’s letters, we can’t help but imagine what kind of emotional kindling his unfulfilled longing for Hale might have provided for some of his best work, written during a bad marriage.

WE WANT TO know, we want to be known. Letters are so often metaphorized into birds of flight, traveling across vast distances of geography, class and feeling, which is why so many 19th-century novels depend on them in order to move the plot forward. Letters reveal not only the vagaries of feeling but the vicissitudes of the self, the gaps that can be filled with validating words and those that can’t. In many ways, the silences are as powerful as the nearly 200 letters, cards, and poems the author Ingeborg Bachmann exchanged with the poet Paul Celan, which were rereleased last fall in “Correspondence”; the effort to maintain the tenderness of the largely epistolary relationship, which began with poppies and poems in 1948, continued for over a decade, filled with playfulness and adoration even after they had established relationships with others. He was Jewish; she was the daughter of a Nazi. Their aesthetic struggles to create meaning — their sense of the inadequacy of language amid the ashes of Central Europe — seemed to echo their foiled attempts, logistical and otherwise, to be together. (Celan threw himself into the Seine in 1970.)

Another counter to Hardwick’s idea of the literary letter as an idealized self-portrait is her own wrenching correspondence with her husband of 23 years, the confessional poet Robert Lowell. Lowell’s side of the story has long been known, but it is only recently that Hardwick has fully had her say. Published last fall, “The Dolphin Letters, 1970-1979” spans the decade in which Lowell left her and their daughter, Harriet, for the aristocrat and novelist Lady Caroline Blackwood, as detailed in his book of poetry “The Dolphin.” In that 1973 volume, which won him his second Pulitzer Prize, Lowell quoted at length from Hardwick’s private letters to him, many of them written in piercing anguish, revising or recasting them to suit his purpose. When Lowell sent the manuscript to his longtime friend the poet Elizabeth Bishop, she wrote in shocked reply, “You have changed her letters. That is ‘infinite mischief,’ I think. . . . But art just isn’t worth that much.” In a 1973 piece about the published book, Adrienne Rich — up to that point, also a friend and confidante of Lowell’s — called his adaption of her letters “one of the most vindictive and mean-spirited acts in the history of poetry.” Hardwick conferred on Lowell the eloquent force of her pain and rage — but also the astonishing constancy of her love, even while knowing, as she must have, that it was possible her missives would one day be read by others.

A deeply psychological critic who wrote definitive portraits of Plath, Zelda Fitzgerald and other creative women warped by the men in their lives, Hardwick was especially concerned by limitations of the usual measures with which we tell stories of others: the subjectivity of personal impressions; the rigidity, or prurience, of biographical facts — insufficient measures for our complex fluidity of being. One wonders what, then, she would have thought about the future of collected letters in the 21st century. Whose will be our last — Philip Roth’s? Toni Morrison’s? It’s hard not to feel this is a loss — but at the same time, the carefully curated portrait of a writer that emerges in a letter collection feels not all that different from the way in which we all interact today, which is to say deliberately, methodically and probably not altogether honestly. Though here’s the thing about the self: The more we try to deconstruct it, the more we notice the architecture and draperies.

Privacy, in the memoir age, has become almost quaint, and our contemporary literary forms blur all kinds of boundaries of truth and subjectivity. Personal narrative is often reframed and marketed these days as fiction (for both legal and other reasons) — Karl Ove Knausgaard’s “My Struggle” is but one example. And yet the debate endures over whether or not the personal outweighs the productive, as does our basic human need to record and confess. The self-exploration that once was poured into correspondence finds other outlets — namely, the “infinite mischief” of the auto-fictional novel. As such, we’re unlikely to need to read the correspondence of an author like Knausgaard, or any other author who has toyed with shedding artifice from the literary self-portrait, edging the mirror closer and closer to some kind of authentic self. What would be the point? At last, we simply do not need to know more.

Which is something that Hardwick, in the wake of her betrayal, understood better than most of us do now: that obliqueness is an under-sung tool of truth. Her letters with Lowell feel resonant today not only as a portrait of a marriage between two brilliant 20th-century writers but as an inquiry into the terms in which we compose the self in art — and of the ongoing effort of women to narrate themselves, to take up space in the cultural story rather than appear as supporting characters within it. Two years after Lowell’s death, Hardwick published her landmark autobiographical novel, 1979’s “Sleepless Nights,” an essential precursor to today’s auto-fictional movement: a self-portrait and an argument for privacy in one, filled with bladed understatement (Lowell appears in it mostly as an absence). “Sometimes I resent the glossary, the concordance of truth, many have about my real life, have like an extra pair of spectacles,” says the narrator, waking in the night to write letters to the friends she can’t wait to call in the morning. “Otherwise, I love to be known by those I care for.”

(The New York Times)



Restoration for Historic Jeddah's Old Buildings Completed Under Crown Prince's Directives

The project came within the context of the Crown Prince's keenness to preserve and rehabilitate historical sites to achieve the Saudi Vision 2030 goals. SPA
The project came within the context of the Crown Prince's keenness to preserve and rehabilitate historical sites to achieve the Saudi Vision 2030 goals. SPA
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Restoration for Historic Jeddah's Old Buildings Completed Under Crown Prince's Directives

The project came within the context of the Crown Prince's keenness to preserve and rehabilitate historical sites to achieve the Saudi Vision 2030 goals. SPA
The project came within the context of the Crown Prince's keenness to preserve and rehabilitate historical sites to achieve the Saudi Vision 2030 goals. SPA

The Saudi Ministry of Culture, represented by the Jeddah Historic District Program, has announced the completion of work in the project to restore buildings in the Historic Jeddah District under the generous donation of SAR50 million from the Crown Prince.

The restoration project was in implementation of directives from Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.

The project came within the context of the Crown Prince's keenness to preserve and rehabilitate historical sites to achieve the Saudi Vision 2030 goals, which seek to reflect the Arab and Islamic depth of the Kingdom.

The project aimed to highlight the heritage landmarks that the Historic Jeddah District is abundant in as a location having more than 600 heritage buildings, 36 historical mosques, and five main historical markets, in addition to ancient corridors and squares and sites with important historical connotations, such as the ancient Waterfront, which was a main route for pilgrims, and will be rebuilt to tell visitors the great story of the Hajj since the dawn of Islam.

The Crown Prince has directed the implementation of the project to strengthen and rescue historic Jeddah buildings by five specialized Saudi companies, which carried out the work and conducted studies under the supervision of technicians with experience in historical buildings.

The implementation was carried out according to the unique design and distinctive urban structure of the Historic Jeddah District and its unique architectural elements, as some buildings, which belong to Jeddah families, have archaeological landmarks dating back 500 years.


Saudi Culture Minister Launches Arabic Language Month in China

Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan meets with Peking University President Gong Qihuang. (SPA)
Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan meets with Peking University President Gong Qihuang. (SPA)
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Saudi Culture Minister Launches Arabic Language Month in China

Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan meets with Peking University President Gong Qihuang. (SPA)
Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan meets with Peking University President Gong Qihuang. (SPA)

Saudi Minister of Culture and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language (KSGAAL) Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan launched the Arabic Language Month program in Beijing and Shanghai.

Organized by the academy between March 28 and April 26, the program consists of a series of scientific programs and activities organized in collaboration with several educational institutions to develop Arabic language teaching curricula, improve the performance of teachers, and make it more widely spread.

The program also includes visits and meetings with Chinese universities that offer academic programs in Arabic, and with associations and centers interested in teaching and spreading the Arabic language in China, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Thursday.

KSGAAL Secretary-General Dr. Abdullah bin Saleh Al-Washmi said the academy works actively to promote the Arabic language, including through this program that will raise the academy profile and strive to teach Arabic foreign speakers, and train teachers and improve their teaching competencies.

The academy, in cooperation with Beijing Language and Culture University, is scheduled to hold a scientific competition targeting Arabic language learners, for three categories: recitation, storytelling, and Arabic calligraphy.

The program lasts for four weeks, three in Beijing and one in Shanghai, and as part of it, a scientific symposium and two discussion panels will be held, scientific visits will be conducted, as will four training courses for teachers, aimed at developing language proficiency skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing), all focusing on employing active strategies in teaching Arabic as a second language.

The Arabic Language Month in China program is part of the "Scientific Programs on Arabic Language Teaching" project supervised by the KSGAAL. Several editions of the program have been implemented in several countries, such as India, Brazil, Uzbekistan, and Indonesia. The academy continues to offer this program as part of its international work at linguistic and cultural levels.

Also on Thursday, the Saudi Ministry of Culture announced the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Award for Cultural Cooperation between Saudi Arabia and China at the King Abdulaziz Public Library branch in Beijing.

The award will foster creative cooperation and further the cultural dialogue between Saudi Arabia and China by introducing the achievements of the two countries to the academic, cultural, media, literary, and artistic communities.

It recognizes the contribution of Chinese and Saudi researchers, artists, linguists, and translators, and offers a grant to winners to support their work. It is bound to enhance collaboration and shared creative production as well.

Following the announcement, Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Badr and Peking University President Gong Qihuang met to emphasize the university’s pivotal role in furthering cultural collaboration between Saudi Arabia and China.

Prince Bader said: “The Prince Mohammed bin Salman Cultural Cooperation Award is a fundamental pillar for building cultural bridges and boosting ties between China and Saudi Arabia through the arts, literature, and academic research.”

“I am delighted to announce the commencement of the awards, which will celebrate the cultural heritage of our two countries and pave the way for ongoing partnership, encouraging a deeper appreciation and understanding,” he added.

The Prince Mohammed bin Salman Cultural Cooperation Award consists of four main categories: Cultural research and studies, including intellectual, literary, historical, artistic, and social research; artistic and creative works, including literature, visual and musical arts, short films, and technical or scientific creativity; Translations between the two languages, Including ISBN-identified works in the fields of culture, history, literature, and the arts; and the cultural personality of the year, given to one individual from each country who has made an outstanding contribution to culture through creativity, knowledge, and leadership.

Additional categories -- Young Researcher, Young Creator, and Young Translator -- are designed to encourage young Saudi and Chinese people to engage in cross-cultural communication.

Nominations are accepted from Saudi and Chinese individuals and government, private, and non-profit institutions. They can be submitted by completing the nomination form, which will be available on the award website.

The Prince Mohammed bin Salman Cultural Cooperation Award will culminate in an annual ceremony celebrating the two nations' shared cultural talent and the winners in each category.


US Changes How It Categorizes People by Race and Ethnicity in First Revision in 27 Years

An envelope containing a 2020 census letter mailed to a US resident is seen, April 5, 2020, in Detroit. (AP)
An envelope containing a 2020 census letter mailed to a US resident is seen, April 5, 2020, in Detroit. (AP)
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US Changes How It Categorizes People by Race and Ethnicity in First Revision in 27 Years

An envelope containing a 2020 census letter mailed to a US resident is seen, April 5, 2020, in Detroit. (AP)
An envelope containing a 2020 census letter mailed to a US resident is seen, April 5, 2020, in Detroit. (AP)

For the first time in 27 years, the U.S. government is changing how it categorizes people by race and ethnicity, an effort that federal officials believe will more accurately count residents who identify as Hispanic and of Middle Eastern and North African heritage.

The revisions to the minimum categories on race and ethnicity, announced Thursday by the Office of Management and Budget, are the latest effort to label and define the people of the United States. This evolving process often reflects changes in social attitudes and immigration, as well as a wish for people in an increasingly diverse society to see themselves in the numbers produced by the federal government.

"You can’t underestimate the emotional impact this has on people," said Meeta Anand, senior director for Census & Data Equity at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. "It’s how we conceive ourselves as a society. ... You are seeing a desire for people to want to self-identify and be reflected in data so they can tell their own stories."

Under the revisions, questions about race and ethnicity that previously were asked separately on forms will be combined into a single question. That will give respondents the option to pick multiple categories at the same time, such as "Black," "American Indian" and "Hispanic." Research has shown that large numbers of Hispanic people aren't sure how to answer the race question when that question is asked separately because they understand race and ethnicity to be similar and they often pick "some other race" or do not answer the question.

A Middle Eastern and North African category will be added to the choices available for questions about race and ethnicity. People descended from places such as Lebanon, Iran, Egypt and Syria had been encouraged to identify as white, but now will have the option of identifying themselves in the new group. Results from the 2020 census, which asked respondents to elaborate on their backgrounds, suggest that 3.5 million residents identify as Middle Eastern and North African.

"It feels good to be seen," said Florida state Rep. Anna Eskamani, a Democrat from Orlando whose parents are from Iran. "Growing up, my family would check the ‘white’ box because we didn’t know what other box reflected our family. Having representation like that, it feels meaningful."

The changes also strike from federal forms the words "Negro" and "Far East," now widely regarded as pejorative, as well as the terms "majority" and "minority," because they fail to reflect the nation’s complex racial and ethnic diversity, some officials say. The revisions also encourage the collection of detailed race and ethnicity data beyond the minimum standards, such as "Haitian" or "Jamaican" for someone who checks "Black."

The changes to the standards were hammered out over two years by a group of federal statisticians and bureaucrats who prefer to stay above the political fray. But the revisions have long-term implications for legislative redistricting, civil rights laws, health statistics, and possibly even politics as the number of people categorized as white is reduced.

Donald Trump, the presumptive GOP nominee for president, recently alluded to arguments made by people who allege Democrats are promoting illegal immigration to weaken the power of white people. As president, Trump unsuccessfully tried to disqualify people who were in the United States illegally from being included in the 2020 census.

Momentum for changing the race and ethnicity categories grew during the Obama administration in the mid-2010s, but was halted after Trump became president in 2017. It was revived after Democratic President Joe Biden took office in 2021.

The changes will be reflected in data collection, forms, surveys and the once-a-decade census questionnaires put out by the federal government, as well as in state governments and the private sector because businesses, universities and other groups usually follow Washington's lead. Federal agencies have 18 months to submit a plan on how they will put the changes in place.

The first federal standards on race and ethnicity were produced in 1977 to provide consistent data across agencies and come up with figures that could help enforce civil rights laws. They were last updated in 1997 when five minimum race categories were delineated — American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander and white; respondents could pick more than one race. The minimum ethnic categories were grouped separately as not Hispanic or Hispanic or Latino.

The interagency group that worked on the latest revisions noted that categories are sociopolitical constructs, and race and ethnicity are not defined biologically or genetically.

Racial and ethnic categories used by the US government reflect their times.

In 1820, the category "Free Colored People" was added to the decennial census to reflect the increase in free Black people. In 1850, the term "Mulatto" was added to the census to capture people of mixed heritage. American Indians were not explicitly counted in the census until 1860. Following years of immigration from China, "Chinese" was included in the 1870 census. There was not a formal question about Hispanic origin until the 1980 census.

Not everyone is on board with the latest revisions.

Some Afro Latinos feel that combining the race and ethnicity question will reduce their numbers and representation in the data, though previous research by the US Census Bureau did not find significant differences among Afro Latino responses when the questions were asked separately or together.

Mozelle Ortiz, for instance, is of mixed Afro Puerto Rican descent. She feels the changes could eliminate that identity, even though people can choose more than one answer once the race and ethnicity questions are combined.

"My entire lineage, that of my Black Puerto Rican grandmother’s and all other non-white Spanish speaking peoples, will be erased," Ortiz wrote the interagency group.

Others are unhappy about how some groups of people such as Armenians or Arabs from Sudan and Somalia were not included in the examples used to define people of Middle Eastern or North African background.

Maya Berry, executive director of the Arab American Institute, said that while she was "incredibly happy" with the new category, that enthusiasm was tempered by the omissions.

"It is not reflective of the racial diversity of our community," Berry said. "And it’s wrong."


Ramadan Traditions in Northern Saudi Arabia Reflect a Time of Community, Sharing, and Faith

Saleh Al-Mutlaq, an 82-year-old resident of Hail, paints a vivid picture of Ramadan in his youth. (SPA)
Saleh Al-Mutlaq, an 82-year-old resident of Hail, paints a vivid picture of Ramadan in his youth. (SPA)
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Ramadan Traditions in Northern Saudi Arabia Reflect a Time of Community, Sharing, and Faith

Saleh Al-Mutlaq, an 82-year-old resident of Hail, paints a vivid picture of Ramadan in his youth. (SPA)
Saleh Al-Mutlaq, an 82-year-old resident of Hail, paints a vivid picture of Ramadan in his youth. (SPA)

Saleh Al-Mutlaq, an 82-year-old resident of Hail, paints a vivid picture of Ramadan in his youth. His memories highlight the importance of community, sharing, and faith that permeated the holy month, the Saudi Press Agency said on Thursday.
One tradition involved gathering near the neighborhood mosque every Friday night for a potluck meal. This custom, fostering a spirit of togetherness, ensured that everyone shared in the bounty of Ramadan.
The "dinner of the parents," held on the 27th night of Ramadan, exemplifies the emphasis placed on family bonds. This tradition, passed down from Al-Mutlaq's father, highlights the importance of strengthening connections within the community.
Checking on neighbors, especially those in need, was another custom. People readily offered food and financial assistance, reinforcing a sense of mutual support and compassion.
Before the advent of radio, the booming cannon from A'arif Fort announced the start of Ramadan with nine shots. This unique tradition added a special touch to the beginning and end of the holy month, with nine shots marking Eid al-Fitr as well.
Religious practices were central to the Ramadan experience. People gathered at mosques for Quran recitation, lectures, and night prayers.
Mornings were spent working on farms or at the markets, showcasing the dedication to faith alongside daily routines.
Al-Mutlaq's memories serve as a valuable reminder of the rich tapestry of traditions that once defined Ramadan in Hail. These cherished practices are a vital part of the country's heritage, to be passed onto future generations.


Saudi Arabia and China Strengthen Cultural Cooperation

The MoU outlines a comprehensive framework for cooperation, emphasizing the exchange of experiences, policies, and programs to bolster mutual understanding and appreciation. (SPA)
The MoU outlines a comprehensive framework for cooperation, emphasizing the exchange of experiences, policies, and programs to bolster mutual understanding and appreciation. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia and China Strengthen Cultural Cooperation

The MoU outlines a comprehensive framework for cooperation, emphasizing the exchange of experiences, policies, and programs to bolster mutual understanding and appreciation. (SPA)
The MoU outlines a comprehensive framework for cooperation, emphasizing the exchange of experiences, policies, and programs to bolster mutual understanding and appreciation. (SPA)

Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al-Saud and China’s Minister of Culture and Tourism Sun Yeli signed a memorandum of understanding to boost cultural cooperation, strengthening the distinguished relations between the two countries.

Signed in Beijing, the agreement aims to deepen collaboration in various cultural sectors, including museums, cultural heritage, performing and visual arts, traditional crafts, and Chinese cultural entities, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Wednesday.

The MoU outlines a comprehensive framework for cooperation, emphasizing the exchange of experiences, policies, and programs to bolster mutual understanding and appreciation.

Both parties are committed to facilitating cultural exchanges, participating in joint festivals and events, and collaborating on artist residency programs to encourage creative exchange and preserve cultural diversity.

The new partnership signifies the shared commitment to preserving, celebrating, and fostering a deeper understanding of the respective cultures. Saudi Arabia and China will enrich the cultural landscape and strengthen cultural ties by working together in areas such as preserving heritage and furthering artistic innovation.

The MoU also emphasizes cooperation in the digital cultural industry, encouraging dialogue, experiential knowledge exchange, and collaboration between institutions and professionals from both countries.

Additionally, it underscores measures to prevent the illegal import, export, and trafficking of works of art, reflecting a mutual dedication to safeguarding cultural treasures.


Beijingers Play Fetch with Migratory Birds in Traditional Game 

Xie Yufeng, a 39-year-old cook, opens his hand for a bird to return after throwing it into the air to catch a bead shot up, as they practice a Beijing tradition that dates back to the Qing Dynasty, outside a stadium in Beijing, Tuesday, March 26, 2024. (AP)
Xie Yufeng, a 39-year-old cook, opens his hand for a bird to return after throwing it into the air to catch a bead shot up, as they practice a Beijing tradition that dates back to the Qing Dynasty, outside a stadium in Beijing, Tuesday, March 26, 2024. (AP)
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Beijingers Play Fetch with Migratory Birds in Traditional Game 

Xie Yufeng, a 39-year-old cook, opens his hand for a bird to return after throwing it into the air to catch a bead shot up, as they practice a Beijing tradition that dates back to the Qing Dynasty, outside a stadium in Beijing, Tuesday, March 26, 2024. (AP)
Xie Yufeng, a 39-year-old cook, opens his hand for a bird to return after throwing it into the air to catch a bead shot up, as they practice a Beijing tradition that dates back to the Qing Dynasty, outside a stadium in Beijing, Tuesday, March 26, 2024. (AP)

Passersby in Beijing during winter or early spring might happen upon groups of locals playing fetch with birds. The players blow plastic beads into the air through carbon tubes for the birds — often from the migratory wutong species — to catch and return, in exchange for a treat.

It’s a Beijing tradition dating back to the Qing Dynasty, which ruled between the 17th century and early 20th century. Today, only about 50 to 60 people in Beijing are believed to still practice it.

Xie Yufeng, a 39-year-old cook, is one of them. On Tuesday late afternoon, Xie gathered with a few friends near Workers’ Stadium, where locals often congregate in the evenings to dance in tandem, practice tai chi or play the Chinese yo-yo.

Xie and his friends brought along their winged playmates — most of them wutong birds, with their distinctive yellow beaks and which fly southward from China’s northeast to Beijing every fall to escape the bitter winter.

Domesticating the birds and training them for the bead-catching game may take four to five months, Xie said. Players teach the birds to fetch by first throwing seeds into the air, and later replacing them with plastic beads. Every time the birds retrieve the beads, they are rewarded with a snack. In the past, the beads were made of bone.

“In order to do this well, patience is the most important quality for a player,” Xie said.

The tradition is said to have taken root in the capital with the arrival of the Qing Dynasty, a Manchu group that took control of Beijing in the mid-1600s.

Manchu nobles, living around the Forbidden City, are believed to have popularized catching and training birds as a pastime.

Today, residents of Beijing’s traditional alleyways, called hutong in Chinese, often still raise birds in cages and may even take the whole birdcages out for walks.

The wutong bird owners usually release them in late spring and allow them to migrate back to the northeast — only to catch or purchase new ones the following fall.


Paris 2024 to Install Olympic Flame Near Louvre

Tourists stand by a sign alerting on France's highest security level at the Louvre museum, Monday, March 25, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)
Tourists stand by a sign alerting on France's highest security level at the Louvre museum, Monday, March 25, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)
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Paris 2024 to Install Olympic Flame Near Louvre

Tourists stand by a sign alerting on France's highest security level at the Louvre museum, Monday, March 25, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)
Tourists stand by a sign alerting on France's highest security level at the Louvre museum, Monday, March 25, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

The Olympic flame will be installed in the Jardin des Tuileries, a stone's throw from the Louvre, after organisers abandoned the idea of the Eiffel Tower, a source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters.
Last week, French sports daily L'Equipe reported that the Jardin des Tuileries, on the bank of the Seine between the Louvre and the Place de la Concorde, was the heavy favorite to host the flame.
"The decision was made earlier this year," the source said.
Last year, organizers were hoping to install the flame at the Eiffel Tower.
Paris 2024 did not confirm the information when contacted by Reuters.


UAE’s FM: Culture Plays Important Role in Spreading Values of Coexistence

UAE’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan visited the National Museum in Prague. WAM
UAE’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan visited the National Museum in Prague. WAM
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UAE’s FM: Culture Plays Important Role in Spreading Values of Coexistence

UAE’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan visited the National Museum in Prague. WAM
UAE’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan visited the National Museum in Prague. WAM

UAE’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan has visited the National Museum in Prague on the sidelines of his official visit to the Czech Republic.

Sheikh Abdullah lauded on Tuesday the National Museum as a vibrant testament to the richness and diversity of the country's artistic and cultural movement.

“Culture and arts hold a mirror to their respective people, reflecting their nation's development and progress across all fields, and playing an important role in spreading the values of coexistence, tolerance, and human fraternity, which are the basic pillars for achieving comprehensive and sustainable development in societies,” he said.

He also praised the growing relations between the UAE and the Czech Republic, pointing to the importance of strengthening cooperation between the two countries in the cultural and artistic fields.

Sheikh Abdullah was accompanied during the visit by Saeed Mubarak Al Hajeri, Assistant Minister for Trade and Economic Affairs, and was welcomed upon arrival by the National Museum's General Director, Dr. Michal Lukeš.

During the visit, the UAE’s top diplomat toured the museum's sections and halls and viewed its diverse exhibits.

Sheikh Abdullah received an insightful explanation from Dr. Michal, who elaborated on the museum's centuries-old history, its crucial role in documenting the country's diverse past, and its dedication to highlighting the vibrant tapestry of Czech culture and its distinctive arts.


British Museum Obtains Court Order against Ex-curator over Alleged Thefts

People view examples of the Parthenon sculptures, sometimes referred to in the UK as the Elgin Marbles, on display at the British Museum in London, Britain, November 29, 2023. (Reuters)
People view examples of the Parthenon sculptures, sometimes referred to in the UK as the Elgin Marbles, on display at the British Museum in London, Britain, November 29, 2023. (Reuters)
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British Museum Obtains Court Order against Ex-curator over Alleged Thefts

People view examples of the Parthenon sculptures, sometimes referred to in the UK as the Elgin Marbles, on display at the British Museum in London, Britain, November 29, 2023. (Reuters)
People view examples of the Parthenon sculptures, sometimes referred to in the UK as the Elgin Marbles, on display at the British Museum in London, Britain, November 29, 2023. (Reuters)

A London court on Tuesday ordered a former curator at the British Museum accused of stealing hundreds of artefacts to provide the museum with a list of all items he is suspected of taking and to return those still in his possession.

The museum, one of the most visited in the world, reported in August that hundreds of items had been stolen from its collection or were missing, highlighting internal organizational failings and leading to the exit of its director.

Peter Higgs, the museum's curator of Ancient Greek collections and the acting head of the Greece and Rome department, was sacked after the alleged thefts came to light.

He is currently under police investigation but has not been charged. The British Museum has brought a civil lawsuit against Higgs and it said he had filed a defense which showed he intended to dispute the claim.

Higgs was not represented at the hearing at London's High Court on Tuesday, but lawyers acting for him in relation to the criminal investigation were present. They declined to comment.

The British Museum, which holds treasures such as the Rosetta Stone and the Parthenon marbles, has said the stolen items included gold rings, earrings and other pieces of jewellery dating back to ancient Greek and Roman periods.

The museum's lawyer Daniel Burgess said in court documents: "While the full extent of the thefts is unknown, it is presently believed that over 1,800 items were stolen or damaged and that many hundreds of them were sold or offered for sale by (Higgs)."

Burgess added that Higgs tried to "cover his tracks by, among other things, using false names, creating false documents and manipulating records held on the Museum's IT systems".

The British Museum has had 356 items returned so far, Burgess said.

Judge Heather Williams granted the museum an order requiring Higgs to return items he may still have and provide information about the whereabouts of missing items or their proceeds.


Makkah’s Old Neighborhoods Unite in Ramadan Spirit

A poignant depiction of solidarity and compassion in Makkah’s community during the blessed nights of Ramadan (Photo Credit: Ammar Al-Amir)
A poignant depiction of solidarity and compassion in Makkah’s community during the blessed nights of Ramadan (Photo Credit: Ammar Al-Amir)
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Makkah’s Old Neighborhoods Unite in Ramadan Spirit

A poignant depiction of solidarity and compassion in Makkah’s community during the blessed nights of Ramadan (Photo Credit: Ammar Al-Amir)
A poignant depiction of solidarity and compassion in Makkah’s community during the blessed nights of Ramadan (Photo Credit: Ammar Al-Amir)

In the ancient streets of Makkah, memories are cherished, gatherings thrive, and the air is filled with the scent of incense during Islam’s holy month of fasting, Ramadan.

As millions of Muslims flock to perform Umrah and spend time near the Grand Mosque, the people of Makkah experience a unique and enriching Ramadan atmosphere.

In the old neighborhoods of Makkah, memories abound for generations. They include traditional games that once brought solitary joy and Ramadan gatherings filled with warmth, generosity, and kindness.

Some of these traditions have endured for years, like locals opening their doors to the needy. From lively street decorations to the scent of incense wafting through the alleys, these customs have become part of daily life in Makkah’s community.

In some of Makkah’s old neighborhoods, cherished Ramadan traditions endure year after year.

Hadi Al-Omari, a thirty-year-old resident living near the Grand Mosque, recalls how these community gatherings have been a regular part of Ramadan, except for a brief hiatus during the coronavirus pandemic.

“After the pandemic, loved ones from all generations reunited to reminisce,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat, stressing that Ramadan was a special time observed in Makkah.

At the start of the month of Ramadan, Makkah’s streets and neighborhoods light up with colorful decorations. The lively atmosphere, especially during busy times, fills the streets, while areas close to the Grand Mosque resonate with the sound of prayers, bringing a sense of calm.

During Ramadan nights, Makkah transforms with stalls selling traditional foods, popular sweets, and drinks perfect for late-night gatherings.

One such favorite is “Soubiya,” a barley-based drink, offered in red and white varieties, with some made using dry bread crumbs.

For over 50 years, shops like “Uncle Saeed Khudari” have been serving these delights in Makkah.

Ahmad Hawiyan, who has experienced seventy Ramadan seasons in Makkah’s neighborhoods, talks about the social aspect of the holy month.

He observes changes in traditional life but emphasizes that Ramadan’s essence remains unchanged, uplifting souls with its splendor.

“Makkah is the center for Muslims, a place where hearts find solace,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat.

“Living near the holiest sites on Earth, Ramadan brings us unforgettable memories. Each generation learns love, compassion, and generosity during this blessed month,” he added.

Regarding guests staying in hotels within Makkah’s ancient neighborhoods, Hawiyan said: “Seeing them arrive during these blessed days, we feel they are neighbors and family.”

“We rejoice as they walk to mosques, knowing they're safe and secure in Saudi Arabia, the Muslim world’s focal point,” stressed Hawiyan.