Culture

Syria's Aleppo Set for Revival Despite War Scars to its Heritage

Culture During the four years of fighting before Assad's forces recaptured Aleppo following a devastating siege, the city was virtually emptied - AFP

Syria's Aleppo Set for Revival Despite War Scars to its Heritage

The historic Baron Hotel in Syria's Aleppo is dilapidated and damaged by years of war but still standing and ready for a revival, much like the city itself. …

Asharq Al Awsat
Culture Winter at Tantora Festival begins in AlUla. (SPA)

Winter at Tantora Festival Begins in AlUla

This year's Winter at Tantora Festival opened Thursday in AlUla, celebrating the region's unique blend of art, culture, and heritage. The festival, part of…

Asharq Al Awsat
Culture Saudi National Museum Celebrates World Arabic Language Day with Interactive Events

Saudi National Museum Celebrates World Arabic Language Day with Interactive Events

The Saudi National Museum, in collaboration with the King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language (KSGAAL), will celebrate World Arabic Language Day on…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Culture The Common Ground festival began its first day with a diverse program celebrating Iraqi culture. SPA

Saudi Arabia Launches ‘Common Ground' Festival Celebrating Iraqi Culture

The Saudi Ministry of Culture on Wednesday launched the activities and programs of the "Common Ground" festival at Mega Studio in Boulevard City, Riyadh,…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Culture General view of hotels, banks and office buildings by the Nile River in Egypt, September 12, 2022. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh/File Photo

Arab League Celebrates World Arabic Language Day

The General Secretariat of the Arab League's Social Affairs Sector, Culture and Dialogue of Civilizations Department has celebrated the World Arabic Language…

Asharq Al Awsat (Cairo)

Culture King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language Launches Digital Toolkit

King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language Launches Digital Toolkit

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language released its digital toolkit under the theme "Proud of it”, as part of its preparations to…

Culture A previously unknown musical manuscript, possibly by Frederic Chopin, rests in a display case after it was discovered at The Morgan Library & Museum, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, in New York. (AP)

Has a Waltz Written by Composer Frederic Chopin Been Discovered in an NYC Museum?

The brooding waltz was carefully composed on a sheet of music roughly the size of an index card. The brief, moody number also bore an intriguing name, written…

Culture Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan visits the Kingdom's pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka on Monday. (SPA)

Saudi Minister of Culture Visits Kingdom’s Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka

Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, chairman of the steering committee for the Kingdom's participation in international expos,…

Culture The Saudi Minister of Culture met with Saudi scholarship students in the Manga Production Foundations Program at his residence in Tokyo on Saturday. SPA

Saudi Culture Minister Meets with Scholarship Students in Manga Production Program in Japan

Saudi Minister of Culture, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission (LPTC) Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin…

Asharq Al Awsat (Tokyo)
Culture The agreement, signed during Prince Bader’s official visit to Japan, represents a significant milestone in fostering cultural exchange. SPA

Saudi Arabia, Japan Strengthen Cultural Cooperation

Saudi Arabia and Japan have strengthened their commitment to cultural collaboration with the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) by Saudi Minister…

Asharq Al Awsat (Tokyo)
Culture A woman walks past a portrait of the leader of the American Indian Movement Russell Means, right, by American artist Andy Warhol, as she visits an exhibition titled Eye to Eye which showcases over 120 works by modern world artists as well as Iranian painters at Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, in Tehran, Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

Iran's Vast Collection of Western Art, Much Long Hidden, Re-Emerges Despite High Tensions With US

As Iran faces increasing tensions with the West and turmoil at home, a new exhibition at the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art is displaying Western artwork…

Asharq Al Awsat
Culture The competition featured 10 categories with intense rivalry among the finalists. WAM

Dubai Culture Celebrates Winners of 3rd Dubai Festival for Youth Music

Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) has crowned the winners of the third Dubai Festival for Youth Music during a ceremony hosted at Etihad Museum,…

Asharq Al Awsat (Dubai)
Culture The announcement was made during the second edition of the “Bashayer - Delivering our Future” annual event. (SPA)

Multi-Billion-Dollar Art Districts to Be Developed as Part of Diriyah Project in Saudi Arabia

Diriyah Company announced on Wednesday the details of two high-profile multi-billion-dollar educational and arts districts to be developed as part of the $63.2…

Culture Rene Magritte's "L'empire des lumières" is on display during a press preview for Christie's Fall 20/21 Marquee Week in New York, November 8, 2024. (AFP)

Magritte Painting Nets Auction Record of $121 Million

A painting by Rene Magritte shattered an auction record for the surrealist artist on Tuesday, selling for more than $121 million at Christie's in New York. …

Culture The award was presented during Dubai Culture’s participation in the 35th Arab Federation for Libraries and Information Conference held in Muscat. WAM

Dubai Public Library Honored with ‘Naseej Academy Library and Information Pioneers Award’

Dubai Public Library, managed by Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), has been honored with the ‘Naseej Academy Library and Information Pioneers…

Asharq Al Awsat (Dubai)
Culture A drone view of ready handmade pieces in Kouvdis’ family pottery workshop in Agios Stefanos village, near Mandamados on the Greek island of Lesbos, Greece, September 23, 2024. (Reuters)

Greek Potter Keeps Ancient Ways Alive, Wins UNESCO Recognition

In his seaside workshop on the Greek island of Lesbos, Nikos Kouvdis uses ancient techniques to create pottery pieces that have recently been honored with…

Culture Shuntaro Tanikawa, a Japanese poet and translator, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Tokyo, on May 25, 2022. (AP)

Japanese Poet Shuntaro Tanikawa, Master of Modern Free Verse, Dies at 92

Shuntaro Tanikawa, who pioneered modern Japanese poetry, poignant but conversational in its divergence from haiku and other traditions, has died. He was 92. …

Culture Rubble lies at the site of the historic “Al-Manshiya” building damaged in the aftermath of Israeli strikes, near the Roman ruins of Baalbek, in the eastern city of Baalbek, Lebanon November 7, 2024. (Reuters)

Threatened by Israeli Airstrikes, Lebanon’s Cultural Sites Get Increased Protection from UN

A specialized United Nations agency granted on Monday provisional enhanced protection to 34 cultural properties in Lebanon, including the World Heritage sites…

Culture The International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage in Conflict Areas (ALIPH) further enhanced the evening with a photographic exhibition showcasing its efforts to preserve heritage. - SPA

Saudi Ministry of Culture Celebrates Yemeni Orchestra in Riyadh

The Saudi Ministry of Culture, in collaboration with the Yemeni Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, hosted a cultural celebration of the Yemeni…

Asharq Al Awsat
Culture Photo by SPA

Culture Ministry, Human Resources Development Fund Launch Training Program for Cultural Scholarship Students

The Saudi Ministry of Culture, in collaboration with the Human Resources Development Fund (Hadaf), on Monday launched a training program for students of the…

Asharq Al Awsat
Culture Hasma Desert is increasingly popular among explorers. (SPA)

Hasma Desert is Increasingly Popular among Explorers

The Hasma Desert, nestled in the northwest of the Kingdom, is rapidly becoming a hidden gem for adventure seekers. Renowned for its striking landscapes, the…

Asharq Al Awsat
Culture File photo of Saudi flag/Asharq Al-Awsat

Saudi Culinary Arts Commission Announces 4th Edition of Feast Food Festival

The Saudi Culinary Arts Commission is organizing the fourth edition of the Saudi Feast Food Festival, which will take place at Abadi Aljohar Theater in Jeddah…

Asharq Al Awsat
Culture Saudi Arabia Launches Awareness Campaign on Cultural Significance of Museums

Saudi Arabia Launches Awareness Campaign on Cultural Significance of Museums

The Saudi Museums Commission announced the launch of “Telling Tomorrow’s Story” campaign, which aims at raising awareness of museums’ role in preserving…

Asharq Al Awsat
Culture Running from November 11 to 22, the initiative aims to strengthen educational collaboration between Saudi and Chinese institutions

Saudi Arabia’s King Abdulaziz University Hosts Chinese Students for Knowledge Exchange Program

King Abdulaziz University (KAU) is hosting a delegation of 23 students from the Chinese Language Department at Zhejiang International Studies University as…

Asharq Al Awsat (Jeddah)
Culture The historic Al-Qahira Castle in Taiz. Photo: X

US Embassy to Yemen Announces 2 Initiatives to Preserve the Country's Cultural Heritage

The US Embassy to Yemen has announced two significant initiatives dedicated to preserving and restoring Yemen’s invaluable cultural heritage. The Embassy…

Asharq Al Awsat (Aden)
Culture (From left to right) French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot, Chairman of the French Agency for the Development of AlUla (AfAlUla) Jean-Yves Le Drian, Saudi Minister of Culture and Governor of the Royal Commission for AlUla Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan and French Minister of Culture Rachida Dati. (SPA)

Second Meeting of Saudi-French Committee for AlUla Hopes to Deepen Partnership

The Saudi-French Ministerial committee of the Intergovernmental Agreement of April 2018 related to cultural, environmental, tourism, human and economic…

Culture Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al Saud has met in Paris with French Culture Rachida Dati. SPA

Saudi Arabia, France Discuss Potential for More Cultural Cooperation

Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al Saud has met in Paris with French Culture Rachida Dati to further cultural cooperation…

Asharq Al Awsat (Paris)
Culture UAE Minister of Culture Shaikh Salem bin Khalid Al Qassimi. WAM

UAE’s Salem Al Qassimi Stresses Culture’s Role in Sustainable Development

UAE Minister of Culture Shaikh Salem bin Khalid Al Qassimi emphasized the UAE's commitment to integrating culture into sustainable development and climate…

Asharq Al Awsat
Culture The damage following Israeli raids at the historic "Al-Manshiya" building near the Roman ruins of Baalbek, in the city of Baalbek, in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, 08 November 2024. (EPA)

Arab Tourism Organization Condemns Israeli Attacks on Lebanese Archaeological Sites

The Arab Tourism Organization condemned on Wednesday Israeli attacks on Lebanese heritage and archaeological sites, urging the international community to…