Culture

Thousands Greet the Winter Solstice at the Ancient Stonehenge Monument

Culture A person holds up a smart phone as they wait for sunrise during the winter Solstice celebrations at Stonehenge, England, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Anthony Upton)

Thousands Greet the Winter Solstice at the Ancient Stonehenge Monument

Thousands of tourists, pagans, druids and people simply yearning for the promise of spring marked the dawn of the shortest day of the year at the ancient…

Asharq Al Awsat
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 The UNESCO logo is seen during the opening of the 39th session of the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization at their headquarters in Paris, France, Oct. 30, 2017. Reuters

Arab Week at UNESCO Strengthens Saudi Arabia's Position in Cultural Dialogue

The Arab Week will open on Monday at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) headquarters in Paris. The event plays a…

Asharq Al Awsat (Paris)
Culture A student sits beneath packed shelves at the Hazrat Shah Waliullah public library - AFP

Fading Literature: Delhi's Famed Urdu Bazaar on Last Legs

In the bustling heart of Old Delhi, Indian bookseller Mohammed Mahfooz Alam sits forlorn in his quiet store, among the last few selling literature in a…

Asharq Al Awsat
Culture The discovery is proof of the Kingdom's commitment to safeguarding its cultural and historical heritage, as well as its desire to exchange knowledge and experience with the international community. (SPA)

Archaeological Town from Bronze Age Discovered at Saudi Arabia’s Khaybar Oasis

The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) announced that archaeologists discovered a Bronze Age town in the Khaybar Oasis, in northwestern Saudi Arabia. The…

Culture Misk Announces Annual Creative Forum 2024

Misk Announces Annual Creative Forum 2024

Saudi Arabia’s Misk Art Institute, an affiliate of the Mohammed bin Salman Foundation (Misk), announced its annual Creative Forum 2024, which will take place…

Culture Saudi Arabia's King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language (KSGAAL) concluded its Arabic Language Month program in France on Friday. (SPA)

Saudi KSGAAL Concludes Arabic Language Program in France

Saudi Arabia's King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language (KSGAAL) concluded its Arabic Language Month program in France on Friday. The program began…

Culture Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted an area on the outskirts of the eastern Lebanese city of Baalbek in the Bekaa valley on October 31, 2024. (AFP)

UN Rights Office Warns of Israel’s Threat to Baalbek, Other Archaeological Sites in Lebanon

The UN Human Rights Office on Friday expressed alarm over “the continuing grave impact” of Israeli military operations on civilians and civilian targets in…

Culture  A small pool is seen in front of the Trevi Fountain to allow tourists to throw their coins in it, as the fountain has been emptied to undergo maintenance work that will last until around September 2025, in Rome, Friday, Nov. 1, 2024. (AP)

Tourists Toss Coins over a Makeshift Pool as Rome’s Trevi Fountain Undergoes Maintenance

Tourists eager to return to the Eternal City are being forced to toss coins over a plastic barrier and into a small makeshift pool in front of Rome’s Trevi…

Culture The King Abdulaziz Public Library branch at Beijing University hosted a series of cultural events in October. SPA

King Abdulaziz Library Branch at Beijing University Enhances Arab-Chinese Cultural Interaction

The King Abdulaziz Public Library branch at Beijing University hosted a series of cultural events in October aimed at enhancing cooperation and communication…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Culture The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat

Saudi Arabia, France Discuss Boosting Cultural Cooperation

Saudi Assistant Minister of Culture Rakan bin Ibrahim Al-Touq has met with French Ambassador to the Kingdom Patrick Maisonnave to discuss boosting cultural…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Culture Held in the Mleiha Desert, Sharjah, this event will feature three days of artistic and cultural activities. WAM

Tanweer Festival in UAE to Showcase Diverse Cultural Expressions

The three-day Tanweer Festival 2024, themed "Timeless Echoes of Love and Light," will bring an immersive cultural gathering to the UAE on November 22, Emirates…

Asharq Al Awsat
Culture  This handout photo provided by Apsaras National Authority shows a centuries-old sandstone statue being measured at Angkor Thom in Cambodia, Oct. 24, 2024. (Phouk Chea/Apsaras National Authority via AP)

Cambodian Archaeologists Discover a Dozen Centuries-Old Sandstone Statues at Angkor UNESCO Site

Archaeologists in Cambodia have unearthed a dozen centuries-old sandstone statues in a “remarkable discovery” at the Angkor World Heritage Site near the city…

Culture The library's stamp collection comprises 13,000 stamps, including rare specimens issued during the reign of King Abdulaziz Al Saud. SPA

Saudi Arabia’s King Abdulaziz Public Library Showcases Rare Stamp Collection

The King Abdulaziz Public Library in Riyadh has revealed a rare collection of postage stamps that chronicle contemporary Saudi history. The collection spans…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Culture The inaugural Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial will feature over 70 UAE-based and international artists. WAM

Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial to Launch on November 15

The inaugural Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial will commence on November 15, featuring over 70 UAE-based and international artists who will present site-specific…

Asharq Al Awsat (Abu Dhabi)
Culture The kiswa covering the Kaaba in the Holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)

Kaaba Kiswa Calligrapher Wins First Place at Cairo International Arabic Calligraphy Forum

Abdulrahman bin Abdullah Al-Maliki, a distinguished calligrapher from the King Abdulaziz Complex for Holy Kaaba Kiswa, has won first place at the Cairo…

Culture ‘Pyramid Trail’ attracts visitors at Egypt Zone in Boulevard World

'Pyramid Trail' Attracts Visitors at Egypt Zone in Boulevard World

In the midst of the Riyadh season 2024 events, the Egypt zone in Boulevard World offers an unprecedented adventure: visitors are ushered into the "pyramid…

Asharq Al Awsat
Culture The birthplace of the Polish composer Frederic Chopin, May 7, 2010 in Wola, near Warsaw. (AFP)

Chopin Waltz Unearthed after 200 Years

An unknown waltz by Chopin, written nearly 200 years ago, has been discovered in the vault of the Morgan Library and Museum in New York. The score, on a…

Culture A large crowd of tourists walks through Bukchon Hanok Village in Seoul, South Korea, October 25, 2024. (Reuters)

Will a Curfew Ease Overtourism in Seoul’s Historic Hanok Village?

Kwon Young-doo, owner of a private art gallery in Seoul's historic Bukchon Hanok Village, is concerned about an impending curfew policy aimed at mitigating…

Culture As part of this initiative, ten Emirati artists participated in a cultural journey exploring the diverse artistic practices displayed at the Venice Biennale - Photo by WAM

Dubai Culture Concludes 'Emirati Creatives in Venice Program'

Dubai Culture has successfully concluded its ‘Emirati Creatives in Venice Program,’ aimed at showcasing Emirati talent on the global stage and promoting…

Asharq Al Awsat
Culture Smoke billows from the site of an Israeli airstrike on the Lebanese city of Baalbek in the Bekaa valley on September 23, 2024, behind the ancient Roman ruins and the six columns that remain standing at the Temple of Jupiter. (AFP)

War Casts Shadow over Lebanon’s Ancient Baalbek

Since war erupted between Israel and Hezbollah, the famed Palmyra Hotel in east Lebanon's Baalbek has been without visitors, but long-time employee Rabih…

Culture Saudi Heritage Commission Approves 500 Sites in Urban Heritage Register

Saudi Heritage Commission Approves 500 Sites in Urban Heritage Register

The Saudi Heritage Commission announced on Sunday the approval of the registration and classification of 500 new sites in the urban heritage register, bringing…

Culture The House of Poetry in Marrakesh is set to host a three-day event presenting more than 30 Moroccan poets, artists, and intellectuals. WAM

Marrakesh Hosts 6th Moroccan Poetry Festival

The sixth edition of the Moroccan Poetry Festival was inaugurated on Friday evening in Marrakesh, under the patronage of Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al…

Asharq Al Awsat
Culture Smoke billows during air strikes in central Khartoum as the Sudanese army attacks positions held by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) throughout the Sudanese capital on October 12, 2024. (Photo by AFP)

Britain Funding Sudanese Activists to Hide Sudan’s National Treasures

The British Council is using a £1.8 million ($2.3 million) grant to help prevent the pillaging of Sudan’s national museums during its ongoing civil war,…

Asharq Al Awsat (London)
Culture The Museum of Modern Art in the Polish capital is seen on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Warsaw, Poland. (AP)

Warsaw Opens a New Modern Art Museum as It Tries to Leave Poland’s Communist Legacy Behind

A modern art museum designed by American architect Thomas Phifer opens its doors in the Polish capital Friday — a minimalist, light-filled structure that is…

Culture 'Taste of Saudi Culture' Event in Japan to Highlight Rich Saudi Culinary Culture

'Taste of Saudi Culture' Event in Japan to Highlight Rich Saudi Culinary Culture

The Culinary Arts Commission will host the Taste of Saudi Culture event in Tokyo, Japan, from November 8 to 10 to showcase the rich culinary culture of Saudi…

Asharq Al Awsat