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UNESCO Member States Give Green Light to US Return

FILE PHOTO: A UNESCO sign is seen at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France, May 29, 2023. REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A UNESCO sign is seen at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France, May 29, 2023. REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq/File Photo
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UNESCO Member States Give Green Light to US Return

FILE PHOTO: A UNESCO sign is seen at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France, May 29, 2023. REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A UNESCO sign is seen at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France, May 29, 2023. REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq/File Photo

UNESCO's member states backed the United States' return to the United Nations' cultural organization almost five years after then-President Donald Trump ordered an American withdrawal, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Friday.
"I am encouraged and grateful that today the (UNESCO) membership accepted our proposal, which will allow the United States to take the next, formal steps toward fully rejoining the organization," Blinken said in a statement.
UNESCO - the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization - is best known for designating and protecting archaeological and heritage sites, from the Galapagos Islands to the tombs of Timbuktu, Reuters said.
Trump withdrew the US from the Paris-based organization in 2018 over accusations of anti-Israel bias and mismanagement. Most of UNESCO's activities are not controversial - but issues such as resolutions about how religious sites should be run in Jerusalem have been highly charged.
UNESCO's director-general, Audrey Azoulay, has said those issues were now a thing of the past after finding consensus between Israeli and Palestinians.
The US State Department indicated in a letter dated June 8 that it wanted to rejoin UNESCO in July as a full member and that it intended to repay $619 million in arrears in installments over several years.
The member states approved the US return at an extraordinary session this week, Blinken said on Friday.
The 2018 pullout by the United States - which had provided a fifth of UNESCO's funding - threw the organization into turmoil.
Israel also pulled out of UNESCO following Washington's departure. At this stage, there are no negotiations for its return, Azoulay has said.
US law forbids Washington from funding UN bodies that have admitted Palestine as a full member. The American return to UNESCO was enabled after a waiver from Congress earlier this year, which will be in effect until the end of 2025.
UNESCO was founded in the ashes of World War Two to protect humanity's common cultural inheritance.

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Culture

Exhibits at King Abdulaziz Palace in Laynah Document Depth of Civilization in Arabian Peninsula

The piece reflects the precision of traditional craftsmanship and its associated social symbolism tied to strength and horsemanship - SPA
The piece reflects the precision of traditional craftsmanship and its associated social symbolism tied to strength and horsemanship - SPA
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Exhibits at King Abdulaziz Palace in Laynah Document Depth of Civilization in Arabian Peninsula

The piece reflects the precision of traditional craftsmanship and its associated social symbolism tied to strength and horsemanship - SPA
The piece reflects the precision of traditional craftsmanship and its associated social symbolism tied to strength and horsemanship - SPA

Heritage and historical exhibits at King Abdulaziz Palace in the historic village of Laynah highlight rich aspects of human history and environmental change in the Arabian Peninsula as part of the palace activation events organized by Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Nature Reserve Development Authority during the Darb Zubaida Winter Season.

The exhibits feature rare heritage and historical artifacts reflecting distant historical periods and carrying cultural and scientific significance that document lifestyles, living patterns, and environmental shifts witnessed in the region over the centuries, SPA reported.

Among the most notable pieces is a traditional rifle crafted from natural wood and fitted with a handwoven leather strap, historically used for hunting and protection.

The piece reflects the precision of traditional craftsmanship and its associated social symbolism tied to strength and horsemanship.

The Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Nature Reserve Development Authority stated that the palace welcomes visitors daily until February 15, from 3:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., as part of unified tourism programs aimed at organizing visitor flow and providing opportunities to explore historical sites in a safe and engaging environment that reflects the region’s identity and deep-rooted heritage.

Culture

Music Commission's Saudi Trouq Program Highlights Kingdom's Artistic Diversity

The tour is part of the Music Commission’s efforts to preserve musical heritage - SPA
The tour is part of the Music Commission’s efforts to preserve musical heritage - SPA
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Music Commission's Saudi Trouq Program Highlights Kingdom's Artistic Diversity

The tour is part of the Music Commission’s efforts to preserve musical heritage - SPA
The tour is part of the Music Commission’s efforts to preserve musical heritage - SPA

The Saudi Trouq program, dedicated to preserving the heritage of traditional music, has concluded its documentary tour covering five distinct musical genres.

The tour involved three major trips across cities and governorates, including Jeddah, Makkah, Madinah, Yanbu, Al-Ahsa, and Al-Qatif, during which the team carefully observed and recorded musical traditions within their dynamic cultural and social settings, SPA reported.

Through its extensive documentary tour, the program captured 160 recordings representing five musical genres across five locations in six regions, with the participation of 196 specialists and artists, including leading practitioners of Saudi music.

This tour is part of the Music Commission’s efforts to preserve musical heritage and ensure its transmission across generations through visual, audio, and written materials that serve as resources for researchers and students, highlighting the Kingdom’s cultural and artistic diversity.

Culture

Makkah's Holy Quran Museum Showcases Rare 9th Century Manuscript

The Holy Quran Museum is showcasing a rare quarter of the Holy Quran estimated to date back to the 15th century. (SPA)
The Holy Quran Museum is showcasing a rare quarter of the Holy Quran estimated to date back to the 15th century. (SPA)
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Makkah's Holy Quran Museum Showcases Rare 9th Century Manuscript

The Holy Quran Museum is showcasing a rare quarter of the Holy Quran estimated to date back to the 15th century. (SPA)
The Holy Quran Museum is showcasing a rare quarter of the Holy Quran estimated to date back to the 15th century. (SPA)

The Holy Quran Museum in Makkah's Hira Cultural District is showcasing a rare quarter of the Holy Quran, specifically part 25, estimated to date back to the 15th century, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Wednesday.

Written in the Levantine Naskh script, the manuscript is distinguished by its intricate decorations and exquisite gilding.

Preserved at the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, the exhibition is part of a collaborative effort to highlight Quranic treasures and rare manuscripts.