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Saudi Arabia Inscribes Cultural Practices Related to Taif Roses on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage List

The move reflects Saudi Arabia's commitment to preserving intangible cultural heritage, ensuring its sustainability, and passing it on to future generations - SPA
The move reflects Saudi Arabia's commitment to preserving intangible cultural heritage, ensuring its sustainability, and passing it on to future generations - SPA
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Saudi Arabia Inscribes Cultural Practices Related to Taif Roses on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage List

The move reflects Saudi Arabia's commitment to preserving intangible cultural heritage, ensuring its sustainability, and passing it on to future generations - SPA
The move reflects Saudi Arabia's commitment to preserving intangible cultural heritage, ensuring its sustainability, and passing it on to future generations - SPA

Saudi Minister of Culture and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Heritage Commission Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan announced that Saudi Arabia has successfully inscribed "the cultural practices related to Taif roses" on the United Nations Economic, Scientific and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO) Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Prince Badr stressed that the unlimited support provided by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to the Saudi cultural sector has significantly boosted the global presence of Saudi culture. This registration, he added, reflects Saudi Arabia's commitment to preserving intangible cultural heritage, ensuring its sustainability, and passing it on to future generations, SPA reported.
The Taif rose joins other elements of Saudi intangible cultural heritage inscribed on the list, including Alardah, Majlis, Arabic coffee, falconry, Al-Qatt Al-Asiri, date palm, Sadu weaving, Arabic calligraphy, Alheda'a, Khawlani coffee, metal engraving, and the Harees dish.
Taif roses are a vital cultural and social element intertwined with the lives of the people of Taif. Their cultivation, which spans centuries, and processing are integral to daily activities, deeply reflected in the region's social and traditional practices. Community members gather in the rose fields to partake in the harvest, creating an opportunity for social interaction and the intergenerational transfer of agricultural wisdom.
Taif rose products, particularly rose water and essential oils, play a key role in social events and local traditions. The annual Taif Rose Festival serves as a vibrant celebration where residents and visitors come together to honor this rich heritage, allowing the local community to showcase its products and host events that emphasize pride in cultural identity.
The inscription of the Taif rose with UNESCO underscores its significance as a cherished aspect of Saudi culture and contributes to a global understanding of the intricate connections between cultural heritage and social practices. It aligns with the Heritage Commission's commitment to preserving this cultural legacy and promoting international cultural exchange, a key objective of the National Strategy for Culture under the framework of the Kingdom's Vision 2030.

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Culture

Riyadh Art Unveils Tuwaiq Sculpture 2026

The exhibition site on Tahlia Street was strategically chosen for its historical legacy of innovation to provide a conceptual framework for the works. SPA
The exhibition site on Tahlia Street was strategically chosen for its historical legacy of innovation to provide a conceptual framework for the works. SPA
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Riyadh Art Unveils Tuwaiq Sculpture 2026

The exhibition site on Tahlia Street was strategically chosen for its historical legacy of innovation to provide a conceptual framework for the works. SPA
The exhibition site on Tahlia Street was strategically chosen for its historical legacy of innovation to provide a conceptual framework for the works. SPA

The Royal Commission for Riyadh City, via its Riyadh Art program, has launched the Tuwaiq Sculpture 2026 exhibition on Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Street (Tahlia).

Open to the public from February 9 to 22, the exhibition showcases 25 new artworks themed "Traces of What Will Be," exploring transformation and urban renewal.

The sculptures were crafted during a live phase from January 10 to February 5, during which artists from 18 countries used local stone and recycled metals, allowing the public to witness the creative process firsthand.

The exhibition site on Tahlia Street was strategically chosen for its historical legacy of innovation to provide a conceptual framework for the works.

Overseen by a panel of international experts, the exhibition serves as an interactive cultural platform featuring workshops and panel discussions to foster community engagement.

All 2026 pieces will join Riyadh Art's permanent collection, which has hosted over 170 artists since 2019 and already installed more than 60 sculptures across the city to integrate contemporary art into Riyadh's urban fabric.

Culture

Syrian Culture Minister Applauds Saudi Pavilion at Damascus Book Fair

The 2026 Damascus International Book Fair is held from February 6 to 16 - SPA
The 2026 Damascus International Book Fair is held from February 6 to 16 - SPA
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Syrian Culture Minister Applauds Saudi Pavilion at Damascus Book Fair

The 2026 Damascus International Book Fair is held from February 6 to 16 - SPA
The 2026 Damascus International Book Fair is held from February 6 to 16 - SPA

Syrian Minister of Culture Mohammed Yassin Saleh visited the Kingdom’s pavilion at the 2026 Damascus International Book Fair, held from February 6 to 16, where the Kingdom is serving as the Guest of Honor.

He commended the efforts of the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission in showcasing the rich diversity of the Saudi cultural and literary scene. The pavilion features exhibitions of manuscripts, a Saudi fashion corner, and archaeological replicas, SPA reported.

The minister reviewed the commission's Tarjim translation initiative and Saudi literature comics.

This participation at the 2026 Damascus International Book Fair showcases Saudi creativity and fosters cultural dialogue, supporting Saudi Vision 2030’s goals of knowledge exchange and cultural leadership.

Culture

Saudi Arabia, Syria Underline Depth of their Cultural Ties

Syrian President al-Sharaa receives the Saudi minister of culture and the accompanying delegation at the Conference Palace in Damascus on Thursday. (SPA)
Syrian President al-Sharaa receives the Saudi minister of culture and the accompanying delegation at the Conference Palace in Damascus on Thursday. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia, Syria Underline Depth of their Cultural Ties

Syrian President al-Sharaa receives the Saudi minister of culture and the accompanying delegation at the Conference Palace in Damascus on Thursday. (SPA)
Syrian President al-Sharaa receives the Saudi minister of culture and the accompanying delegation at the Conference Palace in Damascus on Thursday. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia and Syria underlined the strength of their cultural relationship during high-level meetings held in Damascus on Thursday, on the sidelines of the opening of the Damascus International Book Fair 2026, where the Kingdom is participating as guest of honor.

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa received Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan at the Conference Palace in the capital.

Earlier the same day, Prince Badr met with his Syrian counterpart, Minister of Culture Mohammad Yassin Saleh, during an official visit to attend the fair. T

he Saudi minister congratulated Syria on hosting the exhibition and expressed his wishes for continued prosperity, progress, and stability for the Syrian government and people.

Both meetings highlighted the depth of cultural relations between the two countries, the importance of expanding joint cultural cooperation across various fields, and the alignment of positions on issues of mutual interest in a way that serves both nations.

The Saudi delegation included senior officials and advisers, among them representatives from the Royal Court, the Ministry of Culture, and the King Abdulaziz Public Library, reflecting broad institutional engagement in the visit.

In the evening, Prince Badr attended the opening ceremony of the fair’s special session, held under the patronage and in the presence of al-Sharaa. The event drew wide official and cultural participation, including Arab ministers, political and intellectual figures, and a distinguished group of writers and cultural figures.

In a post on the X platform, Prince Badr thanked “our brothers in Syria for their generous hospitality and their efforts in organizing the Damascus International Book Fair.”

The minister also inaugurated the Kingdom’s pavilion at the fair in the presence of the Syrian minister of culture and the Qatari minister of culture.

Saudi Arabia’s guest-of-honor participation continues until Feb. 16 and reflects its growing prominence and leadership in the Arab and global cultural landscape.

This participation aligns with Saudi Vision 2030, which places culture at the heart of national development, viewing it as a space for dialogue, a bridge for civilizational communication, and a tool for strengthening ties among Arab peoples.

The Saudi Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission is leading the Kingdom’s participation, highlighting the development of the cultural sector and reaffirming the central role of books as carriers of knowledge and awareness.

The Saudi pavilion boasts a comprehensive cultural program featuring intellectual seminars, poetry evenings, a manuscript exhibition, traditional Saudi fashion displays, hospitality corners, archaeological replicas, and performing arts that express the depth of the Kingdom’s cultural heritage.

On the sidelines of the visit, Prince Badr, accompanied by Minister Saleh, toured the National Museum of Damascus, which houses rare artifacts spanning prehistoric eras, ancient Syrian civilizations, classical and Islamic periods, as well as traditional and modern art.