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Saudi Ministry of Culture Showcases Year of Handicrafts at Almadinah Book Fair 2025

Visitors are seen at the pavilion. (SPA)
Visitors are seen at the pavilion. (SPA)
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Saudi Ministry of Culture Showcases Year of Handicrafts at Almadinah Book Fair 2025

Visitors are seen at the pavilion. (SPA)
Visitors are seen at the pavilion. (SPA)

The Saudi Ministry of Culture is participating in the Almadinah Book Fair 2025 with a dedicated pavilion celebrating the "Year of Handicrafts 2025." The pavilion highlights the cultural significance of traditional crafts as a key pillar of Saudi Arabia’s national heritage and a reflection of its rich identity and historical depth.

Visitors to the pavilion are introduced to the goals of the Year of Handicrafts initiative, launched as part of the Ministry’s 2025 cultural agenda. The initiative underscores the Ministry’s recognition of handicrafts as a vibrant, living heritage that bridges past and present while embodying the creative and aesthetic values of Saudi culture.

The pavilion emphasizes several key objectives, including increasing public awareness of the value of handicraft products, showcasing the diversity of craft forms and tools, empowering Saudi artisans, and enhancing their contribution to the local economy. It also highlights the geographical diversity of crafts as an influential factor shaping production patterns across the Kingdom’s regions.

The pavilion underscores the social and economic importance of handicrafts, given their deep-rooted connection to daily life in Saudi society. Interactive platforms offer opportunities for engagement between artisans and local and international audiences, encouraging knowledge exchange and wider participation in preserving traditional industries.

This initiative aligns with the Ministry’s broader mission to protect and advance Saudi handicrafts in line with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, particularly those focused on cultural preservation and economic diversification.

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Culture

Qassim Region Principality Illuminated in Green in Celebration of Founding Day

The Qassim Region Principality illuminated in green marking Founding Day - SPA
The Qassim Region Principality illuminated in green marking Founding Day - SPA
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Qassim Region Principality Illuminated in Green in Celebration of Founding Day

The Qassim Region Principality illuminated in green marking Founding Day - SPA
The Qassim Region Principality illuminated in green marking Founding Day - SPA

The Qassim Region Principality building was illuminated in green in celebration of Founding Day.

The scene reflected pride in the historical roots of the Saudi state and embodied feelings of belonging on this cherished national occasion, SPA reported.

The illumination affirms the deep historical significance of Founding Day, marking 299 years since the establishment of the First Saudi State by Imam Mohammed bin Saud.

It also reflects the enduring principles upon which it was founded, including unity, stability, and state-building. These foundations culminate in the security, stability, and prosperity that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia enjoys today under its wise leadership.

Culture

Prince Mohammed bin Salman Project Restores Century-Old Uqlat Al-Suqur Mosque in Qassim

The renovation utilized traditional mud, stone, and wood to preserve the mosque's authentic Najdi architectural style. (SPA)
The renovation utilized traditional mud, stone, and wood to preserve the mosque's authentic Najdi architectural style. (SPA)
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Prince Mohammed bin Salman Project Restores Century-Old Uqlat Al-Suqur Mosque in Qassim

The renovation utilized traditional mud, stone, and wood to preserve the mosque's authentic Najdi architectural style. (SPA)
The renovation utilized traditional mud, stone, and wood to preserve the mosque's authentic Najdi architectural style. (SPA)

The Prince Mohammed bin Salman Project for the Development of Historical Mosques has completed the restoration of the Uqlat Al-Suqur Mosque in Qassim Region, revitalizing a heritage landmark dating back to 1922, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Saturday.

Originally the only mosque in the area, it served as a vital religious and social hub for education and community governance.

The renovation, executed by specialized Saudi firms, utilized traditional mud, stone, and wood to preserve its authentic Najdi architectural style.

The project increased the mosque's area to 544 square meters, expanding its capacity to 250 worshippers while maintaining its historical identity.

The initiative aligns with Vision 2030 to preserve the Kingdom's urban heritage and boost the cultural and religious significance of its historical mosques for future generations.

Culture

Tomb More Than 1,000 Years Old Found in Panama

This handout picture released by Panama’s Ministry of Culture shows an archaeologist working inside a pre-Hispanic tomb approximately 1,200 years old, discovered at the El Cano Archaeological Park in Cocle, Panama, on February 20, 2026. (Handout / Panama’s Ministry of Culture / AFP)
This handout picture released by Panama’s Ministry of Culture shows an archaeologist working inside a pre-Hispanic tomb approximately 1,200 years old, discovered at the El Cano Archaeological Park in Cocle, Panama, on February 20, 2026. (Handout / Panama’s Ministry of Culture / AFP)
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Tomb More Than 1,000 Years Old Found in Panama

This handout picture released by Panama’s Ministry of Culture shows an archaeologist working inside a pre-Hispanic tomb approximately 1,200 years old, discovered at the El Cano Archaeological Park in Cocle, Panama, on February 20, 2026. (Handout / Panama’s Ministry of Culture / AFP)
This handout picture released by Panama’s Ministry of Culture shows an archaeologist working inside a pre-Hispanic tomb approximately 1,200 years old, discovered at the El Cano Archaeological Park in Cocle, Panama, on February 20, 2026. (Handout / Panama’s Ministry of Culture / AFP)

Archaeologists have discovered a tomb more than a thousand years old in Panama containing human remains alongside gold and ceramic artifacts, the lead researcher told AFP on Friday.

The discovery was made at the El Cano site in the Nata district about 200 kilometers (124 miles) southwest of Panama City.

Scientists and archaeologists have already unearthed other remains of pre-Hispanic cultures in the region that has been excavated for two decades.

The skeletal remains were found surrounded by gold objects and pottery decorated with traditional motifs, pointing to these being "high-ranking" individuals, archaeologist Julia Mayo told AFP, adding that the tomb was built between 800 and 1000 AD.

"The individual with the gold was the one with the highest social status in the group," she said.

That body was found with two bracelets, two earrings, and pectoral jewelry that featured bats and crocodiles, she added.

The El Cano archaeological site is linked to the societies that inhabited the central provinces of Panama between the 8th and 11th centuries.

"This is where they buried their dead for 200 years," said Mayo.

Nine other tombs "similar" to the one found on Friday had already been found at the site, she added.

Panama's Ministry of Culture said the discovery was "of great importance for Panamanian archaeology and the study of pre-Hispanic societies of the Central American isthmus," referring to the land that connects North and South America.

According to experts, these excavations demonstrate that death did not represent an end for these societies, but a transition to another phase where social status remained important.