Jeddah’s Red Sea Museum Announces January Cultural Program

The program's themes span traditional architecture, historical photography, music, travel literature, and the history of navigation and public health in the Red Sea. (SPA)
The program's themes span traditional architecture, historical photography, music, travel literature, and the history of navigation and public health in the Red Sea. (SPA)
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Jeddah’s Red Sea Museum Announces January Cultural Program

The program's themes span traditional architecture, historical photography, music, travel literature, and the history of navigation and public health in the Red Sea. (SPA)
The program's themes span traditional architecture, historical photography, music, travel literature, and the history of navigation and public health in the Red Sea. (SPA)

Jeddah's Red Sea Museum announced the launch of its public program for January 2026, featuring a series of artistic workshops, cultural talks, live performances, and family activities. The program aims to connect the Red Sea's cultural heritage with contemporary creative practices, catering to various segments of society.

The program's themes span traditional architecture, historical photography, music, travel literature, and the history of navigation and public health in the Red Sea. These activities are presented through a cultural and educational agenda held across the museum's facilities and venues in Historic Jeddah.

The program begins on Tuesday, with a workshop titled "Junior Cartographers" in the Discovery Room, where children aged 6 to 12 will explore the art of mapmaking and the fundamentals of navigation through an engaging, interactive approach. On January 15, the "Alchemy of Light: Albumen Prints" workshop will be held at the auditorium, highlighting the historical albumen printing technique using egg whites and silver salts, and exploring 19th-century photography aesthetics through a contemporary perspective.

On January 17, a talk about Historic Jeddah will discuss traditional architecture and its relationship to heritage and modernity. This will be followed on January 18, by the "Navigation from Past to Present" workshop at the auditorium, offering an interactive experience that explores the evolution of navigation methods through hands-on artistic and practical activities.

On January 22, the program includes the screening of the animated film "The Menace from Above" at the auditorium. Later that evening, Bab Al-Bunt Courtyard will host the Al Nour Wal Amal Orchestra, the world's only musical ensemble composed entirely of blind female musicians who perform using Braille musical notation, in a performance celebrating art, resilience, and diversity.

On January 23, an artist talk titled "The Gate of Gates" will be held in Historic Jeddah, documenting the transformations of the Bab Al-Bunt building and the human stories connected to this historic space. On January 28, the auditorium will host a talk titled "Encounters: Travel Literature," exploring journeys to Andalusia and Sicily and how Islamic heritage continues to live on through people and places.

The program concludes on January 31, with a lecture examining the development of quarantine systems and public health monitoring in the Red Sea, highlighting the historical role of Bab Al-Bunt as a quarantine center for pilgrims.

The Red Sea Museum's activities serve as a cultural and knowledge platform dedicated to documenting the Red Sea's tangible, intangible, and natural heritage, and presenting it through educational and interactive programs that foster dialogue between the past and the present, linking heritage with contemporary creative contexts from its headquarters in Historic Jeddah.



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.


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.


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.