RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan met with his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad bin Jassim bin Hamad Al-Thani on Monday in Doha during his official visit to attend the opening of the Doha International Book Fair.
During the meeting, the two signed a memorandum of understanding to expand Saudi Arabia and Qatar’s cooperation in various cultural fields, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The MoU calls for the establishment of joint training programs, workshops, and seminars in the fields of heritage, architecture and design, museums, visual arts, theater and performing arts, literature, publishing and translation, fashion, culinary arts, and films.
It also outlines hosting exhibitions, lending artworks and artifacts to another, participating in festivals and carrying out joint strategic projects.
Under the agreement, the two parties will also develop art residencies between government and private agencies in the two countries, exchange experiences with preserving heritage and implementing UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization agreements.
Prince Badr said he appreciated the invitation for Saudi Arabia to be a guest of honor at the book fair, emphasizing the depth of the two countries’ relationship between the two countries.
The signing ceremony was attended by Saudi Ambassador to Qatar Prince Mansour bin Khalid bin Farhan, Assistant Minister of Culture Rakan bin Ibrahim Al-Touq, and Fahd bin Abdulrahman Al-Kanaan, undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture for International Cultural Relations.
The agreement and official visit are part of the Kingdom and Qatar’s efforts to develop areas of cooperation in numerous fields. It also reflects the Saudi Ministry of Culture’s eagerness to promote international cultural exchange as one of its strategic goals in line with Vision 2030.
