SCTNH to promote fine arts on tourism, heritage & culture

Reiterating its commitment for the promotion of tourism in the Kingdom, the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTNH) said it would support and finance exhibitions and events related to fine arts on Saudi tourism, heritage and culture.

To this end, the SCTNH signed a cooperation agreement with a leading charity organization, “Beautiful Society.” It said that arts and heritage are the main components of national identity.
“The SCTNH is responsible for some of the important parts of them and seeks, through a number of initiatives, to promote citizenship among the sons and daughters of the Kingdom, supporting and financing their fine arts,” a spokesman of the tourism commission said here on Friday.
He said the agreement was signed by SCTNH President Prince Sultan bin Salman and Mohammad Abdul Lateef Jameel, chairman of Abdul Lateef Jameel social and charitable organization, on behalf of Beautiful Society.

Commenting on the agreement, the SCTNH president said, “I am glad to cooperate with this group that offers to homeland some of the solemn acts. Undoubtedly, we attach great importance to cooperation with distinguished social events in various fields, including cultural tourism.”
He said that Beautiful Society is one of the distinctive and professional institutions and this is what I always look forward to in our partners.
Prince Sultan underlined that cultural tourism has emerged as a very important aspect and tourism ministers across the world have consented that cultural content should flow unrestricted through tourism services and events to reach the widest possible range of people, and not just the people concerned for cultural activities.

In a related development Prince Sultan visited the “Asalat Heraf” exhibition of Riyadh calligraphers, organized by the National Handicraft Program “Bari” in Al-Diriyah and said that attention and support toward Arabic calligraphy will be a major element in the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ Program for Caring of the Kingdom’s Cultural Heritage.
“We are paying great attention to enrooting Arabic calligraphy in our culture, making it a part of our exhibitions as this country is based on successive civilizations crowned by the Islamic civilization, which is rich in its cultures and arts. Calligraphy is one of its important arts, which is honored as the language of the Holy Qur’an,” he said.
He said the Kingdom should have its own Arabic calligraphy school without under-estimating other schools in Turkey, Egypt and Syria, as we have great and deep-rooted civilization in the Arabian peninsula.
“Arabic calligraphy is a special and genuine art and deserves to be given special priority without prejudice to other forms of modern arts that come from other cultures,” he added.