LONDON: In a packed schedule, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met political and religious leaders yesterday on the second full day of his landmark visit to Britain.
Following on from his first day, in which he had lunch with Queen Elizabeth II and met with Prime Minister Theresa May, the crown prince met with MPs and ministers as business leaders gathered from the two countries in the capital.
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, spiritual leader of the Anglican Communion of millions of Christians globally, received the crown prince at Lambeth Palace in central London, where the two talked for an hour.
“The crown prince made a strong commitment to promote the flourishing of those of different faith traditions, and to interfaith dialogue within the Kingdom and beyond,” a statement from Lambeth Palace said.
He also extended an invitation to the Archbishop to visit Saudi Arabia, senior sources at both the Saudi Embassy in the United Kingdom and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Arab News.
Earlier this week, Crown Prince Mohammed met Coptic Pope Tawadros II at Cairo’s largest cathedral, and invited Egypt’s Christians to visit Saudi Arabia.
He has said in interviews that he wants to return Saudi Arabia to “moderate Islam” that is open to the world and tolerant of other faiths.
Crown Prince Mohammed and the Archbishop viewed a selection of early texts from the Christian, Muslim and Jewish faiths, including fragments of a Qur’an manuscript found in a Birmingham University library in 2015, which are thought to be among the world’s oldest, Reuters reported.
“The Archbishop shared his concern about limits placed on Christian worship in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and highlighted the importance for leaders of all faiths to support freedom of religion or belief, drawing on the experience of the UK,” the statement said.
Welby also “voiced his distress” at the humanitarian situation in Yemen, where Iran-backed Houthi militias overthrew the internationally recognized government in 2014 sparking the conflict.
Saudi Arabia leads an Arab coalition supporting forces loyal to the president against the militias and their allies.
On Wednesday night, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said: “Iran is playing a destructive and dangerous role in Yemen and destabilizing the region.”
Speaking at a news conference with the Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir he said there had been “a British-Saudi agreement to control shipping lines in preparation for the opening of Yemeni ports.”
Al-Jubeir said that Saudi Arabia agreed with Britain “on the need to deter Iran and stop its support for terrorism.”
“We support the transitional process and the political dialogue in Yemen,” he added, stressing that “the war there was imposed on us.”
He pointed out that “the Houthis have rebuffed all attempts to reach a political solution in Yemen.”
The Saudi foreign minister affirmed the Kingdom’s continued humanitarian assistance to Yemen after the war.
Yesterday, the crown prince also met with Philip Hammond the treasury secretary and they discussed ways to improve economic cooperation between the two countries as well as opportunities that may arise from the implementation of the Vision 2030 plan to move the Saudi economy away from oil.
He also held talks with MPs from all parties and the heads heads of parliamentary committees for the armed forces, foreign affairs and intelligence.
Saudi crown prince meets with MPs and religious leaders
Saudi crown prince meets with MPs and religious leaders
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Orchestra celebrates soundtracks of popular video games at Saudi Arabia’s Ithra
- Concert features symphonic arrangements, in-game HD visuals
DHAHRAN: It is “game on” at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture after it opened its doors to an event on Thursday.
The orchestral performance, which is being held nightly at the Ithra Theater — with two shows scheduled for Friday — celebrates the soundtracks of popular video games and attempts to breathe new life into them.
The concert features symphonic arrangements paired with in-game HD visuals and exclusive concept art from popular titles such as League of Legends, Overwatch, Assassin’s Creed, and The Witcher 3.
Sergey Smbatyan, founder of the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra and the artistic director and principal conductor since 2005, was on hand to lend context and commentary between the scores on opening night.
He told the crowd before the show: “If you’re not a gamer, what I want you to do is to imagine that you’re in a museum — an art museum — but instead of a curator telling you about the images that you’re going to see on this huge screen, let these musicians tell you that exact story.
“Tonight there is no right time to clap; there is no wrong time to clap. If you hear something you like from these guys (gesturing to the orchestra behind him on stage), let us know.
“We're going to start off tonight with role-play games, or what are known as RPGs, where players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. The game is focused on interactive storytelling, decision-making and strategy.”
Dhahran resident Paul Blay took his two daughters Sylvia, 11, and Celeste, 10, to the show.
Blay, who is a father of six, told Arab News: “I get emails about Ithra events and saw this one and I thought it would be fun for me and the girls to go to. Like with anyone that you love, I shared the things I love with them.”
The Blay family moved to the Kingdom last year and were keen to attend an event that merged gaming with music.
Celeste told Arab News: “I really like video game music; the music is really pretty and I like listening to that. It is kind of what motivated me to come here. And, also, my dad likes video games.”
The older Blay sisters have both taken music lessons and play multiple instruments, including the piano, the harp and the clarinet.
Their father said: “Some of the best music that’s being composed nowadays is for movies and video games. I expected it to be really high quality and good (at Ithra).”
The event featured music from Guild Wars 2, World of Warcraft, The Witcher 3 and Assassin’s Creed 2, among many others.
The last show takes place on April 5, with tickets starting at SR200 ($53), available at the venue or via the Ithra website.
Exhibition honoring Prince Khaled Al-Faisal inaugurated in Jeddah
- The exhibition chronicles Prince Khaled’s life and contributions as a statesman, individual and poet through visual installations
MAKKAH: Makkah Deputy Gov. Prince Saud bin Mishal bin Abdulaziz launched the “Love of Khaled Al-Faisal” exhibition as part of Jeddah Season festivities.
The ceremony was attended by Prince Turki bin Faisal, alongside several relatives of Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal.
The delegation toured the exhibition, housed at the Abadi Al-Johar area in Jeddah, which runs from April 3-8 and welcomes visitors daily from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.
The exhibition chronicles Prince Khaled’s life and contributions as a statesman, individual and poet through visual installations.
Saudi Arabia’s Hail poppy reserve attracts thousands of tourists
- Since opening in 2022, the reserve, which covers 10,000 sq. meters, has drawn thousands of domestic and foreign visitors
HAIL: With its vibrant array of wildflowers framed by golden sand dunes and majestic mountains, the Poppy Reserve in Al-Khattah is one of the Hail region’s most captivating attractions.
Since opening in 2022, the reserve, which covers 10,000 sq. meters, has drawn thousands of domestic and foreign visitors, particularly during holidays, Eid and the spring season.
The attraction enchants guests with its sweeping fields of poppies, perfectly balanced in form and color. As the sun sets, the golden rays cast a warm glow over the landscape and create a natural wonder.
This striking beauty enhances the region’s reputation for breathtaking scenery and offers a unique experience.
Saudi Arabia concludes participation in Bologna Book Fair
- The Saudi pavilion experienced significant engagement from publishers and international literary agencies, Al-Bassam added
BOLOGNA: Saudi Arabia concluded its participation in the Bologna International Book Fair 2025, held in Bologna, Italy, from March 31 to April 3.
The event introduced visitors to Saudi heritage through a comprehensive cultural experience.
Bassam Al-Bassam, general manager of publishing at the Saudi Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission, said the commission organized various initiatives to enhance the publishing and translation industry in the Kingdom and showcase the Saudi cultural landscape.
The Saudi pavilion experienced significant engagement from publishers and international literary agencies, Al-Bassam added.
By participating in international book fairs, the Kingdom aims to enhance its cultural presence on a global scale and create new opportunities to promote Saudi culture both regionally and internationally.
Attempt to smuggle qat foiled in Saudi Arabia’s Jazan
- Preliminary procedures have been completed, and the seized narcotics were handed to the competent authority
JAZAN: Saudi Border Guard land patrols in Farasan, Jazan, arrested three Yemenis for violating border security system regulations and attempting to smuggle 171 kg of qat.
Meanwhile, Border Guard land patrols in Al-Daer, Jazan, foiled an attempt to smuggle 45 kg of hashish. Preliminary procedures have been completed, and the seized narcotics were handed to the competent authority.
