Arts and culture, a driving force in the creative economy in Saudi Arabia

From left, Yaser Hammad, Sir Ciaran Devane, Elana Lazarou, Rohan Gunatillake, Nada Radwan, Rawan Radwan, Sarah Taibah, Rana Garout, Rawan Redainy, Noora Alsheddi and Deema Al-Khudair. (AN photos by Huda Bashatah)
Updated 07 February 2019
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Arts and culture, a driving force in the creative economy in Saudi Arabia

  • Saudi Arabia’s youth participate in the nation’s cultural progression
  • Starting from the ground up, members of the roundtable spoke of the challenges and the positive results Saudi Vision 2030 is providing across the nation

JEDDAH: Saudi youths are tearing down barriers in the field of arts and culture. Thanks to Saudi Vision 2030, no Saudi has to walk a predestined path. Many are realizing their dreams and have become creative artists, illustrators, storytellers, actors and filmmakers.
Arab News hosted a roundtable discussion on Monday with members of the British Council, headed by Sir Ciaran Devane, and Rohan Gunatillake, a member of the board of trustees along with a selection of Saudi youth representing fields ranging from education to culture and art. It was moderated by Rawan Radwan, Arab News’ regional correspondent.
The topics included defining creative economies and the role of cultural relations within them; creative education — why a creative curriculum matters; digital skills in the cultural sector; and routes to employment in the field of arts and culture.
Devane, the chief executive of the British Council, opened the discussion by speaking about the council’s main goals and its contribution to help support the creative sector in Saudi Arabia, mainly through arts and culture exchanges.
He explained that learning about other cultures and building a friendly basis for knowledge and understanding is important.
“It’s about the interchange of knowledge, arts, culture, values and beliefs, and the reason for doing so is to create a basis of creative knowledge and understanding between people. It is part of making a peaceful world,” he said.
As the Kingdom is undergoing a cultural progression, Devane said that the British Council is keen to support arts and culture in Saudi Arabia, based on the UK’s experience. “From the UK point of view, we have experience in the creative industries and we have a lot to share,” he said.
“We’ve learned a lot of things, we’ve made mistakes along the way and we did a lot of things right. As the Kingdom starts to think on how to expand their own culture and expand the entrepreneurship, we feel very strongly that we have a contribution to make and it comes in the form of the interchange where people can learn as well now, at a time when it could be most helpful to the next generation of young people in the Kingdom.”
The discussion revealed how Saudi Arabia is expanding the role of culture and how youth is the driving force behind the change and exchange of cultures. Starting from the ground up, members of the roundtable spoke of the challenges and the positive results Saudi Vision 2030 is providing across the nation.
One initiative created by Saudi youth, KSA in All Languages, is the perfect example of building cultural bridges with other countries. It features volunteer translators who speak languages such as Turkish, Korean, Russian, Spanish, French, German, English, Persian, Arabic and Japanese.
Alreem Al-Mutlaq, a Saudi 23-year-old media director of “KSA in All Languages” who provides Korean language translations for the project, explained that the initiative aims to tackle misconceptions about Saudi Arabia.
“In a globalized world that is affected by misconceptions negatively, we are trying to bridge the gaps between Saudi Arabia and other countries by speaking their language and sharing our historical and cultural traditions by engaging with them in their language, and celebrating our present-day achievements with them,” she said. She added that the initiative is a tool to bring different cultures together.
“What we’re doing is extremely important because, realistically speaking, the world has misconceptions about Saudi Arabia, and we are using social media to build not only bridges, but also friendships, and a global family that respects differences and values them,” she said.
Nada Radwan, a 31-year-old Saudi art director from the entertainment production and distribution company Telfaz11, said that entertainment builds bridges between cultures.
“Entertainment, if done conscientiously, could be the tool used to dismiss preconceived notions, correct misconceptions and break down stereotypes,” she said. “Real stories told from a genuine perspectives would depict what makes our cultures unique but highlight our shared humanity and bring us to a better understanding of one another.”
Telfaz11 is considered the GCC’s leading Arabic multi-channel online network. It was established in 2011 and has more than 12 million followers on social media and more than 1 billion views on YouTube.
Attendees were motivated and encouraged to share their thoughts and ideas about how arts, culture and education is progressing in Saudi Arabia.
Yaser Hammad, a 25-year-old Saudi filmmaker, said that the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 has helped him to pursue his ambitions. “The vision has helped me unify my dreams and aspirations with many other Saudi creatives, and each of us are working on our own things, which only expands these dreams and make them more achievable,” he said.
Sarah Taibah, a 29-year-old Saudi artist and actress, said that she is overjoyed to be part of the growing movement in the field of the arts.
“I’m excited to be part of this modern Saudi Arabia, and grateful to see the change that is happening right now where the arts are being celebrated,” she said.
Rana Garout, a 24-year-old Saudi medical student, explained that the discussion provided her with a platform to speak up and participate.
“I wanted to challenge myself in being a part of something that feels like it’s bigger than me,” she said. “I wanted to take another step toward my dream, which is to be a spiritual motivational speaker, and for that I need to be comfortable talking in front of people. Yesterday I felt my confidence increased a bit as Arab News served me with the right platform to be more comfortable participating.”


KSrelief clinics help refugees in Jordan

Updated 11 sec ago
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KSrelief clinics help refugees in Jordan

AMMAN: The clinics of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center provided healthcare services to 2,789 patients in Zaatari camp for Syrian refugees in Jordan during the first week of May.

The general medicine clinics received 778 patients, while the internal medicine clinic treated 128 patients with diabetes, high blood pressure, and asthma.

The pediatric clinics received 226 children, 131 patients visited dental clinics, and 312 women were treated by the two women’s health clinics.

The ear, nose, and throat clinic received 66 patients suffering from sinusitis, pharyngitis, tonsillitis, and middle ear infections. The ophthalmology clinic saw 37 patients.

The cardiology clinic received 15 patients, the diagnostic radiology clinic received 37 patients, and the rehabilitation medicine clinic also treated 37 patients.

A total of 3,245 laboratory tests were conducted for 284 patients, and 217 imaging procedures, including X-ray and ultrasound examinations, were performed for 184 patients. 


Shanghai Film Festival: Saudi Arabia to boost cultural cooperation with China

Updated 23 min 38 sec ago
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Shanghai Film Festival: Saudi Arabia to boost cultural cooperation with China

RIYADH: The Saudi Film Commission has announced its participation in the Shanghai International Film Festival, which will be held from June 13 to 22 in Shanghai, China.

The event is the largest film festival in China and the only Chinese festival accredited by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations.

By participating, the commission aims to enhance cultural cooperation, strengthen international ties, and promote the visual and geographic richness of the Kingdom’s film locations. It also plans to explore co-production and distribution opportunities for Saudi films in the Chinese market.

The Saudi pavilion will be a platform to display the commission’s programs and initiatives, engage with industry professionals, and highlight the creative and commercial potential of the Kingdom’s film sector.

This participation underscores the commission’s commitment to supporting the Kingdom’s film industry by engaging with key international platforms, empowering local talent, and fostering global cultural exchange.


Saudi king, crown prince extend condolences to Indian president after air crash

Rescue officials carry a victim’s body at the site where Air India flight 171 crashed in a residential area near the airport.
Updated 46 min 25 sec ago
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Saudi king, crown prince extend condolences to Indian president after air crash

  • The Air India passenger plane bound for London with more than 240 people on board crashed and exploded after takeoff and there was only one survivor

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman extended their condolences to Indian President Droupadi Murmu after a plane crashed after takeoff in India’s northwestern city of Ahmedabad on Thursday.

The Air India passenger plane bound for London with more than 240 people on board crashed and exploded after takeoff and only one person survived, officials said.

Black smoke billowed from the site where the plane crashed into a medical college hostel and burst into flames near the airport in Ahmedabad, a city of more than 5 million and the capital of Gujarat.

In separate cables, the king and crown prince extended their condolences to Murmu, the families of the deceased, and to the Indian people. They also wished the injured a speedy recovery.

The Kingdom’s Foreign Ministry also expressed its condolences to India after the incident.

The Feud over Falafel
A crispy clash of culture and identity
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Arab storytelling tradition makes region ideal for filmmaking: Katara executive

Updated 12 June 2025
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Arab storytelling tradition makes region ideal for filmmaking: Katara executive

  • Demand for premium Arabic content that resonates with a global audience is the main driver for production company
  • Authenticity requires cultural integrity — such as maintaining dialect, accents and costumes

Riyadh: The Arab world’s roots in detailed storytelling means that the region is well suited to making movies, according to Hussein Fakhri, chief commercial officer and executive producer for Katara Studios, and the latest guest on The Mayman Show.

Founded in 2018, the Doha-based production powerhouse is behind regionally iconic projects such as the fantasy short film “The Lost Chapter of Kelileh & Demneh” and the ceremonies for the 2022 FIFA Arab Cup.

“Storytelling, I think, is in our DNA, as Arabs generally, right? We come from a long line of storytellers; it is really part of who we are,” Fakhri said. “For me, the sort of career advancement was very much evolutionary, organic, as I come from an advertising and marketing background.” 

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Before entering the world of filmmaking and immersive storytelling, Hussein started out in Dublin, Ireland, pioneering digital advertising in a market far from his cultural roots. Hussein left the marketing agency life and now leads Katara’s mission to produce bold, meaningful stories that resonate with a global audience with an unapologetically Arab perspective.

“I had my own advertising agency, and we had so much work that I had to found a film production company to be able to shoot our TV commercials,” Fakhri said. “I would hire filmmakers, and we started doing short films, more brand films and documentaries, and that just sort of evolved. I just love the craft, although I’m not a filmmaker myself, but I just love the business of it.” 

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Part of the work was instrumental in what eventually evolved into Katara Studios, founded by a group of talented filmmakers, he said. “Watching them work and watching the kind of stuff that they do — just the love for it grew, to be honest.” 

The need for premium Arabic content that resonates with a global audience is the main driver for what Katara does creatively, he said.

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“We have a huge audience. We have 500 million Arabic speakers. And we have very little premium content for them. There was a gap there that was spotted and an opportunity to be able to create premium content for this primary audience.” 

The demand for premium Arabic content and the interest in Arabic culture made for a great recipe for success, he said.

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“We also have a lot of people around the world that are very interested in our culture, are very interested in our part of the world. And I don’t think we’ve given them enough content to engage with us, and that’s what we are trying to do, ultimately.”  

With a culture as rich and layered as the Arab world’s, authenticity is not simply a goal — it is a responsibility for Katara Studios projects, he said, as they aim to bring stories to life with depth, accuracy, and heart, even when they are infused with other styles of filmmaking. 

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Katara Studios is producing a fantasy Bedouin Western, and according to Fakhri, a balance for this genre experimentation and cultural authenticity is critical to telling a good story and being innovative without losing its Arab essence.

Asked how Bedouin storytelling could be showcased with this approach to experimental filmmaking, Fakhri said: “You know, I’m so glad you brought up that word because authenticity is the foundation for everything that we try to do. Genuinely, it has to be authentic. Because if it is not authentic — if you’re trying to please an audience just by throwing stuff in there — it shows every time.”

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Authenticity required cultural integrity — such as maintaining dialect, accents, costumes and other small and important details in the presentation — and this would then reflect very positively to the film, he said.

“You get every element of it right; it really comes through in the final product. So, we’re very careful to try to be as authentic as possible. And I think we’ve done that with this project,” Fakhri said.

 

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Rare kidney operation performed at King Faisal Specialist Hospital

KFSHRC-Riyadh performs ESG on a patient who had previously undergone a kidney transplant. (SPA)
Updated 12 June 2025
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Rare kidney operation performed at King Faisal Specialist Hospital

  • Precise medication management needed for surgery
  • No stomach incisions, with suture done via the mouth

RIYADH: King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Riyadh recently performed a rare Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty on a patient who had previously undergone a kidney transplant.

In a statement, KFSHRC said the operation was considered “the first of its kind in the region.”

It required “meticulous management of immunosuppressive medications and the prevention of any complications that could jeopardize the transplanted organ.

“This procedure marks a significant advancement in providing safe treatment solutions for transplant recipients, to improve their graft survival and quality of life.”

The ESG procedure differs from surgical sleeve gastrectomy in that it requires no abdominal incisions, which is important for transplant patients.

Instead, it uses an endoscope inserted through the mouth to suture the stomach internally, effectively reducing its volume and enabling the patient to lose weight and improve overall health.

The procedure was performed by a multidisciplinary team of experts led by Dr. Ehab Abufarhaneh, consultant in adult transplant gastroenterology and hepatology.

Abufarhaneh told Arab News: “Performing endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty on a kidney transplant patient is exceptionally rare and complex due to the need to protect the transplanted organ while carefully managing immunosuppressive therapy.”

“This procedure provides a safe therapeutic option for transplant recipients, addressing a critical medical challenge and helping preserve graft function through a minimally invasive approach tailored to their condition,” Abufarhaneh added.

The team included gastroenterologists, various transplant surgeons, anesthesiologists, and nursing staff.

In the statement, the hospital said it was “adopting innovative techniques tailored to the unique needs of transplant patients and developing treatment protocols that address post-transplant challenges.”

The facility “reinforces its position as a regional referral hub for cases beyond the scope of conventional treatment pathways,” and as a leading healthcare provider in the region.

It was fulfilling its vision of being the optimal choice for patients supported by an integrated ecosystem of education, research, and clinical excellence that aligns with Saudi Vision 2030, the hospital stated.

The hospital has been ranked by Brand Financing 2025 as first in the Middle East and North Africa, and 15th globally on the list of the world’s top 250 Academic Medical Centers for the third consecutive year.

Additionally, it was included in the World’s Best Smart Hospitals list for 2025 by Newsweek magazine.