‘Choosing Riyadh to host Expo 2030 would be smart and visionary,’ former French Culture Minister Jack Lang tells Arab News en Francais

Jack Lang, a vocal supporter of cultural ties between France and Saudi Arabia, said staging the global event in Riyadh would have huge significance for the Arab region. (AFP)
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Updated 17 June 2023
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‘Choosing Riyadh to host Expo 2030 would be smart and visionary,’ former French Culture Minister Jack Lang tells Arab News en Francais

  • Arab World Institute president praises “cultural revolution” underway in Saudi Arabia as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman meets President Macron in Paris
  • Says hosting World Expo in the Kingdom’s “extraordinary capital” would have “great symbolic and emblematic significance”

PARIS: Riyadh would be a “smart and visionary choice” to host the World Expo in 2030, Jack Lang, president of the Arab World Institute and France’s former minister of culture, has told Arab News on the sidelines of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to Paris this week.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met French President Emanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace on Friday to discuss efforts to strengthen Saudi-French relations and cooperation.

“This is an extremely important visit, and I am delighted that His Highness, the crown prince, is present in Paris,” Lang told Arab News at his 8th-floor office overlooking the Seine in Paris. 

“It’s a moment of friendship between France and Saudi Arabia, an opportunity for the French president and the most senior official in Saudi Arabia to discuss a whole range of current issues concerning international affairs.”




French President Emmanuel Macron welcomes Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the Elysee Palace in Paris on June 16, 2023. (AP)

Lang, who has long been a vocal supporter of close cultural ties between France and Saudi Arabia, said staging the global event in the Kingdom’s “extraordinary capital” would have huge symbolic significance for the Arab region and would highlight recent Saudi achievements. 

“Firstly, it is a great country, immense in its territory and population. It is a vibrant country with an active and creative youth, and women who are actively involved,” said Lang.

“I would say that the investment projects envisioned by the Saudi authorities are promising, promising for cultural development, promising for industrial and economic development.

“And beyond the present, Arabia has a history, a civilization, and powerful moments in the life of the world. I believe that dedicating the most important country in Arabia to this World Expo would have great symbolic and emblematic significance.

“Choosing Riyadh as the location for an upcoming World Expo would be a smart and visionary choice,” he added, calling the Kingdom “a great country of the future.”

Saudi Arabia has officially submitted its comprehensive application to host the World Expo 2030 in Riyadh. The event would take place from Oct. 1, 2030 to March 31, 2031, under the theme “The Era of Change: Together for a Foresighted Tomorrow.” 




Members of the Enquiry Mission of the Bureau International des Expositions met with top Saudi ministers and experts last March to evaluate Riyadh’s candidacy for Expo 2030. (Supplied)

Following on the heels of Dubai 2020 and Osaka 2025, Riyadh proposes to host the 2030 Expo at a six million square meter site just north of the city. The crown prince will present the Saudi candidacy during the International Bureau of Exhibitions (BIE) meeting in Paris early next week. 

On Monday, Saudi Arabia is set to hold an official reception in the French capital for 179 countries as part of the Kingdom’s bid to host the Expo. Voting will take place next November to choose the host city for this global event. 

A high-ranking Saudi delegation, members of the international diplomatic corps based in Paris, ambassadors of countries accredited to UNESCO, representatives of major participating entities and projects, representatives of member states to the BIE, and senior French officials in the government and private sectors will participate in the reception. 

Alongside Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Italy, and Ukraine have also applied to host the World Expo. Held since 1851, the expos are the world’s largest platform to showcase the latest achievements and technologies and celebrate the cultural values that unite humanity. 

Saudi Arabia submitted its bid for the World Expo 2030 in October last year, in a letter sent by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the BIE. 




Members of the Bureau International des Expositions Enquiry Mission met Saudi ministers to discuss the Kingdom’s bid to host the Expo 2030 world fair. (SPA File Photo)

According to the Saudi Press Agency, the letter stated: “We live in an era of change and we face an unprecedented need for humanity’s collective action.” 

If Saudi Arabia is selected to host the event, authorities plan to turn Riyadh and the rest of the country into a world-class venue for global culture, connectivity, and climate action.  

Lang is especially keen to see Riyadh succeed in its bid because he believes it could open the way for even greater cooperation with France, particularly on cultural and architectural projects.

“If Riyadh is chosen, our Saudi friends, who desire, as they know how, to create the most beautiful World Expo, will seek the collaboration of French creators, architects, and engineers who are especially talented and experienced in designing large-scale projects,” he said, citing their work in AlUla, Paris, and elsewhere. 


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“The Arab World Institute was designed by a young architect whom I had chosen, Jean Nouvel. And since then, he has become a star, also sought after by the crown prince in AlUla and Riyadh. Other strong and powerful personalities can contribute their talents, energy, and abilities to the organization of the World Expo.”

During his Paris visit, the crown prince will also lead the Saudi delegation at the Saudi-French Summit to be held on June 19, and the summit for a multinational New Global Financial Pact, also held in Paris on June 23- 24.

Macron aims to build “a new contract between northern and southern countries to tackle the dual challenge of climate change and global inequalities,” according to the summit website. 

The summit was announced last fall during the UN Climate Change Conference, COP27, in Egypt’s Red Sea resort town of Sharm El-Sheikh.




French President Emmanuel Macron announced the New Global Financial Pact summit to be held in Paris during the COP27 climate conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, on November 7, 2022. (Photo by Ludovic Marin/ AFP/ File)

Security, defense, and issues related to the clean energy transition were likely high on the agenda during Friday’s meeting between the crown prince and Macron. However, cultural and educational ties were no doubt also discussed.

“I imagine they will also discuss the very active cultural cooperation that exists between our two countries, such as AlUla or even the project to create the largest contemporary art museum in the Arab world at the IMA,” said Lang, who has led the diplomatic-cultural institution for a decade. 

“These are some of the projects that we are working on hand in hand with the Saudi authorities, and we are pleased to do so.”




A curator explains as French Culture Minister Franck Riester (R), Jack Lang of the Institute of the Arab World (2nd R) and Royal Commission for AlUla CEO Amr Al-Madani (C), visit the exhibition “AlUla: Wonder of Arabia” at the l'Institut du monde arabe (IMA) in Paris on October 7, 2019. (AFP)

Lang praised the “cultural revolution” underway in Saudi Arabia, which has been marked by the opening of performance venues and the promotion of whole new creative industries — unheard of just a few short years ago before the launch of Vision 2030, the Kingdom’s social reform and economic diversification agenda. 

“We in France, at least I can say that for myself at the IMA, have great admiration for what is currently being undertaken in Saudi Arabia,” said Lang. 

“The cultural revolution that is truly underway is visible everywhere in Jeddah, Riyadh, and the rest of the country. Museums, cinema, music, all the arts are in motion, and the Saudi youth are happy to participate in this great cultural movement.”

The IMA hosted the Saudi Cinema Night last May and “the unique and grand exhibition on AlUla (in 2019), inaugurated by Prince Badr (Saudi minister of culture),” which was extended for several months due to its success, said Lang.

“It is true that the Arab World Institute and its president, from day one, believed in the sincerity of the plans launched by the crown prince.” 

Lang will soon host an Arab film festival in cooperation with the Red Sea Film Festival in Jeddah. He says he is proud to have fostered cultural ties between France and Saudi Arabia at a time when others had doubts about such partnerships.

“Everyone was skeptical everywhere in Europe and around the world,” said Lang. 

“And moreover, on two or three occasions, the crown prince, whom I met, especially in AlUla, said to me, ‘Thank you for being the first in the world to believe in the truthfulness of our projects.’” 

 


Saudi Arabia welcomes US-brokered peace agreement between Rwanda and DR Congo

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Saudi Arabia welcomes US-brokered peace agreement between Rwanda and DR Congo

  • Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Kingdom hopes accord would meet “the hopes and aspirations of two peoples for development and prosperity”

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has welcomed the signing of a peace agreement between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in a deal facilitated by the United States with support from Qatar, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Kingdom hoped the accord would meet “the hopes and aspirations of the two peoples for development and prosperity,” and contribute to “regional and international security and peace.”

The ministry also praised “the diplomatic efforts and constructive role played by the United States of America and the State of Qatar in this regard.”

The agreement, finalized on Friday, aims to de-escalate long-running tensions between Rwanda and the DRC, which have intensified in recent years over accusations of mutual support for armed rebel groups operating along their shared border.

The most prominent of these is the M23 militia, which Kinshasa has accused Rwanda of backing — a charge Kigali denies.

Efforts to mediate between the two neighbours have gained urgency amid a worsening humanitarian crisis in eastern DRC, where conflict has displaced more than seven million people.

The US and Qatar have played key roles in recent months in bringing the two sides to the table for talks, culminating in the formal agreement to ease hostilities and commit to renewed dialogue.


Jeddah exhibition gives internet cafes an artistic reboot

Seventeen artists and collectives have had their work on display at ‘Internet Cafe,’ an exhibition inspired by the digital age.
Updated 28 June 2025
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Jeddah exhibition gives internet cafes an artistic reboot

  • Local artists revive communal, quirky, deeply human qualities of early web era

JEDDAH: Internet cafes in Jeddah were once popular spots with pay-by-the-hour internet access; they have now provided the inspiration for the city’s latest exhibition.

In a collaboration between Kham Space and Estiraha, 17 artists and collectives have had their work on display at “Internet Cafe,” an eight-day exhibition which explored the concept of connection and intimacy in the digital age.

Asaad Badawi’s installation paid tribute to early programmer culture. (Supplied)

Abeer Sultan, who curated the exhibition alongside Mbarak Madhi and Fai Ahmed, spoke to Arab News about the early process in contemplating the theme.

The idea for the exhibition, which concluded on Friday, stemmed from an exasperation over incessant scrolling, and the deluge of information that has usurped our daily lives.

HIGHLIGHTS

• The idea for the Jeddah exhibition stemmed from an exasperation over incessant scrolling, and the deluge of information that has usurped our daily lives.

• Some of the works were meant to act as ‘hyperlinks’ to connect ideas, as well as creating a communal space and mimicking the social space of a cafe.

She said: “We wanted to do something that is about us now, and maybe the future as well; not only going back to things for nostalgia or the good old days, as they say.

‘Closed eyes under a sunny sky I’ by Zahiyah Alraddadi. (Supplied)

“Maybe it has something that we can use today, especially now that there’s a movement of people trying to slow down, using dumbified devices throughout the internet.”

Instead of creating a literal internet cafe, the curators focused more on the nuances a cybercafe used to have.

"F.A.R." by Dalal Madhi's work. (Supplied)

Their approach to the space was categorized into three themes: “Disconnected Understanding, Linked Source,” “In the Shadow of a Doubt, Light My Screen,” and “Whirling Algorithms of a Distant Dream.”

Artist Zahiyah Alraddadi, who usually paints works focusing on the significance of the mundane, took oil to canvas to paint “Closed Eyes Under a Sunny Sky I” and “Familiar Features.”

The a piece by Ahaad Alamoudi, “Land of Dreams” takes a humorous approach. (Supplied)

Her work feels meditative and was intended to slow visitors down as they walked through the space — much like the feel of a buffering screen page.

Some of the works were meant to act as “hyperlinks” to connect ideas, as well as creating a communal space and mimicking the social space of a cafe.   

Studio bin Hattan, which is led by artist Elham Dawsari, displays “Cultural Override” derived from her father’s archives from the 80s, who was interested in computer graphics. (Supplied)

Anhar Salem’s work “After Now” was a curtain imprinted with thumbnails of YouTube videos. The artist conducted a survey asking people between the ages of 18 and 40 to share their YouTube video recommendations, making up a curtain of information overload.

Next to that, Tara O‛Conal’s video installation was a film sequence — but the catch is, nothing really happened. The film continued to load, glitch, and reload, perhaps suggesting commentary on our constant yearning for contact.

Hayfa Al-Gwaiz’s “Long Distance” is a painted form of FaceTime video calls. The work explores digital intimacy by centering not the callers’ faces, but the ceilings above them. (Supplied)

“Compared to Anhar’s work, (Tara’s) feels like a pawn, in a way, to look at,” Sultan said.

Some works were inspired by computer graphics. Asaad Badawi paid tribute to early programmer culture via telephone-book-inspired art, and his father, who is a programmer.

Madhawi Al-Gwaiz's works are painted in a graphic style that is reminiscent of early 00s and '10s graphics styles. (Supplied)

Studio bin Hattan, which is led by artist Elham Dawsari, displayed “Cultural Override,” derived from her father’s archives from the 1980s. Madhawi Al-Gwaiz paints in a style that echoes digital graphics from the early 2000s.

Others took a more distanced approach. ThirdSpace’s “Untitled Table” was a physical object, but the research behind it was about keyboards that then shifted to Hijazi architecture, drawing on the iconography and architectural languages across the history of the region.  

Tara O‛conal’s video installation is a film sequence in nature—but the catch is, nothing really happens. The film continues to glitch and reload, perhaps suggesting commentary on our constant yearning for contact. (Supplied)

Hayfa Al-Gwaiz’s “Long Distance” was a painted form of facetime video calls. The work explored digital intimacy by showcasing not the callers’ faces, but the ceilings above them — a scene that’s familiar to anyone who has taken up a long-winded video call with a loved one and set down the phone to cater to life’s more immediate demands.

While the exhibition tackled the digital boom personified through cybercafes, it notably avoided artificial intelligence.

Sultan explained: “It is the idea of being fast and efficient, which is what we are resisting with AI …  It’s dominating the internet in a weird way, and we wanted a space where people customized things manually, going back to montadayat (domains) where people had to do things by themselves. There’s no template.”

The last piece was by Ahaad Alamoudi, and “Land of Dreams” took a humorous approach to directing audiences to their dreams. As you walked toward the work, in an outdoor area outside the confines of the exhibition space, visitors were met with foam boards of the iconic Emirati singer Ahlam.

Sultan said: “The work accentuates the fact that the dream land is a subjective experience or idea, and everyone would have their own imagination of what that is, whether it's Ahlam or something else.”

The “Internet Cafe” was a love letter to a new digital age — one that is sustainable, communal, and deliberately slow.  

“This is our way of keeping in touch with other people. An exhibition space is also a space where people meet, even if it’s for a moment, to have these conversations together, which is really important,” Sultan said.

 


Rooted in earth: Rafha’s mud structures tell a story of sustainability

Updated 28 June 2025
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Rooted in earth: Rafha’s mud structures tell a story of sustainability

  • The buildings were constructed using indigenous methods and natural materials including mud, stone, wood, and palm fronds

RIYADH: In the heart of northern Saudi Arabia, the mud buildings of Rafha stand as “a vibrant narrative of traditional architecture, reflecting authenticity, creativity, and cultural identity,” the Saudi Press Agency said in an article on Saturday.

These structures tell the story of an ancient past, “embodying traditional architectural ingenuity that connects people to the land.”

Rafha’s historic mud structures are an appealing destination for anyone interested in history, heritage, and traditional craftsmanship. (SPA)

Located along one of the Kingdom’s most significant tourist routes, the buildings “integrate cultural heritage with the natural environment,” the SPA wrote, and “serve as living records of generational memory, preserved through architectural details.”

This makes them an appealing destination for anyone interested in history, heritage, and traditional craftsmanship.

FASTFACTS

• The buildings in Rafha were constructed using indigenous methods and natural materials including mud, stone, wood, and palm fronds.

• Local authorities are making efforts to restore and maintain these mud structures, preserving their historical and cultural value.

The buildings were constructed using indigenous methods and natural materials including mud, stone, wood, and palm fronds. Their design responds to the local environment, maintaining balanced indoor temperatures during scorching summers and cooler winters. Most feature an inner courtyard, surrounded by rooms arranged in a circular layout, reflecting a strong sense of community.

Rafha’s historic mud structures are an appealing destination for anyone interested in history, heritage, and traditional craftsmanship. (SPA)

These mud buildings illustrate “a deep harmony between humans and their environment,” the SPA wrote, adding that they also “reflect sustainable building principles that long predate modern green architecture.”

Local authorities are making efforts to restore and maintain these mud structures, preserving their historical and cultural value while promoting them as distinct parts of the Saudi tourism landscape.

 


Malaysia grants Saudi Hajj minister Al-Rabiah 'Hijra Personality of the Year' award

Updated 28 June 2025
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Malaysia grants Saudi Hajj minister Al-Rabiah 'Hijra Personality of the Year' award

  • Tawfiq Al-Rabiah Al-Rabiah was presented with his award by Malaysian King Sultan Ibrahim

KUALA LUMPUR: Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq Al-Rabiah received the International Tokoh Ma’al Hijrah 2025 award in Malaysia on Friday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Malaysia grants the award — the name of which translates to Person of the Year for Hijrah — annually to an influential Muslim personality to recognize their contributions to Islamic causes.

Al-Rabiah won the award for his efforts in developing systems designed to make Hajj and Umrah run safely and smoothly for pilgrims.

Al-Rabiah was presented with his award by Malaysian King Sultan Ibrahim. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Minister of Religious Affairs Mohammed Naeem bin Mukhtar were present at the ceremony.

The event was held in Kuala Lumpur on the occasion of Hijri New Year.

 


Muslim World League condemns Israeli attacks on civilians in Gaza, West Bank

Updated 28 June 2025
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Muslim World League condemns Israeli attacks on civilians in Gaza, West Bank

  • Organization describes actions as part of wider pattern of settler aggression

RIYADH: The Muslim World League on Saturday strongly condemned recent Israeli attacks on civilian shelters and ongoing violence against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The MWL has described the actions as part of a wider pattern of settler aggression carried out with impunity under the protection of the Israeli occupation forces, the SPA added.

The MWL’s Secretary-General Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, who also chairs the Organization of Muslim Scholars, denounced in a statement issued by the MWL’s General Secretariat what he called “heinous crimes” committed against unarmed civilians, including recent attacks by settlers on the village of Kafr Malik, east of Ramallah.

He added that the “brutal assaults” were a “blatant violation of all human values as well as international laws and norms.”

He urged the international community to uphold its legal and moral responsibilities and take decisive action against what he described as the occupation government’s ongoing disregard for the rights and dignity of the Palestinian people.

Al-Issa also called for the immediate activation of international mechanisms to halt the violence and ensure accountability for those responsible for what he termed “horrific massacres.”

His comments came after Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Friday condemning the violence, denouncing “the continued violence perpetrated by Israeli settlers, under the protection of the occupation forces, against Palestinian civilians, including the attacks in the village of Kafr Malik.”