The most important files of the Ministry of Culture – Saudi...

In a very record time, the fledgling Ministry of Culture was able to inaugurate a new and qualitative reality in cultural work, and what can be described as the discovery and resurgence of national cultural capabilities. Perhaps it is the first time that culture is dealt with in this vital comprehensive concept and with this conscious outlook that opens new horizons for the definition of (cultural) in a way that gives a great inclusiveness that surrounds various aspects of culture and transcends the old stereotypical vision of culture to include broader dimensions, more comprehensive and more beyond the old elite understanding of culture.Culture is an important axis within the Saudi Vision 2030 project, as the cultural sector in the Kingdom is supposed to contribute 3% of the GDP by 2030, and this is a large and qualitative percentage in a large and vital economy like the Saudi economy.

The Ministry of Culture started its work by defining three aspirations: to consecrate culture as a way of life, culture for economic growth, and culture in order to enhance the Kingdom’s international standing. In fact, each axis carries a lot of depth, responsibilities and challenges as well. It represents a shift in the understanding of culture and dealing with it according to a new, qualitative and future perspective.

Some parties presented early events and programs that could be poured into the third axis, which is: culture in order to enhance the international position of the Kingdom, and early events such as the Kingdom’s exhibition between yesterday and today, or events such as the Exhibitions of Masterpieces of Antiquities of the Kingdom presented by the Tourism Authority at the time were examples of the activities that It aimed to invest in cultural components in order to strengthen the Kingdom’s international standing. These events have met a lot of interaction in the various circles and societies that have witnessed them, and therefore we are facing a very important axis, and the cultural dimension has always represented the most prominent factors that contributed to strengthening and consolidating the values ​​and strength of many countries and cultures and also strengthened their influence in the world and consolidating their position.

The past five years have witnessed a real rediscovery of Saudi culture at various levels, and given the first and second axes of the axes, aspirations and objectives of the Ministry of Culture, namely: (the dedication of culture as a way of life, and culture for economic growth), the ministry is facing a major, real and unprecedented challenge, and for the secretariat The steps, programs and initiatives launched by the Ministry indicate that it understands and realizes the scale of the challenges it faces. It is the Ministry of Culture in Saudi Arabia. This country is the largest, most diverse, vibrant, plural, and richer in everything and at every level, and therefore the challenges and opportunities are also huge and multifaceted as great as that diversity.

Perhaps the “consecration of culture as a way of life” is the biggest challenge, as it entails working on a cultural change project. This change is represented in several axes: First, strengthening belief in diversity and cultural pluralism, and even celebrating it as a form of strength and distinction for these countries, and this includes all types of diversity; Cultural, intellectual, sectarian and knowledge diversity; In the sense that belief in and defending diversity becomes a supreme national cultural value. Reaching that level will contribute to achieving the first axis: (Consecration of culture as a way of life), with what it implies of faith in the arts, literature, heritage and diversity.

All of this will enter into a confrontation with the prevailing traditional thinking style that has long been brought up on monism and monism. And on the cognitive prevalence represented in ancient judgments and opinions that prohibit arts, confront diversity and consecrate monism.

For example, when a concert is held, attended by thousands of people with all interaction and enjoyment, while all those thousands bear in their mind that they are doing something forbidden and not permissible, then we are facing a real problem. Accordingly, everything can be measured.

The paradox between behavior and idea represents a civilizational and cultural problem that must be confronted, in order to build a community awareness that believes in arts, culture, literature, diversity and pluralism, and I do not imagine that a ministry or agency is concerned with this great project such as the Ministry of Culture.

The Ministry has established bodies for all dimensions and elements of culture with its various physical, moral and literary aspects. However, facing these cultural and societal intellectual challenges requires a new body of thought and knowledge.

The mission of this body is to work on intellectual development, societal intellectual development, establishing intellectual cultural change projects towards building and strengthening national pluralistic civil awareness, and working with all relevant authorities to establish and implement this important and huge future national project.

Every day, we take a qualitative new step towards the future, freedoms, diversity, partnership with the world, celebrating pluralism and the arts, and promoting the values ​​of openness, coexistence, civility and moderation. All of this needs a qualitative project. Just as the Ministry of Culture has established and launched comprehensive cultural projects, the time has come for the ministry to take over the file of intellectual and cultural change and to establish relevant bodies, programs and initiatives, and to add to its future national development project a new axis that is the most important and prominent, which is the real and future challenge.

Saudi writer

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