RIYADH: The fifth edition of the Colors of Saudi Arabia Forum, the largest event in the Kingdom for photography and short films on tourism, culture and heritage, will open here on Dec. 11 at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center (RICEC) and run until Dec. 17.
The forum will be held under the patronage of Prince Sultan bin Salman, President of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTNH).
Identifying cultural dimensions and what is intrinsic to the Kingdom in the form of cultural heritage and natural ingredients, is the prime objective of the forum, which is the first of its kind in the Kingdom and the Middle East.
This year, there will be a special pavilion focusing on the Saudi-British relationship.
The annual forum brings together a number of professional and amateur photographers from the Kingdom and the GCC countries, in addition to experts on tourism, antiquities, culture, media, documentation, publishing, and companies concerned with electronic publication, marketing and photography.
Being the largest gathering of professional photographers, the event targets over 30,000 visitors in its week-long run, during which participants and visitors will exchange knowledge, and identify the latest technologies and developments in photographic techniques through communicating with 80 exhibitors relevant to the photography field and industry, in addition to companies specialized in photographic technology, and professionals in the Saudi film industry, an SCTNH official said.
A photography and short film exhibition related to tourism will be featured, along with an awards ceremony and a series of specialized workshops and lectures on the art of filmmaking and photography, in addition to tourism trips to captivating locations organized for photographers and visitors. According to the organizers, this year’s exhibition is distinguished by greater diversity and several participations that include a number of different subjects.
Major participants in this year’s forum include governmental entities, the High Commission for Development of Riyadh (HCDR), the King Abdul Aziz Public Library, tourism development councils in various provinces, Dar Al-Uloom University, and Princess Nourah University.
Embassies will also participate this year with a large selection of photos of nature, heritage and antiquities.
Those who wish to participate can visit the forum’s website, www.colors.sa
Colors of Saudi Arabia forum beckons photography lovers
Colors of Saudi Arabia forum beckons photography lovers
Cambodia takes back looted historic artifacts handled by British art dealer
- The objects were returned under a 2020 agreement between the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts and the family of the late Douglas Latchford, a British art collector and dealer who allegedly had the items smuggled out of Cambodia
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia: Cambodian officials on Friday received more than six dozen historic artifacts described as part of the country’s cultural heritage that had been looted during decades of war and instability.
At a ceremony attended by Deputy Prime Minister Hun Many, the 74 items were unveiled at the National Museum in Phnom Penh after their repatriation from the United Kingdom.
The objects were returned under a 2020 agreement between the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts and the family of the late Douglas Latchford, a British art collector and dealer who allegedly had the items smuggled out of Cambodia.
“This substantial restitution represents one of the most important returns of Khmer cultural heritage in recent years, following major repatriations in 2021 and 2023 from the same collection,” the Culture Ministry said in a statement. “It marks a significant step forward in Cambodia’s continued efforts to recover, preserve, and restore its ancestral legacy for future generations.”
The artifacts were described as dating from the pre-Angkorian period through the height of the Angkor Empire, including “monumental sandstone sculptures, refined bronze works, and significant ritual objects.” The Angkor Empire, which extended from the ninth to the 15th century, is best known for the Angkor Wat archaeological site, the nation’s biggest tourist attraction.
Latchford was a prominent antiquities dealer who allegedly orchestrated an operation to sell looted Cambodian sculptures on the international market.
From 1970 to the 1980s, during Cambodia’s civil wars and the communist Khmer Rouge ‘s brutal reign, organized looting networks sent artifacts to Latchford, who then sold them to Western collectors, dealers, and institutions. These pieces were often physically damaged, having been pried off temple walls or other structures by the looters.
Latchford was indicted in a New York federal court in 2019 on charges including wire fraud and conspiracy. He died in 2020, aged 88, before he could be extradited to face charges.
Cambodia, like neighboring Thailand, has benefited from a trend in recent decades involving the repatriation of art and archaeological treasures. These include ancient Asian artworks as well as pieces lost or stolen during turmoil in places such as Syria, Iraq and Nazi-occupied Europe. New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art is one of the prominent institutions that has been returning illegally smuggled art, including to Cambodia.
“The ancient artifacts created and preserved by our ancestors are now being returned to Cambodia, bringing warmth and joy, following the country’s return to peace,” said Hun Many, who is the younger brother of Prime Minister Hun Manet.
