JEDDAH: The first Arab-Chinese digital library will be launched on Tuesday in Beijing on the sidelines of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum (CASCF).
The library is a joint project of the Arab League, the King Abdul Aziz Public Library and the National Library of China.
The library will serve as a bridge between the Arab world and China and help promote cultural ties and exchange of knowledge.
The project also aims to strengthen ties and coordination between libraries in the Arab League member states and China.
The library will strengthen the growing political and economic ties between the Arab world and China.
The supervisor general of King Abdul Aziz Library, Abdul Karim Al-Zaid, said the establishment of the digital library will lay the foundations of a new beginning of intellectual, cultural and economic ties with China.
“We aim to translate the cultural and knowledge vision, which is the basis of King Abdul Aziz Public Library, through the promotion of culture, preservation of heritage, knowledge formation, cultural contact, social responsibility and global partnerships,” Al-Zaid said.
He said the opening of a branch of King Abdul Aziz Library in Beijing was aimed to increase cultural cooperation between the two countries.
The director of the digital library project, Saleh Al-Misnad, noted the library’s inauguration would be an active start for Arab and Chinese cultures in a modern and attractive way.
He said the library aims to strengthen the foundations of the knowledge and cultural partnership; it offers different kinds of knowledge and transfers the Arab intellectual heritage to the whole world from the launching of the Arab Knowledge Index to this project.
He said the digital library project would prove to be a model for cultural partnership between different cultures and civilizations.
The CASCF was initiated in the opening years of the new millennium, according to Xinhua. In 2004, China and the Arab League (AL) formally launched the forum.
Arab-Chinese digital library to be launched in Beijing
Arab-Chinese digital library to be launched in Beijing
- The library will strengthen the growing political and economic ties between the Arab world and China
- The digital library project would prove to be a model for cultural partnership between different cultures and civilizations
Saudi hospitality boom sparks innovation beyond the plate
- At the Four Seasons Riyadh, Diageo hosted a private tasting at Tonic Bar followed by a 10-course dinner at Julien
- Dinner at Julien paired dishes with drinks made using Tanqueray 0.0, Captain Morgan 0.0, and Guinness 0.0
RIYADH: As restaurants and hotels in Saudi Arabia refine their culinary identities, beverages are increasingly being treated as crafted experiences in their own right, shaped by technique and intention.
At the Four Seasons Riyadh, Diageo hosted a private tasting at Tonic Bar followed by a 10-course dinner at Julien, offering a snapshot of how this evolution is beginning to take shape, as international players and local venues test new approaches to pairing and presentation.
Speaking to Arab News, Nick Rees, marketing director of Diageo MENA, pointed to the rapid growth of the nonalcoholic segment globally and in the region: “There’s a far faster growing percentage of it (the industry) is non-alcohol … There (are) trends globally … A lot of it will be pointed to wellness, mindful drinking.”
Rees said that Saudi Arabia’s fast-developing culinary and hospitality scene calls for beverages that match the level of excellence seen in kitchens across the Kingdom.
“It’s kind of the lack of choices and that’s where we want to be able to provide people the option, and people here absolutely have the same kind of talent and desire as their counterparts behind the kitchen,” he said.
“That’s where our role is to give people the kind of core ingredients for them to be able to work with … we have many more brands that we would love to introduce to the Kingdom.”
The dinner at Julien paired dishes with drinks made using Tanqueray 0.0, Captain Morgan 0.0, and Guinness 0.0, offering a glimpse into the range of styles Diageo is bringing to the market.
Flavor profiles ranged from light and refreshing combinations with cucumber and capers brine to richer, malt-forward blends, each designed to complement the accompanying dishes, from ravioli to black cod.
Rees emphasized that pairing food with thoughtfully crafted beverages is becoming an essential part of the hospitality experience.
“In the Kingdom, we’re looking at giving people the experience that currently is not available to them because I know for sure that the kind of quality and expertise and craftsmanship that can go into creating some of these drinks is absolutely as exciting as the work that the chefs would do with their food,” he said.
Anthony Abou Haider, head of Gulf at Diageo, said the company sees long-term potential in Saudi Arabia’s hospitality sector.
“It’s such an opportunity to be a part of this transformation journey,” he told Arab News. “We’re not looking for a short-term gain, we’re looking at a very long-term gain here because whatever we do now is building for the future.”
