Dr. Yahya bin Abdullah Al-Samaan, assistant speaker of the Saudi Shoura Council

Dr. Yahya bin Abdullah Al-Samaan
Updated 21 September 2019
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Dr. Yahya bin Abdullah Al-Samaan, assistant speaker of the Saudi Shoura Council

  • Al-Samaan holds a diploma in law from the Institute of Public Administration in Riyadh
  • He was a legal researcher at the prime minister’s office from 1982 to 1984

Dr. Yahya bin Abdullah Al-Samaan has been assistant speaker of the Saudi Shoura Council since 2015. He was a member of the council between 2009 and 2015.

Al-Samaan holds a diploma in law from the Institute of Public Administration in Riyadh, and a bachelor’s degree from the capital’s King Saud University (KSU). He holds a master’s and a Ph.D. in law from the University of Dundee in the UK.

He was a legal researcher at the prime minister’s office from 1982 to 1984, a member of the editorial board of Diplomacy Magazine, and a certified arbitrator on the list approved by the Justice Ministry.

Al-Samaan served as an assistant professor of international law at the Institute of Diplomatic Studies in Riyadh between 1994 and 2009.

He was also an associate lecturer at KSU’s Department of Law, where he taught international law between 1995 and 1997.

He was on secondment to the private sector between 2001 and 2008, giving legal consultations to many national and foreign companies, as well as preparing legal memorandums.

On Friday, he met Brazil’s Ambassador to the Kingdom Marcelo Souza Della Nina in Riyadh. Al-Samaan praised the good relations between the two countries in various fields.

He stressed the importance of finalizing procedures related to ratifying treaties and memorandums of understanding for cooperation in various fields.

Al-Samaan highlighted the important roles played by the Shoura Council and Brazil’s Parliament in strengthening ties and opening new horizons for cooperation between the two countries.

The meeting tackled topics of mutual interest to the Kingdom and Brazil, including ways to strengthen parliamentary relations.


Saudi Arabia and Britain declare 2029 as cultural year

Updated 11 February 2026
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Saudi Arabia and Britain declare 2029 as cultural year

  • The announcement coincides with Prince William’s visit to Saudi Arabia this week
  • The Saudi-British partnership in 2029 will emphasize culture, education, collaborative efforts in heritage conservation, visual and culinary arts, and architecture

LONDON: The Saudi Ministry of Culture announced that 2029 will be designated as the “Saudi-British Cultural Year,” in partnership with the UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

The announcement on Wednesday coincides with Prince William’s visit to the Kingdom this week. The declaration highlights the strong bond between the two kingdoms, which is rooted in over a century of diplomatic relations, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

The Saudi-British partnership in 2029 will emphasize culture, education, and innovation, as well as collaborative efforts in heritage conservation, visual and culinary arts, and architecture.

In 2029, the emphasis will be on celebrating creative dialogue and cultural heritage to strengthen ties between Saudi Arabia and the UK for future generations, the SPA added.

Separately, Saudi Arabia will also host the next session of the UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development (MONDIACULT) in 2029. This global platform for cultural dialogue was first held in Mexico in 1982.

The initiatives are part of Vision 2030 and reflect Saudi Arabia’s latest efforts on national, regional, and international levels to reinforce the role of culture in sustainable development.