RIYADH: The Ministry of Culture celebrated the conclusion of the “Year of Arabic Calligraphy” 2021 initiative and the inauguration of the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Global Center for Arabic Calligraphy strategy on Wednesday.

The strategy was launched at a ceremony held at the National Museum in Riyadh in the presence of Prince Saud bin Khalid, deputy governor of Madinah region, Deputy Minister of Culture Hamed bin Mohammed Fayez, Director General of Passports Lt. General Suleiman bin Abdulaziz Al-Yahya and other officials.

During the ceremony, Deputy Minister of Culture Hamed bin Mohammed Fayez delivered a speech in which he praised “the unlimited support that the cultural sectors enjoy from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s leadership and their constant keenness to support and promote Arab culture in all its aspects, as well as their special care of Arab cultural heritage.”

He cited the accomplishments made by the initiative of Arabic Calligraphy over 2020 and 2021, which recently culminated in the success of the Kingdom’s leadership, in cooperation with 15 Arab countries, in registering Arabic Calligraphy: Knowledge, Skills and Practices on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

He stressed that the conclusion of the initiative on Wednesday “does not mean stopping, as our country bears a great and lasting responsibility for its status as a source of Arab culture.”