GCC mull plans to protect heritage, promote music

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Participants in the 20th GCC meeting of undersecretaries responsible for antiquities and museums attend a meeting in Riyadh. (SPA)
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Participants in the 20th GCC meeting of undersecretaries responsible for antiquities and museums attend a meeting in Riyadh. (SPA)
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Updated 15 October 2022
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GCC mull plans to protect heritage, promote music

  • Gulf officials at 20th meeting discuss key issues
  • Saudi national band to perform at Arab festival in Cairo

RIYADH: Leading GCC heritage officials gathered here Wednesday to discuss ways to protect the bloc’s cultural assets, including music.

Saudi Arabia chaired the 20th GCC meeting of undersecretaries responsible for antiquities and museums, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Dr. Jasser bin Suleiman Al-Harbash, CEO of the Heritage Commission, highlighted the work currently underway in the Gulf region.

“Our countries are distinguished by their historical interdependence and extended civilizations that lived on the land of the Arabian Peninsula and the Arabian Gulf, and we bear the responsibility to protect and highlight this common cultural heritage,” he said.

He said thanked King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for providing significant support for the sector.

On Thursday, the Music Commission announced that the Saudi National Band and Choir would perform at the 31st Arab Music Festival and Conference at the National Cultural Center Opera House in Cairo, Egypt.

The festival will be held from Oct. 20 to Nov. 3, with the Saudi band and choir performing folk songs on Oct. 27.

By participating, the Music Commission aims to promote international cultural exchange and spread Saudi music worldwide.


Saudi foreign ministry welcomes second phase of Gaza peace plan, formation of transitional committee

Updated 16 January 2026
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Saudi foreign ministry welcomes second phase of Gaza peace plan, formation of transitional committee

  • Ministry also thanked US President Donald Trump for his leadership and efforts to end the war in Gaza

RIYADH: The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday welcomed the announcement of the second phase of a comprehensive peace plan for Gaza, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The ministry said it also welcomed the formation of the Palestinian National Committee for the Administration of the Gaza Strip as a temporary transitional body, established under UN Security Council Resolution 2803, which met in Cairo on Friday.

In a statement, the ministry also thanked US President Donald Trump, who declared the formation of the Gaza “board of peace,” for his leadership and efforts to end the war in Gaza.

It highlighted his commitment to the withdrawal of Israeli forces, the prevention of any annexation of parts of the West Bank, and efforts to advance sustainable peace in the region.

The ministry commended the role of mediators Qatar, Egypt and Turkiye, stressing the importance of international and regional cooperation in supporting the peace process.

It underlined the need to support the work of the temporary Palestinian National Committee in managing the daily affairs of Gaza’s residents, while preserving the institutional and geographical link between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, ensuring Gaza’s unity and rejecting any attempts to divide it.

The statement also called for consolidating the ceasefire, halting violations, ensuring the unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid, and accelerating early recovery and reconstruction efforts across Gaza.

It said these steps were essential to enabling the Palestinian National Authority to resume its responsibilities in the Gaza Strip, leading to an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory in Gaza and the West Bank and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in line with UN resolutions, the Arab Peace Initiative and the two-state solution.