Saudi Arabia to host 14th Gulf Theater Festival

Saudi Arabia’s Theater and Performing Arts Commission will host the 14th edition of the Gulf Theater Festival in Riyadh from Sept. 10-17. (SPA)
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Updated 23 August 2024
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Saudi Arabia to host 14th Gulf Theater Festival

  • More than 400 theater artists and critics from the region are expected to attend

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Theater and Performing Arts Commission will host the 14th edition of the Gulf Theater Festival in Riyadh from Sept. 10-17, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Under the direction of Culture Minister and Commission Chairman Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, the event will receive artists and creators from the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

More than 400 theater artists and critics from the region are expected to attend theatrical performances, seminars and workshops at the festival.

It will serve as a platform for knowledge exchange, experience sharing and intellectual dialogue to advance the theater scene in the Gulf.

The festival is part of the commission’s efforts to host international festivals, enrich the field of Saudi and Gulf theater, and enhance its position locally and internationally.


SDAIA president says Saudi Arabia is building an integrated AI ecosystem

Updated 20 February 2026
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SDAIA president says Saudi Arabia is building an integrated AI ecosystem

RIYADH: Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority President Abdullah Al-Ghamdi says that Saudi Arabia is moving steadily to establish artificial intelligence as a trusted national capability, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Guided by the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, Al-Ghamdi said the goal is to use AI to help develop government services, enhance competitiveness, build human capacity and improve quality of life through a comprehensive strategy based on three main pillars that unlock the potential of this technology and achieve sustainable developmental impact.

“The first pillar focuses on building human capacity and enhancing readiness to engage with AI technologies,” he said.

The second pillar is building an integrated national AI ecosystem that drives expansion and innovation by developing advanced digital infrastructure that enables various sectors to adopt AI applications efficiently, consistently and with effective governance, Al-Ghamdi said.

The third pillar, he said, is governance that ensures responsible and measurable AI through a national framework aligned with international standards.

This came during Al-Ghamdi’s speech at a high-level ministerial session held on Thursday on the sidelines of the AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi.

He is heading the Saudi delegation, and the session saw broad participation from heads of state, decision-makers and technology leaders from around the world.

Al-Ghamdi also had a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday evening, discussed AI cooperation and expressed his gratitude for hosting the summit and for the hospitality extended to the participants.