Saudi Arabia and Britain declare 2029 as cultural year

Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman meeting with Britain’s Prince William in the old district of Diriyah on the outskirts of the Saudi capital Riyadh. (SPA)
Short Url
Updated 11 February 2026
Follow

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.


Conjoined twins from Pakistan arrive in Saudi Arabia for separation surgery assessment

Updated 6 sec ago
Follow

Conjoined twins from Pakistan arrive in Saudi Arabia for separation surgery assessment

  • Sufyan and Yusuf were taken to King Abdullah Specialized Children’s Hospital in Riyadh for evaluation by specialist team led by Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah
  • They flew to Saudi Arabia under directives from King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman

RIYADH: Conjoined twins from Pakistan arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday for an assessment of the possibility of separation surgery.

Sufyan and Yusuf and their parents were taken from King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh to King Abdullah Specialized Children’s Hospital, which operates under the Saudi Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, where the twins’ condition will be evaluated.

They were flown to Saudi Arabia under directives from King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The twins’ family expressed their gratitude to the Saudi leadership and people for the warm welcome and prompt response to their case, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, head of the medical and surgical team at the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program, also thanked the Saudi leadership for the humanitarian initiative.

His team’s expertise in conjoined twin separation surgeries has helped establish the Kingdom as a global leader in the field and a beacon of hope for families seeking treatment, the SPA added.