Madinah Region Governor Prince Salman bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz inaugurated the 12th edition of the Cultures and Peoples' Festival, organized by the Islamic University in Madinah, which will be held until May 6.
The governor visited the pavilions of the participating countries and was briefed on the festival's goal of promoting communication, unity, and understanding among peoples. The festival, which also fosters teamwork and promotes Islamic values, nurtures dialogue, coexistence, and peace among nations, and enhances communication between university students and the local community.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Acting President of the Islamic University Dr. Hassan bin Abdulmunim Al-Oufi highlighted the fact that over 100,000 students from over 170 countries graduated from this university, and that they have played a crucial role in developing their societies and homelands.
Al-Oufi said that the festival brings together students from 95 countries, giving them a platform to showcase their cultures, customs, and traditions.
"The festival creates a harmonious and cooperative environment where the East and West unite on the university's premises," he said.
The festival covers an area of 7,000 square meters. Representatives of different countries present over 40 activities and events for families, children, and the community.
The Cultures and Peoples’ Festival is expected to attract over 100,000 visitors. Its wide range of events and activities includes celebrating Saudi Arabian coffee, Arabic poetry, cuisine, tea, and the Year of the Camel 2024. The festival also has entertainment, educational, and cultural corners that provide enriching experiences for visitors.

The Saudi Arabia Museum of Contemporary Art (SAMoCA) has launched a series of new exhibitions and services that enrich the experience of art lovers and members of the community at the JAX District of Diriyah.

The 'In the Night' exhibition, hosted by SAMoCA, presents the "Sound Resonance Series", a unique vocal experience that invites participants to explore a harmonious blend of artistic expression, stillness, creativity and inspiration through the tunes of more than 20 instruments. A solo session was held on April 28 and three more will be held on May 2, 9, and 16.

SAMoCA is the Kingdom's first contemporary art museum; it seeks to build bridges between local and international artists and offers them the opportunity to exchange knowledge, communicate and grow, contributing to shaping the future of contemporary art in Saudi Arabia and the Arab region.

The historic Versailles Palace Gardens will soon host the Paris Olympics equestrian sports.
Meanwhile, the select number of riders of the National Equestrian Academy handling the palace's famed royal stables continue to care for their beloved horses: Almost every day at dawn, they enjoy the quietness and splendor of grass lawns and woods of the park of the Versailles Palace, before thousands of visitors from across the world spread in.
The elite academy — founded by French horse trainer and impresario Bartabas who decided to revive the splendid building in 2003 — has only 12 riders. After years of hard work, they take part in a prestigious show at the Great Stables of Versailles every weekend to the delight of spectators, The Associated Press reported.
While the Academy is open to both genders, women form the majority of applicants.
“We are only women here now,” said one of those experienced riders, Fanny Lorré, gleefully smiling as she noted how big of a change it was from the once male-dominated world of equestrianism.
Lorré, 28, is known as an ‘ecuyères’ — the French word for squire or horse rider, and has a vast knowledge of the royal stables' history.
Commissioned by France's King Louis XIV, or Sun King, the stables were built between 1679 and 1682 opposite the palace’s main entrance. They once housed more than 2,000 horses during the 18th century. Now, the Academy’s riders train about 40 horses, notably including Lusitanos, a Portuguese breed known to be a favorite of Louis IV.
The Great Stables were built “just before the King arrived here in Versailles. He wanted very big and wonderful stables because he had a lot of horses,” Lorré said. “Horses at that time were very important in the court and in the everyday life.”
“They built it in only three years, which is quite amazing when you see how big the building is," she added. "And it was also a school for the people at that time (who wanted to) learn how to ride ... a little bit of philosophy, mathematic and everything so they can become the best person in the kingdom.”
Under the monarchy, horses were used by the royal family, its entourage and visitors to go hunting, show their equestrian skills and enjoy rides in the Versailles gardens. They were an essential part of the festivities and a symbol of the King's power.
After the French Revolution, in the 19th century, the army took over the stables, using them for its cavalry regiments until World War II. They were then used as a storage facility for the Versailles district's archives and later for horse carriages until Bartabas stepped in and formed the academy.
Its members are known for their contemporary take on equestrian art. They receive fencing, dancing and Japanese archery classes to help them hone skills used in their weekly shows.
As the Paris Games approach, the palace — which will host equestrian and modern pentathlon events during the July 26 - Aug. 11 — is starting to buzz with excitement.
The Academy members, though not participating in the games, are looking forward to seeing Olympic riders galloping in the gardens of the Versailles Palace, Lorré said.
"There’s a lot of historical meaning have those Olympics in the gardens," Academy rider Dounia Kazzoul, 26, noted, "because the King used to organize a lot of (theater) plays and shows in those gardens. So it’s really great to have that here!"
Grandstands, outdoor arenas and gallop tracks are now being set up for the Games across the park, where up to 40,000 people are expected to attend the cross-country part of the event. Olympic horses will be housed in temporary, air-conditioned facilities built close to the competition site.
The palace itself will remain open to the public during the Games. To coincide with the Olympics, it will be holding an exhibition dedicated to horses and equestrian civilization in Europe from July 2 July to November 3.
The National Equestrian Academy will continue to present its show at Versailles this summer until Aug. 7. Visitors can also discover the nearby Gallery of Coaches, which contains one of the largest collections of coaches in Europe.
 

The Japanese ambassador raved about the daffodils and the glorious spring sunshine. The Australian envoy joked about beating the "Poms" at their own game. A life-sized Paddington waved and clapped.
On the steps of a centuries-old country house in northwest England, one of the nation's most eccentric cultural events -- the Dalemain World Marmalade Awards -- was in full swing.
Inside, in an oak-paneled room lined with portraits of family ancestors, winning jars of the quintessentially British fruit preserve covered every surface.
"Excellent marmalade, just cloudy," read one judge's report card. "Good color and set," said another. "Jar should be filled to the top," said a third.
Every January and February, when bitter Seville oranges from Spain are available for a few short weeks, marmalade makers shut themselves away in their kitchens to chop, pulp and boil.
Many of those homemade marmalades -- along with other non-Seville marmalades from as far afield as Hawaii, Japan, Taiwan and Australia -- wind their way to Dalemain, which this year received just under 3,000 pots of the sweet, sticky condiment.
The 2024 competition featured 17 categories, including entries from a Taiwanese orphanage in the children's section and a US women's correctional facility in the newly introduced prison's class.
'We got silver!'
Made by boiling together the juice and peel of citrus fruits, sugar and water, marmalade as we know it now was pioneered commercially in the late 18th century by the Keiller family of Dundee in Scotland.
Spread generously on buttered toast, it is traditionally a staple of British breakfast tables as well the favored sandwich filling of children's character Paddington, a small bear from "deepest, darkest Peru".
"We got a silver, which we're delighted about!" said James Stoddart, a prison rehabilitation worker in northeast England, spotting his jail's entry adorned with a silver star.
Two prisoners had lobbied to take part, inspired by one of their daughters who loved Paddington, he said, even though neither of them had a clue how to make marmalade.
"You're not allowed glass inside prisons so we had to really fight to get it in and get it done," he said, adding that 12 jars were eventually produced, including one that was sent to the little girl.
Founded by Dalemain chatelaine Jane Hasell-McCosh, the awards are held annually at the family's historic house in the Lake District National Park and have raised more than £250,000 ($310,000) for charity.
From just 60 jars from the local area in 2005, there are now spin-off events also taking place in Japan and Australia.
Queen and Paddington
Atsuko Hayashi, owner of The English Kitchen in Tokyo, said the pastime had changed her life by helping her to "connect with people" globally.
For London-based Danish photographer Henrik Knudsen, marmalade making was "a very English thing" which he had happily adopted since living in the UK.
But he said getting it right was not an exact science and the results could be unpredictable.
The clarity could be wrong, the peel might be a bit tough, the texture could be too runny, he said. "That's the charm of it."
Marmalade received an unexpected boost during the 2022 celebrations for Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee, when the late monarch took part in a televised comedy sketch with Paddington.
'Broad church'
The skit was a welcome reminder of marmalade's qualities at a time when homemade has never been more popular, said Caroline Hodge, winner of the dark and chunky category.
Mass-produced marmalade had "got sugary and that's not flavor", she said, explaining that she had reduced the sugar content of a recipe handed down to her by an aunt and added ginger, turmeric and all spice.
"It's very emotional because my aunt is no longer here and I'm a bit blown away," she said.
"It's not quite Wimbledon but it's definitely the Oscars," she added.
Entries for the 2024 competition included a host of unusual ingredients from chillies and seaweed to caviar and smoked pineapple.
Retiring head judge Dan Lepard said the awards were a "broad church" happy to embrace "all the citrus fruits in the world" -- not just Seville oranges -- as well as unusual flavorings.
For the overall 2024 winner, Stephen Snead, the honor comes with the added bonus of having his marmalade commercially produced for a year and sold in luxury London department store Fortnum & Mason.
The 52-year-old English accountant who won with two jars -- orange and lime marmalade with red chilies and a lime marmalade with creme de cacao -- said he was overwhelmed to be at Dalemain and see "just how far the marmalade family reaches across the world".
"It's just an absolute thrill," he said.
 

Organized by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC) under the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT), the Sheikh Zayed Book Award has named Casa Árabe in Spain as winner of the Cultural Personality of the Year category for its 18th edition, Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported.

The award acknowledges and honors Casa Árabe’s achievements in bridging the cultures of the Arab and Spanish people and advancing Arabic language and culture throughout Europe and Latin America, WAM said.

The award’s Board of Trustees and Scientific Committee decision to name Casa Árabe as this year's Cultural Personality of the Year was unanimous, recognizing the institution's success in fostering cross-cultural dialogue.

Throughout its existence, Casa Árabe has welcomed numerous Arab writers, artists and thinkers to engage with Spanish Arabists, all in pursuit of cultivating an environment grounded in principles of tolerance and respect for cultural diversity, WAM added.

Paris has a new king of the crusty baguette.

Baker Xavier Netry was chosen this week as the 31st winner of Paris' annual “Grand Prix de la baguette” prize.

His long loaf beat 172 others.

Competing baguettes were evaluated for taste, look, texture, airiness and the quality of the baking. The jury included a deputy mayor, industry representatives, journalists and six Parisians that City Hall said were drawn at random.

The Utopie bakery in Paris' 11th district that Netry works for wins 4,000 euros ($4,290) and becomes one of the suppliers of the presidential Elysee Palace for a year.

City Hall said uneaten baguettes from the competition were donated to a charity that feeds people who are homeless.

Netry, a baker for 25 years, said the secrets of his success are a good sourdough starter and “a good long fermentation,” careful cooking and "some love and some passion, of course.”

"Hima" Protected Areas Forum and its exhibition, organized by the National Center for Wildlife (NCW), concluded its four-day activities in Riyadh that began April 21 through April 24.
The forum was inaugurated by the Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture and Chairman of the Board of the National Center for Wildlife Eng. Abdulrahman Al Fadli, the Saudi Press agency said on Friday.
Mohammed Qurban, the CEO of NCW, stated in a press release issued at the end of the forum that the "Hima" Forum was organized due to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's significant role in global environmental initiatives and the NCW's responsibility as the national entity for the wildlife sector to host significant international conferences.
The NCW is also responsible for monitoring the sector and developing regulations and policies for protected areas within the Kingdom's protected areas system.
"Hima" Protected Areas Forum was attended by local and international participants and featured eight main sessions, a series of workshops, side meetings, and field visits to several natural reserves.
The forum also saw the signing of memoranda and agreements and issued a list of recommendations. In addition to the forum, there was an accompanying exhibition in which environmental centers, Royal reserves, major projects, associations, international environmental organizations, and international reserves participated.

The Saudi Ministry of Culture is taking part in the AlUla Camel Cup, organized by the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) from April 24-27 in AlUla.

It has set up a special pavilion for the "2024 Year of the Camel," showcasing the initiative's efforts and objectives. This initiative recognizes camels as a historical cultural element deeply intertwined with the Saudi people's heritage, holding significant cultural and social influence.

The pavilion features various content about camels, including their characteristics, nomenclature, and historical significance, presented through creative mediums such as murals, luminous boxes displaying camel names and titles, and a cylindrical LED display promoting the initiative's objectives.
Furthermore, the pavilion provides an immersive acoustic experience, offering a detailed explanation of camel sounds and their cultural connotations, which have inspired tales and held a special place in the Arab mindset, reflecting a profound understanding of camels' integral role in daily life.

Moreover, the pavilion highlights Heda'a, a traditional form of oral expression in the Arabian Peninsula, serving as a means of communication between camels and their herders. This art form has evolved from simple vocalizations to poetic singing, characterized by its beauty and sweetness. Heda'a is recognized on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

The Ministry of Culture's participation in the AlUla Camel Cup aligns with the activities and programs of the 2024 Year of the Camel initiative. It aims to elevate the visibility of this distinctive cultural year in various forums and events across the Kingdom, celebrating camels as an authentic cultural symbol while emphasizing their pivotal role in cultural development, economic significance, and contribution to food security.

The Louvre museum in Paris has announced that it planned to organize yoga and sport sessions in its famed galleries as part of a city-wide cultural program ahead of the Olympics.

The world's biggest museum is to offer visitors the chance to take part in dance, yoga and work-out sessions with instructors and coaches while gazing upon its world-renowned paintings and sculptures.

The announcement was one of several on Tuesday aimed at whipping up Olympic enthusiasm ahead of the start of the Games in Paris on July 26.

"The Louvre is physically in the center of Paris. It will be physically at the center of the Olympic Games," museum chief Laurence des Cars told reporters.

Details of the special sessions and the museum's new Olympics-themed exhibition are available on its website.

The opening ceremony is set to take place on the river Seine which runs past the Louvre. A temporary stadium to host the skateboarding and breakdancing is being built on the nearby Place de la Concorde. The Olympic flame is also set to burn in the neighboring Tuileries gardens, a security source has told AFP.

Four other art destinations, including the Musee d'Orsay, the home of impressionist masterpieces, are also set to put on Olympic-related sports or cultural activities.

Also on Tuesday, the Paris city hall unveiled its plans for public sports facilities, concerts and open-air fan areas around the City of the Light for the duration of the Olympics and Paralympics.

A total of 26 fanzones will be created around the capital, in addition to two special celebration areas in central and northeastern Paris where medal winners will be encouraged to greet the public.

"For the first time in the history of the Games, the host city is aiming to create a people's Games where Olympic enthusiasm can be shared at both the event sites but also outside of the stadiums, in the heart of the city, in each district," the mayor's office said in a press statement.

A new Olympic transport mobile phone application was also made available for the first time on Tuesday by the regional transport authority.

Visitors to Paris will be encouraged to use the "Transport public Paris 2024" app, which will guide them to Olympic destinations using real-time information on traffic and user numbers.

The developers said that suggested routes would not necessarily be "the shortest or the quickest" but would be the most suitable and ensure that travelers are divided among different transport options.

Overcrowding on the Paris underground train network is a particular concern ahead of the Games, while local politicians have urged Parisians to walk or use bikes.

The first Olympics in Paris in 100 years are set to take place from July 26-August 11 followed by the Paralympics from August 28-September 8.

The Saudi cultural mission’s pavilion held a workshop on Journalism and Transformation at the 38th edition of the Tunis International Book Fair.

It was attended by several intellectuals, media professionals, and writers from both Saudi Arabia and Tunisia.

The workshop's main objective was to address the challenges faced by traditional Arab media in renewing their discourse and media content to ensure continuity, particularly with the growing interest and follow-up of the public in social media.

The workshop is part of the cultural program the Saudi cultural attaché organized in Tunis in cooperation with the Saudi Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission in the Kingdom.