Prince William’s visit to Saudi Arabia has laid the groundwork for a closer partnership between the nation and the UK.On the back of the future King’s journey out east, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Saudi Ministry of Culture have jointly announced the year 2029 as the official UK-Saudi Year of Culture.The Department for Culture shared the details, saying formal relations between the two nations have “evolved into a multifaceted international relationship, expanding across culture, education, and innovation, reflecting shared values and a mutual commitment to long-term partnership”.It noted how cooperation in culture has emerged in recent years, with joint initiatives between the kingdoms.
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The Department for Culture continued: “This ongoing expansion of cultural exchange lays the foundation for the UK-Saudi Year of Culture.”2029 will be a year-long programme celebrating “creative dialogue and the shared heritage” of the two countries.The department noted how the partnership will mark “a great opportunity for young people in both countries to connect in new ways”.It has been described as “an important milestone between the two countries”.LATEST DEVELOPMENTSHarry and Meghan go courtside as couple cozy up watching NBA All-Star GameCatherine and Prince William ‘divided on Prince Harry’s decision to leave Royal Family’Pippa Middleton helped sister Catherine write speech for cancer announcement videoDuring his visit, the Prince of Wales had an audience with Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman as he attended the Crown Prince’s private farm in Diriyah.As part of his meeting, William was urged by various human rights organisations to raise issues during the trip.A source said about the Saudis: “They are delighted that he’s here. The fact that he’s a prince and the future king matters enormously. They want it to be a friendship that lasts.”It is not known what was discussed during the formal talks and whether any human rights issues were broached, but in the local culture, private discussions on sensitive topics are the norm rather than publicly airing disagreements.Felix Jakens, head of campaigns at Amnesty International, said: “We’ve asked Prince William to raise the case of British national Ahmed Al Doush, who was arrested visiting Saudi Arabia on holiday in 2024, and sentenced to 10 years in prison, as he understands over tweets from 2018.”The ordeal Ahmed has had to endure has been harrowing, and toll on his wife and four children is unimaginable. “Any influence Prince William is able to exert behind closed doors could be critical in securing his release.”The Crown Prince has been the driving force behind Saudi Arabia’s long-term plan aimed at transforming the Kingdom into a diverse and sustainable economy.The plan was launched in 2016, with goals to attract foreign investment, empower women, innovate, and position Saudi Arabia as one of the world leaders in business and culture by 2030.The visit to the farm followed a private tour of the Unesco World Heritage Site, At-Turaif.At-Tuaif is an example of Najdi architecture that thrived in the 18th century.The site is considered to be one of the largest integrated mud-brick cities in the world.Our Standards:
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