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LONDON: Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan, Saudi minister of culture and governor of the Royal Commission for AlUla, discussed strengthening cultural exchange with France’s minister of culture, Rachida Dati, in Paris on Wednesday.

The Saudi-French cultural cooperation will establish a Saudi section in the Center Pompidou, which is undergoing refurbishment, and will reopen to the public in 2030, the Royal Commission for AlUla announced.

According to the agreement, the RCU will provide 50 million euros to support the renovation of the Center Pompidou. This initiative is part of a larger Saudi-French collaboration aimed at developing the Museum of Contemporary Art in AlUla, in the western Hejaz region of ����ֱ��.

Additionally, a cultural and artistic program will be established for the upcoming years until 2030, focusing on modern and contemporary Saudi artists and using resources from the Center Pompidou. The initiative will facilitate exchanges between cultural professionals from France and ����ֱ��, the RCU added.

The partnership reflects a shared commitment to strengthening culture as a bridge for international dialogue and advancing sustainable development, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

RCU also announced the Arduna exhibition, scheduled to take place during the AlUla Arts Festival in January 2026. The event is organized in collaboration with Arts AlUla, the Center Pompidou and the French Agency for AlUla Development. It will include workshops and live performances to support emerging talent and enhance AlUla’s cultural landscape.

The RCU said that it was working to strengthen AlUla’s position as a global hub for creativity, where heritage, innovation and knowledge come together to inspire future generations, according to SPA.

ALKHOBAR: Women parliamentarians, diplomats and rights advocates from the Gulf, the Middle East and Europe met in an online forum on Tuesday to discuss the humanitarian and political impact of Yemen’s ongoing conflict and the role of women leaders in shaping peacebuilding efforts.

The online meeting, organized by Forward Thinking, a London-based nongovernmental organization specializing in political dialogue and mediation across the Gulf-Middle East and North Africa region, was part of its Women for a Sustainable Future network.

The session, held under the Chatham House Rule, focused on the gendered consequences of the war in Yemen and explored how female parliamentarians can contribute to inclusive recovery efforts.

Speakers included Yemeni experts Ousan Mohammed Saeed Ali, head of the Women’s Department in the Supreme Council of the Popular Resistance; Dr. Nabila Ghaleb, founder of the Fekrah Foundation for Media Rights for Women; and Areej Rashid Thabet Al-Nabhi, a rights activist working with victims’ families.

Dr. Huda Al-Helaissi, former member of ����ֱ��’s Shoura Council, told Arab News afterward that the forum served to bring “issues of importance to global attention via its varied participants and international parliamentarians.”

She explained that its goal was to “give access and voices to suffering people, especially women, who cannot reach the West.”

Reflecting on the discussion, Al-Helaissi added that the meeting brought to the forefront the reality of the “distress and heartbreaking poverty” facing Yemenis and the particular “burden” endured by women.

After over a decade of conflict, more than 18 million people in Yemen are in need of assistance, and women and girls face heightened risks of displacement, food insecurity and gender-based violence.

Established in 2018, the Women for a Sustainable Future network brings together female parliamentarians, government officials, and experts from across the Gulf-MENA region and Europe.

Its members include representatives from ����ֱ��, Oman, Egypt, Jordan, Sweden, and the UK. The initiative promotes cross-regional collaboration to tackle issues such as climate change, economic instability, and social inequality. 

Through regular meetings, both in person and online, the network creates a platform for women leaders to exchange knowledge and develop policy recommendations that can be implemented within their national parliaments.

Forward Thinking serves as the convenor of the network and maintains partnerships with institutions, including the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, the Gulf Cooperation Council, and the World Health Organization.