Primarily known for its oil-based economy, Saudi Arabia is moving towards recognising the power of arts and culture in driving the economy. Saudi Vision 2030 has empowered the creative Saudi population to unleash their hidden talent and contribute to the economy through numerous creative skills such as acting, filmmaking and storytelling.
A roundtable conference hosted by Arab News took place between the members of the British Council and Saudi youth representatives on 4th February 2019. They discussed the importance of a creative economy and how creative education along with digital skills can enhance employment in the Kingdom.
Sir Ciaran Devane, the chief executive of the British Council, initiated the roundtable discussion by mentioning the goals of the organisation and their role in supporting the field of arts and culture in Saudi Arabia. He emphasised the fact that it is important to understand other cultures, beliefs and values and build friendly relationships for promoting creative knowledge. It will help in building a peaceful world.
He further stated that the British Council looks forward to supporting the field of arts and culture in Saudi Arabia by sharing their experiences and the lessons they have learnt from their past mistakes in the arts industry. The British have come a long way in this field and they have many experiences to share with the young talent of Saudi.
The discussion progressed by unveiling how Saudi Arabia is supporting arts and culture and the fact that the youth is the main power behind the positive exchange of rich cultures. The members of the roundtable discussion spoke one-by-one about the positive aspects and challenges of the Saudi Vision 2030.
The talented Saudi youth has created an initiative called “KSA in All Languages” which features about 200 volunteers who speak a wide range of languages including Arabic, English, Persian, Japanese, French, Korean, German, Russian, Turkish and Spanish. This project will help in building strong relations with other countries on cultural grounds.
A young Saudi media director of this project, Alreem Al-Mutlaq, spoke about the aims of the project. She mentioned that it will help in removing global misconceptions about Saudi Arabia and help strengthen its relations with other countries. It will portray a positive image of the Saudi Kingdom and build a new perspective for people to look through.
Nada Radwan, an art director at Saudi production company Telfazu, highlighted the importance of entertainment in bringing together different cultures. He said that entertainment can be used as a tool to remove misconceptions about Saudi Arabia. It will help portray a positive image of the Saudi culture and help people understand it better.
The people present in the conference were encouraged to freely share their views about Saudi Arabia’s progress in the creative fields. A young Saudi filmmaker Yasir Hammad shared his feelings about the Saudi Vision 2030. He said that it enabled him to follow his passion and achieve his dreams.
Sarah Taibah, who is a talented Saudi actress, shared her views by saying that she feels proud to be a part of the arts industry and looks forward to its growth.
The roundtable discussion served as a platform for a medical student, Rana Garout, to share her passion. She always wanted to be a motivational speaker but feared public speaking. The roundtable discussion organized by Arab News increased her confidence and gave her an opportunity to demonstrate her speaking skills.
