Post by : Shweta
Culture Seen as Key to Intellectual Security
Culture and the arts can play an important role in strengthening intellectual security, preserving national identity and carrying Saudi heritage to future generations, speakers told the Security and History Dialogue Conference in Riyadh.The three-day conference concluded after examining the relationship between security and history through a broad cross-sector approach. Discussions covered areas including business, technology, heritage and culture.
Cultural Institutions Have a Shared Responsibility
A panel titled “Culture and Arts and Strengthening Intellectual Security” brought together Princess Haifa bint Abdulmohsen bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, artist and producer Meshaal Al-Mutairi, and Abdulrahman Al-Sayed, CEO of the Translation Association.The speakers discussed how cultural institutions can move beyond simply preserving historical material and instead use culture to shape public awareness and create meaningful experiences for society.
Princess Haifa Stresses the Importance of Culture
Princess Haifa said security should be viewed as a shared responsibility involving individuals as well as institutions. She highlighted the cultural sector as an important channel for shaping collective thought and said cultural institutions have a responsibility to make ideas and heritage accessible to the public.She also emphasized the importance of ensuring that cultural knowledge is passed to future generations accurately and without distortion.
Arts Can Turn Heritage Into Experience
According to Princess Haifa, culture helps build awareness while the arts communicate the values contained within that awareness. She said cultural institutions should take heritage beyond archives and institutional spaces and create experiences that younger generations can understand and engage with.This approach places greater emphasis on making history and heritage part of everyday cultural life rather than keeping them only in archives.
Saudi Artists Call for Authentic Local Productions
Artist and producer Meshaal Al-Mutairi said confidence in Saudi culture should not prevent openness to other cultures. He argued that a strong understanding of local identity can help people engage more confidently with cultures around the world.Al-Mutairi also called for more authentic Saudi artistic productions, including theater and cinema rooted in local culture. He said international expertise can contribute to local productions while the central cultural message should remain connected to Saudi society.
Culture, History and Security Linked Together
Abdulrahman Al-Sayed placed culture at the center of the conference’s wider discussion of history and security. He said history shapes culture, while a sense of belonging to culture can influence perceptions of security.He stressed that cultural institutions should first preserve knowledge and then act as a bridge between that knowledge and society through research, experiences and accessible cultural products.
Drama Can Preserve Historical Emotions
The panel also examined the role of drama in communicating history. Al-Mutairi said artistic productions can convey the emotions and experiences of people who lived through historical periods, rather than simply presenting facts.He argued that Saudi talent has an important role in telling these stories authentically and ensuring that cultural productions remain connected to the society and history they portray.
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Preserving Culture Means Preserving National Memory
Princess Haifa concluded by emphasizing that preserving arts and culture also means preserving the memory, history and heritage of a nation. She stressed responsibility in how cultural information is communicated, preserved and passed to future generations.
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