Saudi authorities sign deal to develop cultural, entertainment sectors

Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, minister of culture, and Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority, Turki Al-Asheikh signed the memorandum of understanding, the ministry said on Tuesday.

The MoU included cooperation in implementing the strategies of the Kingdom’s eleven cultural bodies, and coordinating between the two sectors to issue licenses and permits, and content approval.

It also included cooperation between the two parties to develop capacities, classify cultural and entertainment professions, stimulate investment in both sectors, and jointly implement recreational cultural activities.

The ministry said the signing of the deal falls within the framework of its aim to enrich cultural content, develop cultural and entertainment events organized by the Kingdom, enhance investment opportunities to diversify sources of domestic product, and consolidate the Kingdom’s position globally.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Culture signed a cooperation agreement with the Tourism Development Fund to spread cultural awareness and enrich visitor experiences at tourist sites.

The agreement aims to add “a cultural imprint in tourism projects” by developing heritage sites and transforming them into tourist destinations, and allocating cultural activities in existing or planned tourism projects.

This will help support local creative talents to benefit from tourism and cultural gains and develop their skills to achieve the objectives of the ministry and the fund, and the national strategies for culture and tourism.