Saudi and Italian academics pose for a group photo at the end of a conference on “Art and Literature in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia” that was held at University “La Sapienza” in Rome on the occasion of the celebrations of 80 years of diplomatic relations between Italy and Saudi Arabia. — SG photo Roberta Fedele Saudi Gazette
JEDDAH — Eighty years of diplomatic relations between Italy and Saudi Arabia were celebrated in Rome between October 1 and 5 with a number of cultural and institutional events, including academic conferences, students' meetings, exhibitions and dialogue forums on economy, culture, health, science and security issues. On this special occasion, one of the most important Saudi delegation that ever reached Italy was present in Rome headed by Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Saud Al Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, president of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities, Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Saudi Minister of Culture and Information Abdulaziz bin Mohiuddin Khoja. The delegation also comprised two vice ministers and high level entrepreneurs who held a long series of meetings with their Italian counterparts and took part in a special Saudi-Italian Forum at Villa Madama in the presence of Prince Saud and the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs Emma Bonino. Bonino stressed the need to expand the investment sector not confining cooperation to the classical petrochemical and infrastructure fields. “In these days, Italy has launched ‘Destination Italy,' an ambitious program to attract investments. New frontiers need to be explored. These include green economy, biomedical and, more in general, ‘the economy of knowledge'.” Other priorities discussed during the Forum concerned the intensification of cultural synergies in the archaeological, artistic, academic, scientific and technological fields. “Training and research constitute the richness of the ‘wells' of knowledge that will have to be ‘extracted' by the future generations,” Bonino said. Prince Saud insisted on the importance of cultural exchange for the future of international dialogue and emphasized Italy's historical role as a cultural bridge between the West and the Arab world. In line with their purposes, the two countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cultural cooperation and a partnership between the Centre for Information and Studies of the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Italian Institute of Foreign Affairs (IAI). The celebrations for 80 years of Saudi-Italian diplomatic relations were not only conceived in the spirit of building inter-religious, business-to-business and government-to-government dialogue platforms but also as a way of favoring a people-to-people dialogue. For this purpose, an interactive pavilion was set up in “Piazza del Popolo” (a famous square in Rome) to shed light on the history, arts, folklore, gastronomy and traditions of Saudi Arabia. Italian Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Lapo Pistelli said at the pavilion's inauguration on Oct 1: “Today Saudi Arabia comes to Italy with a new image which inspires curiosity and we hope can bring as many people as possible to deepen their knowledge about this country. “Attending this one week of events will give the opportunity to directly observe the culture and folkloristic traditions of the Kingdom, our close partner in the common path through history and in the future of the so-called extended Mediterranean area. “Italy and Saudi Arabia share today a responsibility for the prosperity and the stability of our common region. Both countries, with different modulations but with a growing convergence, know that the international stability must necessarily be based on dialogue, multilateralism, integration and regional cooperation.” The pavilion consisted of a large central hall with a huge screen showing the main phases of the Kingdom's political and economic development together with stunning images of Saudi Arabia's main cities, natural landscapes, archeological heritage, modern constructions and new infrastructure projects. On this striking background, Saudi artists performed traditional dances and music from different Saudi regions involving an enthusiast public in their performances. “Our idea of Saudi Arabia,” said a group of university students from the public, “was very vague and basically associated to desert sceneries and Islamic traditions. “We were surprised to learn about the incredible urban development of modern Saudi Arabia, its cultural and natural richness and capacity to find a balance between tradition and modernity. “And what we liked the most,” added the group, “was being unexpectedly involved in exotic dances and observing arts and crafts that are very distant from our culture.” In the pavilion's lateral halls, Saudi staff, professional calligraphers and henna artists were at the disposal of the public who enjoyed eating fresh dates, receiving henna applications and personalized calligraphic inscriptions. The pavilion also displayed scale models of Makkah and Madinah, an Arab calligraphic art exhibition and Saudi traditional customs. Rich in shows, arts and colors the pavilion was dismantled on October 5. However, a touch of Saudi spirit and culture will continue to be on display in Rome for one more month through an exhibition entitled “Discovering Saudi Arabia: the land of dialogue and culture.” Inaugurated by Prince Saud and the Mayor of Rome Ignazio Marini on October 3, the exhibition proposes an excursus on the precious archeological heritage of the Kingdom and will be open to the public until November 30.
