His Excellency the General Supervisor of the King Abdulaziz Public Library, Mr. Faisal bin Abdulrahman bin Muammar, affirmed that during the reign of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, may Allah protect them, a new direction for culture emerged in the Kingdom as an integral part of the state’s development project. This direction has redefined the role of local culture within a national project that simultaneously strengthens the economy, society, and national identity. Saudi Vision 2030 clearly established this direction by linking culture to quality of life, the economy, and the Kingdom’s international image, through a transition from supporting cultural activities to building a fully developed cultural sector.

This came in a statement by His Excellency following the announcement by His Highness Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, Minister of Culture, of an initiative to support local communities in restoring heritage towns, aimed at strengthening community contributions to preserving and rehabilitating their valuable heritage assets. The announcement was made at the conclusion of the Non-Profit Cultural Sector Forum organized by the Ministry at the King Fahd Cultural Center in Riyadh.
He said: “Within this framework, the Ministry of Culture, under the leadership of His Highness the Minister of Culture, has successfully moved this field from general discussion to systematic implementation. Specialized commissions have been established for each sector, from libraries and literature to music, film, and heritage. This division was not merely organizational, but professional, with each commission following a clear path, possessing its own tools, and operating according to performance indicators. Through this step, culture moved from a broad and general discourse to clearly defined productive sectors.”

He added: “The achievements did not come separately, but as an interconnected series: establishing the regulatory framework, launching sector-specific strategies, empowering investors, and expanding international partnerships. Each step built upon the previous one, and this may be what gave the project its coherence. In the cultural industries, the transformation has been particularly clear: publishing, cinema, fashion, design, and music have become economic activities with clearly defined value chains. Licenses have been issued, companies have entered the market, and the market itself has begun to take shape. In the film sector, for example, local production has doubled within just a few years, cinemas have opened, and revenues have increased. These are market indicators, not merely celebratory displays.”

He continued: “As for heritage, it has moved from preservation to activation. Initiatives such as the restoration of heritage towns have given historic places new functions in Historic Jeddah, AlUla, and the villages of Asir. More recently, and certainly not lastly, the promising Sados Historic Village project was launched, God willing, with the aim of bringing economic activity back to old neighborhoods. Hospitality projects have opened and will continue to open, important traditional crafts have flourished, visitor numbers have increased, and heritage has become a productive asset. This transformation achieves a clear equation: protecting identity while generating income.”

Faisal bin Muammar concluded: “The relationship between the state and society has changed. The state has established the direction, put regulations in place, and provided the necessary enablers, paving the way for society to become a partner in production. The private sector invests, while the non-profit sector expands social impact. This distribution will create an operational balance, reduce the burden on the state, and improve implementation efficiency. As a result, the prevailing language within the cultural sector today has become clear: figures, indicators, returns, and sustainability.”