Introduction:

Under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, His Excellency Dr. Abdul Aziz bin Khoja, Minister of Culture and Information, has inaugurated the 2nd Forum of Saudi Intellectuals yesterday, Tuesday 27th December 2011, at the King Fahad Cultural Center in Riyadh. The event is scheduled to last four days.

SCTA undertakes transformation of heritage sites into intellectual centers in which documents and manuscripts as well as all that is related to the memory of the location are showcased, in addition to promoting heritage sites' cultural role through strategic planning.

His Royal Highness Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz, President of SCTA, in his speech in the forum stated that, SCTA has many developmental plans in different areas and over various levels, which are under implementation in accordance with the integrated partnership with relevant authorities, in an efforts to serve the national heritage and culture.

After several years now with the intensive preparations under persistence follow up of the Ministry of Culture and Information, the forum was launched and it will last for four days. The forum will have 13 sessions, in which a number of Saudi and Arab intellectuals will take part.

The first session will be at 9:00 am under the theme, "Public Libraries", while the second session which will be at 10:00 am on "International conventions and relations".

The forum during its four days schedule will provide a number of programs and activities aimed at meeting intellectuals' desires for discussing a number of national and international scholastic issues.

Forum’s themes are "Public libraries", "International conventions and relations", "Intellectual centers" "Woman’s cultural role", "Child culture" "Festivals and old souks", "Cultural awards", "Relation between economy and culture", "International and Arab cultural experiences", "Fine art", "Heritage, music and folklore", "Cultural industries and performed arts – theater: cinema and television".

On Thursday, the closing day of the forum, the Ministry of Culture and Information will host the forum's participants to a dinner at 1:00 pm in the King Fahad Cultural Center.

For more information:

-    Tourism strategy
-    Antiquities strategy
-    Cultural dimension
-    Speech of HRH President of SCTA (will be available tomorrow)
-    Al Tahawol Film and a Video files on cultural tourism