Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The Museums Commission and the National Center for Palms and Dates (NCPD) signed a cooperation agreement during the International Dates Conference and Exhibition held at Roshan Front in Riyadh.

The agreement aims to highlight Saudi Arabia’s cultural and historical identity and harness shared capabilities and expertise to develop the palm and dates sector, enhance its heritage and cultural value, and contribute to strengthening the national economy to achieve fruitful cooperation between the two parties in areas of joint work.

The CEO of the center, Mohammed Al-Nuwairan, explained that the partnership aims to achieve key objectives that serve the interests of both sectors. He said: “Through this cooperation, we seek to raise the heritage and cultural value of dates locally and globally, as well as achieve a promising economic income.”

Regarding work on research, Dr. Al-Nuwairan explained that there is a clear mechanism that has been agreed upon with the Museums Commission, which includes developing cultural and educational programs and interactive workshops in museums and schools, with the aim of educating students and the public about the stages of palm cultivation, dates processing, and linking them to Saudi Arabia’s environmental heritage.

Khaled Baassiri, Director General of Partnerships and Business Development at the Museums Commission, confirmed that the Commission is currently working on designing integrated cultural paths, including visits to historical farms, establishing a museum specializing in palm trees and dates, and holding exhibitions that tell the story of palm trees and dates in Saudi Arabia.

He said: “Palm trees and dates are of great importance in our Arab culture, as they are a symbol of authenticity and generosity, and this importance has made them an essential element of the museum narrative, whether in general or specialized museums.”

Baassiri pointed out that the Commission will work to expand the scope of cooperation across government agencies, to know the societal desires of different parties, which contributes to diversifying the methods of cultural presentation and innovating smart display methods, which contribute to achieving the common strategic goals.