MAKKAH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture recently launched the Culture Hub online platform, offering a comprehensive database of the Saudi cultural sector, including assets, infrastructure, institutions, artifacts and achievements. The platform encourages community involvement in documenting and contributing relevant information across various cultural sectors, serving both local and international audiences. It enables users to access images, descriptions and locations of cultural assets, explore historical sites via an interactive map, and search a registry of cultural institutions such as theaters, libraries and museums. Users can also explore collections of artifacts, manuscripts, rock art and inscriptions, and share their cultural assets with the community through the platform. Historian Hammad Al-Salmi praised the ministry’s Culture Hub platform as a smart initiative for promoting culture, both locally and globally across all regions of the Kingdom. He said: “It is a wonderful gesture that reflects the cultural richness of our blessed nation, reflects its deep cultural roots, connecting us to our cultural heritage and showcasing the people’s cultural expressions, poetic creativity and literary achievements across eras.” Storyteller Najwa Al-Omari said: “Our deep culture is a source of inspiration and creativity, encompassing language, craftsmanship, talent and identity. This cultural shift positions our culture at the forefront globally.” She added: “Cultural-sharing narrows gaps among local communities, allowing us to explore the diverse cultures within this vast geography, rich in ancient history. We will convey our identity to the world through the language of place, time and intricate details.” Poet Kheder Allhyani praised the Culture Hub platform as a pioneering initiative to inform both local and international audiences about Saudi culture. Allhyani said that the platform enabled the audience to delve into and interact with diverse cultural domains such as popular arts, history, poetry, social dynamics, visual arts, photography, music, theater, literary clubs, cultural production, stories and novels. It served as a repository of the country’s cultural wealth, he said.