RIYADH: Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, Saudi Arabia’s culture minister, received his French counterpart Rachida Dati, who is currently on a visit to the Kingdom. Prince Badr commended the robust cultural relations between the Kingdom and France, emphasizing their recent development and the Saudi leadership’s commitment to further strengthening bilateral cultural connections.  The discussions centered on ways to bolster cooperation and international cultural exchange between the Kingdom and France across various cultural domains. Key areas of focus included museums, theater and performing arts, culinary arts, films, heritage preservation, libraries, visual arts, music, fashion, architecture, and design. Dati explored several prominent cultural venues and events in Riyadh during her official visit. She toured the “Diriyah Biennale for Contemporary Art” held in the Jax district of Diriyah. The biennale features a significant number of elite artists from both the Kingdom and around the globe. The Jax district has undergone a complete redesign, transforming it into a vibrant creative hub featuring performance spaces, artist studios, art galleries, and supportive platforms. Dati also visited the Irqah Cultural Center and was briefed on its various innovative cultural initiatives. The center exemplifies Saudi cultural creativity by repurposing historical buildings and turning them into unique spaces that embrace art, artists, and elements of Saudi culture. The French minister also visited the offices of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City and learned about some of the plans for the city and Expo 2030 which is being hosted in the Saudi capital.