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In parts of the world today — particularly in regions that have long stood as cradles of human civilization — we are witnessing conflicts of an intensity that often appear to exceed the bounds of both humanity and restraint. The consequences are visible not only in human suffering, but also in the erosion of the shared civilizational space that once made coexistence possible.
This moment calls for reflection. While the circumstances that have brought us here may well warrant accountability, the more urgent task is to move beyond blame — toward a more fundamental question: What must diplomacy expand to include, or become, if it is to meaningfully respond to such a trajectory?
Diplomacy, in its current form, has proven effective in managing positions and securing agreements. Yet, increasingly, it struggles to build understanding or sustain trust. What is required, therefore, is not its replacement but its evolution — from a practice centered on negotiation to one equally concerned with the conditions of human encounter.
From this perspective emerges what may be described as a more human diplomacy: one that does not abandon rigor but tempers it; does not weaken interests but situates them within a broader horizon; and does not merely manage the space between states but seeks to narrow the distance between people.
At the heart of this approach lies a recognition that cultural exchange is one of diplomacy’s most enduring foundations
Dr. Ghazi Faisal Binzagr
At the heart of this approach lies a recognition that cultural exchange is not an auxiliary dimension of diplomacy but one of its most enduring foundations. It is not simply the presentation of identity, nor the passive absorption of another’s experience, but a gradual process of encounter — what might be understood as the weaving of connection.
Saudi Arabia engages in this space from a value system that extends deep into its historical consciousness, shaped over time yet grounded in continuity. Central to this is the concept of “muru’ah” — a term that resists direct translation, encompassing dignity, courage, generosity, integrity and the keeping of one’s word.
More than a cultural reference, muru’ah represents an ethical orientation that informs action without requiring constant articulation. It is within this framework that a distinct form of pragmatism emerges — one that does not abandon principle, even under pressure.
The well-known saying attributed to Umar bin Al-Khattab, the second caliph of Islam and a statesman widely associated with justice and principled governance, captures this balance with clarity: “I am not deceitful, nor can the deceitful deceive me.” It reflects an equilibrium between integrity and awareness — between moral clarity and practical discernment.
Such an approach is not developed in abstraction. It is shaped through lived experience across cultures.
In Japan, where I currently serve, one encounters a sensibility that resonates with this perspective. The concept of “kokoro” — often translated as “heart,” yet encompassing mind, intention and spirit — offers a meaningful lens through which to consider the human dimension of diplomacy.
Expressions such as “kokoro no gaiko” (diplomacy of the heart) and “magokoro,” meaning sincerity or genuine intention, are not formal doctrines. Yet they reflect a cultural disposition in which trust is not separate from engagement but integral to it.
This understanding became particularly vivid during Expo 2025 Osaka, where I had the distinct honor of serving my country as commissioner general of the Saudi Arabian pavilion — an experience that anchored these ideas deeply in my thinking and brought them into lived reality.
What distinguished the experience was not only engagement at the institutional level but its universality. A child discovering something new. Parents sharing in that discovery. Grandparents reconnecting with a sense of wonder. In such moments, it becomes evident that the need for encounter is not limited to those who operate internationally. It is a shared human need.
At their best, world expositions serve as living environments where cultures are not merely presented but experienced
Dr. Ghazi Faisal Binzagr
Diplomacy, in this sense, is not defined solely by outcomes. It is also defined by the spaces it creates — spaces in which understanding can take root and trust can gradually form.
The challenge ahead, therefore, is not simply to preserve such moments of encounter but to multiply them — to move from occasional convergence to a sustained and intentional practice of connection.
This calls for more than platforms; it calls for a mindset — one that recognizes that the future of diplomacy will be shaped not only by how we manage differences but by how we design spaces for meaningful human engagement.
In this context, global gatherings such as world expositions offer more than symbolic value. At their best, they serve as living environments where cultures are not merely presented but experienced — where connection is not incidental but consciously enabled.
It is within this broader trajectory that we look forward to Expo 2030 Riyadh — not simply as an occasion but as an opportunity to deepen and extend the spaces of human connection.
It reflects a Kingdom in transformation, preparing to engage the world not only as a center of economic and political connectivity but as a space for civilizational exchange and bridge-building.
Expo, in this sense, is not simply an exhibition. It is a space where cultures move beyond representation into lived encounters.
And Riyadh is not only a capital. It is a city preparing, by 2030, to embody a broader role: as a hub where ideas, cultures and aspirations converge — shaping not only connections but how we come to understand them.
An invitation, then — not only to meet but to build meaning through meeting.
See you in Riyadh 2030.
- Dr. Ghazi Faisal Binzagr is ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Japan.