JEDDAH, 25 December 2005 — The Ministry of Culture and Information wants to reopen the Castle of Cultural Arts which was recently closed by the Jeddah Municipality.
The museum belongs to the well-known Saudi musician, Tarik Abdul Hakeem. He said that he had no idea why the museum was closed. The local press reported that the closure was due to a lack of proper municipal licenses.
Abdul Hakeem said that the museum was established 15 years ago and that it is a part of his house. “I have legal papers signed by the municipality authorizing the whole project,” he said. “When they closed it, they didn’t even ask to see the documentation,” he explained, adding that it was closed without informing him. “Where were they 15 years ago?” he asked.
He said that a committee formed by various government departments will investigate the situation so that the museum can be reopened as soon as possible. He said that the museum was a personal effort which he had spent a lot of time organizing. “The municipality should help out with such projects by providing maintenance and proper awareness instead of just closing them down,” he said.
The museum contains considerable information and a number of items relating to the musical history of the Kingdom and the Arabian Peninsula in general.
Abdul Hakeem, who is considered one of the leading exponents of traditional music, was the first person to introduce a military musical band into the Kingdom. He is a pioneer in academic studies of music in the Kingdom and a composer of many works that are considered part of the Saudi musical heritage. For his work and efforts, he has received medals and recognition from leaders all over the world.
