MANY cultural projects in the Arab world were supported by foreign diplomatic delegation e.g. the US, France, the UK, Germany etc. did support youth cultural projects in countries like Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and others.
In Saudi Arabia, none of such was ever attempted. Although some might say that a few recent Saudi cinematic approaches, in the east coast, were supported and funded by foreign help, it is still nothing to compare with the influence seen in nearby countries.
The current situation could be due to poor communication from the “1st world” side, or it could be deemed to some kind of a misguided Western understanding to the Saudi modern status! Gifted Saudis in journalism, scripting, drawing, painting, animating etc. can exceed many expectations available at the moment.
The announcement and creation of occasions is the only way to let gifted Saudis meet “formally” with such supportive foreign delegations. Numerous projects can be created out of the suggested meetings. In other words, relying on only monitoring the “available” can never be of great help at this stage!
In short, the required type of communication at this stage of being should reach out to hosting, exhibiting, interacting and more. Monitoring and vertically selecting is not the right cultural choice at the moment!
(The writer is chairman, Saudi Cartoon & Animation Society.)
1st world cultural support... Wrong Saudi address!
