The Al-Muneeh Diwaniya in Al-Qasab Center, Shaqra Governorate, organized a cultural evening titled "Riyadh’s Culture: Between Community and Empowerment," under the patronage and participation of the Riyadh Region Municipality, represented by Director General of the General Administration of Culture, Mr. Abdullah bin Abdulkarim Al-Shammari, and attended by Mr. Ibrahim Al-Tuwaijri, writer Mr. Abdullah Al-Duwaikhi, and a group of intellectuals, media figures, and literary scholars, with direct follow-up from the supervisor of the Diwaniya, Mr. Manee’ bin Abdullah Al-Muneeh.

The evening was presented by Dr. Khaled Al-Khadhri, who emphasized that these cultural meetings represent an important tributary to the intellectual movement in the Riyadh region, pointing out that enhancing the presence of culture in society is part of the transformation the capital is witnessing, and that the evening came to open a rich dialogue space combining academic expertise and contemporary cultural vision.

The evening was attended by the Mayor of Al-Qasab, Engineer Mutlaq Abu Thunain, and presented by literary figure and media personality Mr. Sahm Al-Daijani, while Dr. Othman Al-Muneeh moderated the dialogue. The evening was characterized by intellectual richness reflecting the vast cultural, historical, and heritage knowledge of the presenter and moderator, which contributed to in-depth discussions on the cultural scene in the capital. In his intervention, Mr. Abdullah Al-Shammari said: "Our ambition is to transform the knowledge, history, and cultural treasures of the Riyadh region into a cultural movement that becomes a hallmark for the residents of Riyadh through 'My City' offices and the city's public spaces, reflecting the genius of the place. We aim to move from temporary events to cultural daily practices that enhance capabilities, add skills, and raise awareness. From this perspective, we will be able to discover talents, support them, and present them to the cultural scene, ensuring interconnected generations and continuous, cumulative growth. Additionally, Riyadh should benefit from the cultural industry of its sons across all sciences and knowledge."

It is no secret that Riyadh's treasures are primarily based on the human element, which is the focus of our work in terms of support and empowerment, as well as the landmarks, antiquities, history, environment, and public spaces that characterize the capital of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Engineer Mutlaq Abu Thunain, Mayor of Al-Qasab, explained that culture has today become a pivotal element in urban development and enhancing quality of life, noting that the Riyadh region is experiencing a cultural transformation that reflects the scale of institutional work led by the region’s municipality, and that empowering the community to participate in shaping the cultural scene contributes to building a more aware and open city.

The evening witnessed a series of interventions that enriched the dialogue and offered multiple perspectives on the role of culture in enhancing community presence. Participants included Dr. Abdullah Al-Haidari and Mr. Ahmed Al-Samari, followed by interventions from Mr. Abdullah Al-Hassani and TV broadcaster Mr. Abdulaziz Al-Eid, in addition to an intervention and proposal by Mr. Ahmed Al-Saadi and Mr. Raed Al-Humaid. Dr. Ahmed Al-Aswad concluded the series of interventions with an analysis addressing the impact of cultural empowerment in building a more aware and interactive society.

Meanwhile, Mr. Muhammad Al-Abdulwahab commented on the proceedings of the evening, noting that he attended the event accompanied by a number of colleagues from media, intellectuals, and literary figures, in an atmosphere characterized by the clear breeze of Gemini and amidst the rural expanses of Ashyqar, Al-Qasab, and Shaqra. He explained that the evening clearly reflected the scale of the inspiring cultural transformation taking place in Riyadh, especially after the reformulation of the relationship between man and the city.

Dr. Othman Al-Muneeh affirmed that this initiative, along with other qualitative initiatives launched by the Mayor of the Riyadh Region, His Highness Prince Faisal bin Abdulaziz bin Ayyaf, has contributed to infusing renewed spirit into the work of the municipality in line with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.

The evening affirmed that Riyadh city, its governorates, and affiliated centers are currently living through an advanced cultural phase, where the features of a city more open to creativity and more capable of empowering its community to actively participate in shaping the national cultural scene are taking shape.