Saudi Gazette report

PARIS — Saudi Minister of Culture, Prince Badr Bin Farhan, declared the establishment of the International Center of Artificial Intelligence Research and Ethics in Riyadh during the 42nd session of UNESCO's General Conference in Paris.

This center is dedicated to advancing competencies and legislative frameworks in the field.

Prince Badr strongly denounced the "unjustifiable" attacks on civilians and public facilities in Gaza in his speech at the conference.

He condemned the continuous assaults on schools, hospitals, and cultural properties, emphasizing that these actions violate international norms and laws.

The minister expressed Saudi Arabia's condemnation based on UNESCO's founding charter, advocating international understanding to prevent crimes, genocides, racism, and wars.

He called for intensified global efforts to protect civilian rights and contribute to global peace and stability.

Prince Badr, who's also the chairman of the Saudi National Commission for Education, Culture, and Science, highlighted the Kingdom's pride in its achievements within UNESCO over the past two years.

He credited the effective contribution of the organization and its member states for fostering international cooperation.

The minister underscored the sector of education, culture, and science as a crucial element of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, receiving significant support from the wise leadership.

Saudi Arabia has utilized all its capabilities to achieve sustainable development goals, aligning with global efforts to promote education, culture, and science.

Prince Badr highlighted Saudi Arabia's active participation in UNESCO’s executive councils and the launch of six pioneering projects through the Cultural Development Fund, impacting cultural heritage globally.

He commended the fruitful partnership between Saudi Arabia and UNESCO, leading to the inscription of 42 new world heritage sites during the hosting of the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee.

The minister emphasized Saudi efforts in the cultural sector, such as the Islamic World Cultural Index Project in collaboration with ICESCO.

He praised the Kingdom's progress in digital competitiveness, securing first place in the 2023 international government strategy indicator for AI and second place at the G20 level.

Additionally, Saudi Arabia achieved significant advancements in various indicators, reflecting its commitment to digital capabilities.

Prince Badr expressed gratitude for UNESCO's efforts and those of member states in promoting world peace, fostering intercultural dialogue, and launching development, cultural, and scientific initiatives to realize Sustainable Goals.