RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s assistant culture minister Rakan bin Ibrahim Al-Tawq represented the Kingdom at the G20 Culture Ministers’ Meeting in Varanasi in India on Saturday.

Al-Tawq was deputizing in India for the Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan.

During his address at the meeting, Al-Tawq expressed Saudi Arabia’s pride in hosting the inaugural gathering of G20 Culture Ministers during his presidency of the group in 2020.

He also emphasized the achievements and projects undertaken by the Saudi culture ministry in connection with its G20 presidency and its support for initiatives and endeavors aimed at enriching both local and international cultural landscapes.

Al-Tawq also reaffirmed the Kingdom’s dedication and backing for the G20’s priority list related to bolstering the cultural sector.

He stressed Saudi Arabia’s commitment to ensuring access to culture and the preservation of cultural heritage for all.

During his visit for the meeting, Al-Tawq held talks with the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture, Meenakshi Lekhi.

Discussions touched upon the enhancement of cultural exchange and training programs between the Kingdom and India across various cultural domains, including film, culinary arts, visual arts exhibitions, artist residencies and intangible cultural heritage and preserving historical sites.