Cairo: Saudi singers and musicians held a virtual meeting as part of a monthly get-together arranged by the state Music Commission as the country is boosting its entertainment industry.
Upon directives of Saudi Culture Minister Prince Badr Bin Abdullah for organising regular meetings between the state culture institutions and Saudi artists, the second edition of "Our Music" Forum was held online Sunday, the Saudi news agency SPA reported.
Several members of the Saudi music community attended, including composer and music researcher Prince Abdul Majid Bin Saud, singer Abadi Al Johr, opera performer Sawsan Al Bahiti, music instructor Yehia Mesawi and lute player Rayan Al Saqaf. Deputy Culture Minister Hamed Bin Mohammed Fayez took part too.
The participants discussed the Saudi music scene and the music community's ambitions. The deputy culture minister said that the ministry is keen to develop all forms of the music sector in the kingdom, citing a recent decision to include music arts into school curricula and a plan to set up music academies in several Saudi cities. "These efforts come within a project for upgrading the Saudi cultural sector," Bin Mohammed said.
The first edition of "Our Music" Forum was held in late May with ways of boosting the Saudi music sector taking the centre of discussion. The forum is held on the last Sunday of each month, bringing together experts from different fields of music in Saudi Arabia.
In recent years, the kingdom has expanded its entertainment agenda as part of the Saudi Vision 2030, an ambitious scheme aimed to diversify the kingdom's economy.
