Cultural diplomacy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the context of the Vision 2030 strategy implementation

Abstract

In recent years, increased attention has been paid to the growing role of soft power as well as public and cultural diplomacies in international relations. This article is devoted to the analysis of the peculiarities of Saudi Arabia’s cultural diplomacy in the context of the Vision 2030 strategy implementation. Riyadh sees cultural diplomacy as an important tool to improve its international image and develop strategic communication. The strategies Vision 2030 (2017) and Cultural Vision (2019) are the framework documents of the Kingdom on the basis of which it is possible to analyze its soft power policy. The authors trace different levels of cultural development in Saudi Arabia. The status of the KSA, as the centre of Islam, allows the active use of religion as one of the most important components of cultural diplomacy. The same reason permits the development of religious tourism. The Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidelines promotes the teachings of the Quran, develops Islamic centres and mosques, coordinates Islamic organizations, supports Islamic universities and institutes abroad, and strengthens the reputation of the state and Saudi rulers as Custodians of the Two Mosques. In recent years, the Kingdom has undergone major reforms, including the cultural ones. The authors outline how Saudi Arabia has intensified cultural policy in implementing its Vision 2030 strategy through the establishment of the Ministry of Culture, the MiSK Art Institute and other organization s. The authors conclude that cultural diplomacy is attractive to the country’s leadership as a tool for disseminating Saudi values and that pandemic will determine the further framework for the development of Saudi cultural diplomacy in the nearest future.