With its roots in Scandinavia and over fifty years of presence in the Gulf, the GAC Group recently leveraged its unique position to help bridge the cultural gap between the West and the Middle East.
GAC recently put its commitment to mutual awareness to the fore by playing a key role in a project where children from Sweden and Kingdom of Saudi Arabiameet through the creation of art.
“Riyadh Calling! Malmö can you hearus?” is the latest initiative by Swedish based cultural exchange non-profit organisation Spiritus Mundi, working closely in partnership with The Ministry of Education, Saudi Arabia and the Swedish Embassy.
GAC Saudi Arabia sponsored the logistics costs of transporting 25 artworks from Sweden to Saudi Arabia for the first exhibition at Riyadh’s Al Manal Exhibition Hall, graced by H.R.H Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Governor of Riyadh. GAC also handled their return journey for the second joint exhibition in August at Malmö City Hall and Spiritus Mundi headquarters.
“It is especially meaningful for GAC Saudi Arabia to support this cultural exchange project as today’s children will be tomorrow’s leaders, they will pave the way for harmonious future relations,” said Alhawaj Abdulaziz, general manager, Shipping and Operations of GAC Saudi Arabia.
Twenty boys and girls from Malmöand twenty from Riyadh, all aged between10 and 12, were asked to paint pictures showing their perceptions of each others’ lives displayed at the two exhibitions. The creative process and mutual visits to the two Kingdoms provide the platform for forming new friendships and the means for creating better understanding of each other.