Latest news with #CulturalExchange
BBC News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
BBC World Service to bring The Arts Hour on Tour to Bangkok
Recorded in English for broadcast to a global audience on BBC World Service Radio, The Arts Hour on Tour visits cities all over the world to explore their hottest cultural trends by talking to the artists who live and work there, promoting artistic exchange across the world. We are especially excited to visit Bangkok - with its rich mix of cultures, ancient and modern - to present an amazing showcase of Thai talents. The programme will feature live performance and star guest interviews with the city's leading creatives, who join BBC presenter Nikki Bedi on stage, in front of a live audience, to discuss themes of cultural life in Bangkok and Thailand right now. We will explore the fascinating layers of Thai culture that take us far beyond the country's international image as a beloved tourist destination, from the phenomenon of 'Boys' Love' dramas, and the devoted fans who occasionally blur the lines between 'on screen' relationships and reality, to the importance of the supernatural in Thai culture. Popular screen actor, Joss Way-Ar Sangngern, is among the latest stars to be cast in the growing Boys' Love series industry in Thailand. He joins us to discuss his starring role in the hit drama 'My Golden Blood', where he plays a vampire who will do anything to protect his love. Director Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke reveals the thinking behind his film 'A Useful Ghost', which won the top prize in the Critics' Week section at the Cannes film festival in France this year. The title refers to the main character, who is the spirit of a woman who died from dust pollution and is reincarnated as a vacuum cleaner. There is live music performance from the sensational singer/rapper Milli, who is the first solo Thai artist to perform at the Coachella music festival in the USA, and from alternative rock band Tilly Birds, whose spectacular sound is reaching international audiences. A stand-up comedy set is provided by Pim Boonyawee, one of the youngest rising stars on the Thai comedy scene. Everyone is invited to attend for free and be part of our audience for the recording, which will later be broadcast on BBC World Service Radio to millions of listeners worldwide. Date: Thursday 12 June 2025 Venue: Aksra Theatre Address: King Power Rang Nam. 8 Rang Nam Alley, Thanon Phaya Thai, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand Doors open 6pm, for a 6.50pm start Please register for free seat reservations through Eventbrite About The Arts Hour on Tour The Arts Hour is the BBC World Service's flagship arts and culture programme. To date, The Arts Hour on Tour has been live on stage in: Accra, Addis Ababa, Amsterdam, Athens, Atlanta, Berlin, Bogota, Brussels, Bucharest, Budapest, Buenos Aires, Copenhagen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Helsinki, Istanbul, Jakarta, Jaipur, Jerusalem, Johannesburg, Kuala Lumpur, Lisbon, London, Los Angeles, Madrid, Manila, Mexico City, Miami, Milan, Montreal, Mumbai, Nairobi, Nashville, New Orleans, New York, Paris, Reykjavik, San Francisco, Sao Paulo, Sarajevo, Seattle, Seoul, St Louis, St Petersburg, Taipei, Tbilisi, Tirana, Tunis, Warsaw, and Venice. We also recorded 'virtual' shows in Rome, Stockholm, and Sydney during the Covid 19 lockdowns. You can listen to all of these programmes on the BBC Arts Hour on Tour website. About Nikki Bedi Nikki Bedi is an international television and radio broadcaster with a passion for making arts and culture accessible. Her knowledge, curiosity, world-view and comprehensive research, have led to her being described as a 'cultural courier, decolonising the world one programme at a time.' She currently curates, writes and hosts The Arts Hour on the BBC World Service, which several times a year becomes The Arts Hour On Tour, a show which travels to different cities in the world bringing that country's biggest and brightest artists, actors, authors, musicians, comedians, directors, architects, poets and other top creatives in their fields, together, for a spirited debate before a live audience. In covering the arts across the globe for over two decades, which she describes as not only a privilege, but also the greatest education anyone could have, Nikki has interviewed some of the world's biggest names and talents, celebrities and industry heavyweights including: Ariana Grande, Christopher Nolan, Barry Jenkins, Sian Heder, Steve McQueen, Alexander Payne, Ariana de Bose, Aunjanue Ellis, Geena Davis, J.A. Bayona, Michael Mann, Celine Song, Ruth E. Carter, Asif Kapadia, Todd Field, Ruben Östlund, Baz Luhrmann, Colson Whitehead, and Riz Ahmed. Nikki Bedi joined the BBC as a presenter in 2003 and has rarely been off their airwaves since, hosting all kinds of TV and radio shows. RD
Zawya
3 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
China grants visa-free access to all GCC countries, including Saudi Arabia
BEIJING — China has officially extended its visa-free policy to cover all Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states, marking a significant step in deepening people-to-people exchanges with the region. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning announced on Wednesday that nationals from Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain will be eligible to enter China without a visa starting June 9, 2025, until June 8, 2026. The visa waiver applies to visits for tourism, business, family visits, exchanges, or transit, and is limited to 30 days. The move completes China's visa-free coverage for the entire GCC bloc, which already included the UAE and Qatar — countries that have enjoyed full mutual visa exemptions with China since 2018. 'We welcome more friends from GCC countries to embark on a spontaneous trip to China,' Mao said, highlighting the initiative as part of Beijing's ongoing efforts to promote greater mobility and cultural connection between China and the Arab Gulf states. The announcement followed discussions during the ASEAN–China–GCC Summit, where China outlined plans to boost regional cooperation and ease travel barriers as part of its broader diplomatic outreach to the Middle East.
Bloomberg
3 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
K-Pop Giant Hybe Opens Office in Beijing to Tap Chinese Market
Hybe Co., the company behind K-pop sensation BTS, has opened its first office in China in the wake of rising expectations that Beijing will soon lift a near-decade-long ban on Korean pop performances in the mainland. K-pop's largest company opened an outpost in Beijing last month, according to a Hybe spokesperson. That comes as Hybe and rival SM Entertainment Co. have ramped up their China business teams over the past few months.
Argaam
3 days ago
- Business
- Argaam
China exempts all GCC nationals from visa starting June
China has now achieved visa-free coverage for all Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states, in a move aimed at boosting economic and cultural exchanges, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said. "China has decided to expand its visa-free policy to further facilitate people-to-people exchanges. From June 9, 2025, to June 8, 2026, holders of ordinary passports from Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain can enter China visa-free for business, tourism, family visits, exchanges, visits or transit for up to 30 days. Together with the UAE and Qatar, which have had full mutual visa exemptions with China since 2018, China has now achieved visa-free coverage for all GCC member states," Mao said, according to statements published by the Global Times. "We welcome more friends from GCC countries to embark on a spontaneous trip to China," she added.
Arab News
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Saudi Information Minister: 250,000 pilgrims have arrived through Makkah Route Initiative
Mexican artist displays Saudi and Mexican culture in 'Tiny Homes' RIYADH: Mexican artist Erika Place has been living in Riyadh for 14 years and through her work highlights key elements of Saudi and Mexican culture. In her pieces created using recycled materials, Place combines key elements of both cultures including Mexican-inspired colors, architecture and major Saudi landmarks such as the Kingdom and Faisaliah towers. 'It is in Saudi Arabia that I got inspired,' Place told Arab News at her recent exhibition 'Tiny Homes,' hosted at the Mexican ambassador's residence in Riyadh. 'I have been here 14 years and I consider this place my home, and I feel at home. I do miss Mexico but I don't feel that I am not home here,' she said. Born in Guadalajara, Place moved to Europe at a young age. She always had a passion for art but never realized her talents until later in life when she moved to Saudi Arabia with her husband in 2012. In the Kingdom Place's artistic vision was realised, and she began to draw inspiration from the country's landscapes, architecture and people. 'I made this my home and the experience has been beautiful,' she told Arab News. Mexico's ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Anibal Gomez-Toledo, hosted the exhibition and gave his perspective on Place's art. 'She is a self-taught artist, and what she has been doing is incredible. After many years of practice and discipline, the outcome is noteworthy,' Gomez-Toledo said. In her art, Place takes discarded small boxes and turns them into tiny homes and tiny villages, repurposing materials that would have otherwise end up in a landfill. Place believes that this is her way to help the environment, by reducing waste and giving new purpose to products that can still be useful. She takes these recycled materials, paints them, and gives them a new life that reflects Saudi landscapes and culture through the bright and vibrant colors of Mexico. 'For me the Mexican touch is the colors. In Mexico, we have colors everywhere, the Mexican touch is putting colors in my paintings,' Place said. During his remarks, the Gomez-Toledo said: 'Generally speaking, after using something, you throw it away and forget about it. However, can you imagine how many tonnes of waste there are worldwide?' Gomez-Toledo underlined that, according to the World Bank, as of 2020 there were 2.24 billion tonnes of municipal solid waste generated annually and that by 2050, global waste generation is expected to reach 3.4 billion tonnes a year. 'The global production of paper and cardboard waste is over 400 million tonnes annually, paper and cardboard are the materials Erika has used to create tiny homes,' he said. In her works, Place also depicts scenes of Saudi life, portraying people dressed in traditional thobes and abayas. Through her art, Place invites visitors to explore the diversity of Saudi Arabia through the tiny cardboard homes she creates.
