Chair of the Meridian International Center Board of Trustees to Al-Riyadh: Saudi Culture is a Strategic Investment

Deborah Lehr as featured on Al Riyadh

Cultural partnership fosters trust between the Saudi and American peoples AlUla is an integral part of humanity’s cultural heritage The Kingdom has established culture as a pillar of development, an economic driver, and a means to strengthen national identity and cross-cultural exchange, all within the comprehensive transformation led by Saudi Vision 2030.

This cultural renaissance complements the Kingdom’s progress in scientific and technical fields—foremost among them artificial intelligence. AI is receiving significant national attention, coinciding with the designation of 2026 as the "Year of Artificial Intelligence," reflecting the Kingdom's drive to leverage advanced technologies across various sectors and build a data-driven knowledge economy.