Riyadh: The UNESCO Chair in Translating Cultures at the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, with the support of the Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission and in collaboration with the Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA), held a lecture titled 'The Poet as Archivist: Translating the Oasis Poetics in Badr bin Abdulmohsen's New Nabati Lyric' as part of the Diriyah Global Seminar (DGS) held under the theme 'Sustaining Civilizations: Oases and the Continuity of Heritage.'

According to Saudi Press Agency, UNESCO Chair Dr. Moneera Al-Ghadeer discussed the role of the poetry of the late Prince Badr bin Abdulmohsen in reviving and preserving the Najdi dialect and the literary heritage of the Arabian Peninsula, providing examples of how his poetic depictions bring historical sites to life.

Dr. Al-Ghadeer also highlighted how his new Nabati lyric poem deploys specific dialectal registers and evocative depictions of oasis environments, domestic architecture, and significant cultural sites, including Diriyah, mud-brick homes, Wadi Hanifa, and desert landscape, to establish the contemporary immediacy of the past.

Moreover, Dr. Al-Ghadeer addressed the role of the translator and how translation itself can be part of the efforts to ensure the continuity, transmission, and international introduction of heritage, drawing on her personal experience translating the late Prince Badr bin Abdulmohsen's poetry to position his poetic contributions as a core element of this discussion.

The DGS brings together scholars and experts from various disciplines to strengthen appreciation of Diriyah and highlight its significance, by providing a platform to explore the region's rich cultural heritage, while also focusing on natural, tangible, and intangible heritage alike, in line with the UNESCO Chair's 2025 theme, 'Translating Cultures and Intangible Heritage.'