SAUDI ARABIAN DONATION TO SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION

Washington. Saudi Arabia pledged five million dollars December 16 towards the construction and development of the Smithsonian Institution’s International Centre, one of the major components of the Centre for African, Near Eastern and Asian Cultures which is now being built in Washington. The Centre will be the focus of an institutional effort to preserve cultural values and traditions and the environment in which they exist. It will sponsor a programme of research internships, symposia and exhibitions in the Asian and African gallery, as well as performances of traditional music and readings from the literary traditions of Africa and Asia.