On December 10, 2025, 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, held a lecture titled, “The Poet as Archivist: Translating the Oasis Poetics in Badr Bin Abdulmohsin’s New Nabati Lyric,” engaged directly with the theme of this year’s seminar: “Sustaining Civilizations: Oases and the Continuity of Heritage.” An annual gathering of scholars and experts across disciplinary boundaries, the Diriyah Global Seminar (DGS) seeks to further an appreciation and understanding of Diriyah by offering a platform for the exploration of the region’s rich cultural heritage. With a focus on natural, tangible, and intangible heritage alike, the event aligned with the UNESCO Chair’s 2025 theme of Translating Cultures and Intangible Heritage.

In her presentation, UNESCO Chair Dr. Moneera Al-Ghadeer discussed the role of Badr Bin Abdulmohsin’s poetry as a vehicle for the retrieval and preservation of Najdi dialect and Central Arabian literary heritage, providing examples of how Al-Badr’s poetic depictions give life to historical sites. The presentation traces how his "new Nabati lyric" deploys specific dialectal registers and evocative depictions of oasis environments, domestic architecture, and significant cultural sites (Diriyah, adobe homes, Hanifa valley, and desert landscape) to establish the contemporary immediacy of the past. Reflecting on the role of the translator, Dr. Al-Ghadeer touched on how translation itself can become part of the effort to ensure the continuity of a poet’s impact. As part of the broader DGS session exploring the transmission and influence of intangible cultural heritage in Central Arabia, the Chair’s presentation drew from Dr. Al-Ghadeer’s own experience in translating Al-Badr’s poetry to position his work as a crucial element of this discussion.