When we think of power, we often think of military strength, economic influence or political authority. Yet some of the most powerful forces in the world are neither military nor economic. They are found in our stories, our heritage, our creativity, our media and our ability to inspire others.
This is what we call soft power.
It was a subject very much at the heart of Vision Golfe 2026, held at the French Ministry of Economy and Finance in Paris. Over the years, Vision Golfe has evolved into one of the leading forums for dialogue between France and the Gulf countries, bringing together ministers, senior officials, business leaders, investors and cultural figures to explore opportunities for cooperation across sectors as diverse as tourism, energy, technology, innovation, hospitality and the creative industries.
This year, SA-FE Editor-in-Chief Richard Barnes (pictured above) moderated a high-level round table entitled Culture as Soft Power: Franco-Gulf Synergies in Heritage and the Creative Economy, bringing together some of the leading voices shaping cultural cooperation between France and the Gulf.
The panel featured Nabil Bouhajra of TV5 Monde, Mohamed Al Ayed of Athar Festival and TRACCS, Adam Oubuih of Atout France, Christophe Piette of Novelty, Jacques Maire of COFREX and Samuël Taïeb of France Muséums.
Their discussion revealed a remarkable consensus: culture is no longer simply about preserving heritage. It has become an economic driver, a diplomatic tool, a source of national competitiveness and a bridge between societies.
Culture is wealth
Mohamed Al Ayed opened the discussion with a phrase often heard in French intellectual circles: “Culture is what remains when everything else has been forgotten.”
For the Saudi communications executive, the quote perfectly encapsulates culture’s enduring value. “Culture is wealth,” he argued. “Creativity is its currency.”
While Gulf economies have traditionally been associated with hydrocarbons and natural resources, Al Ayed stressed that nations possess other forms of wealth that are equally important.
Heritage, traditions, collective memory and creative expression all contribute to a country’s identity and influence. More importantly, they can be transformed into economic value, employment, innovation and international engagement.
This idea lies at the heart of many of the Gulf’s current development strategies. From Diriyah and AlUla in Saudi Arabia to Louvre Abu Dhabi and the UAE’s broader cultural ecosystem, culture is increasingly being positioned not as a cost centre but as a strategic investment.
Beyond monuments and museums
One of the recurring themes throughout the discussion was the need to broaden our understanding of culture.
Christophe Piette, Chief Executive Officer of Novelty Group, cautioned against viewing culture solely through the lens of museums, monuments and heritage sites. Culture, he argued, encompasses language, cinema, philosophy, literature, lifestyle and the values that shape societies over generations.
While infrastructure and services can be replicated, culture cannot. “It gives people a reason to come,” he suggested. “It creates an emotional connection that cannot easily be reproduced elsewhere.”
For Piette, this uniqueness is what makes culture such a powerful tool for destination attractiveness and international influence. Countries can invest billions in infrastructure, but genuine cultural identity develops over centuries.
Storytelling versus narrative
Al Ayed argued that one of the most significant achievements of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 programme has been the emergence of a clear national narrative.
While storytelling is important, he said, effective storytelling can only exist if there is first a meaningful story to tell. Successful destinations are no longer defined solely by physical infrastructure. They are increasingly chosen because of the emotions, values and experiences they represent.
“People don’t choose destinations simply because they exist,” he suggested. “They choose them because of what they mean.”
Saudi Arabia’s ambition to attract 150 million domestic and international visits annually by 2030 is closely linked to its ability to communicate the richness of its cultural heritage to international audiences. Al Ayed pointed to destinations such as Historic Jeddah and Diriyah as examples of places where heritage, authenticity and storytelling come together to create compelling visitor experiences.
Yet he also emphasised that much of Saudi Arabia’s cultural richness remains relatively undiscovered by international audiences. “We are still revealing who we are,” was the essence of his message.
France’s competitive advantage
If Al Ayed focused on Saudi Arabia’s emerging narrative, Adam Oubuih highlighted the long-term advantages enjoyed by France.
France welcomed approximately 102 million international visitors in 2025, making it once again the world’s most visited country. According to Oubuih, culture remains one of the principal reasons people travel there.
Tourism represents roughly 8% of French GDP, and cultural attractions play a central role in that success. But Oubuih was keen to emphasise that France’s appeal is not simply rooted in nostalgia.
“Paris is not Marseille,” he observed, highlighting the diversity of French culture and regional identities.
At the same time, he argued that one common thread runs through the country: excellence. Whether in gastronomy, language, craftsmanship, creativity or innovation, France has built a global reputation around quality and distinction.
“What is important for France is to be different,” said Jacques Maire.
Pointing to the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games, he argued that successful cultural diplomacy requires originality.
“It was different. It was universal. It was a bit provocative. It was very well done. It was not super expensive, but it had a big impact.”
For Maire, differentiation, innovation and creativity remain among France’s strongest international assets.
Soft power through language
While much of the discussion focused on heritage and tourism, Nabil Bouhajra reminded the audience that language remains one of the most powerful vehicles of soft power.
As Director of TV5 Monde Maghreb-Moyen-Orient, he oversees the broadcaster’s activities across a region stretching from North Africa to the Gulf. He noted that TV5 Monde Style, the channel’s lifestyle and heritage-focused service, regularly attracts exceptionally strong audiences in the Middle East.
The reason, he suggested, is simple. There is a genuine appetite for French culture, heritage and lifestyle.
One of the most memorable moments of the discussion came when Bouhajra recounted an encounter with a Saudi princess at the Château de Versailles.
Initially worried that she wished to discuss a controversial television report, he was surprised when she approached him simply to say thank you: “It was thanks to TV5 Monde that I learned to speak French.”
The princess had learned the language through TV5 Monde’s subtitled programming. For Bouhajra, the encounter perfectly illustrated the true meaning of soft power.
Long before business agreements are signed or investments are made, culture and language create familiarity, trust and understanding. “The French language,” he suggested, “is one of the most effective vehicles of French soft power.”
And in a world increasingly driven by relationships and partnerships, that influence can last for decades.
Museums as economic drivers
Can museums generate economic growth? The answer from Samuël Taïeb was an emphatic yes – although perhaps not in the way many people imagine.
“Museums are usually hardly profitable by themselves,” he acknowledged. Yet focusing solely on ticket sales misses the bigger picture.
Museums, he argued, act as economic catalysts. They attract tourists, encourage investment, create jobs and contribute to the development of entire cultural ecosystems. To illustrate the point, Taïeb pointed to the transformation of Abu Dhabi into a global cultural destination.
A generation ago, few would have predicted that the emirate would become home to a growing collection of world-class museums and cultural institutions. Today, however, those institutions have become major attractions and important components of the UAE’s international identity.
The return on investment may be indirect, he suggested, but it is very real.
The Louvre Abu Dhabi lesson
Taïeb offered a fascinating insight into the development of Louvre Abu Dhabi, one of the most visible symbols of Franco-Gulf cultural cooperation. The original idea, he revealed, was surprisingly simple.
Initially, the ambition was essentially to create a version of the Louvre in Paris in the Gulf.
The concept did not survive. “An outpost grafted into the UAE would have meant nothing,” he said.
Instead, the project evolved into something entirely different: a new institution shaped jointly by French and Emirati perspectives.
For Taïeb, the experience demonstrated the limits of traditional top-down approaches to cultural cooperation. Rather than exporting culture, successful partnerships require co-creation.
The real success of Louvre Abu Dhabi, he argued, lies not only in the museum itself but also in the relationships, trust and expertise built throughout the process. As he memorably put it, cultural cooperation works best when partners operate:
“Not as giver and receiver, but as co-builders.”
Learning from one another
The discussion then turned to a broader question: what can France and the Gulf countries learn from each other?
Again, Taïeb drew on his personal experience. His organisation operates both in Paris and Abu Dhabi, with teams working across very different cultural environments.
What he has discovered, he said, is that people are often unaware of the assumptions they carry with them. Decision-making processes, meeting styles, management structures and professional relationships can vary enormously from one country to another.
Exposure to another culture often teaches us as much about ourselves as it does about others. “The best way to know about yourself is to be confronted with a different environment.”
Working alongside the multicultural teams of Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism had encouraged his staff to rethink established habits and embrace different approaches to collaboration.
For Taïeb, cultural exchange is not simply about sharing heritage. It is a process of mutual learning. And that, he suggested, is where its true value lies.
Speaking to a new generation
If culture is to remain relevant, however, it must continue to evolve.
Jacques Maire argued that one of the greatest challenges facing cultural institutions today is not preserving heritage but transmitting it. Younger generations consume culture differently from their parents and grandparents.
Paintings, monuments and museums remain important, but they now compete with social media, streaming platforms and immersive digital experiences. The challenge, Maire suggested, is to meet audiences where they are.
Drawing on his experience with the French Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, he explained that organisers deliberately created experiences designed to be shared online.
In today’s world, cultural institutions no longer control the narrative.
Visitors do.
Influencers do.
Social media communities do.
The interpretation and promotion of culture increasingly happens through millions of individual interactions rather than through official channels. That reality presents challenges, but it also creates extraordinary opportunities.
According to Maire, the French Pavilion attracted around 4.7 million visitors, hosted more than 3,200 official delegations and generated media exposure valued at approximately €64 million. The project ultimately produced a financial surplus of around €5 million.
The lesson was clear: culture can deliver economic returns when combined with a compelling narrative and a strong visitor experience.
Preparing tomorrow’s creative talent
As the discussion moved towards its conclusion, attention turned to the next generation. How can France and the Gulf countries work together to develop future creative talent?
For Christophe Piette, innovation and knowledge transfer are essential. Drawing on the experience of Novelty Group, he highlighted the role played by highly specialised French companies in developing technologies that support major cultural and entertainment projects.
Many of these firms are relatively small, but they are among the most innovative in their fields. The challenge, Piette argued, is not simply to export expertise. It is to share it.
“We need to transfer this expertise.”
The ultimate objective should be to develop local talent capable of designing, managing and delivering world-class cultural experiences independently. Partnerships should therefore focus not only on projects but also on training, mentoring and capacity-building.
For Piette, that is how lasting cultural ecosystems are created.
Culture is at the heart of everything
The final word returned to Mohamed Al Ayed. The Saudi executive pointed to the Kingdom’s youthful population as one of its greatest assets. A large proportion of Saudis are under the age of 35, creating enormous opportunities for creativity, innovation and cultural exchange.
Yet he stressed that such exchanges must flow in both directions. “As much as we want to understand and learn about French culture, we also want the French to understand our culture as well.”
He highlighted the rapid growth of Athar Festival, now one of the Middle East’s leading gatherings for the creative industries, as evidence of Saudi Arabia’s growing cultural confidence. He also emphasised the importance of language. Living in another country may help people understand part of its culture, he suggested, but mastering the language unlocks a much deeper level of understanding.
Then, as the session drew to a close, he offered the audience a simple Arabic lesson.
The Arabic word for heart, he explained, is qalb.
The choice was deliberate. “Culture is at the heart of everything.”
Business partnerships, investment flows, tourism and diplomacy all matter. But they are built on something more fundamental: human connection. And perhaps that was the most important lesson to emerge from the discussion. Culture is not merely a tool of soft power. It is the foundation upon which lasting relationships between nations are built.
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About the panellists
The discussion brought together a group of senior executives whose organisations sit at the intersection of culture, tourism, media, events and international influence.
Nabil Bouhajra – Director, TV5MONDE Maghreb-Orient
Nabil Bouhajra oversees TV5MONDE’s activities across North Africa and the Middle East, one of the largest French-language media footprints in the region. Through its television channels and digital platforms, TV5MONDE plays an important role in promoting cultural exchange, Francophone values and dialogue between France and the Arab world.
Mohamed Al Ayed – Vice-President, Athar Festival and Chairman, TRACCS
A leading figure in the Middle East’s communications industry, Mohamed Al Ayed heads TRACCS, one of the region’s largest integrated communications consultancies, with offices across the Gulf and wider Middle East. He is also Vice-President of Athar Festival, Saudi Arabia’s flagship event dedicated to the marketing, communications and creative industries. Athar has rapidly become an important platform showcasing the Kingdom’s growing creative economy.
Adam Oubuih – Director, Atout France Middle East
Adam Oubuih leads the Middle East operations of Atout France, the official French tourism development agency. Based in the Gulf region, he works closely with tourism authorities, travel advisors and industry stakeholders to strengthen France’s position as a preferred destination for visitors from the GCC and broader Middle East markets.
Christophe Piette – Chief Executive Officer, Novelty Group
Christophe Piette heads Novelty Group, one of Europe’s leading providers of audiovisual, technical production and event solutions. The company delivers services for major international events, exhibitions, conferences and cultural productions, helping transform creative concepts into immersive audience experiences.
Jacques Maire – Commissioner General, COFREX
Former French parliamentarian Jacques Maire serves as Commissioner General of COFREX (Compagnie Française des Expositions), the organisation responsible for managing France’s participation in major international exhibitions and world expos. COFREX plays a key role in presenting France’s cultural, technological and economic achievements on the global stage.
Samuël Taïeb – Director of Development and International Partnerships, France Muséums
Samuël Taïeb represents France Muséums, the institution best known internationally for its role in supporting the creation and development of the Louvre Abu Dhabi. France Muséums brings together some of France’s most prestigious cultural institutions and museums, facilitating international cooperation in museology, heritage preservation, exhibition development and cultural expertise.
Together, the panellists illustrated the many dimensions of contemporary cultural diplomacy, demonstrating how media, tourism, heritage, events, communications and creative industries are increasingly working together to strengthen relationships between France and the Gulf countries.
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