RIYADH, July 27: Billionaire Saudi investor Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal has donated 17 million euros ($20.5 million) to fund the creation of an Islamic art gallery at the Louvre museum in Paris, his office said on Wednesday. The money will be used to create a permanent home for the museum’s 10,000 Islamic art pieces and help foster greater understanding about the contribution of Islamic civilization to Western culture, it said.

The donation was the biggest ever made to the Louvre, a spokeswoman for the museum said. The exhibition will be housed in a gallery in the Cour Visconti, a large courtyard within the Louvre, and “will assist in the understanding of the true meaning of Islam, a religion of humanity, forgiveness and acceptance of other cultures”, Alwaleed said in a statement. “It will reinforce understanding between Western and Islamic cultures and civilizations,” he added.—Reuters