Saudi national orchestra and choir to appear at finale of 2nd Qemam folk festival

Saudi national orchestra and choir to appear at finale of 2nd Qemam folk festival
A total of 16 Saudi folk bands and 14 international groups will perform at the festival. (SPA)
Short Url
Updated 23 January 2023

Saudi national orchestra and choir to appear at finale of 2nd Qemam folk festival

Saudi national orchestra and choir to appear at finale of 2nd Qemam folk festival
  • 70 musicians and singers will perform popular a selection of traditional songs showcasing Kingdom’s musical culture

RIYADH: The Saudi National Orchestra and National Choir will appear at the closing ceremony of the Qemam International Festival for Mountain Performing Arts on Friday, Jan. 27.

The Music Commission announced on Monday that 70 musicians and singers will perform a variety of popular folk songs during a show at King Khalid University Theater in Abha, reflecting the Kingdom’s musical culture and heritage, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The week-long Qemam Festival, which is in its second year, is a showcase for the traditional arts that have been preserved in the mountainous region in the southwest of the country, which is home to the Kingdom’s highest peaks. Sixteen Saudi folk groups and 14 international ensembles are taking part this year.

The festival is organized by the Theater and Performing Arts Commission with the aim of promoting the cultural heritage of Asir and its archaeological sites.

 


Ghee festival showcases products, heritage of Northern Borders region

Ghee festival showcases products, heritage of Northern Borders region
Updated 13 sec ago

Ghee festival showcases products, heritage of Northern Borders region

Ghee festival showcases products, heritage of Northern Borders region
  • Mohammed Al-Anzi, chairman of the festival’s media committee, told Arab News that the festival draws attention to the historical legacy of ghee
  • Ghee is produced in large quantities throughout the year and used in the preparation of delicious dishes, especially sweets, such as basbousa, a semolina-based cake

MAKKAH: Global and local companies specializing in dairy products participated in the Al-Saman Festival in the Northern Borders region, which concluded on Monday.
The festival, deriving its name from the Arabic word for “ghee,” highlighted the diverse products of the region, which is home to the largest number of livestock in Saudi Arabia and which is famous for producing ghee.
Mohammed Al-Anzi, chairman of the festival’s media committee, told Arab News that the festival draws attention to the historical legacy of ghee, which sustained generations of the region’s people.
Ghee is produced in large quantities throughout the year and used in the preparation of delicious dishes, especially sweets, such as basbousa, a semolina-based cake.
The six-day festival presented a wealth of knowledge, introducing the current generation to one of the most important food components that nourished Saudis and helped them survive hardships and rough conditions, Al-Anzi explained.
The festival, which aimed to stimulate the economy and attract large companies, featured a number of events, including an exhibition, a cooking corner, a children’s theater, an area dedicated to folk arts and more.
It also showcased historical utensils and tools, such as Al-Aaka, made of goat or sheep skin and used to preserve ghee and molasses for long periods of time in the past.
Umm Saad Al-Shamlani, who has been producing ghee for the past four decades, said that in the past, she used to manufacture Al-Aaka for her relatives and neighbors, which was the only way to preserve ghee at the time.
 


Cruise Saudi looks to recruit local talent at first Ministry of Tourism job fair

Cruise Saudi looks to recruit local talent at first Ministry of Tourism job fair
Updated 13 min 24 sec ago

Cruise Saudi looks to recruit local talent at first Ministry of Tourism job fair

Cruise Saudi looks to recruit local talent at first Ministry of Tourism job fair
  • Company said this week was committed to creating 50,000 direct and indirect jobs in Kingdom by 2035

RIYADH: Cruise Saudi, a Public Investment Fund fully-owned business, said this week it was committed to creating 50,000 direct and indirect jobs in the Kingdom by 2035.

The company participated in the Saudi Ministry of Tourism’s first two-day Tourism Job Fair, with the aim of recruiting Saudi talents in the rapidly growing cruise tourism sector.

Chief human capital officer at the company, Ayman Al-Ghamdi, said: “As we are developing a new industry that supports the Saudi Tourism sector, we believe in investing in the local community and its cadres. With a Saudization rate of 71 percent, we are proud of our local talents who have proven their capabilities, qualifications and fast development in a wide range of cruise related fields.”

Cruise Saudi has also outperformed the female employment goals outlined in Vision 2030, with their participation in the workforce now reaching 32 per cent, ahead of the 2030 target of 30 per cent.

Saudi tourism is currently undergoing a transformation with a focus on long-term, sustainable growth. Under plans set out in Vision 2030, tourism is set to become an important tributary for the national economy.

“This forum comes at a pivotal moment, as Saudi Arabia's tourism sector is undergoing substantial development. Having transformed into a regulated industry backed by regulations, systems, projects, and programs, it is striving to become one of the most important pillars of Saudi Vision 2030,” Mohamed Bushnaq, deputy Minister of Tourism Human Capabilities Development, said. 

“The ultimate aim is to contribute to the diversification and prosperity of the national economy. We are here today, steadfastly continuing our journey to provide more opportunities for this generous nation by launching the first tourism employment forum both in-person and through a dedicated virtual platform, which aims to meet the increasing demand within the tourism sector.

“One of the most important targets of the tourism sector in Saudi is to create an additional one million jobs in the sector by 2030, and we are, thankfully, confident in achieving this target by working hand in hand with our partners in the private and public sectors,” he added.

According to predictions, the tourism sector will create one out of every three jobs in the Kingdom in the next decade, as it switches its focus to the growth of non-oil sectors. The country also aims to welcome 100 million visitors by 2030.

 


Saudi authorities bust khat smuggling operation in Jazan

Saudi authorities bust khat smuggling operation in Jazan
Updated 30 May 2023

Saudi authorities bust khat smuggling operation in Jazan

Saudi authorities bust khat smuggling operation in Jazan
  • The seizure was handed over to the competent authority for preliminary legal procedures

RIYADH: Saudi border guards in the Jazan region have foiled attempts to smuggle 200kg of the narcotic khat. 

The seizure was handed over to the competent authority for preliminary legal procedures, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.

Authorities have urged people to report any activities related to drug smuggling or promotion by calling 911 in the Makkah, Riyadh and Eastern Province regions, and 999 in the rest of the Kingdom’s regions.
 


Tenth Saudi aid plane arrives in Sudan

Tenth Saudi aid plane arrives in Sudan
Updated 30 May 2023

Tenth Saudi aid plane arrives in Sudan

Tenth Saudi aid plane arrives in Sudan
  • The plane carried 30 tons of food and medical supplies

RIYADH: The tenth Saudi plane carrying aid for the Sudanese people arrived at Port Sudan International Airport on Tuesday.

The plane, carrying 30 tons of food and medical supplies, is part of a Saudi initiative to provide $100 million in humanitarian aid to Sudan.

Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces agreed to extend a week-long ceasefire deal by five days just before it was due to expire late on Monday.

The truce was brokered and is being remotely monitored by Saudi Arabia and the United States, which say it has been violated by both sides but has still allowed for the delivery of aid to an estimated two million people.


Saudi Cabinet says it is following developments in Sudan

Saudi Cabinet says it is following developments in Sudan
Updated 30 May 2023

Saudi Cabinet says it is following developments in Sudan

Saudi Cabinet says it is following developments in Sudan
  • Cabinet also discussed a draft MoU between the governments of the Kingdom and the UK to cooperate in the field of research, development, and innovation

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Cabinet said on Tuesday that it is following developments in Sudan and the course of negotiation talks in Jeddah.

The Cabinet also said it was following the agreements that resulted in a short-term ceasefire and the provision of humanitarian arrangements.

Saudi Arabia and the US, which previously brokered a week-long ceasefire deal and have been monitoring it remotely, announced shortly before it was due to expire on Monday evening that Sudan’s warring military factions had agreed to extend it.

Although the ceasefire had been imperfectly observed, it had allowed the delivery of aid to an estimated two million people, the two countries said in a joint statement.

“The extension will provide time for further humanitarian assistance, restoration of essential services, and discussion of a potential longer-term extension,” the statement added.

The Cabinet also discussed a draft memorandum of understanding between the governments of the Kingdom and the UK to cooperate in the field of research, development, and innovation.

It also discussed a draft agreement between the Transport General Authority in the Kingdom and the Suez Canal Authority in Egypt for cooperation in developing transportation of cruise ships and cargo ships through the Suez Canal.