Harsh climates make the kindest people, says Heart of Arabia expedition leader from UK

Mark Evans playfully embraces a camel in one of the villages and farms of Quwayiah on the second leg of the Heart of Arabia expedition. (Photo/Ana-Maria Pavalache)
Mark Evans playfully embraces a camel in one of the villages and farms of Quwayiah on the second leg of the Heart of Arabia expedition. (Photo/Ana-Maria Pavalache)
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Updated 05 February 2023

Harsh climates make the kindest people, says Heart of Arabia expedition leader from UK

Harsh climates make the kindest people, says Heart of Arabia expedition leader from UK
  • Evans has lived in the region for over 25 years, and is head of Outward Bound Oman, an experiential learning organization dedicated to developing outdoor skills, the first of its kind in the Arab region

RIYADH: At first thought the freezing Arctic and scorching Arabian desert would seem to have little in common, but according to British explorer Mark Evans, their similarities lie in the people who live there.

It has been only a few days since Evans completed the Heart of Arabia expedition across the Empty Quarter of Saudi Arabia, a journey taken by the great explorer and writer Harry St. John Philby in 1917. Philby greatly contributed to the documentation of the region and felt so at home that he converted to Islam and named himself Abdullah.

The team of four, including Philby’s granddaughter Reem Philby, photographer Ana-Maria Pavalache, and regional expert Alan Morrissey, was led by Evans from the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia to the west in a 1,300 km journey that ended on Jan. 30.




Mark Evans and Saudi explorer Reem Philby on the second leg of the Heart of Arabia expedition following in Abdullah Philby's footsteps from 1917. (Photo/Ana-Maria Pavalache)

Every day, Evans and Reem would set off at sunrise, walking or sometimes mounted on camels, leaving the vehicles to catch up later in the day as they followed Philby’s route. Through Philby’s photographic documentation and detailed journals in the early 1900s, the group was able to pinpoint the exact locations almost 105 years later.

Evans has lived in the region for over 25 years, and is head of Outward Bound Oman, an experiential learning organization dedicated to developing outdoor skills, the first of its kind in the Arab region.

Before traveling around the Middle East, he lived a neo-nomadic lifestyle, honoring the beauty of uninhabited places through his travels, which included crossing Greenland’s ice sheet, and hunting for evidence of William Edward Parry’s 1820 Artic expedition on Melville Island.




A resting point for the Heart of Arabia expedition team between the Saudi desert sand dunes during the second leg of the journey, which kicked off from Diriyah in January. (Photo/Ana-Maria Pavalache)

Most journeys are spent in isolation, far away from the chaos and daily demands of the world, giving explorers a great opportunity for reflection and a chance to focus on the research at hand. These meaningful expeditions have allowed Evans to reframe the notion of isolation.

“I really like the word serenity because I find great peace and contentment in the desert. One of the best parts of the day is the first half an hour when I get into my sleeping bag and I just put my head on my pillow and look at the stars above that are just unbelievable,” he said. He said that he prefers to sleep on the sand rather than in a tent.

Having spent a whole year in the Arctic, including four months of total darkness with temperatures as low as minus 37 C, two weeks in the Saudi desert are relatively straightforward for Evans.




Much of British explorer Mark Evans' expeditions are spent in isolation from the chaos and happenings of the world, which provide great opportunity for reflection and focus. (Photo/Ana-Maria Pavalache)

Growing up in the British countryside, Evans’ exploring instincts were honed at an early age.

“I grew up in a time where you had to create your own entertainment. I was already very content in silent places and quiet places close to nature. That was my childhood. I was less comfortable going into noisy restaurants and discotheques,” he said.

I feel that my role in life is to try to inspire others and to give other people the opportunity that I had when I was a young person, to shape their own lives and make a positive difference to society.

Mark Evans, British explorer

Aged 17, he had the chance to join a six-week expedition to northern Norway through an educational charity in London. He shared a tent with two strangers in a place where the sun never set.

“I just fell in love with a life that was outside of my small rural life back in Britain,” Evans said.

That period set him off on a flurry of expeditions in the years to come. He spent 10 years in the Arctic, giving back to the youth and future generations in the same way the charity invested in him at an early age.

“It was a chance for me to step up and invest a bit of my time to support society,” he said.

HIGHLIGHTS

• The Heart of Arabia expedition that follows in Abdullah Philby’s footsteps included his granddaughter Reem Philby, photographer Ana-Maria Pavalache, regional expert Alan Morrissey, and seasoned explorer Mark Evans who led the group from the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia to the west in a 1,300 km journey that ended on Jan. 30.

• Since the Heart of Arabia expedition began, the expedition’s official podcast has garnered nearly 3,000 downloads in 53 countries around the world, along with steady growth in followers across social media platforms. Listeners can follow the group’s documentation of everyday life in the Kingdom’s deserts.

But while his travels and philanthropic ventures were a great way to see the world, they paid far from a livable wage, which led him to become an educator.

Although Evans claims he went into teaching “for the wrong reasons,” it brought him to the Middle East, initially to Bahrain, then for four years at the British School in Riyadh, and later Oman.

Initially, he thought he would not particularly enjoy the region, but he quickly fell in love with the culture, heritage, and hospitality of the people.  

“There’s a real connection between those two places in my life. Arctic and Arabia both start with a letter ‘A,’ and the one thing they have in common is that people who live in the Arctic and who live in Arabia live on the extremes of human comfort.

“One lives in extreme cold, one lives in extreme heat. As (explorer and writer) Wilfred ‘Mubarak bin Landan’ Thesiger said: ‘The harder the life, the finer the person.’”

During winter nights, the Arctic sky would come alive with the electrifying energy of the aurora borealis. The sunlight, however, came in waves: From total darkness in early February to slivers of sunshine on the horizon, the season eventually turns to unbroken daylight.

“I hadn’t seen the sun for three months. I remember breaking down and crying because I knew that winter was coming to an end and summer was coming. And that was quite emotional,” Evans said.

Moments such as these are what keep the traveler curious for more. At the age of 61, he continues his quest to experience the glorious offerings of nature and serenity.

“​​Being here, I find total contentment. I wouldn’t find it working in a busy office in a noisy city,” he said.

As Evans grows older, his legacy is becoming a prime motivator. He continues to find ways to secure sustainable outcomes that influence the behavior and thinking of others, much like Abdullah Philby did.

Since the Heart of Arabia expedition began, their podcast has garnered nearly 3,000 downloads in 53 countries around the world, along with steady growth in followers across social media platforms. Listeners can follow the group’s documentation of everyday life in the Kingdom’s deserts.

The team has also launched the Philby Arabia Fund, which is dedicated to researchers looking to initiate projects in Saudi Arabia.

“Funding can be a real challenge,” Evans said. “You have an idea, but you just don’t know where to start. I feel that my role in life is to try to inspire others and to give other people the opportunity that I had when I was a young person, to shape their own lives and make a positive difference to society.”

 

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Saudi Arabia’s traditional souqs exude Ramadan vibes

Saudi Arabia’s traditional souqs exude Ramadan vibes
Updated 19 min 15 sec ago

Saudi Arabia’s traditional souqs exude Ramadan vibes

Saudi Arabia’s traditional souqs exude Ramadan vibes
  • Bustling with tourists and residents, souqs are the beating heart of Saudi cities

RIYADH: Souqs are the best place to buy Ramadan essentials — food, decoration or fashion — and to experience the hustle and bustle of the holy month.

Souq, meaning market in Arabic, is a modern shopping destination but with an old-world charm.

May AlSheikh, reservoir geoscientist at Aramco, spoke with Arab News to explain the importance of souqs in the Middle Eastern culture.

AlUla’s Old Town is a serene marketplace with a beautiful view of mountains. (Supplied)

“Souqs are historical shopping and trading scenes that have been around for thousands of years. I strongly believe they remain an essential component for preserving culture and identity in Saudi Arabia, on the local scale, and the Middle East region as a whole,” Alsheikh said.  

Alsheikh believes the souq is a place where tourists can indulge in culture and get a taste of tradition.  

“I work in a company that is a cultural melting pot with people coming from all walks of life, and I always recommend my expatriate colleagues to visit souqs — they love it! It’s a great tourist attraction and a pleasant activity, where they enjoy the traditional ambiance while purchasing traditional goods and foods,” she said.

AlKhobar’s Al-Swekit Souq

One of the oldest souqs in the Eastern Province, Al-Swekit Souq, is a hub for affordable gold jewelry and abayas.  

AlUla’s Old Town is a serene marketplace with a beautiful view of mountains. (Supplied)

AlSheikh visits the Al-Swekit Souq during the month of Ramadan to buy all sorts of things for herself and the family.   

Souqs are historical shopping and trading scenes that have been around for thousands of years ... they remain an essential component for preserving culture and identity in Saudi Arabia, on the local scale, and the Middle East region as a whole.

May AlSheikh, Reservoir geoscientist at Aramco

“Shopping in Swekit market is fun, especially around this time of the year with the holy month of Ramadhan fast-approaching. The shops in Swekit usually sell a variety of traditional merchandise and local produce. I personally love buying abayas, spices and customary festive attire for myself and the kids,” she said.  

Jeddah’s Al-Balad Souqs

Al-Balad is Jeddah’s oldest neighborhood, founded in 7th century AD, and is home to a plethora of some of the oldest traditional markets: Souq Al-Badu‎, Souq Qabil, Souq Alawi, Souq Nada, Souq Al-Khaskeya, Souq Bab Al-Makkah and Souq Bab Shareef.

The souqs have a variety of shops to explore, selling gold, textiles, honey, spices and much more. Some of these markets have been around for decades and hold a special place in the hearts of locals.  

AlUla’s Old Town is a serene marketplace with a beautiful view of mountains. (Supplied)

“It is a lively, enjoyable, and unpretentious social activity where you see people from different backgrounds and economic classes shop and interact together. And, quite frankly, that’s the beauty of it! It breaks social norms, shrinks the social and economic classes’ gap, and promotes a healthy, inclusive society. In addition to that, souqs give thrive to small-scale businesses which feed into the overall economic growth,” AlSheikh said.  

Just make sure to put your bargaining hats on to show off some negotiation skills.

AlUla’s Old Town Souq

Julian Ryall, Japan correspondent for The Daily Telegraph, visited The Old Town Souq in AlUla, where community locals set up clothing shops, fruit stands, pottery and crafts, and cafes amid a beautiful view of the mountains.

“Any foreign visitor who comes to Saudi Arabia is going to want to visit a souq. It has to be one of the most important elements of a trip, as important as drinking tea on a trip to England,” Ryall said.

He added: “I loved the hustle and bustle of market, of the stall-holders calling out to passers-by, of being encouraged to haggle on prices and just the items that were available,” Ryall said.

“The local gold shop was the perfect place. I was embarrassingly bad at haggling so the owner took pity on me and gave me a discount anyway. I think I’ll tell my wife I did haggle the price down when I give her the earrings.”  

Riyadh’s Almaigliah Souq

Established in 1986, Almaigliah Souq is the first wholesales traditional market in Riyadh located next to Al-Masmak Fort.  

The complex consists of four buildings, each specializing in a genre of shopping: gold, women’s clothing, men’s apparel, and perfume.  

Almaigliah is best known for their great deals on the best Arabian ouds perfume, spices and women’s abayas.

For almost three decades, this souq has attracted tourists from all over the world and continues to be a retail destination for locals.  

 


Who’s Who: Abdulrahman K Justaniah, first Saudi to become a partner at global strategy consulting firm Kearney

Abdulrahman K Justaniah
Abdulrahman K Justaniah
Updated 12 min 16 sec ago

Who’s Who: Abdulrahman K Justaniah, first Saudi to become a partner at global strategy consulting firm Kearney

Abdulrahman K Justaniah

Abdulrahman K Justaniah is the first Saudi to become a partner at the elite global strategy consulting firm Kearney.

Justaniah joined in January 2022 while being part of the strategic operations practice and supporting the firm’s growth in the region. He has been part of many of the transformational projects in the Kingdom supporting clients as a trusted adviser.

Previously he had several public and private sector leadership roles. The most recent was vice-president of strategy and excellence at the Expenditure and Project Efficiency Authority in 2021.

The authority was established in 2017 to support Saudi Arabia’s efficiency, project execution, operations and maintenance for all spending through the public budget.

He joined the authority as the fifth employee during the startup and served in multiple leadership roles.

Before his vice-presidency role, he held the same position for strategy and shared services from 2020 to 2021, and was executive director of strategy and organizational excellence from 2019 to 2020.

He also worked as executive director of the strategic procurement unit from 2017-2019 and led the establishment of the strategic procurement unit to increase government efficiency, and led the organizational design, developed processes, and set up governance with more than 450 government entities across the Kingdom.

Before that Justaniah worked with Procter & Gamble as manufacturing director in Dammam from 2015 to 2017 and led part of Dammam’s manufacturing operations.

He has also worked with P&G as regional supply chain director/IMEA demand planning leader in Cairo, transition and startup director, market planning senior manager, project manager and supply planning manager.

Justaniah obtained a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals in Dhahran. He also completed leadership courses, pathways to leadership process, GROW Coaching, situational leadership and emerging leaders.

 


Installation of 120 areas for prayer, 12,000 Zamzam water containers at Grand Mosque

Installation of 120 areas for prayer, 12,000 Zamzam water containers at Grand Mosque
Updated 26 March 2023

Installation of 120 areas for prayer, 12,000 Zamzam water containers at Grand Mosque

Installation of 120 areas for prayer, 12,000 Zamzam water containers at Grand Mosque
  • Visitors to the Grand Mosque will be given the opportunity to learn more about the Prophet Muhammad following an initiative by the presidency to enrich the experience of those attending the site during Ramadan

RIYADH: The Grand Mosque in Makkah boasts 120 areas for prayer and 12,000 containers of Zamzam water to help ensure a comfortable visit for pilgrims during Ramadan.

People at the location have worked round the clock on the third Northern expansion to make the mosque as safe and as hospitable as possible for visitors during the holy month.

The General Presidency of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque has prepared some 120 areas for prayer at the site. New additions to help visitors include several allocated doors for entry and exit.

Walid Al-Masoudi, the director of the General Administration of the Third Saudi Expansion at the Grand Mosque, said that the specially allocated doors would facilitate the arrival of worshippers and aid them on their way to prayer rooms on the ground and first floors, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

He added that the roof level will be used for the first time, and in the event that the internal areas of the Grand Mosque are filled, the northern and western courtyards and parts of the service buildings will be utilized as they have the capacity to accommodate more visitors.

Al-Masoudi said that in coordination with the specialized agencies and authorities, some 26 elevators had been installed.

He added: “All the praying areas of the mosque have been provided with 22,000 carpets and over 12,000 containers of Zamzam water.”

Visitors to the Grand Mosque will be given the opportunity to learn more about the Prophet Muhammad following an initiative by the presidency to enrich the experience of those attending the site during Ramadan.

 


Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visits Madinah

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received by Madinah governor Prince Faisal bin Salman and other key officials. (Supplied)
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received by Madinah governor Prince Faisal bin Salman and other key officials. (Supplied)
Updated 12 sec ago

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visits Madinah

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received by Madinah governor Prince Faisal bin Salman and other key officials. (Supplied)
  • Crown Prince visited Quba Mosque and performed the Tahiyat Al-Masjid prayer

MADINAH: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visited Madinah and performed prayers at the Prophet’s Mosque, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

The crown prince was greeted on arrival by Sheikh Abdulrahman Al-Sudais, president of the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, and other imams and officials of the mosque.

He also visited Quba Mosque and performed the Tahiyat Al-Masjid prayer (a way of greeting the mosque). He was accompanied by Madinah Gov. Prince Faisal bin Salman and other key officials.

 

 


Bisat Al-Reeh festival returns to Jeddah for 22nd year

Bisat Al-Reeh festival returns to Jeddah for 22nd year
Updated 26 March 2023

Bisat Al-Reeh festival returns to Jeddah for 22nd year

Bisat Al-Reeh festival returns to Jeddah for 22nd year
  • More than 170 exhibitors from 15 countries including Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Lebanon, Turkiye, Egypt, London, India and Jordan are taking part

JEDDAH: One of the biggest festivals in the Islamic world dedicated to women is holding its 22nd event in Jeddah as part of the Kingdom’s Ramadan Season.

The National Charity Foundation for Home Health Care, also known as We Care, is holding its ‘Bisat Al-Reeh’ event for six days starting on Monday at the Jeddah Superdome under the slogan “Everlasting Goodness.” 

The annual exhibition this year has two days for families and four dedicated exclusively for women to promote their creativity in fashion, jewelry and furniture and nurture young talent.

Bisat Al-Reeh is held under the patronage of Princess Adelah bint Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz and in the presence of Queen Rania Al-Abdullah of Jordan.

More than 170 exhibitors from 15 countries including Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Lebanon, Turkiye, Egypt, London, India and Jordan are taking part. Uzbekistan will also be represented for the first time. 

We Care said Bisat Al-Reeh encourages entrepreneurs to exchange knowledge and experience with elite society members and promotes the display of various related industrial sectors.

Proceeds have supported We Care charitable programs and activities in home healthcare and hospitals.

Princess Adelah, the chairwoman of the foundation’s board of trustees, told Arab News at last year’s event: “The foundation works for noble goals, as today it serves ten different regions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

“Its goals fall within providing home health care in addition to providing patients’ psychological and social needs and supporting them with medical equipment and supplies, as well as enhancing the functional capabilities of the patients and supporting them until they regain their independence.”

Ramadan Season also offers a series of cultural experiences and events in Riyadh, Jeddah and Makkah organized by the Saudi Ministry of Culture.

The season aims to celebrate areas of the Kingdom’s historical and cultural heritage that relate to the holy month.