Tech giants from around the world take center-stage at Saudi Arabia’s LEAP conference

The four-day conference will shed light on artificial intelligence, the digital transformation and advancements in the field of technical and innovative entrepreneurship through immersive learning, storytelling sessions and lectures. (Supplied)

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Updated 06 February 2023

Lama Alhamawi

February 05, 2023 23:04

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Tech giants from around the world take center-stage at Saudi Arabia’s LEAP conference

Second edition of the event, being held over Feb. 6-9, to have more than 700 leaders in technology and tech investment in attendance
LEAP’s inaugural conference broke the record for largest tech event ever held, with this year looking to be even larger

Updated 06 February 2023

Lama Alhamawi

February 05, 2023 23:04

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RIYADH: More than 700 leading experts in technology investment from 50 countries are set to speak during the second edition of the LEAP technology conference, which will take place at Riyadh Front Expo Center from Monday to Thursday.

The conference is organized by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones, and UAE-based IT services and consulting firm Tahaluf.

It aims to spark discussions on artificial intelligence, the digital transformation and advancements in the field of technical and innovative entrepreneurship through immersive learning, storytelling sessions and lectures.

LEAP will shed light on artificial intelligence, digital transformation and advances in the field of technical and innovative entrepreneurship. (Supplied)

“The first edition of LEAP was surprisingly more than I expected from a debut event. I am excited to see how this edition will make an even greater impact on our industry and the creative economy,” Sujoy Cherian, group CEO of Option 1 Events, an event technology and content company, told Arab News.

“Besides speaking on the panel for future live events, I am honored with the opportunity for a solo session to share my insight on some of the latest in tech for hybrid events and content creation,” he added.

Cherian, a creative technologist and serial entrepreneur, is just one of the hundreds of speakers from more than 400 global and local technology companies speaking at the event.

HIGHLIGHTS

Executives from Saudi Aramco, NEOM, Microsoft, Oracle, Huawei, Zoom, Ericsson and Hewlett Packard Enterprise are among the roster of speakers.

International tech figures include G.V. Ravishankar, managing partner of Sequoia Capital India; Tim Ringel, an investor and advisory board member at Adit Ventures; and William Bao Bean, general partner of venture capital firm SOSV.

Former world boxing champion Anthony Joshua, astronaut Susan Kilrain and West Ham United Football Club vice-chairman Karren Brady to also speak at LEAP.

Executives from leading firms such as Saudi Aramco, NEOM, Microsoft, Oracle, Huawei, Zoom, Ericsson and Hewlett Packard Enterprise are set to deliver speeches during the conference.

Some of the world’s leading tech figures will take to the Investor Stage, including G.V. Ravishankar, the managing partner of Sequoia Capital India, Tim Ringel, an investor and advisory board member at Adit Ventures, and William Bao Bean, general partner of venture capital firm SOSV.

The tech conference will be held in Riyadh. (Supplied/LEAP)

Former world boxing champion Anthony Joshua, astronaut Susan Kilrain and West Ham United Football Club vice-chairman Karren Brady will also speak at the conference.

Some of the talks set to take place at LEAP will shed light on the creative economy, education, retail, the Fourth Industrial Revolution, future energy, smart cities, and health tech.

One of the companies that will discuss the creative economy during one of the many orbital talks is Sparkup, a real-time engagement platform for live streams and hybrid events. “Our experience combines virtual audience technology and interactive live streaming to offer attendees a front-row seat on an event and allow them to react in real-time,” Vincent Bruneau, founder and CEO of Sparkup, told Arab News.

The company is working toward scaling and integrating its real-time engagement platform, bringing the concept into different environments. “It’s quite exciting because virtual and hybrid events are becoming very popular, people are now used to it and it forces you to innovate, to level up your game and imagine what should the next experience be like,” Bruneau said.

The investors’ platform is expected to witness multiple investment deals with global tech industries.

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Noor Riyadh returns to transform city into glowing work of art

Updated 5 sec ago

Rebecca Anne Proctor

November 28, 2023 21:14

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Noor Riyadh returns to transform city into glowing work of art

Top curators, artists get together to stage biggest light art festival in the world

Updated 5 sec ago

Rebecca Anne Proctor

November 28, 2023 21:14

RIYADH: Following its first showcase in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, the beauty of Noor Riyadh has been its ability to bring art to not only the city of Riyadh, its various districts and neighborhoods, but to the Saudi populace.

Large-scale art installations produced by artists from Saudi Arabia, the greater Middle East and across the world can be found throughout the city of Riyadh during the festival. Viewing these artworks at night when they are illuminated becomes a way to discover the Saudi capital, neighborhoods and monuments many were unaware even existed, as well as find new artists, ways of thinking and cultures.

Noor Riyadh’s power, according to its directors and curators, lies in its ability to unite everyone, from all walks of life within the city, through alluring specially commissioned artworks.

London Launch of the 2023 noor Riyadh festival. (Supplied)

“One of the key components of the festival is to stage it everywhere in the city of Riyadh,” Miguel Blanco-Carrasco, adviser at the Royal Commission for Riyadh City and Riyadh Art, told Arab News.

“Our audience is very diverse. We are targeting people who are museumgoers and who have a profound interest in art, and those who would not regularly go to an art exhibition.”

Speaking about the significance of the event, he added: “Noor Riyadh is part of the creative transformation that is taking place in the Kingdom.

Ahaad Alamoudi’s ‘Ghosts of today and tomorrow.’ (Supplied)

“This year we concentrated all artworks in five main hubs to improve the visitor experience. We also have three works in other locations across Riyadh.”

Noor Riyadh will showcase artists from around the world working in diverse mediums, including performance art, architecture, engineering, graphic design, and even medicine.

The five main hubs are located throughout Riyadh, with the central hub situated in the King Abdullah Financial District, the Saudi capital’s preeminent destination for business and lifestyle, which recently witnessed the staging of the inaugural Riyadh Fashion Week.

‘Oasis’ by Belgian conceptual artist Arne Quinze displayed at the 2022 Noor Riyadh festival. (Supplied/ Instagram/noorriyadhfestival)

The third Noor Riyadh begins on Nov. 30 and runs until Dec. 16 under the theme “The Bright Side of The Desert Moon,” and explores the desert as a place of reconnection.

It will include 120 artworks by more than 100 artists from around 35 countries, including a significant representation of Saudi talents who comprise one third of participating artists.

Artworks include prominent pieces by Ange Leccia, Carsten Holler, Chris Levine, Dana-Fiona Armour, Diana Thater, Janet Echelman, Ivan Argote, Laurent Grasso, and Philippe Parreno, among others.

Community engagement remains a cornerstone of our festival. Our focus is on making art accessible and educational through various initiatives like talks, workshops, and school programs.

Nouf Al-Moneef, Noor Riyadh project manager

While the artist lineup has expanded, there are also several returning artists this year. These include Muhannad Shono, Rashed Al-Shashai, Bruno Ribeiro, Christopher Bauder, Studio Drift, Ahaad Alamoudi, and Zahra Al-Ghamdi.

Noor Riyadh’s curatorial team is just as diverse and multinational as its artist lineup and comprises both local and internationally renowned names. It is led by Jerome Sans and supported by curators Pedro Alonzo, Fahad bin Naif, and Alaa Tarabzouni.

Running concurrently to the festival is Noor Riyadh’s exhibition “Refracted Identities, Shared Futures.” It is being staged by Neville Wakefield who returns as lead curator, working alongside Maya Al-Athel, who served as artistic director of the festival in 2022.

Nouf Al-Moneef, Noor Riyadh project manager

The show, which runs until March 2, will include work by artists such as Abdullah Al-Othman, Ahaad Alamoudi, Conrad Shawcross, Farah Al-Qasimi, Julian Charriere, Kim Farkas, Mariko Mori, Rashed Al-Shashai, Sarah Brahim, and Sophia Al-Maria.

Noor Riyadh aims to help the art community as well as making the city an even bigger attraction.

Nouf Al-Moneef, project manager of Noor Riyadh and architectural adviser at the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, told Arab News: “Community engagement remains a cornerstone of our festival.

“Our focus is on making art accessible and educational through various initiatives like talks, workshops, and school programs.”

Among the noteworthy aspects of this year’s event is the diversity of its artistic representation, which, according to Al-Moneef, has increased this time.

She added: “Each year’s innovative theme has deeply resonated with the worldwide topical themes, fostering a dialogue that bridges local and global perspectives.

“A testament to the festival’s growing prominence is the record-breaking attendance in 2022, with 2.8 million attendees and six Guinness World Records (totaling eight over the years), highlighting the largest celebration of light art globally.”

The festival is also pushing various artistic mediums. “We are further exploring the intersection between art and technology,” explained Blanco-Carrasco. “We are seeing what we can do with drones that hasn’t been done before. How can we use this medium to attain new artistic abilities?”

Noor Riyadh is an initiative of Riyadh Art, dubbed one of the largest public art initiatives in the world, which was launched in March 2019 by King Salman, under the supervision of the Committee of Grand Projects chaired by the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Riyadh Art was created “to foster local artistic talent and ignite Saudi Arabia’s cultural economy,” according to a statement.

The ambition and vision of Riyadh Art is to transform the Saudi capital into an inspiring “gallery without walls,” showcasing over 1,000 public artworks dispersed throughout the city through 10 programs and two annual events.

“Through Riyadh Art, we’re bringing art directly into the everyday lives of citizens and visitors by integrating public art installations throughout the city,” said Al-Moneef.

“This approach not only makes art more accessible to a wider audience but also embeds it into the very fabric of the city, transforming public spaces into areas of inspiration and conversation.”

Noor Riyadh’s editions have offered “unique moments of joy” for millions of residents and visitors to the Saudi capital. The festival gives visitors the chance to view Riyadh in a new light and appreciate its ever-evolving landscape and great history.

For more details, visit riyadhart.sa.

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Topics: Noor Riyadh festival Noor Riyadh Saudi Arabia

Red Sea film festival fosters creative visions

Ryan Ashore, the head of Red Sea Labs, speaks to the media during a media dialogue session at Jeddah’s Ritz Carlton on Monday.

Updated 9 min 40 sec ago

Nada Hameed

November 28, 2023 22:43

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Red Sea film festival fosters creative visions

Red Sea Lodge Program aims to support emerging filmmakers in Kingdom, Arab region and Africa

Updated 9 min 40 sec ago

Nada Hameed

November 28, 2023 22:43

JEDDAH: The third Red Sea International Film Festival will be held in Jeddah from Nov. 30 to Dec. 9 under the “Your Story, Your Festival” theme.

A pivotal component of the festival is the Red Sea Lodge, the festival’s development program, conducted in collaboration with TorinoFilmLab and sponsored by the Film AlUla.

After the resounding success of its previous outings, the fourth Red Sea Lodge Program returns under the umbrella of Red Sea Labs.

The Red Sea Lab is an initiative of the Red Sea Film Foundation, aimed at empowering filmmakers, writers and industry professionals to realize their creative visions.

Ryan Ashore, the head of Red Sea Labs, emphasized the significance of progress in bringing in new regions during a media dialogue session on Monday at Jeddah’s Ritz Carlton.

FASTFACTS

• The program aims to support emerging filmmakers in Saudi Arabia, the Arab world and Africa.

• Selected projects will benefit from opportunities such as access to a wide network of creative mentors and cinema professionals.

Ashore told Arab News: “This is the fourth year for the Lodge, and there has been significant progress in entering new regions, as two projects from Africa joined us, making a total of 12 projects, five Saudi projects and other five Arab projects.”

“The notable renaissance in African cinema is evident, but they need support for their talents. As a global foundation, we have learned that including them in regions that require development in the film industry is essential.

“We started filming in AlUla in various areas of the city because it is the main sponsor. After 10 months of training, participants will present their films at the Red Sea Film Souk to compete for prizes, as now they have scripts, pitch deck and ready for production.”

The program aims to support emerging filmmakers in Saudi Arabia, the Arab world and Africa. Selected projects will benefit from opportunities such as access to a wide network of creative mentors and cinema professionals.

Winners stand to receive a portion of the total $200,000 in prizes to be awarded during the festival.

Among the selected projects from the Kingdom are “How To Not Get Married In Saudi Arabia” by Ghadeer Binabbas, “Sukun” by Lina Mahmoud, “Makkah Berlin” by Mujtaba Saeed, “By Hasnaa’s Side” by Amaal Yousef, and “Lost Soul” by Sarah Mohammed Almuneef.

The Arab region is represented by projects such as “An Endless Night” by Mohamed Kassaby, “To Each Their Own” by Samer Battikhi, “Temporary Lives” by Wessam Hachicho, “The Sun Has Seen Everything” by Wissam Tanios, and “My Father Killed Bourguiba” by Fatma Riahi.

Meanwhile, African projects include “Black Snake” by Naishe Nyamubaya and “Fantastic Tale” by Vincho Nchogu.

Another program under Red Sea Labs is “Music for Film,” an intensive on-site training program conducted over the course of a week. This program is designed to develop the skills of musicians in film scoring and music composition.

“Music is an integral part of the story,” Ashore said.

The program offers a comprehensive curriculum rich in technical dimensions and tools encompassing the skills that a composer needs to create original music to the highest standards, as well as many masterclasses and workshops.

“We received 150 applicants, and only seven were selected. The first thing we highlighted is the distinction between songwriting and film music composition, a difference that is not small at all,” Ashore said.

He added: “It was a great success to have seven Saudi composers that we were not aware of their existence. The main goal of this program is to equip these talented individuals with a new set of skills that they can apply to larger projects. We are promoting them so that they can secure actual work for short films, a starting point for them. One of them has already begun composing for a TV series.”

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Topics: Red Sea International Film Festival 2023 Red Sea Labs

King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival soars high

The King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival has attracted exceptional numbers since its launch in 2019. (SPA)

Updated 9 min 46 sec ago

SPA

November 28, 2023 22:52

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King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival soars high

The total prize pool for winners at the King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival is an estimated SR33.6 million ($8.96m), which includes the Al-Melwah and Al-Mazayen competitions

Updated 9 min 46 sec ago

SPA

November 28, 2023 22:52

RIYADH: The King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival kicked off on Tuesday at the headquarters of the Saudi Falcons Club in Malham, north of Riyadh.

Elite falcon owners from Saudi Arabia, the Gulf and around the world will take part in the event, which runs until Dec.14.

The club’s official spokesman, Walid Al-Taweel, said the festival included the largest falconry competition in the world. This was within the framework of the Saudi leadership’s keenness to preserve the Kingdom’s cultural and civilizational heritage.

Al-Taweel said the club was constantly working to improve its activities as each year saw increased development and support for falconers. The total prize pool for winners at the King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival is an estimated SR33.6 million ($8.96m), which includes the Al-Melwah and Al-Mazayen competitions. The festival will also feature a falcon beauty pageant.

FASTFACT

The total prize pool for winners at the King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival is an estimated SR33.6 million ($8.96m).

Al-Taweel said new categories had been added, such as 20 prizes in the Al-Melwah competition instead of the previous five, an international auction for falcon production farms, and 10 international competitor prizes instead of three. There will also be an additional round in the Al-Mazayen contest exclusively for Saudis, where the top three will receive SR300,000, SR200,000 and SR100,000 respectively.

The King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival has attracted exceptional numbers since its launch in 2019. Its first edition entered the Guinness World Records as the largest falconry competition in the world, attracting 1,723 participants. The second event, later the same year, did the same, with 2,350 falcons taking part.

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Topics: The King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival Saudi Falcons Club (SFC)

Saudi Arabia’s ultra-luxury hospitality in spotlight

Updated 10 min 39 sec ago

Arab News

November 28, 2023 23:24

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Saudi Arabia’s ultra-luxury hospitality in spotlight

Boutique Group was established to support the efforts of the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Culture to develop and promote the tourist industry in Saudi Arabia

Updated 10 min 39 sec ago

Arab News

November 28, 2023 23:24

RIYADH: Boutique Group, described as the first ultra-luxury hospitality organization of its kind in Saudi Arabia, will showcase its range of luxury hotels at the International Luxury Travel Market Cannes from Dec. 4 to 7.

Owned by the Public Investment Fund, Boutique Group was established to support the efforts of the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Culture to develop and promote the tourist industry in the Kingdom. It does this by developing and operating ultra-luxury boutique hotels within transformed historic and culturally important palaces, which previously served as royal residences or accommodation for VIP guests.

By refurbishing the three palaces, the company promises to provide a sumptuous and culturally authentic hospitality experience. (SPA)

The company said it aims to set new benchmarks in the industry and redefine the luxury hospitality experience in the Kingdom by offering domestic and international travelers an opportunity to immerse themselves in a modern-day Saudi Arabia inspired by tradition.

Boutique Group’s portfolio of properties previously inaccessible to the public include the Red Palace in Riyadh, which was once home to King Saud and later used as the offices of the Council of Ministers for three decades; Al-Hamra Palace in Jeddah, which provided accommodation for many prominent international public figures; and the Aga Khan Award for Architecture-winning Tuwaiq Palace, considered one of Riyadh’s most significant architectural landmarks.

The company said that by completely renovating the three palaces to offer grandiose, all-encompassing hospitality experiences that honor local history and culture, it epitomizes the traditions of Saudi hospitality and generosity, with a focus on providing guest experiences of the highest standards.

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Topics: Boutique Group Architecture-winning Tuwaiq Palace Aga Khan Award

Saudi Arabia’s Royal Commission for AlUla to contribute to SGI, COP28

The commission aims to increase green areas in AlUla, employ the best international practices to manage natural reserves. (SPA)

Updated 9 min 51 sec ago

SPA

November 28, 2023 23:16

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Saudi Arabia’s Royal Commission for AlUla to contribute to SGI, COP28

RCU is strengthening its presence and partnerships, in return for its commitment in making efforts to protect the natural environment in AlUla

Updated 9 min 51 sec ago

SPA

November 28, 2023 23:16

ALULA: The Royal Commission for AlUla is participating in the third Saudi Green Initiative, and in the UN Climate Change Conference which takes place in Dubai from Nov. 30 to Dec. 12.

The RCU’s efforts, initiatives and programs within the AlUla Vision and the AlUla Charter for Sustainability and Ecosystem Rehabilitation will form part of a special exhibition, while several experts and specialists from the commission will engage in panel discussions on relevant topics.

COP28 will highlight efforts to find sustainable environmental solutions and will boast broad international participation.

RCU is strengthening its presence and partnerships, in return for its commitment in making efforts to protect the natural environment in AlUla, by preserving environmental systems, and supporting the implementation of wildlife management and restoration.

The commission aims to increase green areas in AlUla, employ the best international practices to manage natural reserves, increase the community’s participation in maintaining environmental balance, and develop global strategic partnerships to support its field efforts.

AlUla’s Vision emphasizes protecting the natural components and restoring the environmental balance in the governorate.

The work contributes to strengthening AlUla’s position as one of the world’s iconic archaeological and natural cultural destinations. Its ambitions are consistent with restoring the environmental balance with the SGI by allocating 50 percent of AlUla’s area to natural reserves, rehabilitating 65,000 hectares of degraded land, and restoring vegetation by planting more than 200 local tree species, in addition to planting 10 million trees by 2035.

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Topics: Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU)

Tech giants from around the world take center-stage at Saudi Arabia’s LEAP conference