When Persian music, culture and spirit were celebrated at Saudi Arabia’s AlUla

Andy,
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Andy, "The Prince of Persian Pop", smiles towards the cheering crowd while performing his most famous Persian hits at the iconic 2020 "Persian Nights" event. (Twitter/@AlUlaMoments)
Prominent Iranian singer Leila Forouhar wowed and dazzled the crowd at the Winter at Tantora
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Prominent Iranian singer Leila Forouhar wowed and dazzled the crowd at the Winter at Tantora "Persian Nights" event in March 2020. (Twitter/@AlUlaMoments)
The Legendary Iranian singer Ebrahim Hamedi, known by his stage name
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The Legendary Iranian singer Ebrahim Hamedi, known by his stage name "Ebi", bedazzled the audience with his Persian classics. (Twitter/@AlUlaMoments)
Iranian-Swedish singer and producer Arash Labaf radiated love and joy whilst singing his popular hits such as
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Iranian-Swedish singer and producer Arash Labaf radiated love and joy whilst singing his popular hits such as "Temptation", "Boro Boro", and more. (Supplied)
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Updated 22 March 2023

When Persian music, culture and spirit were celebrated at Saudi Arabia’s AlUla

When Persian music, culture and spirit were celebrated at Saudi Arabia’s AlUla
  • Maraya Concert Hall hosted two-night event titled “Persian Night – Music Without Borders” in March 2020
  • Music transcended borders as Saudis swayed to the beat of Persian songs in traditional Arab attire

RIYADH: To mark Nowruz, we relive the moment Iran’s most beloved musicians brought to AlUla a rich burst of Persian culture and spirit.

The two-night event, “Persian Night – Music Without Borders,” occurred in March 2020 at the Maraya Concert Hall in AlUla, Saudi Arabia’s ancient archaeological jewel.

 

The seven legendary Iranian singers who performed included the king of Persian pop Shahram Shabpareh, classical pop singer Leila Forouhar, Ebrahim Hamedi (known by the stage name Ebi), Sasy, Shadmehr Aghili, Andy and Arash Labaf — all who flew from their homes in the US and Europe to be part of the historic moment.

Shadmehr Aghili opened the night with “Royaye Ma,” one of his famed songs featuring Ebi, where the pair sing of their dream for a better world.

A few songs later, Leila Forouhar, looking dazzling in a beautifully embellished maroon gown, entertained the crowd with elegant Persian moves while performing classics such as the popular bandari song “Jooni Joonom.”

Shahram Shabpareh included his famous hit “Pariya” in his performance and even showed off some Arabic skills on stage by calling to his fans “ahlan wa sahlan” (an Arabic expression of welcome).




Ebi's performance swept the audience at the Maraya Concert Hall off their seats to dance to his famed Persian songs. (Supplied) 

The Iranian stars sang many upbeat romantic tunes, radiating love, joy, and gratitude to an international crowd.

Saudis in the audience were seen in traditional Arab gowns dancing to the beat of Persian songs, embodying the event’s slogan that music truly goes beyond borders.

Whilst on stage, the prince of Persian pop, Andy, told the audience that they would be welcomed in his home in Los Angeles with the same hospitality he received in the Kingdom.

In his own words, the event was “like the Olympics,” and he was not wrong in many ways.

The event was one of honor, and had the same power to set aside politics to celebrate global talents.

Ebi told event-goers how “happy and proud” he felt that there were two women in his band before proceeding to sing his 1989 hit “Khanom Gol,” a song he dedicated on the night to women in Iran, whom he wishes one day can likewise perform on a stage.




Iranian Gen Z's beloved and famed pop singer Sasy rocked on stage at the "Persian Nights" event during the 2020 Winter at Tantora festival. (Supplied)

The two magical nights provided a beacon of hope to the artists and a window to the endless possibilities the future holds for the region.

Backstage, Leila spoke to the Independent about how witnessing the Kingdom’s social reforms — specifically in the realm of Saudi women’s empowerment — has been a source of fascination and happiness for her.

It was not only Leila who felt compelled by the social changes; Ebi also expressed similar feelings to Arab News.

“Many beautiful things are happening in Saudi Arabia. A lot of great shifts are occurring,” he said, using the event as one example of this transformation.

The iconic Persian night was a part of the annual Winter at Tantora, Saudi Arabia’s first music and cultural festival.

Since launching in 2018, it has become synonymous with cultural exchange, from hosting world-renowned Greek composer Yanni, Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, and the Kingdom’s legendary singer Mohammed Abdu.




Shadmehr Aghili opened the "Persian Nights" event during the 2020 Winter at Tantora festival with a thrilling and emotionally-charged show. (Twitter/@AlUlaMoments)

The host city of AlUla — which this year joined Conde Nast Traveler’s “Seven Wonders of the World” and is home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site — plays a symbolic role.

The city sits on the ancient incense trade route that connected Africa, Asia and Europe. For this reason, AlUla is known to the world as an embodiment of cultural interaction.

It is, therefore, no surprise that this would be the place where two of the world’s richest cultures — Arab and Persian — crossed paths.

For Arash, AlUla had awed him as a “crazy, beautiful” place, making him feel like he was on set on “an old Western movie” when galloping on the horses nearby.

He told Arab News that he made it to the event to represent Persian culture to the world and ultimately “to spread love, Persian love.”

And that was precisely what happened on March 5 and 6, 2020. Persian love made its mark in the history books of modern Saudi Arabia, bringing together different cultures that share a profound passion for music, dance and romance.

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Saudi Music Commission to attend New York’s A2IM Indie Week 

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RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Music Commission announced on Monday that it will attend the annual A2IM Indie Week conference in New York with a group of Saudi artists, Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday. 

The conference, which will run from June 12-15, will gather over 1,200 people across the US independent music community and host over 60 panels and workshops. It will feature a range of performances by musicians and producers from around the world. 

Through its participation, the Music Commission aims to boost the international presence and visibility of Saudi musicians while shedding light on the Kingdom’s growing music industry. It also aims to exchange knowledge, foster communication with the international music community, and strengthen cultural ties between Saudi Arabia and other countries. 
 


Masam project clears 849 Houthi mines in Yemen

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RIYADH: Masam, an ongoing Saudi project to clear landmines in Yemen, saw 849 devices planted by the Iran-backed Houthis dismantled in the last week of May.

Overseen by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, the project’s special teams destroyed 16 anti-personnel mines, 124 anti-tank mines, 708 unexploded ordnance, and one explosive device.

Masam is one of several initiatives undertaken by Saudi Arabia on the orders of King Salman to help the Yemeni people.

It clears routes for much-needed humanitarian aid aimed at supporting the country’s citizens.

The demining operations took place in Marib, Aden, Jouf, Shabwa, Taiz, Hodeidah, Lahij, Sanaa, Al-Bayda, Al-Dhale, and Saada.

A total of 400,919 mines have been cleared since the start of the project.

More than 1.2 million mines have been planted by the Houthis, claiming the lives of hundreds of civilians.

The project trains local demining engineers and provides them with modern equipment. It also offers support to Yemenis injured by the devices.

Meanwhile, KSrelief delivered 3,000 cartons of dates to the neediest families in Yemen's Taiz governorate. The distribution benefited 18,000 individuals.


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The UK’s Beech Hall School, one of the oldest learning institutions in England, has opened a branch in Riyadh. (SPA)
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The UK’s Beech Hall School, one of the oldest learning institutions in England, has opened a branch in Riyadh. (SPA)
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  • Riyadh branch has been furnished and designed by Blenheim Schools and Space Zero

RIYADH: The Royal Commission for Riyadh City announced on Monday the opening of the local branch of the UK’s Beech Hall School, one of the oldest learning institutions in England, established in 1926.

This is part of an initiative to attract major international schools to the Saudi capital, in partnership with the Kingdom’s education and investment ministries.

The program has already attracted several other prestigious international schools, including Reigate Grammar School, King’s College School, SEK International School, Aldenham School, Downe House School, and One World International School.

Beech Hall School is an independent institution, located in Cheshire, North West England.

Beech Hall School Riyadh has been furnished and designed by Blenheim Schools and Space Zero — two world-class designers of learning institutions. 

Hala Halawani, acting director-general of education sector development at the commission, said the international schools being brought to Riyadh would contribute to world-class learning and opportunities.

Beech Hall School considers itself to be a forward-thinking, innovative and ground-breaking institution.

Halawani added that Beech Hall School Riyadh would introduce a new learning philosophy and comprehensive curricula to the capital city.

Beech Hall includes 14 schools and nurseries belonging to the UK-based Chatsworth Group of Schools.

The founder and CEO of Chatsworth Schools, Anita Gleave, stated that the aim of the partnership is to reshape the stereotypical image of education and prepare young people for the job market. 

Located in the Al-Khuzama district, Beech Hall welcomes applications from male and female students, from early childhood, or kindergarten one, to middle school, or grade eight.


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The first Hajj flight that is part of the Makkah Route initiative arrived in Jeddah on Monday from Pakistan. (SPA)
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The first Hajj flight that is part of the Makkah Route initiative arrived in Jeddah on Monday from Pakistan. (SPA)
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ISLAMABAD: The first Hajj flight part of the Makkah Route initiative arrived in Jeddah on Monday from Pakistan, taking off from Islamabad International Airport with 340 Pakistani pilgrims aboard.

This year, Saudi Arabia reinstated Pakistan’s pre-pandemic Hajj quota of 179,210 pilgrims and scrapped the upper age limit of 65 in January.

About 80,000 Pakistani pilgrims are expected to perform the pilgrimage under the government scheme this year, and the rest will be facilitated by private tour operators.

The Makkah Route initiative allows pilgrims to go through immigration facilities at the airports of their respective countries.

“Pakistani Hajj pilgrims were warmly welcomed upon arrival at the Jeddah airport,” a spokesperson for the Pakistani Religious Affairs Ministry said.

“The pilgrims coming from Islamabad under the Makkah Route initiative were sent to Makkah via eight buses.”

Two more flights will leave for Saudi Arabia from Islamabad and Multan, the spokesperson said, adding that 1,050 Pakistani pilgrims will arrive in the Kingdom on Monday.

On Tuesday, 3,387 Pakistani Hajj pilgrims will arrive in the Kingdom via 11 flights, according to the ministry.

More than 40,000 Pakistanis have so far arrived in Saudi Arabia to perform the annual pilgrimage since the government initiated a special flight operation on May 21.

Pakistan last week also started direct Hajj flights from the southwestern city of Quetta, the Pakistani Civil Aviation Authority said, in a first for residents of the country’s Balochistan province.

Pakistan’s pre-Hajj flight operation will continue until June 21.


Turkiye’s tourism sector pins hopes on Saudi tourist surge

Ankara’s ambassador to Riyadh, Fatih Ulusoy, speaks to Arab News. (AN photo by Rashid Hassan)
Ankara’s ambassador to Riyadh, Fatih Ulusoy, speaks to Arab News. (AN photo by Rashid Hassan)
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Turkiye’s tourism sector pins hopes on Saudi tourist surge

Ankara’s ambassador to Riyadh, Fatih Ulusoy, speaks to Arab News. (AN photo by Rashid Hassan)
  • “Turkiye is the home of our Saudi brothers and sisters. We are looking forward to enhancing tourism, trade and economic ties”: Ankara’s ambassador to Riyadh

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The diplomatic steps Ankara took last last year as part of the normalization of relations with Saudi Arabia means Turkiye is forecasting more than 1 million Saudi visitors this year, said Fatih Ulusoy.

He added: “We are focusing very much on tourism. Last year after the high-level visits between Turkiye and Saudi Arabia, as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited the Kingdom in April and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visited Ankara in June, we had around 500,000 Saudi tourists visiting Turkiye in the second half, until the end of the year.

“And this year, our target for Saudi tourists visiting Turkiye is at least 1 million. We are hoping to see Turkiye become the number one destination for Saudi tourists.”

The Turkish Embassy in Riyadh celebrated World Breakfast Day on Sunday.

“We are promoting Turkish delicacies and the Turkish breakfast. At the same time, we are focusing on tourism,” Ulusoy told Arab News.

“Turkiye is the home of our Saudi brothers and sisters. We are looking forward to enhancing tourism, trade and economic ties, and we have a lot of delegations coming in and out,” he added.

“A number of Saudi delegations are visiting Turkiye. We are very happy to boost our relations. Hopefully we will reach our targets together with Saudi brothers.”

The ambassador said: “On June 3 after the recent elections, President Erdogan started office in a big ceremony, which was attended by leaders from all around the world. We had high-level dignitaries attending it.”

Ulusoy noted that Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan was in the Turkish capital, Ankara, to attend the ceremony.

“We are very happy to see this participation,” the ambassador said, adding: “We look forward to reaching new heights in our relations with Saudi Arabia.”

Saudi tourists are traveling to a variety of locations across Turkiye, with Istanbul proving the most popular destination, Ulusoy said.

Turkiye’s Black Sea region is also popular among Saudi tourists, offering mild climates across mountains and forests. In the south, beach resorts lining the Mediterranean Sea are also a Saudi favorite.

Bursa, close to Istanbul and rich in history, offers Saudi visitors access to a range of thermal baths, said Ulusoy.

The six hot spring baths on the west side of the city and in the village of Cekirge are famed across the region for their health benefits.

“This year we are also promoting Cappadocia, a region in central Turkiye. This is a very high attraction destination for tourists from around the world. It has a very unique nature. We have boutique hotels inside the caves,” said Ulusoy.

“We hope to see our Saudi brothers and sisters in the Cappadocia region as well. We hope to see our Saudi brothers and sisters in all these destinations.”