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

Andy,
1 / 4
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
2 / 4
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
3 / 4
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
4 / 4
Iranian-Swedish singer and producer Arash Labaf radiated love and joy whilst singing his popular hits such as "Temptation", "Boro Boro", and more. (Supplied)
Short Url
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.

Anatomy of a disaster
Two decades later, Iraqis are still paying the price for Bush's ill-judged war

Enter


keywords

 


Drug dealers, smugglers arrested in raids across Kingdom

Drug dealers, smugglers arrested in raids across Kingdom
Updated 29 sec ago

Drug dealers, smugglers arrested in raids across Kingdom

Drug dealers, smugglers arrested in raids across Kingdom
  • Security patrols in Jazan also intercepted the smuggling of 160 kg of qat in the Al-Dayer governorate
  • Preliminary legal procedures were completed, and the seized items were handed to the competent authorities

RIYADH: Saudi authorities tackling drug traders and smugglers reported a number of arrests across the Kingdom in recent days.
On Saturday, Border Guard land patrols in the Al-Ardah sector of the Jazan region foiled the smuggling of 300 kg of the narcotic plant qat.
Security patrols in Jazan also intercepted the smuggling of 160 kg of qat in the Al-Dayer governorate.
Preliminary legal procedures were completed, and the seized items were handed to the competent authorities.
Meanwhile, police in the Najran region arrested a citizen for trafficking marijuana, amphetamine and regulated medical tablets. Firearms, weapons, live ammunition and mobile phones were found in his possession. He was apprehended and faced legal measures.
The General Directorate of Narcotics Control apprehended a citizen in the Turaif governorate of the Northern Borders region for trafficking amphetamine.
The directorate also apprehended two Pakistani residents in Riyadh for trafficking methamphetamine and heroin.
They were arrested, and legal measures were taken against them before their referral to the Public Prosecution.
Security patrols in the Hafar Al-Batin governorate, in the Eastern Province, arrested a Bangladeshi resident for trafficking methamphetamine. He was apprehended and faced legal measures.
The General Directorate of Narcotics Control reaffirmed its commitment to prevent drug smuggling and tighten customs procedures on imports and exports.
The Saudi government has urged anyone with information related to suspected smuggling operations or customs violations to call the confidential hotline 1910, the international number 00 966 114208417, or email [email protected]
Tips received by the authority related to smuggling crimes and breaches of common customs law are treated with strict confidentiality. Financial rewards are offered for valid tips.


Father of slain Saudi student details depths of family’s tragedy

Father of slain Saudi student details depths of family’s tragedy
Updated 03 June 2023

Father of slain Saudi student details depths of family’s tragedy

Father of slain Saudi student details depths of family’s tragedy
  • Three Saudi college students have died in the US this year, two in accidents at popular scenic locations and one who was murdered in Philadelphia
  • Saudi officials say that the deaths are very tragic but emphasize there is no evidence that the Kingdom’s citizens are being targeted

CHICAGO: Abdullah Al-Ghareibi was in his home in Riyadh about to go to sleep on Jan. 23 when he received an email from the Philadelphia Police Department.

Al-Ghareibi said that he had spent an enjoyable weekend in Washington D.C. with his two sons and returned to Riyadh days earlier, sharing happy memories of the trip with his wife and daughter.

However, Al-Ghareibi told The Ray Hanania Radio show, sponsored by Arab News, that he was “shocked” by an email from police asking him to “immediately” contact their offices regarding a “homicide” and his eldest son, Al-Waleed Al-Ghareibi, 25. Waleed was a university student in his final year studying network engineering.

The father was told his son had been murdered in his Philadelphia apartment building by a 19-year-old suspect, Nicole Marie Rodgers, who was from Atlanta, Georgia. Rodgers was moving out of the building and may have targeted the son for robbery, police told the father. Believing no one was in the building, Rodgers allegedly stabbed Waleed multiple times after she asked for his help.

 

 

“Nobody knows exactly what happened. It is just like a logic explanation from police, and the landlady. She (the suspect) didn’t speak and obviously my son cannot talk on his behalf. She tried to befriend just him in the recent days, try to get close. We understand from my son, he was like kind of annoyed. She knocked at his door. His room is on the first floor. She knocked on his window and she said I had forgot the keys and can you open the door for me. She tried to engage in conversation with him. She wanted to find a way just how to rob him,” Al-Ghareibi told The Ray Hanania Radio show on Wednesday, May 31, struggling with his grief.

Al-Ghareibi said that the police believe the murder was driven by the suspect wanting to rob Waleed before she moved out of the building. Police said that Waleed was allegedly stabbed multiple times by Rodgers, who was accompanied by her parents in court. She had expressed no remorse, police said.

Al-Ghareibi said that his family had received extensive support from the Saudi embassy in Washington D.C. as they worked through their pain. Waleed was scheduled to graduate from the university in May, and his father was invited to accept the degree.

 

“I really thank them, thank the (Saudi) government. They are taking all the financial burden on it,” Al-Ghareibi said.

“But still, just emotionally, it is very hard on us as a family. We need to see the end of it. We need her to get what she really deserves. You think something might happen along the way with the court and lawyers and stuff, jury. You know it is not going to be easy. It’s not going to be easy, but we hope she gets what she really, really deserves. What she deserves is a life without the possibility of parole. That’s what she really deserves. But what will happen, I don’t know. It has caused a lot of hurdles we have to jump.”

Al-Ghareibi said that the university his son attended had contacted him and invited him to a memorial service, and presented him with his son’s diploma during graduation ceremonies.

“It was very touching,” he said. “I wished he received the degree by himself. That’s what happened. You have to live with it. It’s very needless,” Al-Ghareibi said, noting that his wife and daughter had not seen Waleed for nearly three years because of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.

Waleed Al-Ghareibi was one of three Saudi university students who died in the US in 2023, including Abdulrahman Al-Anzi, 29, who was with friends at a tourist location along the shores of Lake Erie in Cleveland, Ohio on Jan. 30 when he fell into the freezing lake waters. He was recovered from the lake but pronounced dead at the scene.

On May 22, Atheer Al-Khalban, 28, was touring Glacier National Park in Montana with friends when she strayed off the trail and fell over a rocky cliff down a gorge into Avalanche Creek. She was spotted by other tourists who tried to resuscitate her but Al-Khalban, who was attending college in Kansas, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Glacier National Park Public Affairs Officer Gina Kerzman expressed condolences to the Al-Khalban family.

 

 

“Atheer was hiking a very popular trail in Glacier National Park that is known as the Avalanche Lake Trail. Sometime during her hike, early on in her hike, she went near the water. Nobody saw what happened exactly, but she ended up going in the water. She was swept down through the Avalanche Creek gorge and was pulled from the water by visitors who saw her in the water down below,” Kerzman said, noting that there was a steep drop-off along the rocky edge several feet from the visitor’s path.

“Every year we have fatalities in the park. Last year, I think, we had seven fatalities. The number one cause of death is drowning. Number two is falling, people being up on high levels either mountain climbing or just being at high elevations and falling.”

Al-Khalban was walking several feet behind her friends when she disappeared into the gorge and waters. Kerzman said that more than 3 million people visit Glacier National Park every year. May is the beginning of the most popular season for tourists.

Saudi Arabia embassy spokesman, Fahad Nazer, said that the embassy does everything possible to help Saudi families who are in need and suffer tragedies such as these.

“Ensuring the safety and well-being of Saudi citizens living or visiting a foreign country is among the highest priorities for any diplomatic mission around the world. It certainly is the case for us here in the embassy in Washington D.C. Over the decades, hundreds of thousands of Saudis have visited or studied in the United States. The overwhelming majority have a pleasant and productive stay,” Nazer told Arab News during the radio show interview, saying that it is one of the Kingdom’s “highest priorities” to keep Saudi citizens safe.

“However, occasionally accidents and tragedies do occur. As you said, over the past couple years we have had some tragic incidents that led to the deaths of a few young Saudis. As soon as we became aware of such tragedies, we immediately contacted the families of the deceased to provide any assistance that they may need. We also stay in touch with local authorities to make sure that we have all the details and we share these details with the families as soon as we obtain them.”

Nazer added: “Of course, our hearts go out to the families of these young Saudis. There is nothing more tragic than the death of a young person. However, I do have to stress that these are isolated incidents. We have no reason to believe that Saudi students or Saudis in general are being targeted in the United States.”

Al-Ghareibi, Kerzman and Nazer made their comments during an appearance on “The Ray Hanania Radio Show,” broadcast on Wednesday, May 31 live in Detroit and Washington D.C. on the US Arab Radio Network and sponsored by Arab News.

You can listen to the radio show’s podcast by visiting ArabNews.com/rayradioshow.


KSrelief distributes aid packages in Afghanistan, Syria and Sudan

KSrelief distributes aid packages in Afghanistan, Syria and Sudan
Updated 03 June 2023

KSrelief distributes aid packages in Afghanistan, Syria and Sudan

KSrelief distributes aid packages in Afghanistan, Syria and Sudan

RIYADH: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) has distributed food packages in Afghanistan, Syria and Sudan.
In Afghanistan, around 350 food packages were distributed to orphans and widows as well as needy residents in Kandahar Province, and benefited 350 families affected by the floods this year.
In Jindires of Syria’s Aleppo governorate, 1,580 food packages and 1,580 hygiene kits were given out to families affected by the earthquake in February.
The center has also sent its first aid shipment to Sudan via the Saudi relief sea bridge, comprising 50 tons of food products.
The KSrelief aid aims to alleviate the suffering of people affected by natural disasters of floods and earthquakes across the world in different cities, benefiting thousands of families in need.


Saudi foreign minister urges developing cooperation with BRICS to achieve prosperity

Saudi foreign minister urges developing cooperation with BRICS to achieve prosperity
Updated 03 June 2023

Saudi foreign minister urges developing cooperation with BRICS to achieve prosperity

Saudi foreign minister urges developing cooperation with BRICS to achieve prosperity

CAPE TOWN: Saudi Arabia is keen to develop future cooperation with the BRICS group to achieve collective prosperity, Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah said on Friday.

The BRICS group consists of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

The Saudi foreign minister participated on Friday in the ministerial meeting of Friends of BRICS in Cape Town, South Africa, held under the theme, “Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development and Inclusive Multilateralism.”

In his speech at the meeting, Prince Faisal bin Farhan said that the Kingdom was keen to advance its future cooperation with BRICS by benefiting from the potential and capabilities possessed by both sides.

This aimed to fulfill joint interests and achieve prosperity for all, the foreign minister said.

Saudi Arabia was the BRICS group’s largest commercial partner in the Middle East, Prince Faisal said, affirming that trade relations with the BRICS countries had witnessed great growth.

“This reflects the growing and developed relations with the countries of the group,” he said.

The total value of bilateral trade with the countries of the BRICS group increased from $81 billion in 2017 and $128 billion in 2021 to surpass $160 billion last year, the foreign minister said.

The Kingdom shared basic values with the BRICS countries, represented in the belief that relations between countries were based on the principles of respect for sovereignty, non-interference and adherence to international law, Prince Faisal said.

These principles also included the existence of multilateral frameworks and collective action as reference points in the face of mutual challenges.

Saudi Arabia, along with BRICS countries, also believed in the importance of peace, security and stability in order to refocus efforts toward national development and common prosperity, Prince Faisal said.

The Kingdom maintained its commitment to working with international partners to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, he said.

He added that Saudi Arabia also worked on intensifying global efforts to enhance food and energy security amid recurring crises and supply-chain issues.

The Kingdom was a pioneering country worldwide in humanitarian and development aid and was among the top 10 donors to low- and middle-income countries, Prince Faisal said.

Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Rassi, undersecretary of the foreign affairs ministry for international multilateral affairs, and Saudi Ambassador to South Africa Sultan Al-Liwiahan Al-Anqary were also part of the Saudi delegation at the meeting.
 


International artists explore Saudi landscape in new exhibition

International artists explore Saudi landscape in new exhibition
Updated 03 June 2023

International artists explore Saudi landscape in new exhibition

International artists explore Saudi landscape in new exhibition
  • Misk Art Institute’s latest Masaha Residency art showcase features 11 global and local artists and two writers whose

RIYADH: The Misk Art Institute’s latest Masaha Residency art showcase features 11 global and local artists and two writers whose projects explore tradition in the context of social development.

The fifth cycle of the three-month cross-cultural program brought together an international cohort of artists to develop fresh, research-driven art projects. Through architecture, music, and culture, several artists discovered traces of their own homes in the Saudi landscape.

Fahdah Althonayan, director of the education department at Misk, told Arab News: “Each cycle has its own uniqueness. Within this one, we had the opportunity to experiment with dual artists … it is a new thing that we tried with (them) to work together on their artwork, which surprised us as well.

Palestinian artist Areej Khaoud, who currently lives and works in London, took to the marketplaces of Riyadh to find remanences of belonging in her piece ‘Still Hungry.’ (AN photo)

“The variety of Saudi, khaleeji, and foreigners from different continents was amazing. It is an enriching experience.”

Ilyas Hajji, a photographer, and Nastya Indrikova, a researcher, are a Russian duo who worked on reconstructing the Hajj pilgrimage route, which was often dangerous.

Although it was modernized, many still struggled to make the trip from Russia, including the Muslim population in Dagestan during and after the fall of the Soviet Union.

Aleena Khan's artwork, “A Calling from the Moon,” toys with a popular Myth in Pakistan that the call to prayer, Adhan, was heard upon Neil Armstrong’s arrival to the moon. (AN photo)

The pair used items brought back from Hajj to highlight the effect on millions who were free to travel after the union’s dissolution.

Palestinian artist Areej Kaoud, who lives and works in London, took to the marketplaces of Riyadh to find a sense of belonging in her piece “Still Hungry.”

“In all these spaces, they pick things. You think that the owner is just trying to sell you things but he’s also trying to heal his own uprootedness,” Kaoud told Arab News.

Drawing comparison between the moon landing and the Arabian desert landscape, Khan's parafiction multimedia work diffuses the idea of universality and explores a more subjective path to truth. (AN photo)

Kaoud’s studio is the backdrop for a video documenting the offerings of a market staffed by diaspora from other countries, who preserve and share the traditions of back home.

The studio wall is covered with phrases including “Can one heal uprootedness with food?,” “Is being home a state of ‘non-hunger’?” and “Insatiable in diaspora.”

Liao Lihong, a Chinese artist living in Paris, merged an abacus with the shapes of a qanun and an oud to create a unique musical instrument.

Centering the fall of the Soviet Union, the Russian artist duo Ilyas Hajji and researcher Nastya Indrikova, highlighted the presence of millions who were once again free to travel, made concrete through the items they brought back from their Hajj journey. (AN photo)

“When I studied in China in elementary school, we had a class using the abacus, but now we do not use it anymore because we have calculators,” she said. “But the sound (they make) was always in my mind. The idea is when people use the abacus to calculate numbers, it also plays music."

Aleena Khan bolsters Saudi Arabia’s historical first — a female astronaut and her colleague reaching the International Space Station last month.

Her artwork “A Calling from the Moon” toys with a popular myth in Pakistan that the Adhan, the call to prayer, was heard by Neil Armstrong on the moon.

Taking collected receipts from her stay and graffiti-d numbers across the city as inspiration for “sheet music,” Lihong fabricated a way for the numbers to create sounds on the abacus using a computing method. (AN photo)

Her work draws comparisons between the moon’s landscape and an Arabian desert.

She said: “I started to draw what the material on the moon looks like and then I sourced anything that looks similar to it and took it to the desert and shot it.

“What if these landscapes were one?”

In the fragments of Riyadh’s demolished architecture, artist Dia Mrad found hope for their new beginning in his studio. The Lebanese photographer spent months researching and photographing changes in the city’s neighborhoods to create the work “Traditions of Change.”

In line with his practice, which looks to extract narratives from a built environment, he screen-printed fallen pieces of debris with photos of homes that are scheduled for demolition in Riyadh.

“The Kingdom goes through cycles of change — every 30 or 40 years, a big change happens. The latest change that’s happening is Vision 2030, and it’s such a massive change that it’s affecting everything and it’s manifesting largely within the built environment. The history of a city is embedded within its materiality,” Mrad explained.

The exhibition, which spans various mediums including installation, textile, silkscreen and Arabic writing among others, can be viewed at the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Arts Hall in Riyadh until June 10.