Saudi esports festival returns with $10m charity prize fund

Gamers Without Borders is a six-week-long series of events that will be held virtually by the Saudi Esports Federation beginning April 27. (Twitter @gwbps)
Gamers Without Borders is a six-week-long series of events that will be held virtually by the Saudi Esports Federation beginning April 27. (Twitter @gwbps)
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Updated 01 April 2023

Saudi esports festival returns with $10m charity prize fund

Saudi esports festival returns with $10m charity prize fund
  • Event will also host a women’s tournament for the first time

JEDDAH: The world’s biggest charitable esports festival is returning to the Kingdom for the fourth year with a $10 million charity prize fund, connecting the world of gaming to humanitarian causes around the globe.

Gamers Without Borders is a six-week-long series of events that will be held virtually by the Saudi Esports Federation beginning April 27.

The esports festival offers elite players competition across a wide range of the world’s most popular gaming titles through tournaments that will serve as a qualifier to Gamers8: The Land of Heroes, the biggest esports and gaming festival worldwide, which will return for a second year on July 6.

Teams including NIGMA GALAXY will compete for a total prize pool of $2.5 million in the multiplayer tactical first-person shooter Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, developed by Valve and Hidden Path Entertainment. Other teams taking part will be announced later.

This year’s edition will also feature the first-of-its-kind all-women Counter-Strike: Global Offensive tournament, with six teams battling in a single elimination bracket on April 27-29.

HIGHLIGHT

The esports festival offers elite players competition across a wide range of the world’s most popular gaming titles through tournaments that will serve as a qualifier to Gamers8: The Land of Heroes, the biggest esports and gaming festival worldwide, which will return for a second year on July 6.

Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan, chairman of the Saudi Esports Federation, said: “It is extremely exciting to announce that Gamers Without Borders’ fourth edition will have an all-women component. One of the best features of gaming and esports is that it provides equal opportunities for everyone without any bias or restrictions.

“We are furthering our commitment to providing an inclusive gaming and esports environment that encourages and supports female gamers from all backgrounds.”

NIGMA GALAXY said: “We are proud to take part in the world’s biggest charitable esports festival and see the tournament expanding its horizons. Hopefully, events like Gamers Without Borders will help pave the way for the further development of women’s esports globally and we’re excited to play for such an important cause.”

In addition to the women’s tournament, the main Counter-Strike: Global Offensive qualifiers will take place on May 16 for Europe and North America, allowing teams to secure a spot at the GWB finals and Gamers8 grand finals.

Prince Faisal added: “Gamers Without Borders paved the way for us to organize Gamers8, the biggest esports and gaming festival worldwide. With Gamers Without Borders, the Kingdom has established the world’s largest charity esports platform and in just three years, the world’s largest charitable Esports festival raised $30 million to support humanitarian aid partners such as Direct Relief, IMC, UNICEF, ITU Gavi, NRC, the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center and UNHCR.”

After three successful editions that saw more than $30 million donated to COVID-19 relief and vaccine distribution, the festival is aiming to reach a total of $40 million in donations.

Gamers from around the world can support the donation drive through the Gamers Without Borders website.

 


Education ministers call for nominations for ‘Gifted Arabs’ initiative

Education ministers call for nominations for ‘Gifted Arabs’ initiative
Updated 12 sec ago

Education ministers call for nominations for ‘Gifted Arabs’ initiative

Education ministers call for nominations for ‘Gifted Arabs’ initiative
  • Saudi-led scheme invests in young gifted, creative people
  • Initiative set up in 2021 ‘has been very successful,’ its chief says

RABAT: Arab countries have been asked to nominate students to take part in the Saudi-led “Gifted Arabs” initiative, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Friday.
The call was made during the Arab education ministers’ 13th conference, which was held recently in Rabat under the auspices of King Mohammed VI of Morocco.
The initiative is organized by the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity in collaboration with the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization.
“The Kingdom’s initiative has been very successful and focuses on investing in young … gifted and creative people,” said Dr. Amal bint Abdullah Al-Hazzaa, secretary-general of the foundation, known as Mawhiba.
Such investment was nurturing for gifted Arabs and empowered them to lead change and create the future, she added.
Meanwhile, Dr. Khaled Al-Sharif, director general of Mawhiba’s Center of Excellence, thanked the Arab ministers and the conference organizers in Morocco for their interest in the initiative, which was launched in 2021.
He stressed the need to invest in education in general and specific programs for gifted and creative individuals.
The ministers’ conference was organized by Morocco’s Ministry of National Education, Preschool and Sports in cooperation with the National Committee for Education, Science and Culture, and in partnership with ALECSO. Its title was: “Future of Education in the Arab World in the Digital Transformation Era.”


Indian navy chief welcomes Saudi cadets during first joint training

Cadets of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces receive training onboard an Indian Navy ship off the coast of Kochi, Kerala, in May 2023.
Cadets of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces receive training onboard an Indian Navy ship off the coast of Kochi, Kerala, in May 2023.
Updated 25 min 10 sec ago

Indian navy chief welcomes Saudi cadets during first joint training

Cadets of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces receive training onboard an Indian Navy ship off the coast of Kochi, Kerala, in May 2023.
  • Trainees from King Fahd Naval Academy are India for three-week operation
  • Program is first such collaboration between the two nations

NEW DELHI: India’s navy chief said on Friday that training of Saudi naval personnel by Indian forces was testimony to the growing relationship between the two countries.
Adm. R. Hari Kumar was speaking after welcoming Saudi cadets training on board two Indian naval vessels.
Fifty-five students and five instructors from the King Fahd Naval Academy have been in India since May 18 for a three-week course with the Southern Naval Command in Kochi, Kerala.

The students, all from the main naval academy of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces, are attached to India’s First Training Squadron ships INS Tir and INS Sujata.
For most of the students the course is their first experience on board a warship.
“The cadets have completed 10 days at sea aboard the Indian naval ships. During the sea sorties, they were exposed to rigorous training on practical aspects of navigation and seamanship with emphasis on navigation in pilotage waters, anchoring, coastal navigation, replenishment at sea, sea boats, firefighting and emergency drills,” the Indian Ministry of Defense said in a statement after the cadets’ meeting with Kumar.
“The directing staff expressed their appreciation of the high-quality training and exposure that they received on board the IN ships. In his address, the CNS welcomed the RSNF delegation in India, and reaffirmed that the maiden training of Saudi cadets by the Indian Navy as testimony to the growing friendship between Saudi Arabia and India, and also the two navies.”
The navy chief also voiced his appreciation for Saudi assistance in the recent evacuation of 3,000 Indian nationals from war-torn Sudan and acknowledged the increasingly strong defense ties with the Kingdom.
Experts, too, acknowledge the growing importance of India’s security relations with Saudi Arabia.
“It’s a significant gesture by the Indian naval chief,” defense expert Ranjit Kumar told Arab News.
“India seems to be taking special care of the evolving defense cooperation and partnership with a major Gulf country. India considers this relationship very important to groom in view of changing geopolitical dynamics in West Asia.”
Muddassir Quamar, a Middle East expert and associate professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, said there have also been efforts to develop cooperation in nonconventional defense areas, as well as the defense industry.
“The military-to-military ties are likely to develop further, with greater efforts toward interoperability and understanding each other’s security concerns,” he told Arab News.
“Both India and Saudi Arabia are G20 economies and important international actors, and greater security bodes well for security in the western Indian Ocean region.”

 

 


Saudi date exports up 2.5 percent in Q1 2023

Saudi date exports up 2.5 percent in Q1 2023
Updated 02 June 2023

Saudi date exports up 2.5 percent in Q1 2023

Saudi date exports up 2.5 percent in Q1 2023
  • Sales to China surge by 150 percent compared to same period last year
  • National Center for Palms and Dates says stored, fresh dates account for 77 percent of exports

RIYADH: Saudi exports of raw and processed dates grew to more than SR566 million ($151 million) in the first quarter of 2023, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Friday.
The figure marks a 2.5 percent increase compared to the same period last year.
The National Center for Palms and Dates issued a report saying that stored and fresh dates amounted to 77 percent of exports while industrial date products accounted for 23 percent.
The dates were exported worldwide to 111 countries, topped by China, where Saudi date exports increased by 150 percent to SR7.6 million. Exports to Austria grew by 60 percent to SR2 million; Belgium by 23 percent to SR1.23 million; Turkiye by 30 percent to SR22.3 million, Russia by 95 percent to about SR2.7 million; and Canada by 40 percent to SR4 million.


Saudi, Iranian foreign ministers meet at Cape Town BRICS event

Saudi, Iranian foreign ministers meet at Cape Town BRICS event
Updated 02 June 2023

Saudi, Iranian foreign ministers meet at Cape Town BRICS event

Saudi, Iranian foreign ministers meet at Cape Town BRICS event
  • The two ministers met on the sidelines of a ministerial meeting of BRICS countries in South Africa

CAPE TOWN: Saudi foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan met with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on Friday.

The two ministers met on the sidelines of a ministerial meeting of BRICS countries in Cape Town, the foreign ministry said.

During their meeting they discussed ways to enhance reltions across many sectors. They also agreed to follow up on steps to implement the agreement of the two countries in the Chinese-brokered deal signed in Beijing, including the intensification of work to promote international peace and security.

Prince Faisal and Amir-Abdollahian both expressed their aspiration to intensify consultative meetings and cooperation in a way that served the interest of the two countries, Al-Ekhbariyah reported.


Blinken to visit Saudi Arabia: State Department

Blinken to visit Saudi Arabia: State Department
Updated 35 min 38 sec ago

Blinken to visit Saudi Arabia: State Department

Blinken to visit Saudi Arabia: State Department
  • Trip comes as Kingdom and US seek to broker durable cease-fire between Sudan’s warring generals
  • Blinken is set to also participate in a US-GCC ministerial meeting

WASHINGTON D.C.: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Saudi Arabia next week, the State Department announced Friday.

Blinken’s trip comes as the Kingdom and US seek to broker a durable cease-fire between Sudan’s warring generals in ongoing talks in Jeddah.

“Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Saudi Arabia June 6-8 to meet with Saudi officials to discuss US-Saudi strategic cooperation on regional and global issues and a range of bilateral issues including economic and security cooperation,” State Department Spokesman Matt Miller said.

Blinken is set to also participate in a US-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) ministerial meeting to discuss growing cooperation with Gulf partners and how they can promote security, stability, de-escalation, regional integration, and economic opportunities across the Middle East, Miller added.

Blinken and Saudi foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan will co-host a ministerial meeting of the Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh “to address the continuing threat of (Daesh) and reaffirm our commitment to ensure its enduring defeat,” Miller said.