French flair meets Saudi style at Riyadh event

The French Ambassador Ludovic Pouille attended the France and Fashion event at L’Art Pur in Riyadh which featured panel discussions and leading French fashion experts. (AN photos)
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The French Ambassador Ludovic Pouille attended the France and Fashion event at L’Art Pur in Riyadh which featured panel discussions and leading French fashion experts. (AN photos)
French flair meets Saudi style at Riyadh event
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The event was inaugurated by CEO of the Saudi Fashion Commission, Burak Cakmak, and French Ambassador, Ludovic Pouille. (AN photo)
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Updated 30 May 2023
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French flair meets Saudi style at Riyadh event

French flair meets Saudi style at Riyadh event
  • Two-day event at L’Art Pur in Riyadh opened doors for conversations and cultural exchange in the world of fashion

RIYADH: The Saudi Fashion Commission teamed up with the French Embassy and Alliance Francaise for an event in L’Art Pur in Riyadh.

The two-day France & Fashion event on Saturday and Sunday gathered fashion fans for exhibitions, panel discussions, and training workshops with leading French fashion experts.

Ambassador of France Ludovic Pouille and CEO of the Fashion Commission Burak Cakmak attended the official opening.;

“This is why the French Embassy wanted to bring to Saudi Arabia, French talents from embroidery, fashion history, creation, and training,” said Pouille.

“This is a unique moment to gather French and Saudi experts, at a very special time, when Saudi designers are now growing, and we can see their popularity inside and outside of Saudi Arabia.”




Cross creation with French embroidery and Saudi Sadu workshop. (AN photo)

The Fashion Commission, established two years ago, has provided increased support for local designers with opportunities and initiatives to reach a global audience.

Cakmak said: “We are happy to see that our efforts in training and education are now going beyond and countries like France are very interested in supporting talent within Saudi Arabia.”

FASTFACTS

• The two-day France & Fashion event gathered fashion fans for exhibitions, panel discussions, and training workshops with leading French fashion experts.

• Saudi Arabia’s Fashion Commission, established two years ago, has provided increased support for local designers with opportunities and initiatives to reach a global audience.

The event began with a presentation by Barbara Jeauffroy, the associate curator of the Christian Dior Museum on the early years of one of French fashion’s biggest icons.

“Dior, a museum, a story” revisited the designer’s childhood and explored his parents’ grand villa and the influence it had on his designs.




The event included workshops for aspiring fashion designers. (AN photo)

Panel discussions were led by Saudi fashion designers including Mona Alshebil, Arwa Alammari, Haifa AlHumaid and Bander Hawsawi, and leading French fashion experts including professors and directors from the Institut Francais de la Mode, and Nadia Albertini, the French embroiderer and historian.

Panelists considered the Kingdom’s place in the global fashion industry, its cultural influence on local designs, female participation and the future of fashion. Challenges and opportunities for designers, technology and social media were also topics.

“I believe this is the perfect place, the perfect timing for anybody, especially women to be in Saudi Arabia,” said Alshebil. “Everybody is rooting for us, everybody is helping us, the government, the Fashion Commission, the population.”

This is a unique moment to gather French and Saudi experts ... when Saudi designers are now growing, and we can see their popularity inside and outside of Saudi Arabia.

Ludovic Pouille, Ambassador of France

Alammari said: “For a fashion industry to succeed, there should be an ecosystem, and this has started two years ago, with fashion schools, and the updated curriculum of fashion majors in universities, like in PNU.

“We need more know-how. We have the minds, we have the vision, but we need to learn more about the know-how and the new technology in the industry.”




We are happy to see that our efforts are now going beyond and countries like France are interested in supporting talent within Saudi Arabia, says Burak Cakmak CEO of the Fashion Commission

Speaking on the international perception of the Saudi fashion industry, IFM associate professor Jean-Marc Chauve said: “We can see now in magazine articles the Saudi fashion designers and their collections and brands, which didn’t exist five years ago … we didn’t hear about Saudi fashion designers then.”

The event offered training for designers, including how to structure a fashion collection, creating a brand and embroidery.

As part of its ongoing efforts to support the local designers and the Saudi fashion industry, the Fashion Commission will be exhibiting 100 Saudi brands to Paris on June 20.

“We will have a big moment that is going to spread for two weeks, with pop-ups, fashion shows, and other experiences highlighting the best out of Saudi Arabia in the heart of the fashion capital in Paris to a global audience,” said Cakmak.

Nodah, a visitor, said that the event was well organized and the talk on the Dior museum “full of useful information.”

 


Najran health dept conducts over 62,000 rehabilitation sessionss

Najran health dept conducts over 62,000 rehabilitation sessionss
Updated 21 sec ago
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Najran health dept conducts over 62,000 rehabilitation sessionss

Najran health dept conducts over 62,000 rehabilitation sessionss

 

 

RIYADH: Najran’s health department provided over 62,366 treatment sessions for patients in the first half of the year, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.

 

The sessions took place at the primary healthcare center in Al-Mashaliyah.

 

There were 45,733 sessions for physical therapy, and 14,146 for physical medicine and rehabilitation. In addition there 2,487 for occupational therapy, with the provision of 14 prosthetic limbs and 2,344 auxiliary splints.


KSrelief, UNICEF sign agreement

KSrelief, UNICEF sign agreement
Updated 4 min 14 sec ago
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KSrelief, UNICEF sign agreement

KSrelief, UNICEF sign agreement
  • Under the agreement, KSrelief and UNICEF will work to strengthen strategic partnerships between the two sides

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Monday signed a joint agreement with UNICEF to protect children’s rights around the world.

KSrelief general supervisor, Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Rabeeah, and executive director of UNICEF, Catherine Russell, signed the agreement on the sidelines of the 78th United Nations General Assembly in New York, SPA reported.

Under the agreement, KSrelief and UNICEF will work to strengthen strategic partnerships between the two sides, provide humanitarian aid and exchange experiences, in addition to supporting volunteer programs.

Following the signing, Al-Rabeeah stressed the Kingdom’s keenness to reach vulnerable and disadvantaged children and their families through UNICEF projects. Russell expressed UNICEF’s gratitude for the partnership with Saudi Arabia, saying that it would help the organization reach millions of children in need in the world.

This agreement comes within the framework of KSrelief’s aim to enhance cooperation with international and regional humanitarian organizations to develop humanitarian work in various sectors.


ZACTA launches initiative to apply for exemption of fines before end of December

ZACTA launches initiative to apply for exemption of fines before end of December
Updated 13 min 35 sec ago
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ZACTA launches initiative to apply for exemption of fines before end of December

ZACTA launches initiative to apply for exemption of fines before end of December

RIYADH: The Saudi Zakat, Tax and Customs authority has shared a guide for an initiative by the Ministry of Finance to apply for the exemption of fines before the end of this year.

The ministry said in the guide that this initiative aims to mitigate the financial implications resulting from COVID-19 that affected establishments.

The seven-month initiative started on June 1, 2023 and finishes on Dec. 31, 2023.

The guide discusses the exemption from fines resulting from late registration in all tax laws and regulations but mentions that conditions for taxpayers who could benefit from the initiative still apply.

It includes the exemption from delayed payment fines and overdue tax return submission, exemption from the VAT return correction penalty and several more.


How Saudi Arabia is indigenizing the AI revolution and future-proofing its workforce

How Saudi Arabia is indigenizing the AI revolution and future-proofing its workforce
Updated 25 September 2023
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How Saudi Arabia is indigenizing the AI revolution and future-proofing its workforce

How Saudi Arabia is indigenizing the AI revolution and future-proofing its workforce
  • Digitalization and emerging technologies are forecast to contribute some 2.4 percent to the Kingdom’s GDP by 2030
  • Saudi Arabia’s investments in technology align with the objectives of the Vision 2030 economic diversification agenda

JEDDAH: In the coming years, artificial intelligence technology is expected to transform economies, business practices and the way people live, work and consume. Conscious of these potentially momentous changes on the horizon, Saudi Arabia is pouring investments into AI research and development.

The Kingdom launched its National Strategy for Data and Artificial Intelligence in October 2020 aimed at becoming a global leader in the field, as it seeks to attract $20 billion in foreign and local investments by 2030.

Saudi Arabia is also determined to future-proof its workforce, for a start by training and developing a pool of 20,000 AI and data specialists.

Riyadh’s adoption of digitalization and emerging technologies is forecast to contribute some 2.4 percent to its gross domestic product by 2030, according to a recent report by global consultancy firm PwC.

In this file picture, the chief of the General Presidency for the Two Holy Mosques, Abdul-Rahman al-Sudais, is shown inaugurating the “Information” robot, which would be available in the Grand Mosque and will provide visitors with general information, lectures, lessons, Khutbahs and information about imams and muadhins. (Courtesy: General Presidency of Haramain)

In terms of average annual growth in the contribution of AI by region, Saudi Arabia is expected to grab a 31.3 percent share in the technology’s expansion between 2018 and 2030, the PwC report added.

“I believe that Saudi Arabia has a huge potential,” Ali Al-Moussa, a Saudi entrepreneur and AI expert, told Arab News.

“Being in the field for years now, I saw a lot of smart, talented people who are able to compete with (others around) the globe to create great technologies, not only artificial intelligence, but everything from robotics to blockchain, you name it.”

Saudi Arabia’s drive toward new technologies aligns with the objectives of the Vision 2030 social reform and economic diversification agenda, which aims to strengthen the Kingdom’s position as the regional leader in the field.

Saudi Arabia’s youth are particularly adaptable to technology and are eagerly experimenting with these tools, says Saudi entrepreneur and AI expert Ali Al-Moussa. (Supplied)

Al-Moussa says Vision 2030 has created a “lot of opportunity in the market,” empowering and enabling Saudi entrepreneurs to “imagine different applications” and to begin establishing tech startups.

“They build technologies, and they conduct research, and there is a lot of energy,” he said.

Interest in AI has boomed since ChatGPT, a large-language model developed by Microsoft-backed startup OpenAI, became a viral sensation when it was released in November 2022.

Conversations with the chatbot show that the program can explain complex scientific concepts, compose plays and poetry, generate university dissertations, and even write functional lines of computer code.

Its emergence kicked off fierce competition among Silicon Valley rivals for monetization of what software engineers call “generative AI,” including Google’s Bard, and more recently LLaMA developed by Facebook parent company Meta Platforms.

Meta recently released an AI model capable of translating and transcribing speech in dozens of languages, a potential building block for tools enabling real-time communication across language divides.

The company said in a blog post that its SeamlessM4T model could support translations between text and speech in nearly 100 languages, as well as full speech-to-speech translation for 35 languages, including Modern Standard Arabic.

A “guidance robot” has been developed to assist pilgrims and Umrah performers in understanding rituals and fatwas. (Supplied)

This and other more advanced programs are expected to transform decision-making, automation, and creative problem-solving across industries, from healthcare and finance to transportation and entertainment.

The emergence of these technologies will inevitably impact the labor market and make it necessary for nations to invest in training and education for their emerging workers, so that they have the tools to prosper in a fast-evolving economy.

“Saudi Arabia’s youth are particularly adaptable to technology and are eagerly experimenting with these tools,” said Al-Moussa.

To nurture this homegrown talent, the Kingdom is actively promoting AI competitions and “hackathons,” encouraging its researchers and students to tackle AI-related challenges to gain valuable hands-on experience.

Although the technology shows immense promise and seemingly limitless potential, experts have urged caution regarding the timing and approach to adopting AI technologies.

A report in March by investment bank Goldman Sachs predicted that AI could soon take the place of 300 million full-time jobs around the world, with 46 percent of administrative jobs and 44 percent of legal jobs risking replacement.

However, it also found that the rollout of AI could boost labor productivity and push global growth up by 7 percent year-on-year over a 10-year period.

Equipped with upper and lower cameras, specialized Zamzam distributing robots with laser sensors help it avoid any surrounding obstacles. (FILE/General Presidency of Haramain)

Al-Moussa says there are broadly two schools of thought about AI. The first views the technology as “complementary to our lives,” serving essentially as “an augmentation to our abilities.” This type of AI will not negatively impact the job market and, if anything, could enhance the way people live and work.

The other school of thought warns that AI will replace people’s jobs, will be “fast and intrusive,” and “all profit-driven,” causing harm to sections of society.

Rejecting the warnings of doomsayers about an “AI apocalypse,” Al-Moussa predicts that such programs will be primarily used for “repetitive tasks” that do not require “high intellect” or human input.

As part of Saudi Arabia’s preparation of the coming age of AI, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in June approved the establishment of the International Center for Artificial Intelligence Research and Ethics in Riyadh.

Introduced amid covid-19 pandemic, specialized robots roam the grounds of the Two Holy mosques distribute Zamzam water. (FILE/General Presidency of Haramain)

Earlier that same month, the Kingdom also established the Global Cybersecurity Forum Institute in Riyadh to harness the potential of cyberspace and support efforts to boost cybersafety on a global scale.

AI advocates have sought to address doubts surrounding the technology by emphasizing the critical importance of transparency and responsible usage.

Whatever the truth of the matter, there is no disputing that the popularity of AI applications in businesses is on the rise.

In May, the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority inaugurated the Center of Excellence for Generative Artificial Intelligence in partnership with the US computing firm Nvidia.

The authority also unveiled an AI chat application of its own capable of answering queries in Arabic known as Allam.

According to the Financial Times, Saudi Arabia recently bought as many as 3,000 of Nvidia’s H100 chips, which cost $40,000 each and are the first designed for generative AI, through the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology.

Achieving the goal of becoming an AI powerhouse will of course take time as widespread adoption of new systems requires the creation of an AI ecosystem and a strong culture of entrepreneurship.

Collaboration with international partners, investment in local talent, and adherence to global practices and standards in AI development are viewed as the best means of promoting Saudi initiatives in the field.

Al-Moussa believes there is an especially promising future in “homegrown technology” for Saudi Arabia, which will best reflect its language, culture and priorities.

“Nobody better understands us than us,” he said. “We grew up here. We know the culture. So, the kind of AI that can be developed at home is definitely closer to the culture, whether it is generative AI or something related to our environment. Because this kind of experience or this kind of intellect is unique to our country.

“You cannot imagine someone in a different part of the globe developing something for us better than us because we understand our power and our nature better than anyone else.”

 


Saudi crown prince offers condolences after death of former Italian president

Saudi crown prince offers condolences after death of former Italian president
Updated 24 September 2023
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Saudi crown prince offers condolences after death of former Italian president

Saudi crown prince offers condolences after death of former Italian president
  • Napolitano died on Friday aged 98

RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent a cable of condolences to the president of Italy on the death of former president Giorgio Napolitano, Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.
In the cable to President Sergio Mattarella, the crown prince said: “I express to your excellency and the family of the deceased my deepest condolences and sincere sympathy, wishing you constant good health.”
Napolitano, a onetime communist who helped to steer his country through a debt crisis in 2011, died on Friday aged 98.