Saudi Arabia’s Farasan Islands offer rich biodiversity and ecotourism potential

Special Saudi Arabia’s Farasan Islands offer rich biodiversity and ecotourism potential
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Farasan island mangroves and aquamarine waters are teeming with wildlife. (Reuters)
Special Saudi Arabia’s Farasan Islands offer rich biodiversity and ecotourism potential
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A car crosses the long, photogenic Al Maadi bridge, connecting the islands of Farasan Al Kubra and Farasan Al Sughra off the coast of Jazan. (Saudi Tourism Authority photo)
Special Saudi Arabia’s Farasan Islands offer rich biodiversity and ecotourism potential
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The Farasan Islands is also home to plenty of wildlife. (National Center for Wildlife photo)
Special Saudi Arabia’s Farasan Islands offer rich biodiversity and ecotourism potential
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An ancient mosque has withstood the test of time in a deserted village in the Farasan islands. (Shutterstock)
Special Saudi Arabia’s Farasan Islands offer rich biodiversity and ecotourism potential
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Farasan Island Corniche public sitting area. (Shutterstock)
Special Saudi Arabia’s Farasan Islands offer rich biodiversity and ecotourism potential
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Aerial view of a boat touring the lush mangroves and waterways of the Farasan Islands off the coast of Jazan. (Saudi Tourism Authority photo)
Special Saudi Arabia’s Farasan Islands offer rich biodiversity and ecotourism potential
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Saudi Arabia has more than 1,300 islands spotted across its coastlines. (Saudi Tourism Authority photo)
Special Saudi Arabia’s Farasan Islands offer rich biodiversity and ecotourism potential
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An aerial view of a boat touring the turquoise waters and limestone reefs of Farasan Islands off the coast of Jazan. Saudi Tourism Authority photo)
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Updated 10 June 2023
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Saudi Arabia’s Farasan Islands offer rich biodiversity and ecotourism potential

Saudi Arabia’s Farasan Islands offer rich biodiversity and ecotourism potential
  • Farasan is made up of more than 170 islands and islets off the Kingdom’s coast of Jazan
  • These hidden gems of the Red Sea are host to ancient sites and diverse marine habitats

RIYADH: Located in the pristine turquoise waters of the Red Sea, roughly 50 km west of the Saudi port city of Jazan in the southwest corner of the country, is an archipelago made up of about 170 islands known as the Farasan Islands.

Long the subject of fascination, not least for their natural beauty but also their rich history dating back to the ancient Romans and the time of Ottoman rule over the Arabian Peninsula, the Farasan Islands are considered a rising star by the Kingdom’s tourism industry.

“Saudi has more than 1,300 islands spotted across its coastlines,” a spokesperson for the Saudi Tourism Authority told Arab News. “As part of Vision 2030, Saudi is working on a number of ambitious island projects with sustainability at the heart of preserving these natural wonders.”




An ancient mosque has withstood the test of time in a deserted village in the Farasan islands. (Shutterstock)

A paradise for divers, the archipelago’s coral islands offer precious opportunities for the study and appreciation of marine biodiversity.

The coastlines and islands of the Red Sea are characterized by a variety of ecosystems, including red and black mangroves, seagrass beds, coral, saltmarshes and macroalgal reefs.

The islands are composed of reef limestone, rising to elevations of between 10 to 20 meters above sea level. The highest point among the islands reaches some 75 meters above sea level.




Aerial view of a boat touring the lush mangroves and waterways of the Farasan Islands. (Saudi Tourism Authority photo)

The coastlines surrounding the islands are covered in pristine white sand made from powdered coral and seashells, while their waters are home to a variety of fish and other sea creatures, including whales, dolphins, green and hawksbill turtles and manta ray.

On dry land, the local fauna includes the largest population of Idmi gazelle in the Kingdom, sooty falcon, white-eyed gull, osprey and Red Sea Noddy birds, among others. Additionally, the islands are home to numerous rare and endemic species of plant, including endangered red mangrove trees.




Farasan Islands are home to wildlife, such as the Idmi gazelle, numerous birds as well as rare and endemic plant species. (National Center for Wildlife photo)

In 1996, the “Juzur” Farasan, as the islands are also known, were declared a protected area by royal decree, thereby recognizing them as one of the Kingdom’s most treasured natural assets.

The Farasan Islands Protected Area includes more than 84 islands, the largest of which is the Farasan Al-Kabir, or Greater Farasan, followed by the Saqid, or Lesser, Farasan and Qummah — all of which are inhabited by people working in fishing and producing millet and maize.

Officials managing the protected area are building on extensive research and fieldwork to preserve both marine and terrestrial ecosystems, as well as animal and plant species, many of which originate from the Tihamah coastal plain of western Saudi Arabia.




A visitor examines seashells at one of the popular beaches in the Farasan Islands. (Saudi Tourism Authority photo)

Included in the protected area program are educational talks and campaigns to help raise awareness about the importance of preserving the area for fishermen, farmers, schools, local leaders and young people.

The area is part of the Regional Organization for the Conservation of the Environment of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. Additionally, the Saudi Wildlife Authority has developed a plan to oversee and maintain the rich biodiversity of the islands. 

In March 2021, the International Advisory Committee for Biosphere Reserves welcomed the first nomination dossier from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia of “Juzur” Farasan as a biosphere reserve.




Aerial view of a boat circling round the waterways of the Farasan Islands off the coast of Jazan. (SPA file photo)

The nomination was approved by the International Coordinating Council of UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme on Sept. 15, 2021, during the commission’s session held in Abuja, Nigeria, marking the first time the MAB-ICC had met in Africa.

Underway are several projects to develop the area for ecotourism, including its various natural and cultural heritage sites and numerous archaeological sites that reflect the history of the area. Several civilizations, including the Romans, visited and occupied the islands.

In August 2022, Saudi Arabia’s Heritage Commission announced the discovery of several structures and artifacts from the 2nd and 3rd centuries following extensive excavation work by a joint Saudi-French team.




Several civilizations, including the Romans, visited and occupied the islands. (Shutterstock)

The pieces included Roman folded armor made of copper ingots and armor known as “lorica squamata,” which was frequently used during the Roman era between the 1st and 3rd centuries.

Archaeologists also found an inscription of garnet for “Genos,” a renowned Roman figure in the Eastern Roman Empire, and the head of a small stone statue.

The Saudi-French team has made several exploratory trips since 2005, and has uncovered architectural and archaeological remnants dating as far back as 1400 BC. Such discoveries underline the importance of the ancient ports that once controlled the marine trade routes of the Red Sea.

Such archaeological discoveries also demonstrate the importance of the Farasan Islands and the mainland in ancient times as a crucial meeting point for trade and cross-cultural exchange.

Now, with the Kingdom’s borders open to global investment and visitors and with numerous giga-projects underway, the Farasan Islands have the potential to become one of Saudi Arabia’s top tourism destinations.




Riyadh-based British expatriate Ciara Philips vacationed in Farasan last year. Supplied

While upscale hotels and resorts are still under construction as part of the Red Sea Project, a trip to the Farasan Islands can be an enriching journey of leisure and discovery in a still largely untouched region of Saudi Arabia.

“Saudi is something of the last frontier in terms of tourism and I certainly felt that last year when I went and wanted to take a weekend trip outside of Riyadh,” Ciara Philips, a British expatriate, told Arab News.

“I chose the Farasan Islands and booked FlyNas flights to Jazan, leaving after work on Thursday and arriving back early evening on Saturday. The flight schedules worked perfectly.”

Philips, who moved to Riyadh at the end of 2020 to accept a job in cultural strategy, said that she found it difficult to find “concrete information about the islands, other than what is on VisitSaudi and blog posts from other intrepid expats.”




Several projects are underway to develop Farasan Islands for ecotourism. (National Center for Wildlife)

At the last minute, just a day before setting off, she found a weekend trip with Masarat Tours. In Jazan she met a local guide and spent two days with him and two girlfriends who had traveled from Jeddah.

Together they went to a small fishing harbor where they explored the mangroves by boat and various tiny islands inhabited by birds, crabs and other native species.

“It was magical,” said Philips. “Totally Robinson Crusoe. I had bought a snorkel and mask the day before and explored the warm, still waters, finding all sorts of brightly colored shoals of fish. There were pelicans swimming in the sea and the shells on the beach were enormous.”




Several projects are underway to develop Farasan Islands for ecotourism. (National Center for Wildlife)

Over the course of her two-day trip, Philips says that she saw barely anyone besides her friends and their guide — an ideal break from the busy, sweltering and dusty streets of Riyadh during July.

“I learned a few more words of Arabic, but better still was the truly contemplative time exploring the seas and the many uninhabited islands of Farasan,” she said.

As Saudi Arabia continues to diversify its economy, these pristine islands, so sparsely populated and so rich in nature and wildlife, constitute an ideal resource in the Kingdom’s quest to become a global hub for sustainable tourism.

 


Saudi historian calls for using historical oases in the Kingdom to attract tourists

Saudi historian calls for using historical oases in the Kingdom to attract tourists
Updated 9 sec ago
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Saudi historian calls for using historical oases in the Kingdom to attract tourists

Saudi historian calls for using historical oases in the Kingdom to attract tourists

MAKKAH: A Saudi historian has said the Kingdom’s rich archaeological and natural heritage should be used to entice more foreign tourists to come and visit the country.

Dr. Khalil Al-Muaiqil, a researcher in the antiquities of the Arabian Peninsula, said the area is the oldest known habitat of ancient man, with Al-Shuwaihatiya site in Al-Jawf, which is 1.3 million years old, recorded as the oldest archaeological site in West Asia.

Al-Muaiqil said most of the historical oases in the Arabian Peninsula still exist today outside areas such as Dumat al-Jandal, Taima, AlUla, and Khaybar, and that other oases disappeared a long time ago such as at Al-Faw and Al-Jarha.

He told Arab News that due to their historical, archaeological, and environmental components, the ancient oasis should be a significant tourism destination.

“Man settled in various regions of the Arabian Peninsula during prehistoric eras. Thousands of sites dating back to the paleolithic and mesolithic periods have been recorded,” he said.

Al-Muaiqil noted that during these periods, the region was characterized by dense vegetation and high rainfall. “This explains the recording of large numbers of Stone Age sites in the Empty Quarter and the Great Nafud Desert, which confirms that these deserts were covered by trees and vegetation before they turned into deserts due to major climate changes in the neolithic era, which dates back to the period between the tenth millennium and the sixth millennium BC.”

Dr. Khalil Al-Muaiqil, a researcher in the antiquities of the Arabian Peninsula. 

According to Al-Muaiqil, the pattern of settlement shifted from one of hunters seeking food to one of settled people making their own food. Digging wells, constructing reservoirs, water tanks, and crude dams allowed man to shift to agriculture, food production, and the establishment of agricultural towns and villages.

“This climate change, which led to the formation of the great deserts in the Empty Quarter, the Nafud, and the Dahna, prompted ancient humans to search for suitable settlement sites, in which sources of groundwater close to the surface and fertile lands suitable for agriculture were available. Some researchers believe that the period of the third and second millenniums BC was the period of the formation of oases in most regions of the Arabian Peninsula.”

He pointed out that the work of settlers and the network of roads they built over time “turned into routes for trade caravans starting at the end of the second millennium BC. These areas later became centers for Arab Kingdoms in the south, center, north and east of the Arabian Peninsula.”

According to Al-Muaiqil, the kingdom of Duma appeared in the north of the Arabian Peninsula, and the kingdoms of Dedan and Lihyan appeared in AlUla, with the kingdom of Taima in the north of AlUla, among others.

“These kingdoms contributed to the development of ancient Arab civilization and provided cultural products that contributed to influencing the regions located to the north of them, especially in Mesopotamia and the Levant,” he said.

“These influences appear clearly in the early periods that coincided with the human migrations that emerged from the various regions of the peninsula to those areas, carrying with them their culture. This is what happened when the Islamic armies went out to spread the call to Islam. The inhabitants of the Arabian Peninsula carried all their cultural reserves, which contributed to the crystallization of Islamic architecture and arts and the planning of Islamic cities.”


Royal Commission for Riyadh City seminar in Paris highlights Saudi World Expo themes

Royal Commission for Riyadh City seminar in Paris highlights Saudi World Expo themes
Updated 3 min 42 sec ago
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Royal Commission for Riyadh City seminar in Paris highlights Saudi World Expo themes

Royal Commission for Riyadh City seminar in Paris highlights Saudi World Expo themes
  • Titled “Prosperity for All,” the meeting was attended by delegates from the member countries of the Bureau International des Expositions
  • Saudi delegation included Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb and DGDA CEO Jerry Inzerillo

RIYADH: The Royal Commission for Riyadh City, the Saudi government agency leading the Kingdom’s bid to host World Expo 2030, recently held a seminar in Paris on the country’s expo themes.

Titled “Prosperity for All,” the meeting was attended by delegates from the member countries of the Bureau International des Expositions, an inter-governmental organization that regulates World Expo.

During the seminar, Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb, Diriyah Gate Development Authority CEO Jerry Inzerillo, and senior adviser Daniel Sobel, addressed the BIE delegates and highlighted the Kingdom’s expo vision.

Al-Khateeb said the Riyadh Expo 2030 theme, “The Era of Change: Together for a Foresighted Tomorrow,” aligned with the country’s commitment to, “fostering international collaboration and addressing global disparities toward a more inclusive and sustainable world.”

The minister added: “Saudi Arabia is committed as a host and as an equal partner to working with all of you to create a world where prosperity is more than a vision but a collective reality.”

Inzerillo said: “The Kingdom is undergoing unprecedented development in various fields and in openness in various sectors, including investment, culture, and tourism, which will contribute to delivering an exceptional edition of the Riyadh Expo 2030.”

He noted the significant developmental initiatives and major projects which he felt would contribute to making Saudi Arabia the ideal destination for hosting the event.

“We do not want to win the Expo for the sake of wining the Expo, we want to use it to show a rich genuine welcoming culture,” Inzerillo added.

The Paris seminar formed part of a series of gatherings organized by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City to establish connections with participating countries and gather ideas and opinions from delegates regarding the suitability of the themes for their respective nations.

Sobel said: “The sub-theme ‘Prosperity for All’ points to the importance of inclusive education in providing equal opportunities for all segments of society.

“One of the things which is exciting about Saudi Arabia more than any other country that I found is the thirst for excellence in education, which will contribute to achieving ‘Prosperity for All,’” he added.


Saudi Arabia’s cultural renaissance inspiring new generation of artists

Saudi Arabia’s cultural renaissance inspiring new generation of artists
Updated 14 min 15 sec ago
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Saudi Arabia’s cultural renaissance inspiring new generation of artists

Saudi Arabia’s cultural renaissance inspiring new generation of artists
  • Latest Ithra exhibitions champion emerging talents, promote creative growth, sustainability

RIYADH: A key part of Saudi Arabia’s visionary social and economic plan has been to build a creative economy.

Public and private institutions are spearheading the Kingdom’s move away from reliance on hydrocarbons by encouraging the country’s majority youth population to engage in creative activities.

Among them is the Saudi Aramco-sponsored King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) — meaning enrichment in Arabic. ­The term reflects the company’s stated vision to create a cultural institution for, “social progress through education and cross-cultural exchange.”

In 2008, on Aramco’s 75th anniversary, the late King Abdulaziz spoke of his wish to establish a world-class center that would present the arts, culture, science, and technology to inspire creativity and push the country into a new knowledge economy.

The monarch’s son, as King Abdullah, progressed his father’s vision and in 2016 the late rulers’ ambitions came to fruition.

Situated in Dhahran on the site of the first commercial Saudi oil field, Ithra opened in 2016. Since then, it has built on Saudi Aramco’s long patronage of the arts — the Saudi petroleum and natural gas company for decades staged art exhibitions on its premises — to promote creative thinking.

The center aims to encourage aspiring young artists in Saud Arabia and throughout the Arab world through its exhibitions, the most recent concentrated on sustainability and the natural environment.

The “From Earth” exhibition, which opened on Sept. 26, features work by emerging and established Saudi artists, while “Net Zero” has been displaying pieces by two Saudi and 17 international artists since Sept. 16.

The former shows a collection of 32 specially commissioned items including paintings, digital and sound art, installations, and works incorporating physical elements from the country’s natural landscape.

The exhibition was staged in collaboration with the Dammam Culture and Arts Association to further encourage artistic development and diversity in the Kingdom.

Ithra’s head of museums, Farah Abushullaih, told Arab News that as well as serving as a platform for art production, the center had become a hub for empowering talents.

She said: “It promotes art and culture in Saudi Arabia, builds bridges of communication with emerging and professional artists, and in addition provides a base for communication, and establishes common grounds for future partnerships, which contributes to the development of the art sector as a whole.”

While the works on display in “Net Zero” express the spirit of sustainability, those featured in “From Earth” focus specifically on Saudi artists’ relationship to their natural heritage and their love for their land, depicting a range of tangible and intangible perspectives.

Yousef Al-Harbi, director of Dammam Culture and Arts Association, said: “The exhibition carries many concepts, symbols, and connotations that have influential and motivational aspects.

“Earth is the concept, idea, and symbol, which artists choose to explore as it encourages them to passionately excel creatively, as well as pay tribute to their own roots to progress forward.

“The artists use the earth as an inspiration to promote a sense of belonging to the land and its details which are reflected within, and which they carry wherever they go.”

One piece, “The Sound of the Earth” by Moath Al-Hazmi, aims to capture the sound that emanates from diverse natural landscapes in the Kingdom by placing a recording in designated boxes, with descriptive aluminium plates, that visitors can listen to with headphones.

The plate “Earth Sound,” for example, has recordings of the sound of the sea at Saihat in Al-Qatif.

Al-Hazmi told Arab News: “My work deals with the sound fingerprints of various elements and this work concerns the sound fingerprints of terrains throughout Saudi Arabia by recording their sounds at different times to reflect the nature of a specific place.

“Many of us live in large cities and perhaps some have never been able to travel to the eastern and western parts of the Arabian Peninsula. It was from here that the question arose about the sounds of these places.

“The work is an invitation to deal with the land — a medium we are all familiar with — a bit like street painting but using the earth in a new and innovative way by making audio content from five selected Saudi terrains,” he said.

Saudi artist Bader Al-Essa uses photography, video, writing, and installation to explore and document the history of people on the Arabian Peninsula.

His exhibit, “Maqam,” features two black-and-white photographs reflecting the mihrab or Islamic praying niche in the wall of a mosque or religious school. Shade and shadow are incorporated to explore the abstract historical depth of the architectural structure, and its importance to society and to the land.

“‘Maqam’ embodies an image of the old mihrabs in the Najd region, representing the deep spiritual connection of local communities with their environment through the use of sustainable natural components to move to the worlds of supplication and closeness to God,” Al-Essa told Arab News.

Other elements of the artist’s photographs include a prayer mat and the triangle motifs found in old architectural designs to evoke a feeling of connection and familiarity.

Mohammed Al-Faraj, from Al-Ahsa, and Zahra Al-Gamdi, are taking part in “Net Zero” with works based around Saudi nature and heritage to raise awareness of environmental issues.

Abushullaih said: “We want to build a new generation of artists. Hopefully with the newcomers that are being exhibited for the first time here in Ithra, some of them are established already, there’s a nice blend between emerging and established artists.

“The journey has been rewarding and inspiring as has the community development and education surrounding such shows.”


Riyadh Development Company, Misk sign 25-year deal to build educational facilities

Riyadh Development Company, Misk sign 25-year deal to build educational facilities
Updated 26 September 2023
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Riyadh Development Company, Misk sign 25-year deal to build educational facilities

Riyadh Development Company, Misk sign 25-year deal to build educational facilities
  • Two sides will developing an educational complex on 22,000 square meters of land owned by RDC subsidiaries

RIYADH: Riyadh Development Company has signed an agreement with the Mohammed bin Salman Foundation for the construction of educational facilities over the next 25 years, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.

The agreement was signed by RDC CEO Jihad bin Abdul Rahman Al-Qadi, and Dr. Badr bin Hamoud Al-Badr, Misk’s CEO.

The two sides will begin by developing an educational complex on 22,000 square meters of land owned by RDC subsidiaries.

Al-Qadi said that the agreement was part of the company’s strategy to establish partnerships focused on qualitative real estate development projects. It will also contribute to maximizing the overall return to shareholders by focusing on investing in development projects that provide a long-term source of income.

Al-Badr spoke of the importance of supporting education by creating a stimulating atmosphere for learning that adopted the best teaching practices.

The agreement hopes to facilitate a rise in the percentage of student spaces available to help meet the increase in demand for schools as the Kingdom’s population grows.
 


Saudi program provides MRI training for Yemen radiologists

Saudi program provides MRI training for Yemen radiologists
Updated 26 September 2023
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Saudi program provides MRI training for Yemen radiologists

Saudi program provides MRI training for Yemen radiologists
  • Training will provide medical doctors at Marib General Hospital with the skills to operate the hi-tech equipment
  • Under the Saudi-backed program, 34 projects and development initiatives have been carried out in Yemeni governorates.

RIYADH: Radiologists in Yemen are to be trained in the use of MRI scanners as part of Saudi Arabia’s development and reconstruction program for the country.

The training will provide medical doctors at Marib General Hospital with the skills to operate the hi-tech equipment, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.

The course is part of an ongoing project to equip the hospital authority’s radiology and MRI department with all the latest medical devices to improve the healthcare offering to communities in the Marib governorate.

Under the Saudi-backed program, 34 projects and development initiatives have been carried out in Yemeni governorates.

In the Marib governorate, Kara General Hospital was supplied with 24 medical devices, September 26 Hospital received 27 pieces of equipment, and 13 items were delivered to the Marib General Hospital Authority. Each hospital was also supplied with a fully equipped ambulance.

Overall, the Saudi initiative in Yemen has seen the implementation of 229 development projects covering the education, health, water, energy, transport, agriculture, and fisheries sectors, and has helped toward boosting the capacity of public institutions.