Saudi deputy FM expresses concern at termination of Sudanese talks
Updated 06 September 2023
Arab News
RIYADH: Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji expressed deep concern about the cessation of Sudanese talks aimed at ending the conflict and reaching a permanent cease-fire agreement.
Al-Khuraiji’s comments came during the 160th ordinary session of the Council of the Arab League in Cairo, Egypt, as he spoke on behalf of Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
The deputy foreign minister stressed that the present challenges necessitate a united Arab front so that the region may achieve “development and prosperity” and become a safe and stable place “where peace and cooperation prevail.”
He cited the humanitarian efforts of Saudi Arabia, which has donated billions of dollars to countries in need over the years, and reiterated the Kingdom’s emphasis on the importance of peace in the Middle East.
Al-Khuraiji expressed the Kingdom’s condemnation of the continuous attacks on Palestinians by Israeli occupation forces, which have undermined efforts to achieve peace.
Speaking on Syria’s return to the Arab League, he asserted that the move would contribute positively to efforts to restore stability to the country and the wider region.
Al-Khuraiji reaffirmed the Kingdom’s support for all efforts to reach a political solution to the Syrian crisis in a way that preserves its unity, stability, Arab identity, and territorial integrity.
He also expressed the Kingdom’s demand for the withdrawal of foreign forces and armed militias from Syria.
He called on the international community to intensify efforts to ensure that the Middle East is free from weapons of mass destruction and stressed the need to “confront the scourge of terrorism,” urging world leaders to stand up to countries that support and sponsor terrorism and extremism.
Three-month cultural calendar is full of surprises that will take you through Kingdom’s culture and heritage
Updated 34 min 36 sec ago
Dhai Al-Mutairi
RIYADH: The 2023-2024 Diriyah Season is set to begin on Dec. 12 with a curated three-month calendar of events that combines arts and culture, and live performances and experiences that showcase nearly 600 years of history and heritage.
The season is off to a musically spectacular start with an exceptional lineup of cultural concerts. Tickets for the first cultural concept, featuring the Saudi music legends Rabeh Saqr and Ayed performing in Mayadeen theater, will go on sale on Dec. 10.
Diriyah Season cultural showcase includes immersive art installations and exhibitions, live and theatrical performances, and culinary experiences that celebrate both traditional and contemporary cuisine. (Diriyah Season)
This year’s theme honors Diriyah’s story and celebrates Al-Awja in a rallying call for all Saudis to unite and celebrate their shared culture and identity.
The season will be set in five distinct Diriyah locations: Wadi Safar, which will feature a Diriyah cultural basecamp; the iconic UNESCO World Heritage Site At-Turaif; Bujairi Terrace; the Mayadeen theater; and Diriyah district.
HIGHLIGHTS
• Diriyah Season is set to begin on Dec. 12 and will conclude in March.
• The theater will also host a theatrical equestrian show and cultural concerts.
• For the first time, Bujairi Terrace will feature a themed escape room called ‘Journey to the Future.’
• For more information, check diriyah.sa/season.
The season “blends the old with the new and takes us on a journey of self-discovery as we reconnect with our authentic selves. This is not just entertainment; it’s entertainment with meaning,” said Jerry Inzerillo, CEO of Diriyah Gate Development Authority.
“We want people from all over the world to see 300 years of our music, our food, our tents, our costuming, our storytelling, our poetry, our calligraphy,” Inzerillo said.
Diriyah Season cultural showcase includes immersive art installations and exhibitions, live and theatrical performances, and culinary experiences that celebrate both traditional and contemporary cuisine. (Diriyah Season)
The Diriyah E-Prix championship, immersive art installations and exhibitions, live and theatrical performances, plus culinary experiences that celebrate both traditional and contemporary cuisine, are also planned for the season.
The Culinary Arts Commission of the Ministry of Culture will present Shetana, an outdoor winter-evening Saudi culinary experience, every day for four weeks at the Mayadeen theater. There will be a theatrical equestrian show and cultural concerts at the theater as well.
Ahmad Alnuaisri, Diriyah Company assistant manager of media relations
Bujairi Terrace, the fine dining destination, will include an expanded return of Layali Diriyah, which sees one of Diriyah’s heritage farms transformed into an open-air illuminated wonderland, showcasing the best of local and international contemporary art, design, cuisine, dance, live music, poetry and theatrical performances.
For the first time, Bujairi Terrace will also feature a themed escape room called “Journey to the Future,” which will test players’ escape skills and explore the Kingdom’s historical narratives.
What is special about the Diriyah escape room is that it will carry a cultural aspect and requires reviewing your cultural and historical information to solve the puzzles at hand.
Ahmad Alnuaisri, Diriyah Company assistant manager of media relations
“The themed escape room is a unique experience. It is an activity that requires one to be a quick thinker, and quick at making decisions and solving puzzles,” said Ahmad Alnuaisri, assistant manager of media relations at Diriyah Company.
“What is special about the Diriyah escape room is that it will carry a cultural aspect and requires reviewing your cultural and historical information to solve the puzzles at hand,” he said.
Jerry Inzerillo, Diriyah Gate Development Authority CEO
This season’s events planned for the At-Turaif historic district include poetry pop-ups, workshops, a retrospective, an exhibition, Souq Al-Mawsim, and more.
The At-Turaif retrospective explores and embraces the values of At-Turaif’s continuing influence on the Kingdom while bringing Diriyah’s stories and memories together in a multimedia installation. The “Diriyah Doors” exhibition explores the significance and history of the vividly colored, intricately patterned and engraved doors in Diriyah and Najd.
We want people from all over the world to see 300 years of our music, our food, our tents, our costuming, our storytelling, our poetry, our calligraphy.
Jerry Inzerillo, Diriyah Gate Development Authority CEO
The season, which ends in March, is predicted to strengthen the Kingdom’s tourism sector by bringing in both local and international visitors and generating 178,000 jobs for young Saudis.
“Even though we’re a 2030 project, we opened assets in 2022 including our UNESCO site … we’ve already had 1 million visits,” Inzerillo said.
“And now the numbers are growing, and we’ll have a million people that will visit us … until Ramadan when this Diriyah season concludes,” he said.
The 2023-2024 Diriyah Season is presented by Diriyah Company in partnership with Diriyah Gate Development Authority.
Saudi wood sculptor creates odes to nature, wildlife, ancient history
Award-winning artist Sultan Al-Mrshood inspired by childhood on Buraidah farm
Work includes ‘snake’ cane, rosaries from coconut wood, pits of olives and dates
Updated 40 min 42 sec ago
Sulafa Alkhunaizi
RIYADH: Award-winning artist Sultan Al-Mrshood — who is currently presenting his work at the Saudi Feast Food Festival — has mastered the art of sculpting hyper-realistic representations of nature from wood, inspired by his childhood living on a farm.
Al-Mrshood has a booth at the festival’s Olive Exhibition — showcasing the fruit’s use as food and cosmetics — where he says his artwork often has admirers gathering for long periods.
The sculptor has an assortment of work on display including an eagle, a wooden cane entwined by a snake, and several handcrafted rosaries made from coconut wood, and the pits of olives and dates.
In his stand, the sculptor presents his collection of carved sculptures resembling an eagle, a snake crutch, carved canvases, and a variety of hand-made rosaries made of olive and date pits and coconut wood. (AN photos by Huda Bashatah)
Al-Mrshood has crafted three snake canes, with each taking about three months to complete. He sold the latest one, facilitated by the Ministry of Culture at the festival, for SR30,000 ($8,000). Seven years ago, Al-Mrshood sold a cane to Prince Sultan bin Salman who gifted it to Bahrain’s foreign minister at the time, Khalid bin Ahmad Al-Khalifa.
“Each of my pieces is mixed with an event or ancient history in Saudi civilization … the snake (cane), which embodies the story of the staff of Moses, is the secret of my fame and was sold to Prince Sultan bin Salman,” he noted.
Saudi artist sultan Al-Mrshood carves rosaries from pits of olives and dates. (AN photos by Huda Bashatah)
He has also sold one to a well-known cane collector in Al-Qassim province.
Al-Mrshood previously won third place for his wood sculptures in a Souq Okaz competition. Souq Okaz is a part of Taif Season which showcases Arab culture through food, art and goods from the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Iraq, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco and Tunisia.
Al-Mrshood says that he has received positive feedback from the community on his snake canes. “It is classified as one of the rarest canes found in Saudi Arabia … The fact that there are not many sculptors in Saudi Arabia makes it very important and relevant. All the visitors’ responses are admiration and amazement.”
Sultan Al-Mrshood said ‘The snake crutch, which embodies the story of the staff of Moses, is the secret of my fame and was sold to Prince Sultan bin Salman.’ (Supplied)
He is inspired by images of a farm in Buraidah where he was raised. “I lived part of my life on a simple farm. My childhood at the farm was filled with adventures and I would always play with the wooden sticks and create shapes out of them. I would try to make masterpieces out of whatever was around me even though I didn’t know I would be an artist.”
“I have been an artist since childhood, and I was a painter before I was a sculptor. The art of sculpture is a complex process that relies on geometry, imagination, sculpting skill, and the use of many methods.”
Al-Mrshood says he is inspired when in “a mixture of calm solitude, meditation, and walking.”
He currently works at the Ministry of Culture as an instructor, passing on his knowledge to young Saudis through wood carving classes.
On challenges he faces as a wood sculptor, Al-Mrshood noted the “lack of availability to purchase manual machines to help me work accurately and quickly.”
While he caters for a niche market, which has its difficulties, there is also the appeal of its exclusivity. “If there are many wood carvers in Saudi Arabia, the price would decrease, but since the number of wood carvers in Saudi Arabia is very low, the prices of our handcrafted producers increase. This makes individuals like us very important and valued.”
Traditional Saudi Arabia folk dances, music showcased in Jazan
Jazan students took center stage with dynamic “Sword” and “Azzawi” dances, while Jeddah students enchanted with “Mezmar” and “Khobaiti” displays
Updated 40 min 57 sec ago
SPA
RIYADH: The Kingdom’s rich music and dance heritage was recently showcased by students from across the country in Jazan, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.
The second National Folk Festival saw 144 intermediate and high school students participate in the event organized by the local education department at the Jazan Heritage Village.
Outstanding performances were delivered by Riyadh and Al-Qassim students with the “Samri” dance, and Najran youth with drums, SPA reported.
Students from the Northern Border region engaged spectators with the rhythmic “Dahha” dance art form, and those from Makkah presented “Majrour and Rajaz” folk music.
Jazan students took center stage with dynamic “Sword” and “Azzawi” dances, while Jeddah students enchanted with “Mezmar” and “Khobaiti” displays.
Al-Baha students showcased the spirited “Mashbanani” and “Ardah” dances, and Al-Ahsa students delivered vibrant “Ashouri” and “Haydah Al-Harbiyyah” music and dance.
Beyond being a platform for showcasing creativity, the festival is aimed at connecting students with the nation’s regional and national art forms, SPA reported.
Saudi Arabia contributes $1.5m toward launch of new regional aviation safety body
Al-Duailj said: “The establishment of the new organization will be a milestone for all its member states and is also a testimony to their commitment to aviation safety, quality, and efficiency
Updated 06 December 2023
Hebshi Alshammari
RIYADH: A new body to monitor aviation safety in the Middle East and North Africa region was on Wednesday unveiled at an international industry conference being held in Riyadh.
Abdulaziz Al-Duailj, president of the Saudi General Civil Aviation Authority, inaugurated the new MENA Regional Safety Oversight Organization — which will be based in Riyadh — during a ceremony as part of the 15th International Civil Aviation Organization meeting.
A memorandum of agreement was later signed by representatives of MENA-RSOO member states including Saudi Arabia, Djibouti, Sudan, Somalia, Palestine, Libya, Mauritania, and Yemen.
Inauguration ceremony of the Regional Safety Oversight Organization for the Middle East and North African States (MENA-RSOO) which is hosted by Riyadh (Wednesday, December 6, 2023) by Abdulaziz Al Duailej President of the General Civil Aviation Authority inaugurated. (Supplied)
The new organization will aim to help develop and implement national training and safety programs, improve the monitoring of air safety, and work with nations to meet aviation safety standards.
In a speech, Al-Duailj said: “The establishment of the new organization will be a milestone for all its member states and is also a testimony to their commitment to aviation safety, quality, and efficiency.
“This step confirms the Kingdom’s keenness and commitment to aviation safety through its continued cooperation with international partners, to ensure the highest standards of air safety are achieved,” he added.
Al-Duailj noted that the ICAO wanted to see unified safety standards and the integration of technology throughout the civil aviation industry, especially regarding the design of aircraft engines, autonomous control, remotely piloted service aircraft, personal transportation via air taxis, and the overall performance of the air traffic network.
On Saudi Arabia’s financial contribution toward the setting up of the MENA-RSOO, he said: “Through this, the Kingdom aims to activate the role of this organization and support it with an amount of $1.5 million for the first two years of its establishment, in order for the organization to carry out its tasks and responsibilities in supporting air safety programs in our region.
“It also aims to assist member states in strengthening and raising the legislative and supervisory capabilities of their national air safety systems, enabling them to achieve higher levels of compliance with international rules and recommendations,” Al-Duailj added.
Salvatore Sciacchitano, president of the ICAO Council, said that the organization’s inauguration was an important step toward enhancing safety in the civil aviation sector.
“It embodies the amount of cooperation exerted to develop civil aviation safety in the Middle East,” he added.
He pointed out that the sector was an essential driver of economic growth and connectivity between countries.
Abdenbi Manar, director general of the Arab Civil Aviation Organization, noted that the transportation sector played an essential role in the progress of nations.
He said: “It contributes to creating wealth and job opportunities, whether at the industrial level or the infrastructure of the transportation system, and air transport is usually an integral part of this system.
“The air transport sector is distinguished from other types of transportation by its speed, efficiency, regularity, and high level of safety.
“Also, it relies on international standards, whether at the institutional level or at the legal, financial, and technical level,” Manar added.
The five-day ICAO conference is being hosted by the GACA until Dec. 7, with the participation of more than 100 countries and international organizations, and at least 700 industry experts.
Saudi Arabia ranks first globally in AI competition
More than 18,000 students from 40 countries participated in the event in the Kingdom, organized by the Saudi Data and AI Authority in collaboration with KAUST
Updated 8 sec ago
SPA
RIYADH: The Kingdom won the most medals at the World Artificial Intelligence Competition for Youth, which was held from Dec. 2 to Dec. 3 at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology.
The results were announced on Wednesday, according to WAICY on X.
The Kingdom won 11 medals, the US won 10 medals, India and Greece were awarded two medals each and Canada and Singapore won one medal each.
More than 18,000 students from 40 countries participated in the event in the Kingdom, organized by the Saudi Data and AI Authority in collaboration with KAUST.
Students from general education levels — elementary, middle and high school levels — from the Misk, Dhahran, Madac, KAUST, Aramco, AlUla and NEOM schools represented the Kingdom in the competition’s three tracks: AI showcase, AI-generated art and AI large language model.
SDAIA and KAUST received the global outstanding organization award for their efforts and commitment to developing AI education.
This is one of the world’s largest competitions, and SDAIA took the lead in adopting it to advance young Saudi citizens and provide them with the experiences to comprehend AI technology, understand its importance and recognize its impact on various aspects of life, while encouraging them to participate in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
