RIYADH, 18 April 2004 — The 50th anniversary of Saudi Aramco’s “Al-Qafilah” magazine, one of the best known cultural publications of the Arab world, was held here with much fanfare. This bi-monthly magazine in Arabic was re-launched on this occasion in a new attractive format with the cover entirely redesigned and the coverage more diversified, with a focus on issues pertaining to daily life.
Speaking on the occasion, Muhammad A. Al-Osaimi, editor in chief of the magazine, said: “We have decided to introduce new material in upcoming issues, primarily related to energy and environment along with local, regional and international topics. Plans are also afoot to include a range of subjects, which will be of particular interest to the young generation of this country.”
According to Al-Osaimi, the first issue of Al-Qafilah Al-Shahriyyah (as it was formerly known) was published in 1953. He said the magazine’s circulation currently exceeds 75,000 copies with free distribution targeting Saudi Aramco employees and other subscribers in the Kingdom and abroad. Al-Qafilah, he said, seeks “to project Arab values, which are of vital importance in a new world caught up in a technological and communications revolution and reduced to a global village wracked by cultural, social and economic cross-currents.”
The magazine’s redesign from Al-Mohtaraf Design House has created not only a new layout but a total new journalistic character for the magazine, which at the same time, reflects its 50-year-old identity. “This partnership with Al-Qafilah has been so successful that Saudi Aramco has now commissioned Al-Mohtaraf to assume the full task of designing, writing and producing the magazine,” said Kameel Hawa, director, Al-Mohtaraf Assaudi Ltd.
Al-Osaimi pointed out that Al-Qafilah played a great role when Arabic publications were rare in the country especially during the early days of its publication. Saudi Aramco hopes that with the redesign the magazine will find even greater importance in a more contemporary role.
“The revamped magazine still follows the spirit of the old Al-Qafilah but with an innovative perspective and varied cultural approach to technology and society, without neglecting the changing features of modern life,” said Khalid Altowelli, a senior staffer associated with the magazine. “The new Al-Qafilah seeks to maintain its traditional readership and variety of articles in addition to gaining a closer approach toward the issues that touch the life of Arabs.”
