Launch of Makkah Route Initiative at Karachi airport aims to facilitate Hajj pilgrims’ journey: official
Al-Yahya said the introduction of a mobile counter-verification device is streamlining procedures for beneficiaries of the initiative
Updated 13 May 2024
Arab News
RIYADH: The launch of the Makkah Route Initiative at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport aims to facilitate pilgrims’ journeys, the Director-General of Passports Lieutenant General Sulaiman bin Abdulaziz Al-Yahya has said.
Speaking during Sunday’s launch of the initiative at the airport, Al-Yahya said the introduction of a mobile counter-verification device, equipped with AI and innovative digital solutions, is streamlining procedures for beneficiaries of the initiative.
The initiative was launched in 2019 and 11 airports across seven countries are currently participating, Saudi Press Agency reported.
The initiative aims to provide high-quality services to Hajj pilgrims from beneficiary countries.
As part of the initiative, biometric data is collected in the pilgrim’s home country and the necessary procedures are carried out there. An electronic Hajj visa is also issued in the pilgrim’s country.
The Kingdom’s General Directorate of Passports will ensure that health requirements are met before pilgrims enter the country, and baggage will be coded and sorted according to transportation and accommodation arrangements.
Pilgrims will be transported to their residences in Makkah and Madinah by bus and partner agencies will transport their luggage separately.
Misk Art Week returns for artists, enthusiasts in Riyadh
‘Seeing Riyadh’ exhibition features photographs of Saudi Arabia’s capital down the years
Updated 13 sec ago
Nada Alturki
RIYADH: The eighth annual Misk Art Week began on Thursday and runs until Dec. 10, featuring a spectacular display of what is all the latest on the local art scene.
Enthusiasts rushed to Prince Faisal bin Fahd Arts Hall and its neighboring venue to explore new exhibitions, art fairs, markets, and educational programs, while the soothing sounds of oud music added charm to the evening
The interactive experience invites visitors to explore and create parallel worlds in real-time through generative artificial intelligence. (AN photo)
Ibrahem Al-Suhaibani, executive director for marketing, communication, and user experience at Misk Art Institute, told Arab News: “We do have artists who are now establishing their career in the art and design market.
“So, we see ourselves supporting and bridging between the establishment and the mature galleries, and in between we support the artists through all the value chain.”
HIGHLIGHTS
• At Misk Art Week, Canadian art studio Iregular is presenting ‘As Water Falls,’ a free-flowing digital waterfall that continuously evolves.
• ‘Alternative Realities’ invites visitors to explore and create parallel worlds in real-time through generative artificial intelligence.
• The ‘Obsolete Technologies’ showcase features works from local and international artists.
This year’s event is curated around the theme of art and technology, pushing artists to contemplate the aspects of digital and media through an artistic lens.
The educational program and mentorship sessions are also part of the Institute’s strategy to educate, enable, and encourage new generations of artists. (AN photo)
Al-Suhaibani added: “We tackle the topic from different angles: from a research angle, before internet, post-internet, what’s the impact of the technology and the media, how this is helping artists to boost their creativity or even block them in any way, and how they really reveal their creativity after that blocking.”
At the entrance of the space, inspired by how nature is alive and ever-changing, the Canadian art studio Iregular presents “As Water Falls,” a free-flowing digital waterfall that continuously evolves with alternating patterns and visuals that will never be the same for at least 100 years.
The Art Fair space is bigger this year, which features works from 11 Saudi-based galleries including Hewar Art, Mono, Hafez, WRD Art, ATHR, Dawi, and others. (AN photo)
While the digital installation has been presented in seven countries around the world this year, an addition was created especially for Misk Art Week, Al-Suhaibani said, and is being shown for the first time in Saudi Arabia.
Further into the outdoor space, the studio presents “Alternative Realities,” an interactive experience that invites visitors to explore and create parallel worlds in real-time through generative artificial intelligence.
The Art Fair space is bigger this year, which features works from 11 Saudi-based galleries including Hewar Art, Mono, Hafez, WRD Art, ATHR, Dawi, and others. (AN photo)
By combining word prompts and arranging a variety of props at their disposal, participants can craft infinite combinations of realities that range from slightly different to wildly surreal.
Al-Suhaibani said: “We have four shows in total for Misk Art Week, all of them around media and technology in a different format.”
The interactive experience invites visitors to explore and create parallel worlds in real-time through generative artificial intelligence. (AN photo)
The exhibitions include the Masaha Residency’s “Obsolete Technologies” showcase, which features works from local and international artists; the “Seeing Riyadh” exhibition, which explores the city’s significant transformation over the past decade through photography; the Misk Art Grant’s “Digital Civilizations” outdoor exhibit, which taps into phenomena shaped by modern technology; and “The Silent Age of Singularity” exhibition, which investigates the post-internet era.
Al-Suhaibani said: “Riyadh has been evolving in the past few years, especially now with the announcement of the metro starting to operate.
The educational program and mentorship sessions are also part of the Institute’s strategy to educate, enable, and encourage new generations of artists. (AN photo)
“Riyadh is hosting big events and has become a hub. So, we felt this year that we needed to highlight Riyadh, especially at the beginning of the ’80s and ’90s.”
Additionally, the event includes an art book fair featuring a number of international, regional, and local publishers to celebrate the rich and diverse Arab art culture; and an extended art and design market with 92 artists and entities at which the local community can engage, sell, and commission unique works.
“We designed it in a way that anyone walking by the market can see everything. And there is a diversity between painting, photography, sculpting projects, and even design,” Al-Suhaibani said.
The educational program and mentorship sessions are also part of the institute’s strategy to educate, enable, and encourage new generations of artists.
The art fair space is bigger this year, and features works from 11 Saudi-based galleries including Hewar Art, Mono, Hafez, WRD Art, ATHR, and Dawi.
Al-Suhaibani added: “We believe today the market desires to have galleries more specialized to support artists and to showcase their artwork.”
The Misk Art Week mural is also a feature and an interactive space crafted to showcase the creativity of young talents. As children contribute unique visions that are then displayed on a wall, they collectively shape a masterpiece that evolves with each individual contribution. With the help of augmented reality tech, the artwork comes to life in an entirely new dimension.
Misk Art Institute’s goal is to create a cohesive environment in which all artists, regardless of their background, can thrive.
Saudi director Hassan El-Hejaili on filming with kids — and eggs
“In most Saudi films, kids are wise beyond their years,” El-Hejaili explained
Updated 47 sec ago
Jasmine Bager
ALULA: Saudi filmmaker Hassan El-Hejaili offers a quirky, nostalgic portrayal of childhood mischief in his seven-minute short, “The Extraordinary Misadventures of the Amazing Boy Super-Blurry,” now screening at Jeddah’s Red Sea International Film Festival.
The story follows a bored young Saudi, Zezo, who discovers that he can put his hand into boiling tea without being hurt.
“Tea is part of our culture … we drink it so much that it’s like it’s in our veins,” El-Hejaili told Arab News while sipping a cup of tea, explaining why he chose to begin the story with the beverage.
FASTFACTS
• Hassan El-Hejaili’s short film follows a bored young Saudi, Zezo, who discovers that he can put his hand into boiling tea without being hurt.
• Filmed in black and white — aside from a saturated red tint in the tea — the aesthetic, which has shadows and different gradients, pays homage to classic cinema.
The audience is invited along on Zezo’s adventures — or misadventures — with his siblings as the situation in their dysfunctional home escalates and his superpowers become even more impressive.
Filmed in black and white — aside from a saturated red tint in the tea — the aesthetic, which has shadows and different gradients, pays homage to classic cinema.
“I consider myself a cinema-lover,” said El-Hejaili, who has written multiple books on cinema in Arabic, adding that he drew inspiration from vintage filmmakers such as Georges Melies, who died in 1938.
El-Hejaili chose a kitchen and bathroom as the primary settings, spaces not often seen in Saudi films.
“Those rooms are the heart of the home,” he said, “but every time the family in the film gathers there, something goes wrong.” The film’s tight quarters create a sense of closeness and chaotic spontaneity, capturing playful sibling rivalries, while the distracted parents are too absorbed in their smartphones to notice.
The portrayal of children in the film diverges from typical Saudi cinema and doesn’t spoon-feed everything to the audience — El-Hejaili trusts that they will be able to pour their own cups of tea and join in.
“In most Saudi films, kids are wise beyond their years,” El-Hejaili explained. “I wanted them to lie, fight and break stuff — not in a way that destroys the world, but in a cute, real way. Siblings fight. It’s natural.”
One of the most memorable scenes during the two-day shoot was an egg fight sequence. “It was fun to film but a nightmare to clean,” he said, laughing. “This was the first and last experiment and experience filming with kids — and eggs.”
Saudi foreign minister arrives in Bahrain for Manama Dialogue 2024
Conference is annual security summit organized by International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) in collaboration with Bahraini foreign ministry
Updated 57 min 58 sec ago
Arab News
MANAMA: Saudi foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan arrived in Bahrain on Friday to participate in the Manama Dialogue 2024 Forum, Saudi Press Agency reported.
Upon his arrival at Bahrain International Airport, Prince Faisal was received by Bahrain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdullatif Al-Zayani, and Fahd bin Munikher, the Charge d'Affaires of Saudi Arabia’s embassy in Manama.
The IISS Manama Dialogue is an annual security summit organized by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) in collaboration with Bahrain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The forum brings together government officials, policy experts, and academics from across the globe to discuss pressing regional and international security challenges.
Since its inception in 2004, the dialogue has served as a platform for fostering dialogue, enhancing cooperation, and shaping policies to address critical issues such as Middle East security, economic stability, and international diplomacy.
JAX District hosts dialogue sessions on contemporary arts
Talks held as part of Noor Riyadh blend creativity, critical thinking to explore new horizons in realms of art, society
The discussions also focused on the role of cultural institutions in boosting art and culture
Updated 06 December 2024
Hebshi Alshammari
RIYADH: JAX District in Diriyah, northwest of Riyadh, has hosted a week-long series of Noor Talks as part of community engagement activities accompanying the light festival Noor Riyadh 2024.
Noor Riyadh is running until Dec. 14 with the theme “Light Years Apart.”
The talks served as a platform for cultural dialogues, reinforcing Riyadh’s status as a global hub for art and creativity.
They blended creativity with critical thinking, inspiring participants to explore new horizons in the realms of art and society.
The talks were held to explore the dimensions of art and culture from a multifaceted perspective.
Sessions addressed topics related to art and culture and featured the participation of artists, curators, specialists, and cultural experts, as well as those interested in the sector.
The discussions also focused on the role of cultural institutions in boosting art and culture, as well as their importance in promoting communication between generations.
In a session moderated by Gaida Al-Mogren, artistic director of the Noor Riyadh Festival, Effat Abdullah Fadag and Alfredo Cramerotti, the festival’s co-curators, discussed the symbiotic relationship between the Earth and the stars and how this influenced both the symbolic and practical aspects of the festival.
They emphasized that curators and artists benefited from exchanging diverse viewpoints which allowed artworks to evolve and highlighted the festival’s theme, along with the variety of artistic perspectives.
In another session, Refik Anadol, Lachlan Turczan and Ebtehal Al-Rajhi discussed the creative process behind designing public art, emphasizing its importance in resonating with the audience to enhance community participation and strengthen cultural identity.
The session emphasized the ability of public art to seamlessly integrate with the surrounding environment, relying on technology, environmental harmony, and narrative approaches to interact with the public on multiple levels.
In a session moderated by Miguel Blanco-Carrasco, and featuring panelists Vilma Jurkute, Nawaf Alharbi, and Nour Kelani, building creative communities through collaborative work was discussed.
The session also touched on the role of music and artistic performances in fostering cultural innovation; the importance of creating sustainable networks to support creators; and providing spaces for dialogue and education.
The talks, which were held throughout last week, concluded with a dialogue moderated by cultural expert Sara Al-Mutlaq, in which the role of cultural institutions in the 21st century was discussed. The session featured Noura Al-Maashouq, Jack Persekian, Farah Abushullaih, and Nora Aldabal.
The participants emphasized the importance of museums and cultural institutions as platforms for inspiration and learning, especially for the young.
Saudi Arabia poised to expand manufacturing ecosystem with inaugural CPHI Middle East
Event expects over 400 exhibitors, representatives from more than 100 countries
‘We are thrilled to launch the show and play a role in building a new heart of pharma in the Middle East,’ says CPHI Middle East’s brand manager
Updated 06 December 2024
Rashid Hassan
RIYADH: Efforts to build a new manufacturing and research and development hub in Saudi Arabia and across the wider Middle East are accelerating as more than 30,000 pharma professionals and decision-makers are expected to attend the inaugural CPHI (Convention on Pharmaceutical Ingredients) Middle East at Riyadh Front Exhibition and Convention Center.
CPHI Middle East, which is to be held from Dec. 10-12, will be the largest-ever gathering of pharma companies in the region as government officials, global pharma companies, biotechs and manufacturing partners meet to begin the next phase in the Kingdom’s plans to build a world-class R&D and manufacturing infrastructure.
Tahaluf, Saudi Arabia’s fastest-growing business event organizer, has been behind the event which has garnered the support of the Saudi Ministry of Health.
April Hung, brand manager for CPHI Middle East, said: “CPHI Middle East is set to be the portfolio’s most successful launch to date, with incredibly impressive attendee and exhibitor numbers. This level of interest reflects the region’s ambitions and strong demand for partnerships.”
Hung added: “The public-private collaboration here is impressive, and by bringing CPHI to Saudi Arabia we are helping accelerate the development of partnerships and supply ecosystems that will fuel growth over the next five years.
“We are thrilled to launch the show and play a role in building a new ‘heart of pharma’ in the Middle East.”
The event is expecting over 400 exhibitors, and representatives from more than 100 countries.
Pharma leaders predict that the first CPHI event in the Kingdom will help speed up efforts to establish a robust domestic manufacturing base.
Hala Audi, the CEO of Unizima, a consultancy specialising in public and private partnerships for bioproduction facilities in emerging markets, said: “The event’s success is just another indicator of the significant investment underway in the region.
“The rate of change is only accelerating, and the Kingdom is building pharma infrastructure at pace. The government is rightly driving the momentum, by focusing on its strengths — a sizable domestic market, growing scientific and medical talent, and financing power.
“I believe that with the right technology partnerships, the region is poised to build a biotech ecosystem that will compete with the best globally. Next generation technologies for vaccines and therapeutics, including for instance RNA-based treatments, offer an opportunity for the Kingdom and the region to leapfrog and lead the way in biotech.”
More than 150 experts are presenting at the event and a ministerial panel on Dec. 10 will outline the Kingdom’s strategy to develop a biopharma ecosystem, in alignment with the Kingdom’s vision to be the leading biotech hub in MENA (Middle East and North Africa) by 2030 and globally by 2040.
The Kingdom has ambitious plans to reduce its reliance on imported drugs. Saudi Arabia relies heavily on imports for its pharmaceutical needs, with only 30 percent of drugs manufactured locally. To address this, the government aims to increase local production to 40 percent as part of its Vision 2030 plan.
Among the event’s highlights, Audi will share insights on building biologics capabilities in emerging markets, while Greg Licholai, chief medical and innovation officer at Icon and faculty member at Yale School of Management, will explore “The Patient Singularity: How the Middle East can use AI to Improve Bio-Pharmaceutical Outcomes.”
The event will also feature prominent panel discussions, including a session on expanding Saudi Arabia’s domestic manufacturing hub, moderated by Eleonora Brero, head of consulting and financial institution consulting at IQVIA Middle East and Africa.
