Minzal in Diriyah offers visitors new outdoor activities 

Minzal in Diriyah offers visitors new outdoor activities 
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“The making of Misbaha is a traditional craft for us in Makkah and Madinah for pilgrims. It started there with the stones that were available there such as the red corals they used to get from the Red Sea, or the olive and date seeds.” Ibtisam Alghamdi told Arab News. (AN Photo Haifa Alshammari)
Minzal in Diriyah offers visitors new outdoor activities 
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The number of stones in one Misbah is either 33 or 99. (AN Photo Haifa Alshammari)
Minzal in Diriyah offers visitors new outdoor activities 
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Fatimah Al-Ghamdi is an experienced Saudi crafter who has worked in Russia, India, and China. (AN Photo Haifa Alshammari)
Minzal in Diriyah offers visitors new outdoor activities 
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“It starts with the material that you use regardless of if it was from Wicker or Sadu. The material has to be original. For example, the wicker that is discharged or is dry isn't the best to use.” Al-Ghamdi explained. (AN Photo Haifa Alshammari)
Minzal in Diriyah offers visitors new outdoor activities 
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Bishet making is done either hand-made or by machine with a double layer or aone layer, depending on the type of Bishet. (AN Photo Haifa Alshammari)
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Updated 25 January 2025
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Minzal in Diriyah offers visitors new outdoor activities 

Minzal in Diriyah offers visitors new outdoor activities 
  • The event offers visitors art workshops, live music, stargazing, horseriding, camping, and more
  • Stargazing, storytelling under the dark sky, and a warm cup of Saudi coffee while relaxing at the majlis on traditional Saudi seating promises to create long-lasting memories for people looking for calm away from the bustling city of Riyadh

RIYADH: People are flocking to attend the second season of the outdoor cultural attraction Minzal, which this winter has a series of new activities to experience.

Organized by Diriyah company as part of its winter season programs, Minzal takes place at Al Duhami Farm in Riyadh from Jan. 11 until Feb. 22.

The event offers visitors art workshops, live music, stargazing, horseriding, camping, and more.

“I thought it would be a simple activity such as shopping areas and coffee shops. I didn’t expect it to be like this,” Mubarak Al-Mansouri, who was visiting from the UAE, told Arab News. “I was surprised and impressed by how it was organized and what it offered. It shows it was organized very well.”

Visitors to Minzal will be able to explore several zones, with each focusing on one theme. For example, one of the areas at the farm is Al-Khayal, which offers horseriding.

In this zone visitors will have a chance to learn about horse breeds and pick up riding skills.

“The connection between horses and Arabs and the family in general is strong. I know horses and I have some relatives who have a deeper interest in horses, so horses are closely connected to us. The place tells you how they are linked to our traditions and heritage,” Al-Mansouri said.

Another zone is Al-Birwaz, where dining options, retail outlets, and workshops demonstrating traditional handicrafts are featured.

Fatimah Al-Ghamdi is an experienced crafter in Saudi Arabia. With more than 30 years’ experience, she has worked in several countries, including Russia, India and China, teaching people traditional Saudi crafts.

“It starts with the material that you use, regardless if it was from wicker or sadu. The material has to be original. For example, the wicker that is discharged or is dry isn’t the best to use,” Al-Ghamdi told Arab News.

Al-Ghamdi not only mastered crafts but taught her daughters too. Ibtisam is Fatimah’s daughter and a participant at Minzal. She teaches visitors how to make misbaha prayer beads.

“The making of misbaha is a traditional craft for us in Makkah and Madinah for pilgrims. It started there with the stones that were available there such as the red corals they used to get from the Red Sea, or the olive and date seeds,” Ibtisam said.

Along with Fatimah and her daughter Ibtisam, Ahmad Muhammad and Falih Al-Hakbani told Arab News about bishet making, which is traditional men’s wear for special occasions.

“Bishet making is either hand-made or by machine. The one that is done by machine has a double layer, whereas the one hand-made is made of one layer,” Muhammad said. “There are also different types of bishet, such as al-bakhiah, in which the sewing thread and textile both have the same color.” 

At Minzal there is also a comfy seating area for socializing with family and friends around an open fire and listening to live music at the Al-Mashb Zone.

At Al-Mashb, people relax and enjoy delicious bites before they move to the next adventure, the stargazing area, where they learn about the galaxy and stars.

Stargazing, storytelling under the dark sky, and a warm cup of Saudi coffee while relaxing at the majlis on traditional Saudi seating promises to create long-lasting memories for people looking for calm away from the bustling city of Riyadh.

Minzal is just one of many programs during the Diriyah season this year that feature the warmth of Saudi hospitality and traditions. 

Decoder

Minzal

Minzal is an outdoor cultural attraction organized by Saudi Arabia's Diriyah company as part of its winter season programs. Located at Al Duhami Farm in Riyadh, the event, which runs from Jan. 11 until Feb. 22, offers visitors art workshops, live music, stargazing, horseriding, camping, and more.


Saudi teacher wins Gems Education Global Teacher Prize at World Governments Summit

Saudi teacher wins Gems Education Global Teacher Prize at World Governments Summit
Updated 13 February 2025
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Saudi teacher wins Gems Education Global Teacher Prize at World Governments Summit

Saudi teacher wins Gems Education Global Teacher Prize at World Governments Summit

DUBAI: Saudi teacher Mansour Al-Mansour was awarded the Gems Education Global Teacher Prize at the World Governments Summit in Dubai on Thursday.

Al-Mansour received the award at the end of the summit, an annual event that draws leaders from across the globe.

An educator known for his charity work and instructing prisoners, Al-Mansour won the prize of $1 million.

Al-Mansour is also an author and is known for work in his community, including a program that helps ensure people have access to air conditioning maintenance during Saudi Arabia’s scorching summer months.

The prize is awarded by the Varkey Foundation, whose founder, Sunny Varkey, established the for-profit GEMS Education company that runs dozens of schools in Egypt, Qatar and the UAE.

– With inputs from AP


Expo 2025 Saudi pavilion launches tour of 7 Japanese cities

Expo 2025 Saudi pavilion launches tour of 7 Japanese cities
Updated 13 February 2025
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Expo 2025 Saudi pavilion launches tour of 7 Japanese cities

Expo 2025 Saudi pavilion launches tour of 7 Japanese cities

RIYADH: With two months to go until Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, the Saudi Pavilion is launching a tour of seven Japanese cities that offers an immersive experience for those interested in exploring Saudi culture.

The initiative will allow the Japanese community and tourists to experience Saudi hospitality, reported the Saudi Press Agency.

Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Japan Ghazi Faisal Binzagr, who is also general commissioner for the Kingdom’s pavilion at Expo 2025, said: “People can connect with Saudi culture through these tours,” adding it would an opportunity for an authentic experience.

Starting in Osaka on Feb. 15-16, the tour will visit Kyoto on Feb. 17, Kobe from Feb. 22-23, Hiroshima from Feb. 24, Fukuoka from March 1-2, Nagoya from March 3 and Tokyo from March 8-9.

Expo 2025 opens on April 13, when the full Saudi Pavilion experience will be available.

This article originally appeared on Arab News Japan


Natural and historical allure of Al-Baha’s heritage villages

Natural and historical allure of Al-Baha’s heritage villages
Updated 13 February 2025
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Natural and historical allure of Al-Baha’s heritage villages

Natural and historical allure of Al-Baha’s heritage villages
  • Home to centuries-old monuments, the villages have buildings constructed with stone and clay

AL-BAHA: The Al-Baha Region is a unique tourist destination with its rich and diverse cultural heritage, the Saudi Press Agency reported recently.

Home to centuries-old monuments, the villages have buildings constructed with stone and clay in traditional architectural styles.

Two of the most notable heritage villages are Thee Ain and Al-Mousa that are favored by local and international visitors.

During the Al-Baha Winter Festival, the village of Thee Ain comes alive with cultural events that reflect the local heritage.

The village provides comprehensive information on its history and the Al-Baha region.

The region’s intangible heritage includes traditional foods, crafts and performing arts.

For children there are murals and displays offered to provide an engaging learning experience.


Saudi Arabia assumes presidency of global anti-corruption network

Saudi Arabia assumes presidency of global anti-corruption network
Updated 13 February 2025
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Saudi Arabia assumes presidency of global anti-corruption network

Saudi Arabia assumes presidency of global anti-corruption network
  • Spain passes on leadership at UN headquarters in Vienna
  • Saudi Arabia elected network chair for 3-year term in 2024

VIENNA: Saudi Arabia, through its Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority, or Nazaha, has assumed the presidency of the Global Operational Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities.

Spain handed over the leadership of the GlobE Network during a ceremony at the UN Office on Drugs and Crime’s headquarters in Vienna, Austria, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

Nasser Abaalkhail, Nazaha’s deputy for international collaboration, was installed as chairman of the committee, with Boni de Moraes Soares, Brazil’s national solicitor for international affairs, as vice chair.

Saudi Arabia was unanimously elected to chair the GlobE Network’s steering committee for the 2025 to 2027 term during a high-level meeting last year in Beijing, China.

Its election to lead the international network underscores member states’ recognition of the Kingdom’s commitment to fighting corruption, the SPA reported.

Established in 2021, the GlobE Network includes more than 229 law-enforcement agencies from over 124 countries, as well as numerous international organizations.

Abaalkhail said that Saudi Arabia aims to enhance collaboration among member states to combat corruption in alignment with the UN Convention Against Corruption.

As chair of the network, Saudi Arabia “seeks to create new strategies for asset recovery and initiate a secure communication platform to facilitate quicker and more efficient information exchange among member states,” Abaalkhail said in a statement carried by the SPA.

“This will enhance international cooperation and empower governments to tackle emerging challenges in combating corruption, refine asset recovery processes, and more effectively trace illicit funds across borders,” he said.

Since its creation, the network has had a positive impact on the efforts of members to combat cross-border corruption.

During a recent meeting of the network, representatives from Azerbaijan, Brazil, Chile, China, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, and Indonesia shared insights on various cross-border investigations.

This included joint efforts to uncover embezzlement of EU grant funds, the use of the network’s Secure Communication Platform to advance investigations, as well as operations targeting large-scale fraud involving value-added tax.

The participants also highlighted examples of swift action in asset recovery, successful extraditions, and effective collaboration between agencies to track and freeze offshore assets obtained through corruption, according to the network’s website.

Nazaha has taken considerable strides in combatting corruption in the Kingdom since its creation in 2016.

During December 2024, the authority arrested 145 citizens and residents — among them government employees — accused of various crimes including bribery and abuse of authority.


Saudi foreign minister discusses regional developments with French counterpart in Paris

Saudi foreign minister discusses regional developments with French counterpart in Paris
Updated 55 min 34 sec ago
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Saudi foreign minister discusses regional developments with French counterpart in Paris

Saudi foreign minister discusses regional developments with French counterpart in Paris
  • Prince Faisal headed the Saudi delegation at the AI Action Summit in the French capital this week

RIYADH: The Saudi minister of foreign affairs, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, held talks in Paris on Wednesday with his French counterpart, Jean-Noel Barrot.

They discussed recent developments in the Middle East and efforts to achieve security and peace in the region, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Fahd Al-Ruwaili, the Saudi ambassador to France, and Prince Musab bin Mohammed Al-Farhan, political advisor to the foreign minister, also attended the meeting.

Prince Faisal headed the Kingdom’s delegation at the AI Action Summit in the French capital on Monday and Tuesday. More than a thousand representatives of the private sector and civil society from nearly 100 countries attended the event.