The Saudi Green Building Forum will be held at Riyadh’s Four Seasons Hotel on Oct. 13-16 under the aegis of Prince Mansour bin Miteb, minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs, and in the implementation of King Abdullah’s initiative. High-profile experts from both the Kingdom and abroad will attend the event.
The third annual intellectual think-tank event will involve a conference, workshop, exposition, and project case studies of the current year as well as discuss green building and energy technologies.
According to Faisal Al-Fadi, the forum’s secretary-general, the conference will provide a dominant platform for discussing challenges for green building related to the sustainability to promote green building initiatives in Saudi Arabia, to boost business collaboration, unveil new employment opportunities, and enhance the built environment across the kingdom.
He said the presentations, panel discussion and case studies at the conference would challenge issues such as expansion of green building, sustainable urban development, and Saudi Arabia’s position as a frontrunner – a hub of the fastest growing construction and projects market in the Middle East and North
Africa.
Al-Fadi noted that the green market had witnessed swift expansion over the past three years and with the government and private sector companies in support of international green building standards and initiatives. The US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) registrations and certifications have significantly increased since the inception of the Saudi Green Building Forum in 2010. This increase makes it evident that more and more organizations, people and governments are aspiring to create a sustainably built environment and legislation.
The forum’s conference and projects case studies will continue to stay as a significant means of aiding the development of laws and regulations set by King Abdullah Green Building initiatives; enhancing the comprehensive collection of standards and guidance systems that is being implemented in the Kingdom; signifying the building information modeling technology; strengthening relation with industry stakeholders; delivering information, analysis and insights into available business opportunities; and building cultural awareness of local urban development.
In his statement, Prince Mansour said: “This meeting represents a valuable opportunity to review the achievements of previous recommendations, including more than one axis, either as assigned to the government sector, professional bodies or entrusted to the private sector.”
Among the distinguished speakers are Mohammed Al-Suwaiyel, president of King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology; Abdullah Al-Muqbil, mayor of Riyadh municipality; Edward Burton, president and managing director of the US-Saudi Arabian Business Council; Mohamed Al-Mady, SABIC vice chairman and CEO; Amer Kayani, minister counselor of commercial affairs at Riyadh Embassy in the US; and Abdulrahman Al-Jeraisy, chairman of Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Conference to tackle challenges in green building
Conference to tackle challenges in green building
Saudi Islamic Affairs minister meets with Egyptian Minister of Endowments
- Sheikh Abdullatif bin Abdulaziz Al Al-Sheikh is in Egypt to lead Kingdom’s delegation at 35th International Conference of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs
RIYADH: The Saudi Minister of Islamic Affairs, Dawah, and Guidance met with the Egyptian Minister of Endowments Osama Al-Azhari in Cairo on Saturday, Saudi Press Agency reported.
The meeting, also attended by Saudi Ambassador to Egypt Saleh bin Eid Al-Husseini, marked the beginning of Sheikh Abdullatif bin Abdulaziz Al Al-Sheikh’s visit to Egypt, where he is leading the Kingdom’s delegation at the 35th International Conference of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs.
The discussions between the two ministers focused on enhancing cooperation in various fields to advance Islamic work.
Al-Azhari expressed his appreciation for Saudi Arabia’s participation in the conference, and acknowledged the Kingdom’s influential role as a leader in Islamic affairs and its promotion of tolerance, moderation, and balanced discourse.
The conference, which starts on Sunday and ends on Monday, is being held under the patronage of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.
It will feature more than 100 participants, including ministers, muftis, and representatives of Islamic organizations from more than 60 countries.
Muslim World League praises efforts of ALPS group in Sudan ceasefire talks
- Talks on the devastating war in Sudan ended Friday without a ceasefire deal but with progress on securing aid access
RIYADH: The Muslim World League praised efforts made by the Aligned for Advancing Lifesaving and Peace in Sudan group following talks in Geneva dedicated to alleviating the suffering of the Sudanese people, saving lives, and working toward a permanent cessation of hostilities.
Talks on the devastating war in Sudan ended Friday without a ceasefire deal but with progress on securing aid access on two key routes into a country facing one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
Secretary General of the MWL Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa praised the work of the ALPS group.
The coalition, which includes Saudi Arabia, the US, Switzerland, the UAE, Egypt, the African Union, and the United Nations, is operating under the framework of the Jeddah Declaration and is led by Saudi Arabia.
War has raged since April 2023 between the Sudanese army under Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.
King Salman, crown prince congratulate Zelensky on Ukraine’s independence day
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman sent a cable of congratulations on Saturday to the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky on the occasion of his country’s independence day, Saudi Press Agency reported.
The king wished Zelenskyy continued good health and happiness, and the government and people of Ukraine steady progress and prosperity, SPA added.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also sent a similar cable to Zelensky.
Zelensky on Friday welcomed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Kyiv to discuss Ukraine’s war effort in its conflict with Russia.
Saudi HR ministry cracks down on labor violations
- 88,776 warnings issued after inspecting over 700,000 facilities across the Kingdom
RIYADH: Teams from Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development inspected more than 700,000 private-sector facilities in the Kingdom from the beginning of the year to mid-July 2024, as part of its ongoing efforts to regulate and control the labor market and ensure that establishment owners comply with labor regulations, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.
The teams issued 88,776 warnings to establishments contravening the law, while “107,329 establishments were found in noncompliance with several articles of the labor law,” according to the SPA.
The list of violations included 59,891 employers who failed to raise wages as specified by the ministry, 16,295 cases of employees who had not received salaries, and 7,662 cases of foreigners employed in professions or activities reserved exclusively for Saudi nationals.
The ministry’s teams have “intensified efforts to monitor compliance with the decision to localize jobs, visiting 522,092 establishments,” the SPA stated. “These visits resulted in 9,712 job opportunities for citizens and helped achieve target localization rates in numerous sectors.” The percentage of establishments complying with localization laws increased to 93.5 percent.
The teams also conducted 840 visits to petrol stations and service centers throughout the Kingdom, in collaboration with the relevant authorities.
Inspection tours are ongoing at all facilities across the Kingdom. The ministry has urged individuals to report any violations by calling 19911 or via the ministry’s app.
35 digital artworks on show in Riyadh summer exhibition
- Following an open call, 28 artists were selected to display their works
RIYADH: Misk Art Institute is showcasing 35 digital media artworks by 28 Saudi and Saudi-based artists in its Summer 2024 exhibition at the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Arts Hall in Riyadh.
Following an open call, 28 artists were selected to display their works, inspired by the theme “Media and Technology,” a recent report by Saudi Press Agency said.
The exhibition, housed in the theater adjacent to the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Arts Hall, includes 35 pieces that explore artists’ personal narratives, human interactions in public and private spaces, and depictions of Saudi Arabia’s historical sites and evolving urban landscapes.
The exhibition also showcases artworks that delve into the artists’ origins, drawing inspiration from collective memory and the impact of cities on society. Among these, Hind Al-Duwaish’s “Arta” stands out as a poignant exploration of her hometown, Al-Artawiyah.
After discovering that the town was named after the arta shrub, also known as the fire bush and now almost extinct in the area, Al-Duwaish began a journey to locate the plant elsewhere, a quest documented in her artwork.
“The arta plant is known for its fragrant scent and beauty,” Al-Duwaish told SPA. Her research uncovered a verse by the poet Dhu Al-Rumma, further enriching the cultural context of her work:
“So he spent the night as a guest by an arta tree, piled high with sand dunes, warm and secluded,” the translation reads.
Nada Baraka’s “Outside the Backseat Window” features two striking photographs from a larger series, capturing day and night scenes that focus on people’s relationships with their urban environment.
The night image, utilizing long-exposure techniques, emphasizes the interplay of light from vehicles, buildings, and billboards to convey a sense of movement.
Saudi artist Latifa Al-Madi’s “Thara” drew its inspiration from the architectural heritage of central Najd. The title, meaning “a place that shelters and covers you,” encapsulates the essence of traditional Najdi architecture.
Al-Madi’s shadowy images evoke a deep emotional connection to historical architecture, part of her larger project on archival images preserving the region’s architectural history.
Osama Jebrti’s “The Fisherman Abdo” highlights the intimate relationship between a Farasan Island fisherman and his natural surroundings, serving as a reminder of the diminishing connection between urban dwellers and nature.
This piece underscores the critical need to reevaluate our relationship with nature and the essential role that the environment plays in shaping human identity.
The exhibition, which runs until Aug. 29, is part of a series at the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Arts Hall. It underscores Misk Art Institute’s commitment, as part of the Mohammed bin Salman “Misk” Foundation, to empowering local artists through a comprehensive ecosystem of education, practice, and multidisciplinary experiences.
