JEDDAH: Visitors were taken on a musical journey stretching back more than 100 years this week, at an event centered on the Dutch people who lived in the Hijaz region of Saudi Arabia.
“From the archives of the past, Holland meets Hijaz” organized by financial services firm BMG Financial Group (organized by BMG Foundation).
The evening took place at the Jeddah Prep and Grammar School (JPGS) on Jan. 10 in the presence of Dutch Ambassador Joost Reintjes.
Amsterdam-based professor Anne Van Oostrum gave a lecture on the old Hijazi music and recordings made by the Dutch envoys to the region many years ago.
The oldest recordings of wedding songs of a female Hijazi choir, other music and poetry were made using Thomas Edison’s wax cylinders, which marked new technology at the time.
Oostrum took the guests back in time to the old days of Hijazi culture and presented vintage photographs and musical clips to bring back authentic songs to the memories of the Saudi audience, and introduce them to others present.
She offered a mesmerizing journey to the 1900s, when the Dutch Arabist Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje was responsible for making what are now known as the oldest recordings of music and speech of the Hijaz. Hurgronje’s perception and appreciation of Arabic music are studied as expressed in his work Mekka (1888-1889) and in his commentary on some songs included in his collection of wax cylinders.
The JPGS and BMG initiative aimed to highlight the cultural aspect and bridge the gap between the East and West.( JPGS is school that hosted the event not an organisation with BMG Foundation).
Basil AlGhalayini the chairman of BMG foundation, wished that people could “put all differences aside and create a peaceful world for all of us and for the generation to enjoy the future.”
Speaking to Arab News, Jonathan Warner, headmaster of JPGS, said the evening had been a success. “I’m really keen to do more of this sort of event, because I’ve always believed (that) a good school should be and can be a cultural focus, and just like the BMG Foundation we have an opportunity to bring Hijazi culture and Saudi Arabian culture to many people of many, many different nationalities and enjoy the experience and learn from each other. That’s what education is all about.”
Mohammed S. Sayed Ahmed, manager of academic affairs at the education-focused Al Kafi Company, was among the attendees who enjoyed the evening. “We heard of this occasion on the history of Hijaz in the 18th and 19th century, so we came here to have an idea (of) what this subject is about, and it is a very interesting subject,” he said.
Oostrum told Arab News that what interested her in Hijazi culture was the poetry and external influence.
“This kind of music is very, very beautiful… here it is very strong and it is a combination of the two, music and language,” she added.
The JPGS students were also actively involved in the event, where some of them wore Saudi and Dutch traditional clothes, played piano, performed the Saudi, Dutch and British anthems, and others recreated famous Dutch paintings, such as “Girl with a Pearl Earring,” “The Milkmaid,” and “Woman Peeling Apples.”
Musical event takes note of where ‘Holland meets Hijaz’
Musical event takes note of where ‘Holland meets Hijaz’
Palestinian pilgrims express gratitude for Saudi Arabia’s comprehensive Hajj support
- Palestinian pilgrim Ayman Saleh expressed joy at being selected for Hajj this year
MAKKAH: Several Palestinian pilgrims hosted under the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ Guests Program for Hajj and Umrah — supervised by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs — offer their thanks to the Kingdom.
They said the initiative reflected King Salman’s care for Muslims worldwide and his commitment to ensuring they can perform Hajj with dignity and ease, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Palestinian pilgrim Ayman Saleh expressed joy at being selected for Hajj this year and thanked the Saudi leadership for the exceptional services and warm welcome extended to Palestinian pilgrims.
Pilgrim Hussein Kamal praised the outstanding facilities, saying they reflect the Kingdom’s dedication to serving Palestinian pilgrims and helping them perform Hajj comfortably. He expressed deep appreciation to the Saudi leadership for this generous gesture.
Hundreds of relatives of Palestinian political prisoners and martyrs have arrived to perform Hajj under the program. The Ministry of Islamic Affairs received 500 pilgrims from Gaza on Monday, bringing the total number of Palestinians to 1,000.
Since its launch in 1996, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ program has hosted thousands of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims. This year, the program is hosting 2,443 pilgrims from 100 countries.
Municipalities Ministry launches home delivery permit service, effective July 1
- Municipalities will carry out field inspections to ensure compliance and will take regulatory action against violators
RIYADH: The Saudi Ministry of Municipalities and Housing launched the Home Delivery Permit service for food and non-food delivery establishments via the Balady platform, Saudi Press Agency reported Tuesday.
This initiative supports ongoing efforts to enhance the quality of life and elevate safety and compliance standards within the delivery sector across the Kingdom.
The delivery service aims to regulate delivery operations within cities by ensuring establishments comply with health and technical requirements, thereby contributing to a safe and efficient environment that enhances consumer confidence.
The requirements for the permit include obtaining a health certificate for all home delivery service workers, securing approval from the authority supervising the commercial activity, clearly displaying the establishment’s name or trademark on delivery vehicles, and ensuring these vehicles comply with the technical and health standards necessary for safe product transportation.
The ministry explained that mandatory enforcement of license issuance will begin on July 1, 2025.
Municipalities will carry out field inspections to ensure compliance and will take regulatory action against violators.
Business owners can apply for the home delivery permit through the Balady platform by visiting: https://balady.gov.sa/en/services/issue-home-delivery-permit.
This initiative is part of the ministry’s broader efforts to develop the regulatory framework for the services sector and to ensure the provision of safe delivery services, in line with the objectives of the Saudi Vision 2030.
Last month, the ministry announced the launch of the Balady Plus app — an intelligent platform aimed at enhancing quality of life in Saudi cities and facilitating daily mobility for residents and visitors.
According to the ministry, Balady Plus was developed by national talents to be more than just a navigation tool. It offers an interactive 3D map experience with precise local content that reflects the real landscape of Saudi cities and adapts to their changes in real time.
The application features smart mobility services, including live updates on roads, locations, and services. It also supports indoor navigation in commercial centers, alerts users about speed bumps, obstacles, and road closures, and integrates data from government entities and the local community.
20 years after embracing Islam, Uruguayan Muslim fulfills his Hajj dream in Makkah
MAKKAH: Luis Abi Rachid, a 70-year-old pilgrim from Uruguay and a guest of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Program for Hajj and Umrah, shared the story of his first-ever flight, which he took this year to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj.
After being selected for the program, supervised and implemented by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Rachid described the journey as one filled with peace and spiritual fulfillment, marking the realization of his lifelong wish to perform the fifth pillar of Islam.
“I arrived in the holy land with indescribable feelings,” he said. “I was on my way to perform Umrah and see the Holy Kaaba for the first time in my life, after only seeing it on television. My heart overflowed with longing for this sacred place.
“Hajj is a dream, especially for new Muslims,” Rachid continued.
“When I was selected for the program, I felt a joy beyond words. All praise is due to Allah Almighty, and then to the leadership of Saudi Arabia for turning my dream — and the dreams of many Muslims around the world — into reality.”
Rachid recounted that his journey to Islam began 20 years ago, when a Muslim friend introduced him to the faith over the course of three months.
During that time, he learned about the Holy Qur’an and the practice of prayer, eventually becoming convinced that Islam is the true religion. Since embracing Islam, he has deepened his faith and understanding and has long dreamed of performing Hajj and visiting the Holy Kaaba.
“I declared my Islam without ever expecting that I would embrace the faith, as I had never considered it,” Rachid said.
“But Allah Almighty guided me and brought me from darkness into spiritual clarity. I felt a peace and inner security I had never known. Islam is a religion of balance, moderation, and tranquility — free from excess, extremism, or rigidity. All praise be to Allah Almighty for guiding me and making me one of the Muslims.”
He expressed his gratitude to King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for their efforts in serving Islam and Muslims and prayed for Saudi Arabia’s continued growth, progress, and prosperity.
New environmental monitoring technologies used for this year’s Hajj
- High-tech monitoring systems analyze air, water and soil quality
- Satellites allow center to dispatch emergency teams rapidly
Jeddah: Saudi Arabia’s National Center for Environmental Compliance has begun using new satellite monitoring technologies to protect the environment for this year’s Hajj.
The NCEC uses satellite data to monitor and analyze environmental media, including air, water and soil quality.
The center relies on satellites to monitor environmental challenges across wide geographic areas at high speed, enabling emergency teams to quickly reach affected sites.
Hani Al-Subhi, director-general of the Makkah Region branch, spoke to Arab News about the center’s use of satellite technology.
“These technologies help pinpoint the precise locations of environmental challenges, facilitating a rapid response and enhancing the provision of a healthy, pollutant-free environment for pilgrims,” he said
Meanwhile, Abu Talib Zaki, a technical expert in monitoring, spoke about how the center cooperates with King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology to collect two types of satellite imagery.
The first is passive remote sensing, which measures reflections of light emitted from other objects.
The second is active remote sensing, which uses light from the satellite itself to create images.
The spatial resolution of the images used reaches 30 cm, meaning that each pixel of the image covers 30x30 cm, allowing for high-precision monitoring of environmental phenomena.
The National Center for Environmental Compliance earlier this week completed 90 percent of the preemptive inspections to ensure the safety of water, air, and soil for Hajj.
Monitoring efforts will continue until pilgrims complete their rituals in a healthy, pollutant-free environment.
The center also uses nine air quality monitoring stations — six located in Makkah and the holy sites and three in Madinah.
These stations operate around the clock to measure air quality, and if any pollutant is detected, field teams are dispatched immediately to the site to identify the source and coordinate with the authorities to eliminate the cause of pollution.
Saudi leaders congratulate Karol Nawrocki on winning Poland’s presidential elections
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman each sent a cable of congratulations to Karol Nawrocki after winning Poland’s presidential elections on Monday.
The King and Crown Prince wished the president success in his duties and the Polish people further progress and prosperity, the Saudi Press Agency said.
Nawrocki won 50.89% of votes in a very tight race against Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski, who received 49.11%.
