DHAHRAN: Meeting its mission of nurturing the nascent filmmaking industry in the Kingdom, the Saudi Arabian Society for Culture and Arts can be credited with recognizing young actor Ibrahim Al-Hajjaj’s talent.
The 23-year-old Saudi actor found his calling after a failed career in music.
“That’s how most actors start … with a failed career in music,” Al-Hajjaj laughingly told Arab News.
In 2012, Al-Hajjaj frequented the Saudi Arabian Society for Culture and Arts, where he started taking up roles in short plays and theater productions.
After completing a short course at the National Youth Theater of Great Britain, he came back to the Kingdom and embarked upon a career in the theater.
So far, he has acted in four movies and counts his favorite roles as those he played in the films “2097” and “Wasati.”
Al-Hajjaj plays a schizophrenic in the movie 2097, which was screened on the third day of the Saudi Film Festival in Dhahran.
To prepare for the role, he spent extensive time with a psychologist to fully understand the behavior of a schizophrenia suffering patient. In the critically-acclaimed “Wasati,” Al-Hajjaj has a cameo role.
The actor says he is very pleased to see the emergence and recognition of filmmaking in the country.
“There is nothing wrong with art. In fact, it is a good thing because it brings out the talents of Saudi citizens which might have been buried,” he said, which is significant as the festival saw an eight-year hiatus prior to 2015.
Another young acting talent making waves at the festival is 11-year-old Saudi, Dana Dhahrani.
The young actress was encouraged to pursue her talent by a teacher at Manarat Al-Sharqiya school in Alkhobar and with permission from her parents, was allowed to play a role in a movie.
Dhahrani told Arab News how happy and grateful she is for the opportunity to act and said that she hopes she will be able to pursue a career in the arts once she is older.
Some of the movies that were screened on the third day of the 4th edition of the Saudi Film Festival include “Departures” (psychodrama), “Where Is the Way?” (drama, social), “An Angel Leave” (drama, social), and “Calm in the Midday” (psychodrama).
Meet two young Saudi actors who are making waves at the Saudi Film Festival
Meet two young Saudi actors who are making waves at the Saudi Film Festival
KSrelief aids communities in need
RIYADH: Saudi aid agency KSrelief continues its humanitarian projects to assist some of the world’s most vulnerable people, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
The agency delivered medications for blood diseases and thalassemia to the Ministry of Public Health and Population in Yemen’s Hadramout governorate.
KSrelief distributed 1,143 boxes of dates in Rif Dimashq governorate in the Syrian Arab Republic, benefiting 1,143 families, while also distributing clothing bags to 132 needy families in the same region.
The agency handed out 1,500 food baskets to displaced and vulnerable families in Sudan’s Ad-Damir in the Nile River state, benefiting 9,000 people.
It also supplied 472 food parcels to vulnerable individuals in the Western Bekaa region of Lebanon, helping 2,360 people.
KSrelief has implemented 3,389 projects worth nearly $7.9 billion in 106 countries since its launch in May 2015, working with more than 300 local, regional, and international partners.
Riyadh’s beauty spots come to life with Eid festivities
- Families embrace Eid Al-Fitr by enjoying picnics and outdoor fun
Riyadh: Riyadh takes on a magical charm during Eid Al-Fitr, becoming a hub of festive picnic spots.
One popular destination is Wadi Hanifa, a serene valley in the heart of the capital. With lush greenery, man-made lakes, water channels and diverse wildlife, it offers a perfect escape for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts.
Mohammed Abdul Jaleel, a Lebanese visitor, said: “We are here with friends and family, enjoying a barbecue and celebrating this special occasion with joy. The weather is perfect, kids are playing, and families are making the most of this time before summer sets in.”
He added: “Whether hiking, cycling, or picnicking by the water, Wadi Hanifa offers a refreshing retreat in nature.”
Riyadh resident Baddiuzz Zaman Sheikh, celebrating Eid with friends, said: “It is a great picnic spot. I come here often for barbecues. Surrounded by mountains and lakes, it is a popular getaway.”
Anyone familiar with the area likely knows Wadi Hanifa — once a dumping ground but now a lush desert oasis, transformed by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City with gardens, wetlands and thousands of trees.
As well as evening strolls and picnics, Wadi Hanifa offers an array of exciting activities — and many people are unaware it is a global destination for runners.
The Great Runs website highlights the “groomed trails” near the Diplomatic Quarter, which feature an 8 km loop through desert scenery. South of the valley, Stone Dam Park challenges athletes with a 210-step staircase.
Jamal Hassan, a Yemeni expat who was enjoying a card game with friends, said: “This beautiful valley on Riyadh’s outskirts offers water channels, green corridors, walkways and picnic spots amid orchards and farms, making it a top attraction for residents and visitors.
“Riyadh needed a place like this — an escape into nature away from the city's hustle. It is a perfect spot to relax.”
Another popular Eid picnic spot is Wadi Namar, south of the capital. Its dam, lake and scenic waterfall draws people all year round.
Tabinda Qamar, there with her family, said: “On Eid’s first day, it was so crowded that security asked us to return early the next day. We did — and had a wonderful time. The park is spacious, with play areas for kids, making it ideal for families and friends. It is a perfect holiday spot, and we truly enjoyed it.”
Many people also visit Salam Park, which features a large, illuminated lake with fountains, playgrounds, green spaces and recreational areas. Once a private farm with date palms, a residential estate and a 70-year-old mosque, it was later transformed due to its strategic location and the city’s need for open spaces.
Rumana Ambar, who visited with her family, said: “It is a natural retreat in the busy city — perfect for holidays with family and friends. With well-maintained facilities, it stands out as one of Riyadh’s top attractions.”
Tabuk camel riders celebrate Eid to the rhythms of Al-Hijini
- The tempo of the verses aligns with the camels’ steady strides, creating a harmonious blend of words and motion
- Traditionally performed solo, Al-Hijini often becomes a communal chant during celebrations
TABUK: In Tabuk’s vast, Eid is a radiant celebration infused with the scent of the land, the memory of ancestors and deeply rooted traditions passed down with pride across generations.
Here, where the sands stretch endlessly, camel riders known as hajjanah form majestic processions, offering greetings to locals while chanting Al-Hijini, poetry that stirs the heart tales of pride, love and loyalty, preserving the soul of the desert.
Among the people of Tabuk, customs steeped in authenticity and dignity come to life during vibrant Eid celebrations.
They are a blend of heritage and contemporary life, rooted in the nomadic rhythm of the desert. Camels, specially adorned for the occasion, play a central role in the festivities as riders set out across the sands, joyfully chanting traditional verses.
Al-Hijini poetry derives its name from the well-trained camels used for riding and racing. The riders recite lyrical verses that encompass various themes of life, often focusing on patriotism and romance. The rhythm matches the camels’ steady strides, creating a harmonious blend of words and motion.
Noted for its simple melodies and brisk tempo, Al-Hijini uplifts the spirits and eases the solitude of travelers and desert caravans. It is deeply tied to Bedouin culture, serving as a medium for expressing emotions, recording daily experiences, relaying wisdom and preserving ancestral proverbs.
Traditionally performed solo, Al-Hijini often becomes a communal chant during celebrations such as Eid, with collective recitation reflecting the unity and solidarity of Tabuk’s desert communities.
Saudi Arabia welcomes Tajik-Kyrgyz-Uzbek border treaty and ‘eternal friendship’ pledge
- Deal formalized the point where the three Central Asian countries’ borders meet in the mountainous Fergana Valley
- Borders in Central Asia were often drawn up under the Soviet Union and never properly demarcated
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Tuesday welcomed the border deal forged between Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan on the Fergana Valley, a long-disputed region that has ignited bloody clashes.
In a statement issued by the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Kingdom also congratulated the three Central Asian neighbors for signing a Khujand Declaration on Eternal Friendship, wishing them “continued stability and prosperity.”
Saudi Arabia has maintained deep ties with Central Asian countries, even hosting the GCC Central Asian Investment Forum 2024 in May last year.
The border deal signed on Monday by presidents Emomali Rakhmon of Tajikistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan and Sadyr Japarov Kyrgyzstan, formalized the point where their countries’ borders meet in the mountainous valley.
The densely populated region has been the scene of numerous conflicts — mainly for control of water that is running out in a region badly hit by climate change.
The three leaders met several days before an EU-Central Asia summit in Uzbekistan. Relations between the former Soviet republics, long strained by rivalries, have warmed recently.
Borders in Central Asia were often drawn up under the Soviet Union and never properly demarcated.
But in recent years, Central Asian countries have announced border agreements to regulate the sharing of water, facilitate trade and ensure the stability of this resource-rich region.
In the Tajik city of Khujand, the three presidents also called in similar statements for “reinforcing the cooperation between brotherly nations” — including in energy and transport.
The Tajik and Kyrgyz leaders also inaugurated a section of a joint high-voltage line to supply Pakistan and Afghanistan with energy produced by Central Asian hydroelectric power stations.
The summit follows the signing of border treaties in mid-March between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, and between Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan in 2023.
(With AFP)
Trump to visit Saudi Arabia in May, White House confirms
- Trip to Kingdom will be first foreign trip of president’s second term
RIYADH: US President Donald Trump is to visit Saudi Arabia in May, the White House confirmed on Tuesday.
Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said: “The president will be heading to Saudi Arabia in May. As for specific dates and details, we will be reading those out to you as soon as we possibly can.”
البيت الأبيض: #ترمب سيزور #السعودية في مايو المقبل#قناة_العربية pic.twitter.com/Hq4wo0hbbu
— العربية (@AlArabiya) April 1, 2025
The trip to the Kingdom will be the first foreign trip of Trump’s second term as president.
Regarding a potential ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, Leavitt said that Trump “has made it clear that’s what he wants to see” and “his team remains engaged on it every day.”
Saudi Arabia has hosted talks involving the US and Russia, and the US and Ukraine as Trump facilitates moves toward a ceasefire.
