Jeddah hosts first Rider Champion and Fun Festival

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Prominent professionals and hobbyists from local, Arab and international countries showed their talent at the first Rider Champion and Fun Festival on Thursday.
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A Saudi man and a boy slide on a sledge at the indoor snow theme park “Snow City” in Riyadh. (AFP)
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The championship included motorcycle races and acts, skating skills and auto racing. (AN photos)
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Updated 09 April 2017
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Jeddah hosts first Rider Champion and Fun Festival

JEDDAH: Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) with the cooperation of the General Authority for Entertainment and Saudi Federation of Cars and Motorcycles launched the first Rider Champion and Fun Festival for families on Thursday.
The three-day Rider Champion and Fun Festival, with a committee of referees and participation of prominent professionals and hobbyists, includes 12 social, cultural, artistic, sports and theater events.
Visitors enjoyed diverse performances and acrobatic moves among the participants looking to win this year’s championship.
The championship included motorcycle races and acts, skating skills and auto racing. The event is hosted by a number of famous artists and athletes.
Abdullah Filali, chairman of the organizing committee, said the aim of the event was to develop talent among youth in the Gulf region with participation of competitors from Bahrain, UAE and Libya.
He pointed out that the games are held under the supervision of trained staff and a committee of referees to guide the youth in exploiting their talents.
The first day of the festival started with children’s theater with the participation of a group of artists, along with racing cars and motorcycle acts and preparations for a freestyle race. On the second day a freestyle race performance was enjoyed by visitors. On Saturday, a final freestyle race will be held.
Hassan bin Ibrahim Dahlan, secretary-general of the Jeddah Chamber, said the JCCI supported the event to promote economic, marketing and tourism in the city of Jeddah.
He also said that JCCI always supports events to encourage and empower young people in various fields and to enhance community partnership in all sectors to contribute to the economic growth.


KSrelief’s 11th aid plane lands at Damascus airport

Updated 9 sec ago
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KSrelief’s 11th aid plane lands at Damascus airport

  • KSrelief dispatched dozens of aid trucks and planes after collapse of Assad regime

RIYADH: The 11th Saudi relief plane landed at Damascus International Airport in on Wednesday as part of a humanitarian airlift launched by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid & Relief Centre.

After the collapse of Bashar Assad’s regime early in December, KSrelief has sent dozens of trucks and planes loaded with food, shelter, and medical supplies to meet the urgent basic needs of Syrians.


Experts discuss AI’s role in enhancing pilgrim experiences

Updated 4 min 4 sec ago
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Experts discuss AI’s role in enhancing pilgrim experiences

  • Discussions at Jeddah conference focus on crowd control, personalized services, sustainable solutions
  • Tamer Bdran, vice president of NEC Saudi Arabia Ltd., discussed the role of global technical solutions tailored to the unique needs of Hajj and Umrah

JEDDAH: Industry experts gathered to discuss how artificial intelligence can enhance the Hajj and Umrah experience for millions of pilgrims worldwide.

The discussions took place at the fourth Hajj and Umrah Services Conference and Exhibition in Jeddah, running until Jan. 16.

The event, themed “The Road to the Nusuk,” is hosted by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and the Pilgrim Experience Program, featuring over 300 local and international organizations showcasing innovations to improve the pilgrim experience.

The conversation began with an overview of the current state of Hajj and Umrah, with speakers noting that only 5 percent of available technical capabilities have been utilized so far.

Mohammed Al-Hamid, director of the AI Center at the Ministry of Interior, shared in the session “Personalizing Services for the Guests of Allah: Data and Digital Solutions” that the ministry has made significant progress in data and AI infrastructure.

He added that the ministry has played a key role in transforming the Hajj and Umrah experience into a seamless journey driven by technological innovation.

Al-Hamid said that AI can help manage crowds by tracking movements, identifying potential hazards, and making real-time adjustments to traffic flow.

“We are using AI to develop long-term solutions that enhance the sustainability of Hajj services, including managing human density by analyzing crowd flow and predicting congestion, offering multilingual guidance, utilizing big data to anticipate pilgrims' needs, and efficiently distributing human and technical resources,” he added.

Speakers then expressed optimism about how AI could address the urgent need for faster and more effective services.

Abdulaziz Al-Matahami, deputy minister of planning and digital transformation at the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, said that the ministry first digitized traditional services, then moved to integrate government agencies to offer customized services for each pilgrim and Umrah performer.

He highlighted the new version of the Nusuk app, which provides comprehensive services such as hotel and flight reservations, historical tours, and permits for the Two Holy Mosques.

Al-Matahami also announced the launch of the Nusuk Business platform, aimed at enhancing integration with entrepreneurs to deliver innovative solutions for serving pilgrims.

In another session titled “Advanced Solutions and Technologies for Effective Crowd Management,” Fahad Al-Ghamdi, CEO of human resources at National Security Services Co., explained that the company operates as an integrated security system, offering consulting, risk analysis, and advanced technical solutions, such as mobile command and control centers with cameras supported by AI to analyze data in real time.

Tamer Bdran, vice president of NEC Saudi Arabia Ltd., discussed the role of global technical solutions tailored to the unique needs of Hajj and Umrah.

He said: “Technologies such as facial and fingerprint recognition, along with simulating crowd flow using supercomputing, have improved planning and reduced waiting times at ports and airports.”

Meanwhile, Saudi Ambassador to Spain Princess Haifa Al-Mogrin visited the Ministry of Interior’s pavilion at the conference. She was briefed on the ministry's efforts and initiatives to ensure a safe Hajj experience, including AI-enhanced security systems, digital solutions for crowd management at holy sites, the “No Hajj Without a Permit” campaign, and the Makkah Route initiative.


Saudi FM arrives in Thailand on official visit

Updated 42 min 13 sec ago
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Saudi FM arrives in Thailand on official visit

RIYADH: Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan arrived in Bangkok for an official visit to Thailand on Wednesday.

The prince is set to discuss the relationship between Thailand and Saudi Arabia, leading the Kingdom’s delegation at the inaugural meeting of the Saudi-Thai Coordination Council.


Saudi commission registers 3,202 new heritage sites

Updated 53 min 41 sec ago
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Saudi commission registers 3,202 new heritage sites

  • Newly registered sites include 16 in Riyadh, eight in Makkah, one in Qassim, two in the Eastern Province, 3,170 in Asir, two in Hail, one in Najran, and two in Baha
  • Commission encouraged citizens and residents to report unregistered heritage sites via the Balagh platform, official social media accounts, or local branches

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Heritage Commission has registered 3,202 new sites in the National Urban Heritage Register, bringing the total to 28,202.

This reflects the richness of Saudi Arabia’s heritage and efforts to document and protect it, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

The newly registered sites include 16 in Riyadh, eight in Makkah, one in Qassim, two in the Eastern Province, 3,170 in Asir, two in Hail, one in Najran, and two in Baha.

This registration follows the promulgation of the Antiquities, Museums and Urban Heritage Law; and a decision by the commission’s board of directors authorizing its CEO to register and protect heritage and archaeological sites.

The commission encouraged citizens and residents to report unregistered heritage sites via the Balagh platform, official social media accounts, or local branches.


Saudi FM discusses regional developments with Russian counterpart

Updated 24 min 26 sec ago
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Saudi FM discusses regional developments with Russian counterpart

RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan discussed regional developments and bilateral relations during a phone call with Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday. 

The ministers discussed bilateral ties and regional developments, a statement on the Saudi foreign ministry account on platform “X”.