RIYADH: Riyadh will host the Saudi Meeting Industry Convention (SMIC) on Feb. 18 under the patronage of Prince Sultan bin Salman, president of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH) and head of the supervising committee of the Saudi Exhibition and Convention Bureau (SECB).
The SMIC will be held at the King Faisal Convention Center, Riyadh InterContinental Hotel, from Feb. 18-20.
The event will also host the Saudi Associations Day, gathering executives from certified technical, scientific and medical associations in the Kingdom. The idea behind the day is the development of association-related meetings and conferences, and building partnerships with international association counterparts.
According to the Saudi Press Agency, the convention bureau has approved a resolution aimed at developing the Saudi Convention and Exhibition Forum, successfully held for the past four years in Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam and Madinah.
This year’s event, with the theme “The Saudi Meeting Industry Forum,” will include a conference session to discuss the industry’s issues, in addition to holding a trade fair for suppliers and accompanying events.
According to a statement from the SCTH, the number of attendees for the past four sessions topped 5,000 officials and experts, with the participation of more than 100 speakers who presented their research work, experiences and plans — which had a positive impact on the Saudi meeting industry.
Quoting the executive director of the exhibition bureau, Tariq Abdul Rahman Al-Eissa, the statement said: “In addition to increasing exhibition space to attract more international participants, the forum will discuss a number of important issues on the future of the Saudi meeting industry and its contribution to the realization of Vision 2030, through scientific seminars and workshops.”
The forum will dedicate a day to youth — to steer them toward becoming future leaders in this promising industry.
Saudi Meeting Industry Convention ‘will build business’
Saudi Meeting Industry Convention ‘will build business’
Asir launches campaign to promote organic food culture
- Ahmed Al-Mojathel: Our goal is to highlight the importance of organic products and foods as a safer, healthier dietary system
- Initiative forms part of a broader strategy to promote organic food consumption throughout Saudi society
ABHA: A public awareness campaign by the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture kicked off Organic Food 2024 in Saudi Arabia, reported Saudi Press Agency.
Ahmed Al-Mojathel, director of the ministry’s Asir branch, said: “Our goal is to highlight the importance of organic products and foods as a safer, healthier dietary system.
“We are working to enhance consumer awareness about the benefits of organic foods while encouraging innovation and excellence in organic product quality.”
The initiative forms part of a broader strategy to promote organic food consumption throughout Saudi society.
Al-Mojathel said the campaign also aimed to achieve economic and social objectives supporting the development of the organic food sector across the Kingdom.
Officials detained as investigators smash drug-smuggling operation at Al-Jouf Airport
- 9 people arrested, including Ministry of Interior employee, 4 people associated with the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, and a Saudi Electricity Company worker
RIYADH: A drug smuggling operation at Al-Jouf International Airport in Saudi Arabia, in which several government and other public-sector officials allegedly were involved, has been shut down following an extensive investigation.
An official source at the Ministry of Interior said on Thursday that nine people were detained, including a ministry employee, four people associated with the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, and one from the Saudi Electricity Company.
Their alleged roles in the smuggling network included helping to get the drugs into the Kingdom, ensuring shipments bypassed inspections, transporting them, and concealing them in homes and at other locations.
They also engaged in the promotion and distribution of the narcotics in the country, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The amount and type of drugs involved was not immediately apparent.
The Ministry of Interior said it remains committed to confronting all threats to national security and will take stringent action against anyone who jeopardizes the safety and stability of the country.
OIC discusses draft humanitarian funds statute
- It discussed the draft humanitarian funds statute
- Taha added that it was important to make every effort to finalize the statute of these funds
JEDDAH: The general secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation held a meeting of the open-ended Group of Governmental Experts in Jeddah on Thursday.
It discussed the draft humanitarian funds statute, in accordance with the Council of Foreign Ministers.
OIC Secretary-General Hussein Ibrahim Taha said that the meeting was held amid difficult and harsh humanitarian circumstances that required concerted efforts and collective action to adopt actions to help contain humanitarian crises and hardships.
In his speech, Taha added that it was important to make every effort to finalize the statute of these funds, undertake the necessary reforms to their working mechanism and support them with the financial resources to enable them to fulfil their role.
The statement delivered by assistant secretary-general for humanitarian, cultural and social affairs, ambassador Tariq Ali Bakhit, on behalf of OIC’s secretary-general, highlighted the significant challenges faced by member states in the humanitarian field.
KSrelief distributes shelter supplies in Afghanistan
- KSrelief will distribute 4,882 shelter items, such as tents, blankets, plastic mattresses and other supplies
KABUL: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center has launched a shelter project for people returning from Pakistan to Afghanistan and victims of the 2024 floods.
It will distribute 4,882 shelter items, such as tents, blankets, plastic mattresses and other supplies across the provinces of Kabul, Ghazni, Bamyan, Badakhshan, Kunduz, Baghlan, Parwan, Kapisa, Panjshir, Herat, Nimroz, Nangarhar and Laghman. The project will help 29,292 people.
The scheme is part of the Kingdom’s humanitarian and relief efforts, through its humanitarian arm, KSrelief, to alleviate the suffering of the Afghan people.
KSrelief wins Global Humanitarian Achievement Award
- Delano Roosevelt, the council’s second president and CEO, presented the award to the supervisor general of KSrelief, Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, in Washington
- Dr. Al-Rabeeah said the award is an international acknowledgement of Saudi Arabia’s leading role in relief efforts
WASHINGTON: The Saudi aid agency KSrelief was honored with the Global Humanitarian Achievement Award by the National Council on US-Arab Relations, in recognition of relief efforts that have made a substantial impact in crisis regions around the world.
Delano Roosevelt, the council’s second president and CEO, presented the award to the supervisor general of KSrelief, Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, in Washington, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Dr. Al-Rabeeah said the award is an international acknowledgement of Saudi Arabia’s leading role in relief efforts.
He underlined the Kingdom’s commitment to assisting people in need, supporting those affected by crises, and assisting refugees wherever possible.
He also affirmed that Saudi Arabia has consistently been a leader in charitable and humanitarian initiatives and is at the forefront of donor countries on regional and international fronts.
