RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, deputy premier and defense minister, will embark on a landmark visit to London on Wednesday.
The visit will focus on defense, security and economic ties. The two sides will also review key bilateral and regional issues.
The crown prince “will hold wide-ranging talks with top British officials including Prime Minister Theresa May,” the UK government said in a statement.
British Ambassador Simon Collis told Arab News on Sunday: “The relationship between our two countries is historic and forward-looking, and the visit of Crown Prince Mohammed will establish the platform for this relationship to become even stronger.”
The partnership “helps make both of our countries safer through intelligence sharing, and more prosperous with substantial opportunities for two-way trade,” Collis said.
“This will be the crown prince’s first visit to the UK since his appointment in June 2017, and since the Vision 2030 program of economic and social reforms that provide opportunities for British businesses to help support delivery in areas such as education, entertainment and health care.”
Shoura Council member Mohammed Al-Khunaizi said: “The UK is a major defense partner of the Kingdom. This cooperation, especially in the fields of security and intelligence sharing, makes both countries safer.”
He added: “The visit of Crown Prince Mohammed will be an opportunity to hold consultations candidly and constructively on bilateral and regional issues.”
Al-Khunaizi said: “Britain, a member of the UN Security Council, has been a dependable supplier of arms and defense equipment to Gulf states.”
He spoke of growing relations between Saudi Arabia and the UK regarding education and parliamentary cooperation.
“A British parliamentary delegation led by Leo Docherty, a Conservative MP, visited the Kingdom in September last year and discussed ways to enhance parliamentary cooperation,” Al-Khunaizi said.
Shoura member Hoda Abdulrahman Al-Helaissi said the crown prince’s three-day trip to London “is significant as Saudi-British relations have always been cordial.”
She added: “From holidaying to seeking medical services or trade opportunities, and more importantly benefiting from a first-class education, Britain has always been one of the top destinations for Saudis.”
Dr. Maha Al-Moneef, a consultant at the Ministry of Labor and Social Development, said the visit will “promote further cooperation in numerous fields, contributing to human development, and achieving progress and prosperity for the Saudi people.”
Dr. Ibrahim Al-Qayid, a founding member of the National Society of Human Rights (NSHR), said Vision 2030 “will get a major boost” from the visit, which will add “more defense, security and commercial content to Saudi-British relations.”
Businessman Sadaka Al-Hamdan said: “The Kingdom is the largest trading partner of Britain in the Middle East.”
He added: “Saudi Arabia is a high growth market that offers plenty of opportunities for British companies in different sectors.”
The UK is Saudi Arabia’s second-largest cumulative investor, with about 200 joint ventures worth an estimated $15 billion in total.
Saudi crown prince visits Britain on Wednesday
Saudi crown prince visits Britain on Wednesday
Saudi Orchestra performance in Tokyo helps ‘bridge cultural boundaries,’ CEO says
TOKYO: Paul Pacifico, CEO of the Saudi Music Commission, who is in Tokyo with the Saudi National Orchestra, says music “bridges cultural boundaries and has a very important part to play in each of the three main pillars of Vision 2030” as it represents a proud nation, a vibrant society and diversified economy.
Bringing the Saudi National Orchestra to Tokyo, he said, gives people the opportunity “to communicate with our language and it allows everybody to come together and share an experience that allows us to appreciate each other’s cultures and really to be in harmony. And that’s why I think it’s so special that the orchestra is here for the first time.”
The program includes traditional music directed by Saudi Director Reab Ahmed, as well as the Japanese Imperial Court Orchestra “Gagaku.”
“We’re able to show Saudi culture on one of the most prestigious stages in one of the world’s great cultural capitals here at Tokyo Opera City, and we’re doing that with authentic Saudi music, authentic traditional Japanese music with Gagaku,” he said. “But also with that great fusion between the two sets of musicians coming together and doing something really unique and beautiful.”
“The Saudi National Orchestra and choir is really at the vanguard of developing the music landscape in Saudi Arabia as it builds the depth and richness and uniqueness of its beautiful culture, both traditional and modern.”
Pacifico said it was “an honor” to share the stage with the Imperial Orchestra Gagaku performers. “It also shows how our cultures are different and yet similar, the regard for tradition and modernity, the appreciation of music, the sense of formality in public, but warmth and a sense of fun as well in private.”
He hopes that Friday’s performance is not a one-off but becomes the foundation of a rich and long-standing collaboration with “our Japanese friends, the Tokyo College of Music, who we’re collaborating with on this concert.”
“We hope that Saudi artists will start to have opportunities to play on stages here in Tokyo, like the Blue Note and Billboard Live and the Cotton Club, or festivals like Summer Sonic or Fuji Rock. And equally, we’d love to see Japanese artists playing more in Riyadh and all over the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia has a very exciting story to tell.”
Saudi aid agency KSrelief provides medical and food assistance in Yemen
RIYADH: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) has helped a Yemeni prosthetics center provide medical services to 536 people in October.
The Prosthetics and Rehabilitation Center in Taiz Governorate provided various medical services Yemeni beneficiaries who have lost limbs, the Saudi Press Agency said.
During the project, 1,757 services were provided including measuring, manufacturing, fitting, delivering and maintaining artificial limbs and prosthetics, in addition to rehabilitation and physiotherapy services.
KSRelief also signed a deal with a Yemeni civil-society organization to provide shelter for the neediest families affected by floods and torrents in Hadhramaut.
KSrelief continues humanitarian outreach in Jordan, Afghanistan and Lebanon
- KSrelief provided medical services and distribution of basic needs to individuals
RIYADH: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) continues its humanitarian activities in Jordan, Afghanistan and Lebanon with the provision of medical services and distribution of basic needs to individuals.
At Jordan’s Zaatri Camp, the Saudi aid agency provided medical services to 2,738 patients during the second week of November. General practitioners treated 657 patients, internists saw 125 patients dealing with diabetes, hypertension and asthma.
The pediatric clinic examined 270 children, while the emergency department attended to 297 patients. Meanwhile, dentists attended to 183 patients
The gynecology clinic served 182 women while ear, nose, and throat doctors clinic treated 57 patients for conditions such as sinusitis, pharyngitis, tonsillitis, and otitis media.
The ophthalmology clinic assisted 51 patients and provided them with medications. The cardiology clinic received 27 patients, and the diagnostic radiology clinic conducted examinations for 25 patients.
Other medical services provided also included laboratory tests, x-rays and vaccinations.
In Afghanistan, 200 shelter kits and 200 tents have been handed out for the benefit of 1,200 individuals as part of a project for returnees from Pakistan to Afghanistan and those affected by flooding.
In Lebanon, KSrelief distributed 530 purchase coupons to orphans and people with disabilities in Akkar region, Beirut, central and western Bekaa and Armoun.
The coupons allow recipients to buy winter clothing of their choice from approved stores.
Saudi GEA chief named most influential personality of last decade at MENA Effie Awards
- Turki Alalshikh’s contribution to Kingdom’s entertainment sector honored
RIYADH: The head of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority was named the most influential personality of the last decade at the MENA Effie Awards ceremony in Riyadh, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The event, which was held on Thursday as part of this year’s Riyadh Season calendar, honored Turki Alalshikh’s contribution to the Kingdom’s entertainment sector and its emergence as a global hub for world-class events, the SPA added.
Alalshikh thanked Saudi Arabia’s leadership for their support in his acceptance speech, attributing the achievement to the “collaborative efforts of the nation’s people.”
He added that the recognition was a nod to the Kingdom’s growing global stature in the entertainment sector.
The 15th year of the MENA Effie Awards, which were hosted in Saudi Arabia for the first time, celebrated innovation and excellence in the marketing and advertising sectors across the Middle East and North Africa.
This latest accolade followed Alalshikh’s recent distinction as one of the 50 most influential figures in the world of boxing and mixed martial arts, awarded by the British online newspaper The Independent earlier this year.
Under Alalshikh’s leadership, the GEA has transformed the Kingdom’s entertainment sector, with Riyadh Season becoming a flagship event attracting millions of visitors each year.
Gaming community in Saudi Arabia catches them all with Pokemon Go
- Maan Al-Qurashi, one of the community leaders at Pokemon Go Saudi, told Arab News that the game holds a special place in his heart because he has played different versions for more than 20 years
RIYADH: The official launch of Pokemon Go in Saudi Arabia has brought together a community of gamers who have embraced their inner child while competing and connecting in a world of nostalgic adventure.
Pokemon Go is an augmented reality game that creates an immersive experience of a world where human beings co-exist with colorful creatures with otherworldly superpowers, known as Pokemon.
The game, launched internationally in 2016, uses GPS to track movement and invites players to travel to real-world locations to catch Pokemon and battle with others.
A local gaming group, “Pokemon Go Saudi,” has created a lively community with members from Riyadh and the Eastern Province who have a shared love of the game.
Maan Al-Qurashi, one of the community leaders at Pokemon Go Saudi, told Arab News that the game holds a special place in his heart because he has played different versions for more than 20 years.
“Pokemon accompanied me in all stages of my life, from childhood to teenager, and still is a part of my daily life after marriage. Hopefully, I will pass down the same passion to my kids.”
HIGHLIGHT
Pokemon Go is an augmented reality game that creates an immersive experience of a world where human beings co-exist with colorful creatures with otherworldly superpowers, known as Pokemon.
Al-Qurashi said Pokemon Go Saudi began with 10 members in 2017, after the international launch of the game.
Today, the community comprises a diverse group of 500 members from all age groups who have made lasting friendships with their Pokemon partners. As a team, they go on adventures, train to improve their skills, and battle in friendly competitions.
Al-Qurashi said that it is more than a game. It is a community that fosters growth and friendship.
“Multiple in-person activities and relationships have been linked to Pokemon Go. For example, the daily routine is not only going to work and staying with family, it includes playing Pokemon Go even if it’s for a few minutes during the day or an hour or so.”
Last week, more than 5,000 Pokemon Go fans gathered at Boulevard City to celebrate the official launch of the Saudi application. Omar Tellez, vice president at Niantic, said that the event was the largest Pokemon Go event of its kind in the region to date.
“Seeing the joy of the thousands of attendees, of all ages, has been such a delight. The success of today’s event is a testament to the popularity of Pokemon Go here in the Kingdom. The community has really responded.”
Fans from more than 20 countries around the globe registered at the event.
“It’s been incredible to see them unite to catch some of their favorite Pokemon and enjoy their time together in person. That’s what our game is all about.
“We have loved seeing their passion and excitement firsthand – whether through cheering on their teams during the PvP battles, or celebrating that iconic button-press moment — or join forces to catch Mewtwo as the legendary Pokemon took over the Boulevard Screens. The atmosphere was truly something special,” Tellez said.
Saudi Arabia is experiencing incredible growth in gaming with more than 67 percent of the population — more than 23.5 million people — being passionate gamers, Tellez said.
“We are excited to welcome many of them into our global trainers community, and we know this event is just the start of our adventure together as we create new experiences and ways for them to connect here in KSA.”
Today, more than 100 million people play Pokemon Go every year in more than 150 countries and regions, making for more than a billion downloads. Trainers have walked more than 8 billion kilometers collectively while playing the game.
