TAIF: Prince Khalid Al Faisal, the governor of Makkah province, on Wednesday officially opened the 12th edition of Souk Okaz, which is supervized by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH) under the patronage of King Salman.
Prince Sultan bin Salman, chairman of SCTH and of the Supreme Supervisory Committee of Souk Okaz, welcomed Prince Khalid to the historic market in Taif. Both princes gave speeches, shown on a big screen, highlighting the historical importance of the souk and the keen interest of the country’s leaders in such events.
The opening ceremony also featured theatrical and cultural performances showcasing the rich cultural traditions of the region, including poetry and music, prepared by Prince Badr bin Abdul Muhsin and featuring experienced Saudi actors and singers. Those who missed it can catch all the entertainment at the Okaz Theater on Thursday and Friday, when it will be screened free of charge.
The princes then handed out the Souk Okaz awards. The Okaz International Award for Literature was won by Nasser bin Saad Al-Rasheed, and the Okaz International Prize for Arabic Poetry went to Jassem Mohammed Al-Saheeh from Saudi Arabia. Both awards came with a prize of SR 300,000 ($80,000).
The award for writing an Arabic script for a narrative work was given to Mohammed Ahmed Mohamed Naghi from Egypt, who also received a SR 100,000 prize.
In the artistic category of the Okaz International Arabic Calligraphy Award, first place went to Abdul Majid Mohammed Al-Ahdal from Yemen, who received SR 40,000, second place to Saud Shaker Khan from Saudi Arabia (SR 25,000), and third to Mohammed Abdullah Abu Naji from Jordan (SR 15,000). In the authenticity category of the calligraphy awards, Bilal Mokhtar Attiya from Egypt took first prize, with fellow Egyptian Ahmed Adel Mohamed Amin second.
First place in the Okaz Fine Art Award was given to Tamer Mohammad Ibrahim Ribat from Saudi Arabia, who received SR 50,000, with Saleh Salih Al-Shehri, also from the Kingdom, in second place (SR 30,000), and Rasha Mohammed Siddiq from Myanmar third (SR 20,000).
Dr. Fares Bin Dabbas Al-Swailem from Saudi Arabia received the Okaz Innovation Award and its prize of SR 100,000. The Okaz Business Leadership Award, also worth SR 100,000, went to Majid Mohammad Fayez from Saudi Arabia.
This is the second edition of Souk Okaz since King Salman gave SCTH the responsibility of organizings the event in coordination with executive bodies in Makkah region and Taif.
Makkah governor inaugurates 12th Saudi Souk Okaz festival
Makkah governor inaugurates 12th Saudi Souk Okaz festival
- The opening ceremony also featured theatrical and cultural performances showcasing the rich cultural traditions of the region,
- The Okaz International Award for Literature was won by Nasser bin Saad Al-Rasheed
Riyadh exhibition to boost Saudi palm sector goals
- The exhibition will feature participation from more than 100 local and international entities
RIYADH: The International Dates Conference and Exhibition is set to take place at the Riyadh Front Exhibition and Conference Center from Nov. 19 to 28 under the theme “World of Dates.”
The event aims to solidify Saudi Arabia’s position as a global leader in the production and export of dates, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
Organized by the National Center for Palms and Dates, the exhibition will feature participation from more than 100 local and international entities.
It will showcase innovative date products and serve as a global platform for knowledge exchange and market expansion, promoting Saudi dates in international markets.
The event seeks to support innovation in the dates industry, enhance the competitiveness of Saudi products, and position the palm and dates sector as a key contributor to economic development, aligning with Saudi Vision 2030.
The exhibition will also include a scientific conference in collaboration with King Faisal University, SPA reported.
The conference will focus on local and international efforts to advance the palm and dates sector in Saudi Arabia by adopting smart solutions to improve agricultural practices, highlighting the health benefits of dates, and encouraging the use of e-commerce.
Saudi Fashion Commission, French luxury giant to award sustainable startups
- Finalists will undergo mentorship and workshops to refine their key performance indicators and pitching skills
RIYADH: The Saudi Ministry of Culture’s Fashion Commission and France-based luxury conglomerate Kering have announced a competition to discover and support innovative startups making a meaningful impact on sustainability within the fashion industry.
The initiative, Kering Generation Award X Saudi Arabia, will foster circular innovation, focusing on key themes such as customer engagement, the circular economy, and water protection.
The application process is now open to startups based in or expanding into Saudi Arabia. By December, 20 finalists will be shortlisted to participate in a boot camp in Riyadh.
Finalists will undergo mentorship and workshops to refine their key performance indicators and pitching skills, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The top 10 proposals will move to the jury evaluation phase, judged on innovation, sustainability, and commercial potential.
The competition will culminate in an awards ceremony in January in Riyadh, where the top three winners will be announced.
The winners will receive a 10-day mentorship trip to Paris with Kering’s sustainability teams and the opportunity to showcase their innovations at the ChangeNow Summit 2025.
The launch follows a strategic memorandum of understanding between the commission and Kering, aligning with Saudi Arabia’s broader vision to promote sustainable practices in the fashion sector.
CEO of the commission Burak Çakmak said: “This initiative reflects our commitment to driving innovation and building a sustainable future for fashion in Saudi Arabia.”
Kering’s chief sustainability officer, Marie-Claire Daveu, added: “Through this partnership, we aim to inspire the next generation and foster impactful change in the Saudi fashion ecosystem.”
The collaboration highlights Saudi Arabia’s dedication to creating a sustainable and innovative fashion industry aligned with global standards.
Saudi project clears 614 Houthi mines in Yemen
RIYADH: Members of Saudi Arabia’s Project Masam removed 614 explosive devices from various regions of Yemen last week.
The total included three anti-personnel mines, 36 anti-tank mines, 574 unexploded ordnances and one explosive device, according to a recent report.
Ousama Al-Gosaibi, the initiative’s managing director, said a total of 469,576 mines had been cleared since its inception in 2018.
The explosives were planted indiscriminately and posed a threat to civilians, including children, women and the elderly.
The demining operations took place in Marib, Aden, Jouf, Shabwa, Taiz, Hodeidah, Lahij, Sanaa, Al-Bayda, Al-Dhale and Saada.
The initiative trains local demining engineers and provides them with modern equipment. It also offers support to Yemenis injured by the devices.
Teams are tasked with clearing villages, roads and schools to facilitate safe movement for civilians and the delivery of humanitarian aid.
About 5 million people have been forced to flee their homes since the start of the conflict in Yemen, many of them displaced by the presence of land mines.
Kingdom launches new framework to standardize digital services
- The initiative aims to unify platform designs, ensuring a seamless and consistent digital user experience
- The event gathered dignitaries, digital transformation leaders from public and private sectors, and key stakeholders
RIYADH: The Digital Government Authority has launched the Platform Code, a national framework for designing and developing government platform interfaces in Saudi Arabia.
Unveiled during an event in Riyadh, the initiative aims to unify platform designs, ensuring a seamless and consistent digital user experience.
The event gathered dignitaries, digital transformation leaders from public and private sectors, and key stakeholders.
Ahmed Al-Suwaiyan, governor of the Digital Government Authority, said that the Platform Code aligns with local and global digital standards.
He described it as a critical step toward comprehensive digital transformation, enhancing compliance, and fostering efficient and impactful services aligned with Saudi Arabia’s strategic digital goals.
The Platform Code, an open-source design system, integrates coding frameworks, design tools, and community guidelines, enabling rapid development of unified user experiences. It allows designers and developers to address specific needs using pre-built assets.
The authority also unveiled the Saudi Digital Strategy, focused on growing the digital economy and expanding opportunities for public and private sector products.
Other initiatives included the Digital Transformation Ambassador program, fostering an integrated digital community, and the Scene Program, promoting holistic user experiences locally and globally through advanced frameworks and tools.
Committed to advancing digital governance, the authority aims to position Saudi Arabia as a global leader in innovative digital services.
It leverages cutting-edge technologies like AI and emerging tech while offering consultancy programs and fostering leadership in digital transformation.
These efforts contribute to Vision 2030’s goals of enhanced service quality and economic growth.
KSrelief distributes shelter kits in Afghanistan and Somalia
RIYADH: Hundreds of shelter kits have been distributed to people in Afghanistan and Somalia by Saudi aid agency KSrelief, reported the Saudi Press Agency.
Over the weekend, 200 kits were handed out as part of a project to help Afghan returnees from Pakistan and those affected by floods.
The project will provide 4,882 in total containing tents, blankets, plastic mattresses and other essential supplies to almost 30,000 people in need across 13 Afghan provinces.
In Somalia, 1,000 shelter kits, 1,000 clothing parcels, and 80 tents were given to displaced people in the Banadir region, benefitting 6,000 people.
