RIYADH: More than 800,000 people had visited the Riyadh International Book Fair 2019 by the end of Friday, according to Abdullah Al-Kinani, supervisor of cultural affairs at the Ministry of Media.
Al-Kinani said that the support of the book fair by King Salman and the crown prince encouraged the staff responsible for organizing the event to go the extra mile.
The fair committees worked according to operational plans to ensure the success of the region’s largest cultural event and to help realize the targets of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 by paving the way for an attractive cultural environment.
The fair’s cultural program featured seminars, lectures, poetry evenings, plays, films and workshops, targeting all age groups and supported by the King Abdul Aziz Center for World Culture (Ithra).
The children’s pavilion presented nine quality programs and attracted more than 1,000 young visitors a day.
The Saudi Arabian Society for Culture and Arts (SASCA) took part in the fair through a number of movies and interactive workshops on reading and writing.
The Bahrain pavilion presented a number of events including a live evening on the art of “Al-Hajjri.”
More than 800,000 visit Riyadh book fair
More than 800,000 visit Riyadh book fair
- The Saudi Arabian Society for Culture and Arts (SASCA) took part in the fair through a number of movies and interactive workshops on reading and writing
King Abdulaziz University hosts National Development Fund’s governor at panel discussion
- Stephen Groff looks at achieving aims of Saudi Vision 2030
RIYADH: King Abdulaziz University hosted Stephen Groff, the National Development Fund’s governor, in a panel discussion at the Academic Dialogue Table organized by the Faculty of Economics and Administration.
Groff discussed the role of the NDF and the broader development ecosystem in achieving Saudi Vision 2030, in an event also attended by Dr. Tareef Al-Aama, the university’s president.
Groff said that the fund aimed to enhance developmental impact and improve productivity, highlighting the key strategic priorities and ongoing initiatives being provided to entities under the fund’s umbrella, such as economic diversification and growth stimulation.
He added that the NDF contributed to creating sustainable job opportunities as well as supporting small and medium-sized enterprises and entrepreneurship.
Groff stressed that one of the fund’s core missions was to develop infrastructure by financing large-scale projects in sectors such as transportation, housing, and public utilities through its affiliated entities, including the recently established National Infrastructure Fund.
He explained that the primary mission of the fund, as a development finance institution, was to empower development funds and banks to achieve their sector-specific objectives, beneficiary goals, and activity targets, while focusing on specific areas and ensuring the financial sustainability of development finance entities in the future.
He concluded by stressing the critical role of the fund in reviewing and evaluating the impact of every program, project, or initiative aimed at addressing developmental needs, economic priorities, challenges, and available opportunities.
AlUla’s vision based on strong partnerships, holistic development, says royal commission official
- Ben Hudson highlights pacts with global investors and nations
- Plan includes $31.9bn contribution to Kingdom’s GDP by 2035
DAVOS: Taking a socially and economically responsible approach to development and working closely with committed partners is the key to fulfilling AlUla’s potential.
This is according to the Royal Commission for AlUla’s Chief Development and Construction Officer Ben Hudson, who spoke to Arab News at the World Economic Forum in Davos this week.
Hudson also emphasized the commission’s commitment to cultural preservation in transforming AlUla into a global destination.
Hudson underscored the RCU’s alignment with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 reform program. “(The) RCU is unlocking AlUla’s economic, investment, and touristic potential through comprehensive regeneration, integrated partnerships, and inclusive sustainable development.”
Highlighting the AlUla Sustainability Charter as a blueprint for the organization’s initiatives, he said the RCU was also focused on revitalizing the built environment, community empowerment, and light-touch tourism.
Citing the example of the Dar Tantora The House Hotel, he said this was tangible proof of its plan in action, where the blending of traditional materials with local expertise has created new socio-economic opportunities while preserving the cultural heritage of the area.
Hudson was keen to highlight the RCU’s plans to contribute SR120 billion ($31.9 billion) to Saudi Arabia’s gross domestic product by 2035, driven by sustainable tourism and investment.
In Davos, Hudson said the RCU was looking to foster global partnerships to accelerate AlUla’s regeneration.
“We are building on AlUla’s position as an ancient crossroad of civilizations, transforming AlUla into the world’s largest living museum, and a place for our community to thrive, (and this) can only be achieved when we work together,” he said.
“Our first strategic partnership was established with France, almost at RCU’s inception. Since then, we’ve grown our network, establishing partnerships with China, Italy, the UK, and world-class partners from the US, among others.
“We continue to make progress in evolving our partnership portfolio by working with UNESCO, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the World Bank, and many others,” he said.
These collaborations enable billions of dollars in private sector investment across hospitality, real estate, cultural conservation, and infrastructure.
Hudson emphasized the importance of co-investment, inviting partners to join in developing key infrastructure, such as power and water, and creating vibrant public spaces. “This gives our partners confidence and provides a platform for sustained engagement, be it with our community or across the business landscape,” he said.
Preserving AlUla’s rich cultural heritage remains central to the RCU’s mission. Hudson described the area as a “hidden gem,” now revealed to the world, with strategies in place to balance conservation with growth.
Collaboration with organizations including the International Council on Monuments and Sites has enabled the creation of Heritage Impact Assessments to protect cultural areas while facilitating new construction, he said.
“Our goals are shaped by community feedback, from the people who stand to benefit the most, whose culture and heritage make AlUla what it is,” he explained.
The RCU’s short-term goals focus on making AlUla a livable destination that embodies the Quality-of-Life Program of Vision 2030, by attracting investment, enhancing infrastructure, and creating opportunities for local and global stakeholders.
Looking to the future, Hudson said the RCU’s commitment was to “creating a destination built around a vibrant culture and ancient heritage —somewhere to live, work, invest, and grow.”
AlUla strengthens global presence with LeBron James, UIM E1 World Championship
- Team AlUla championed by LeBron James will take part in the UIM E1 World Championship presented by PIF
- Title partnership centers around AlUla’s ambition as a premier sports and adventure hub, dedication to supporting high-profile international events
ALULA: AlUla has strengthened its global sporting presence with LeBron James launching a new team in the UIM E1 World Championship presented by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund PIF in the world’s first all-electric race boat championship.
Named after the ancient oasis city in northwestern Saudi Arabia, Team AlUla Championed by LeBron James will compete in the 2025 E1 season, beginning with the E1 Jeddah GP on Jan. 24-25, and will be piloted by talented racers Rusty Wyatt and Catie Munnings.
The partnership centers around AlUla’s ambition as a premier sports and adventure hub, and its dedication to supporting high-profile competitions and sportspeople across the world, a press release issued on Friday said.
Central to AlUla’s development as a destination is the enrichment of its local community — a commitment that closely aligns with LeBron James’ philanthropic efforts in his hometown of Akron, Ohio.
The E1 all-electric race boat series is also in line with AlUla’s commitment to sustainability and comprehensive regeneration, evident in the city’s approach to holistic tourism, which manages visitor numbers, boosts environmental awareness and engages the community in conservation.
Core to its strategy is the AlUla Sustainability Charter, which guarantees the preservation of the natural and historical integrity of the area amid ongoing development.
This commitment is highlighted by initiatives such as designating 50 percent of AlUla as nature reserve and investing in eco-friendly infrastructure.
Rami AlMoallim, vice president of destination management and marketing at the Royal Commission for AlUla, said: “Our partnership with E1 and LeBron James marks a significant moment for AlUla, built on a shared commitment to conservation and community, spanning our desert landscapes to the world’s seas.”
“This collaboration highlights the deep interconnectedness of our environments and the power we all have to make a change. As a champion of regeneration and wildlife conservation, AlUla sees electric boat racing as an opportunity to redefine the future of sports and innovation and we are thrilled to be part of such a visionary partnership,” AlMoallim said.
As a growing heritage luxury boutique destination, and home to Hegra, Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, AlUla has become known for blending history with innovation as it champions world-class home-grown sporting events such as Richard Mille AlUla Desert Polo, AlUla Trail Race, AlUla Tour and more.
Through AlUla’s partnership, Team AlUla Championed by LeBron James will visit iconic host cities such as Doha, Monaco and Miami, reinforcing its status as a premier global destination.
Saudi authorities foil attempt to smuggle $35m worth of captagon pills
RIYADH: The Saudi Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority has thwarted an attempt to smuggle over 1.4 million captagon pills into the Kingdom through the Jeddah Islamic Port.
According to the authority, the pills were found inside a shipment during customs procedures and live detection.
Coordination with the General Directorate of Narcotics Control led to the arrest of the intended recipients of the seized items in the Kingdom.
Captagon, a type of amphetamine, is used predominantly by young men and teenage boys across the Middle East and has a street value of between $10 and $25 a pill, according to research by the International Journal of Addiction Research.
Davos 2025 concludes with regular WEF meeting in Riyadh announced starting spring 2026
- Saudi Arabia hosted its first two-day WEF special meeting in late April last year,
DAVOS: As the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting came to a close, the announcement of a new, regular meeting in Saudi Arabia from spring 2026 ushered in applause from a full congress hall.
Building on the success of the WEF Special Meeting in April last year, “Saudi Arabia and the World Economic Forum are happy to announce that we will host a regular World Economic Forum global meeting in the Kingdom,” said the country’s Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal Alibrahim in Davos on Friday.
“This is a testament to the global platform for dialogue, collaboration and innovation that Saudi Arabia has become and the World Economic Forum continued to be,” he added. “This meeting continues to be an opportunity to further unite the world in capturing the immense potential that lies ahead.”
Saudi Arabia hosted its first two-day WEF special meeting in late April last year, which focused on global collaboration, growth and energy.
Responding to US President Donald Trump’s comments yesterday asking Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman to increase the Kingdom’s investments from $600 billion to $1 trillion, Alibrahim said this figure would also include procurement from the public and private sectors.
“What we’ll spend in the economy from the start of Vision 2030 to 2030 is 12 times that number,” Alibrahim said.
Alongside Alibrahim on the final panel of the conference were Singapore’s president, International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde, and BlackRock CEO Larry Fink.
“There is too much pessimism around Europe, and it could be time to be investing back in the region,” Fink said, adding there was still progress to be made in areas such as capital markets union.
