Muslim World League chief calls for global religious tolerance

MWL Secretary-General Dr. Mohammed bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa stressed the importance of respecting rights of minority groups. (Photo/Supplied)
Updated 29 April 2019
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Muslim World League chief calls for global religious tolerance

RIYADH: Nations needed to bring about an entente cordiale in relation to religious tolerance the secretary-general of the Muslim World League (MWL) told a French delegation visiting Saudi Arabia.

Addressing ministers, academics, and legal experts from France, Dr. Mohammed bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa stressed the importance of countries respecting the religious rights of minority groups.

“Islam guarantees the values of freedom and human rights, but there is a difference between freedom on one hand and chaos, prejudice, violation of public order, abuse of national conscience, and infringement on public security,” the MWL’s secretary-general said during a lecture attended by the French delegates.

Al-Issa said it was vital for all nations to protect the religious rights of minority faith groups, and to channel them through legally set procedures.

He added that human rights were universal, but that there were differences of interpretation between countries or organizations.

Speaking about the unique nature of each Muslim country and their legal systems, Al-Issa noted that the International Islamic Unity Conference — held in Makkah last December and attended by more than 1,200 scholars representing 28 different Muslim sects — recommended not to export religious fatwas as each nation had its own conditions.

Al-Issa also pointed out that most problems originate from a lack of mutual understanding, an absence of dialogue, or the inability to understand God’s will expressed through the diversity of religions and sects.

He stressed the need to overcome these differences and not to allow the rise of psychological barriers that generated hatred and national conflict. Once this divine wisdom was understood and religious beliefs and constitutional laws were respected, then peace and harmony would prevail, said Al-Issa.


Al-Hussam Park: a tourist attraction in the heart of picturesque Al-Baha

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Al-Hussam Park: a tourist attraction in the heart of picturesque Al-Baha

  • The city, which sits high on a mountain plateau, is set for a vibrant summer season
  • The park includes 36 seating areas, 21 shaded structures, 1,400 trees, 4,000 shrubs, a 1,200-square-meter artificial lake

RIYADH: The artificial lake, green landscapes, and waterfalls and fountains of Al-Hussam Park in the heart of picturesque Al-Baha attract a large number of nature lovers, holiday-makers and picnickers every summer season.

The city, which sits high on a mountain plateau, is set for a vibrant summer season this year under the slogan “Color Your Summer,” featuring raffles and daily prize giveaways.

Mohammed Faisal, a botany professor at King Saud University, who has visited the city on several official trips, told Arab News; “Prince Hussam Park is a beautiful destination, I enjoy the exquisite beauty of this summer tourism spot in a refreshing environment with intermittent rains and cold breeze from the nearby foggy mountaintops of Al-Baha.

It stands as one of the key tourist attractions in its region and serves as a recreational destination for residents and visitors alike.”

The park, named after Al-Baha Emir Prince Hussam Bin Saud, overlooks the city on one side and the Tihami sector on the other.

Nadeem Ahmad, an engineer working in the city, told Arab News: “Set on the mountain top and close to the Sarawat Mountains in the Al-Baha city, (the park) is one of the region’s most prominent ecotourism destinations.

Its scenic beauty complements nearby Raghadan Park and adds to the array of parks and gardens scattered across this picturesque region. It’s a must-visit tourist spot if you are in the Kingdom.”

The region’s mayor, Dr. Ali bin Mohammed Al-Sawat, told the Saudi Press Agency that the total area of the park is 160,000 square meters, with green spaces covering 132,264 square meters.

The park includes 36 seating areas, 21 shaded structures, 1,400 trees, 4,000 shrubs, a 1,200-square-meter artificial lake, 500 parking spaces, four children’s play areas, 35 restrooms, a 1,000-square-meter “interactive fountain,” two 10-meter-high waterfalls, a 700-meter walking path, prayer areas for men and women, and a plaza that includes an open-air theater covering some 5,000 square meters with seating for up to 1,000 people.

“Al-Hussam Park hosts a variety of cultural and artistic events every summer, including traditional performances that reflect the region’s heritage, a children’s theater offering educational and entertainment activities, and diverse cultural shows representing various communities,” Al-Sawat noted.

The park has also implemented several new projects to accommodate elderly visitors and people with special needs, the SPA reported.


Tokyo firm partners with Saudi hospital to advance stem cell treatment system

Updated 27 June 2025
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Tokyo firm partners with Saudi hospital to advance stem cell treatment system

TOKYO: ADR Therapeutics, a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Cytori Cell Research Institute, Inc., has signed a Letter of Intent to conduct a joint clinical trial for “90-minute complete stem cell therapy” with the King Abdullah International Medical Research Center.

The collaboration, reported in PR Times, is expected to drive medical innovation in the Middle East and bring new hope to patients with intractable diseases that were previously considered difficult to treat. 

In conventional stem cell therapy, harvested cells must be cultured for anything between several weeks and months at a dedicated facility, resulting in high costs and long waiting times. ADR Therapeutics’ Cellution System purifies non-cultured cells from a patient’s tissue to the state needed for treatment in just 90 minutes and can be administered on the same day of collection.

This provides a safe and effective treatment option for diseases such as osteoarthritis, diabetic foot lesions, Crohn’s disease and chronic pain. The risk of rejection is extremely low because the patient’s own cells are used and the risk of infection is reduced because no culture process is required.

Saudi Arabia has positioned the medical and healthcare sector as a key strategic area in Vision 2030, the national transformation program led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and aims to become a world-leading medical hub.

The number of patients in the Middle East with diabetes and other chronic diseases is rapidly increasing due to changes in lifestyle, and a rising number of cases are difficult to treat with conventional therapies.

It is expected the strategic partnership between the Kingdom and Japan in the medical field will be further strengthened by the contribution of Japan-originated stem cell therapy technology to solving local medical issues.

The most important feature of the treatment is that it can be performed at ordinary medical institutions without the need for advanced culture facilities or specialized technicians. This will enable the provision of advanced regenerative medicine in regions with limited specialized facilities and is expected to contribute significantly to improving access to medical care.

Saudi medical professionals will be able to acquire the latest stem cell therapy technology through specialist Japanese doctors providing direct technical guidance locally.


The art of diplomacy through Saudi cuisine

Updated 27 June 2025
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The art of diplomacy through Saudi cuisine

  • Food is a way to share cultures and build bridges, says YouTube star

RIYADH: According to Saudi chef and food blogger Eman Gazzaz, diplomacy can be achieved through food and other cultural practices.

The daughter of a diplomat, Gazzaz is more than a home cook — she is an artist and a mother of three who is turning simple dishes into soulful stories. She also wants to form cultural bridges through her work, as she explained when she appeared as a guest on the Mayman Show.

Growing up as the daughter of a Saudi ambassador, she dreamed of following the same path. In many ways, she did — but her “embassy” was her kitchen and she chose food, rather than politics, as her language.

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After a childhood spent in various continents, Gazzaz now has a YouTube kitchen that feels like home and has taken it upon herself to show the world what real Saudi food and real Saudi women are all about.

During her interview, she recalled her time living in different parts of the world and her parents’ creative expression.

“My parents are very diverse. And they’re not just diplomats; they are creative in many ways. My dad is a gardener; he collects old antique cars, he collects old pocket watches,” she said.

She has fond memories of living in Pakistan during her father’s tenure in the late 1980s: “It’s a beautiful country; the people are so beautiful. Living in six countries and just being exposed to the world and the different cultures they have, it’s just like … it creates something in you as an individual. It makes you more connected somehow.”

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Her exposure to different cultures and the connections she made helped her become the person who is now presenting the joy of Saudi cooking to the world. She carries her experiences with her — the countries, the cultures and the people — and some of what she has seen means she is especially appreciative of the stability and security she enjoys in Saudi Arabia.

“That’s what made me as Eman, what changed me as somebody who lived abroad,” she said. “I appreciate coming to Saudi Arabia and the safety and the security that we experienced. When I was studying in the American school in Karachi, one of my classmates got kidnapped. And he was kidnapped for six months.”

Gazzaz explained that previously she traveled around with a bodyguard and in a bullet-proof car to ensure her safety and security.

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“Every time I come to Saudi Arabia I’m just like, ‘We don’t have to lock the door, we don’t have a bodyguard, nobody is carrying a gun.’ That made me feel like… coming back home made me feel so safe,” she said.

Eman also recalls a childhood memory of making a popular Saudi dish with her father.

“Every time we go outdoors, he always cooks the same dish and it’s actually one of my favorite dishes, which is saleeg (a white rice dish, cooked with broth and milk),” she said.

“I used to help him do the chicken, strain the stock and take the food out. And I grew up tasting these flavors and just eating the saleeg outdoors and being part of that experience, just me being so close to saleeg. My daughter loves saleeg as well.”

Cooking was always a family affair. Gazzaz’s mother was known for her delicious salads, while everyone had a role to play in preparing meals.

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“From both sides of my parents, they were very good cooks. My dad is very good at barbecuing,” she said. “He loves to go to the beach every weekend. When we were living abroad, he always rented a place, and he used to make the barbecue and marinate (the food) and barbecue it.”

Her own YouTube fame, Gazzaz credits to both her husband and her friend, Alia. Back in 2010, Alia visited for a month and revealed she had her own channel, Cooking with Alia.

“When she came, she’s like, ‘Eman, I have a YouTube channel.’ Back in 2010, YouTube was like five, six years old, It was still very new,” recalled Gazzaz.

Alia wanted her to present Saudi dishes on YouTube — something that made Gazzaz pause. At that time, it was not common for Saudi women to show their faces on social media, so she replied that she would have to ask her husband.

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His response, said Gazzaz, was: “Do what you want.”

“He is a Miami boy, so he’s very chilled,” she explained.

She took it as an opportunity to show off her national dress, as well as the food.

“(I thought) I’ll wear my abaya, I’ll put on my tarha (scarf), introduce my clothes and my outfits and things like that, and that’s what we did,” she said. From there, grew the first Saudi channel that introduced the world to the Kingdom’s culture through food.

Gazzaz has also written a book, “A Saudi Mandela,” which is a meditation and coloring book for adults.


Saudi Arabia deploys drones to monitor coastlines, protect marine resources

Updated 27 June 2025
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Saudi Arabia deploys drones to monitor coastlines, protect marine resources

  • Drones to provide live video of 2,480km coastline
  • Quicker to spot pollution, says watchdog’s official

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s National Center for Environmental Compliance has launched a drone-based program to monitor the Kingdom’s 2,480-km-long coastal areas, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

The NCEC will carry out the initiative in cooperation with the Marine Operations for Environmental Services organization.

Drones will provide live video feeds for real-time analysis, to help detect activities that threaten marine resources, the SPA reported recently.

Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coastline in the west extends from the Gulf of Aqaba in the north to Jazan province in the south, measuring 1,830 km.

In the west, the coastline is 630 km, stretching from the northern border with Kuwait to the southern border with Qatar.

Amer Bamoneef, director-general for network monitoring at the NCEC, said each drone will operate for up to 55 minutes per sortie, covering 20 km, with data transmitted instantly to control rooms.

“By leveraging advanced technology, we can expand coverage and detect harmful practices more efficiently,” he said.

Bamoneef added that drones enable quicker responses, allowing teams to promptly investigate pollution sources and identify those responsible.


KSrelief opens obstetrics and gynecology clinic at Gaza hospital

Updated 27 June 2025
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KSrelief opens obstetrics and gynecology clinic at Gaza hospital

  • The Saudi aid agency launched the new facility in partnership with the UN Population Fund, which works to improve reproductive and maternal health worldwide
  • The clinic is in the Patient Friends Benevolent Society Hospital, which was founded in 1980 in Gaza City’s Al-Rimal neighborhood

RIYADH: Saudi aid agency KSrelief has officially opened a gynecology and obstetrics clinic at the Patient Friends Benevolent Society Hospital in the Gaza Strip.

Founded in 1980, the hospital in Gaza City’s Al-Rimal neighborhood is one of the few that remain operational in the territory amid devastating attacks by Israeli forces during their ongoing war with Hamas, which began in October 2023.

In cooperation with the United Nations Population Fund, KSrelief inaugurates the Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic in a Palestinian hospital in the Gaza Strip. (SPA)

KSrelief opened the clinic on Wednesday in cooperation with the UN Population Fund, which works to improve reproductive and maternal health worldwide. The initiative is part of Saudi efforts to support the Palestinian people and help improve and maintain the healthcare services available to them, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

On Thursday, Saudi authorities delivered $30 million in funding to the Palestinian Authority. It was the latest installment in ongoing financial support from the Kingdom that Palestinian officials said has been instrumental in efforts to maintain the health and education sectors. It has helped meet the costs of running hospitals, purchasing medicines and medical equipment, keeping schools open, and providing other essential services.
 

KSrelief inaugurates the Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic in a Palestinian hospital in the Gaza Strip. (SPA)