The wonder that is Salwa Palace, the original home of the Al-Saud royal family

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A historic door in Ad Diriyah, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. (Shutterstock)
Updated 18 May 2019
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The wonder that is Salwa Palace, the original home of the Al-Saud royal family

  • Besides the restored palace, four museums are due to open to the public in Ad Diriyah in 2020

RIYADH: As the world marks International Museum Day on Saturday, Saudi Arabia is getting one of its national treasures in Ad Diriyah ready for opening to the public at the beginning of 2020.
Arab News obtained a sneak peek at the historical gem, Salwa Palace — the original home of the Al-Saud royal family — located northwest of the capital Riyadh. Four museums will open their doors to the public alongside the newly restored Salwa Palace: Diriyah Museum, the Military Museum, the Arabian Horse Museum and the Saudi Daily Life Museum.
Ad Diriyah already has a number of open-air and indoor museums spread across the UNESCO World Heritage Site At-Turaif, plus a plan to build one of the world’s largest Islamic museums in the neighboring Al-Bujairi district.
The Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA) is striving to turn Ad Diriyah into one of the region’s foremost destinations for historical and cultural knowledge-sharing activities.
“Ad Diriyah has a special place in the heart of all Saudis. The DGDA is working to transform Ad Diriyah into a globally renowned gathering place and a must-visit destination in the heart of the Kingdom,” DGDA CEO Jerry Inzerillo told Arab News.
“We’re committed to developing Diriyah Gate, starting with an extensive beautification project of the areas surrounding Ad Diriyah and At-Turaif, and creating spaces for families and communities to enjoy,” he said.
“This work has already begun, with thousands of square meters of green surfaces added to Ad Diriyah.”
The tour began at Salwa Palace. Extending over an area of at least 5,000 square meters, Salwa, which means solace or comfort in Arabic, is the largest single structure in Ad Diriyah, a city in Saudi Arabia’s central Najd region.
The palace consists of seven architectural units built in successive stages, starting from the time of Prince Muhammad bin Saud bin Muqrin, the founder of the first Saudi state in 1744.
The area abounds in palaces and mud houses of historical and cultural significance. The most prominent of them is Salwa Palace, where the affairs of the first Saudi state were conducted.
Among the other structures are Imam Mohammed bin Saud Mosque, Saad bin Saud Palace, Nasser bin Saud Palace, and a traditional hospitality palace. The neighborhood is enclosed by a large wall and towers that once served to protect the city.
Salwa Palace was built in distinctive Najdi architectural style. The walls have decorative triangular windows designed to recirculate air and bring natural light into the rooms. The materials used for construction were mud bricks, straw and logs of wood. The clay from which the bricks were made was extracted from underground soil layers.
At-Turaif and Al-Bujairi are connected to each other via the Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Wahab Bridge, a 75-meter-long curved structure built on the banks of Wadi Hanifa.
The bridge enables visitors to go directly from the premises of the Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Wahhab Foundation in Al-Bujairi to the reception center on Qu’a Al-Share’a street in At-Turaif, located next to Salwa Palace.
The palace housed administrative offices, councils of the imams of the first Saudi state, and ministers’ headquarters, which were connected to their stables.
We walked through the administrative department, which once teemed with officials and clerks dealing with important government matters.
Wood and thatch palm were chosen as the main building materials due to their strength and resistance to cracking. The wood was used in the construction of ceilings, doors and windows. Palm fronds were placed on top of the logs, preventing water from seeping into the mud, which would have caused the ceiling to weaken and ultimately collapse.
We entered a circular room called Al-Majles to watch a visual presentation featuring laser lighting. The presentation aims to enhance the visitor experience while sticking to UNESCO’s guidelines for preservation.
The laser show in each room tries to take visitors way back in time. In one room, the presentation depicted consultations with the imam on state affairs, as might have happened during the heyday of the first Saudi state.
Next to Al-Majles is an ante-room called Al-Mukhtasar, where only private issues were addressed.
Only the imam and one of his employees or councillors were permitted to enter this room to discuss and resolve an issue.
The concept of a private room has not faded with the passage of time, with an Al-Mukhtasar room still a feature of many government offices.
Salwa Palace also housed the first Saudi state’s treasury, which was responsible for the distribution of salaries and the collection of zakat.
As part of the restoration, the winding streets and walkways around the area’s open spaces have been paved in a style that emphasizes its historical importance.
During our tour, we stopped at the Salwa private school where members of the royal family used to take lessons in Islamic subjects, mathematics and the Holy Qur’an.
The tour guides of At-Turaif are Saudi men and women who have undergone months-long training to make them well versed in local history and familiar with every nook and cranny of the place.
They were ready with answers to every question we threw at them, and enlightened us with fascinating nuggets of history.
One of the guides recounted the story of the destruction of Ad Diriyah by an invading Ottoman force led by Ibrahim Pasha in 1818.
“It took him six months to destroy the place and the people in it, and make sure that no one survived,” she said, recalling the final tragic moments of the first Saudi state.
As our tour came to an end, we were directed toward an outdoor seating area with a clear view of Salwa Palace.
As if we were inside a movie theater, slowly the outer wall of the palace turned into a huge screen. On it was projected a short film that narrated the history of the monarchy from the establishment of the first Saudi state to the present time.
What the world will witness in 2020 in Ad Diriyah is the realization of an ambitious Vision 2030 dream, one that celebrates the triumphs and achievements of Saudi Arabia’s past while instilling in the present generation faith and confidence in the future.


Music festival celebrates Franco-Saudi ties

Updated 5 sec ago
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Music festival celebrates Franco-Saudi ties

RIYADH: A music festival celebrating the cultural ties between France and Saudi Arabia will take place in Riyadh, Alkhobar and Jeddah from June 20-26.

Organized by the French embassy in Saudi Arabia in collaboration with the Alliance Francaise, the Saudi Music Hub, Unstable, Hayy Jameel and MDL Beast, the Fete de la Musique will use a shared love of music to bring diverse audiences together.

Since its inception in France in 1982, the Fete de la Musique has evolved into a global celebration and now takes place in more than 120 countries. True to its founding principle of making music accessible to all, free of charge, it has become a powerful platform for cultural dialogue.

The 2025 edition features a diverse and eclectic line-up, highlighting the vibrancy of both the French and Saudi music scenes.

French artists such as Karimouche, a bold, socially engaged voice in word and song, and DJ SONGE, a producer known for immersive Afro-futuristic electronic sets, will share the stage with Saudi talent such as Kosh, a beatmaker who fuses traditional rhythms with deep electronic bass, and Seera, a rising star on the local rock scene.

Each host city will offer a distinctive atmosphere.

Riyadh starts the celebrations on June 20 at Unstable, a hybrid venue at the heart of the Saudi urban music scene. Alkhobar followed on June 21 at the Saudi Music Hub, a space dedicated to music education and performance that offers a more intimate setting. Jeddah will bring the festivities to a close on June 25-26 with performances by powerful female artists at Hayy Jameel, a cultural hub.

More than the concerts it features, the event also fosters cultural exchange, artistic dialogue and discovery, creating lasting connections between French and Saudi artists and audiences.


Four years with a company counts as loyalty in the modern job market, HR summit hears

Updated 18 June 2025
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Four years with a company counts as loyalty in the modern job market, HR summit hears

  • Delegates at Human Resources Summit and Expo in Riyadh hear generational diversity and differing views on career progression are challenges that must be addressed
  • Experts discussed the effects of AI on the job market and explored strategies businesses need to adopt to ‘future-proof’ talent and navigate changing work landscapes

RIYADH: An employee who remains in the same role for four years is considered loyal in today’s job market, the audience at a human resources conference in Riyadh heard during a panel discussion on Tuesday.

The comment, at the Human Resources Summit and Expo, came from Syed Azharudin, director of learning and organizational development at logistical services company Ajex, who cited a recent study into workforce trends. Generational diversity is a factor that has to be addressed, he added.

“The biggest challenge for the HR industry is that you have different generations working together, like Gen X, baby boomers, millennials, Gen Z, and soon Gen Alpha, so you cannot have a blanket approach,” Azharudin said.

People from the most recent generations are more likely to be “job-hoppers,” he added; a study by global tech consultancy FDM Group found that Generation Z respondents were 13 per cent more likely than their non-Gen Z counterparts to view their current role as a stepping stone to a better career. 

In other sessions, HR experts discussed the effects of artificial intelligence on the job market, and explored the strategies companies need to adopt in their attempts to “future-proof” talent and navigate ever-changing work landscapes. As the rapidly evolving technology continues to dominate headlines, they considered a hot-button question: What would the future look like if human labor was replaced by AI?

“We’re not going to lose (our jobs) but we also need to make sure that we go efficiently and with innovative ways to utilize such tools,” said Eid Alkhaldi, succession management director at the Saudi Telcom Company.

During another discussion, Nada Al-Hassan, the Saudi Ministry of Investment’s director of training and development, spoke about ways to advance inclusive leadership in the region. 

“There are a lot of success stories and a lot of initiatives in all governmental sectors (in Saudi Arabia),” she said, highlighting in particular the Vision 2030 Human Resources Development Program and the Saudization program Tawteen.

The Human Resources Summit and Expo began on June 15 and continues until June 19.


Saudia flight from Jeddah to Jakarta diverted after bomb threat, lands safely

Inspections by authorities confirmed the aircraft was secure and the bomb threat was false. (Supplied)
Updated 18 June 2025
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Saudia flight from Jeddah to Jakarta diverted after bomb threat, lands safely

  • ⁠Flight SV5276, bound for Jakarta, was rerouted to a different airport in Indonesia after an email claimed there was an explosive device on board
  • The aircraft landed safely at Kualanamu International Airport in Medan, where passengers and crew evacuated the aircraft and nobody was hurt

RIYADH: Saudia has confirmed that all passengers and crew are safe after a flight from Jeddah to Jakarta made an emergency landing at another airport in Indonesia, Al Arabiya News Channel reported on Tuesday.

The flight was forced to divert after an email threat claimed there was a bomb on board, a Saudia spokesperson said.

Abdullah Al-Shahrani, the airline’s general manager of corporate communications, told Al Arabiya that in response to the security alert, Flight SV5276 was rerouted to Kualanamu International Airport in Medan as a precaution.

The plane landed there safely and all passengers and crew evacuated the aircraft without incident and nobody was hurt, he added. Inspections by authorities confirmed the aircraft was secure and the bomb threat was false. Al-Shahrani said passenger safety remains Saudia’s top priority and the airline was working to help passengers continue their journeys.

In a statement to Arab News, Saudia confirmed: “In response to a security alert received in flight, Saudia diverted Flight SV5276, operating from Jeddah to Jakarta, to Kualanamu International Airport in Indonesia as a precautionary measure.

“The aircraft landed safely, and all guests and crew disembarked without incident. Local authorities conducted standard checks shortly after landing, and have cleared the aircraft for continued operation.

“The safety and well-being of our guests and crew remain Saudia’s highest priority. Full care and support have been provided and onward travel arrangements are being made."


UN two-state conference co-chairs urge renewed push for Palestinian state amid regional escalation

Updated 18 June 2025
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UN two-state conference co-chairs urge renewed push for Palestinian state amid regional escalation

  • The statement said the latest escalation had “necessitated the suspension” of the high-level conference in New York

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia and France, co-chairs of the United Nations Conference on the Peaceful Settlement of the Palestinian Question, joined with the chairs of the conference’s working groups in issuing a joint statement on Tuesday expressing “deep concern” over recent developments in the region, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The statement said the latest escalation had “necessitated the suspension” of the high-level conference, underscoring “the validity of warnings about the fragility of the situation” and the urgent need to “restore calm, respect international law, and strengthen diplomatic action.”

Despite the setback, the group reaffirmed their “full commitment to the conference’s objectives” and pledged to “ensure the continuity of its work and the achievement of its goals,” SPA added.

They added that “the co-chairs of the working groups will announce the date of the conference's roundtables soon,” with the aim of generating “clear and coordinated international commitments” to advance the implementation of a two-state solution.

“In these critical circumstances,” the statement continued, “we must redouble our efforts calling for respect for international law and the sovereignty of states, and to promote peace, freedom, and dignity for all peoples of the region.”

The group also reiterated its “unwavering support for all efforts aimed at ending the war in Gaza” and called for a “just and sustainable settlement of the Palestinian issue,” affirming that regional stability and security hinge on a lasting peace.


Riyadh event highlights women’s role in diplomacy

Updated 17 June 2025
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Riyadh event highlights women’s role in diplomacy

  • Speech stresses progress made under King Salman, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman

RIYADH: The Prince Saud Al-Faisal Institute for Diplomatic Studies in Riyadh has held a symposium to mark the forthcoming International Day of Women in Diplomacy. It was attended by Vice Foreign Minister Waleed Elkhereiji, female diplomatic leaders, and ambassadors accredited to the Kingdom.

Elkhereiji spoke of the importance of empowering women in diplomacy, citing the progress made under the leadership of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in light of the Vision 2030 reform plan.

He noted that Saudi women now serve as ambassadors, leaders, and negotiators on the global stage, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The symposium discussed efforts to support women’s diplomatic careers, the role of men in advancing change, and the unique contributions women bring to diplomacy.

Topics also included the global rise of women in diplomacy, their impact on foreign and domestic policy, and ways to enhance female participation in multilateral forums to address future challenges.