Arab women celebrated at London award show

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Sheikha Al-Nafisi and Sundus Hussein, from the Kuwaiti civil action group ‘Abolish Article 153,’ receive the Campaign for Social Change Award. (Supplied)
Updated 04 December 2019
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Arab women celebrated at London award show

  • Special award presented to women fighting to end ‘honor’ killings
  • HH Dania Al-Saud received the Achievement in Special Needs Education Award for her work as director of the Genius Center

LONDON: Remarkable Arab women who have made a positive impact on society through their work and vision were feted at the 2019 Arab Women of the Year Awards in London on Wednesday November 27.

The glittering event at the Langham Hotel was hosted by Alice Abdel Aziz, a social-media influencer and entrepreneur from Lebanon. This year a special award was presented to women fighting to end the scourge of ‘honor’ killings.

In his opening speech, Omar Bdour, CEO of the London Arabia Organization and the Arab Women of the Year Awards said: “As a society, we are now used to watching news about honor killings and just flicking to the next story. The shock has worn off. However, in August, another honor crime shocked the Arab world … Israa Ghrayeb.” Bdour was referring to the 21-year-old Palestinian who was reportedly beaten to death in Bethlehem after she posted a selfie with her fiancé a day before they were supposed to get engaged.

“The needless cruelty of her murder made me question how and why this was still happening,” Bdour continued. “While the case of Israa has made international headlines, so-called honor killings happen around the world at an alarming rate, often with little press and no justice for the victims.

“A dangerous conclusion often drawn is that honor killings are a part of Islam and Islamic society. People who know me know that I am not a religious person and I am not here to defend Islam. But the idea that honor-based violence is inspired by Islam is totally wrong and fits with negative Islamophobic tropes, and we often see this clearly in unhelpful media coverage of these crimes. 

“We must also acknowledge that honor killings are not sanctioned by Islam,” he continued. “So-called honor killings are forbidden and, like other religions, are considered murder.”  

Rana Husseini, a Jordanian author and journalist who wrote the book “Murder in the name of Honor,” received the Achievement in Social Impact award in recognition for her work in fighting to put an end to this horrific crime.

“I have been working on the issue of so called honor crimes for over 25 years — advocating against them and reporting on women killed in the name of family honor. A lot of laws have changed and people’s minds have started to shift towards rejecting these murders,” she told Arab News at the event. “There has been more positive acceptance of people like me and others working on this topic.”

I asked if she ever felt in danger because of her work.

“Early on in my career — but now the situation has changed,” she said. “People are becoming more open to addressing issues such as violence against women. For the longest time it was not acceptable to talk about this issue in our part of the world — or indeed in other countries. ‘Violence against women’ was considered to be a family or ‘domestic’ matter. So there has been a great change.

“There are many women fighting in Bahrain and Kuwait and Yemen and countries across the world against honor crimes,” she continued. “In the past, the UN used to use generic phrases like ‘Violence against women.’ Now they are much more specific about what that means. They talk about bride burning, so-called honor killings, female genital mutilation or denial of mobility. All these crimes are now being addressed individually.”

Husseini said that when she first started to cover honor crimes it was difficult to convince people she was reporting the truth.

“People would say ‘This doesn’t happen,’ or ‘You are exaggerating,’ or ‘You are trying to tarnish the image and reputation of Jordan.’ But I always believed in myself and what I was doing and that I was the voice of these women who unfortunately did not live long enough to fulfill their dreams,” she explained. “I have tried to help in my capacity as a good citizen, journalist and human-rights activist.”

Sheikha Al-Nafisi and Sundus Hussein, from the Kuwaiti civil action group ‘Abolish Article 153,’ received the Campaign for Social Change Award on behalf of their fellow activists. Article 153 is part of the Kuwaiti penal code, Hussein explained. “It states that if a man walks in and sees his wife with someone in a compromising situation — in fact, whether it’s his wife, sister, mother, aunt or any female kin — and he kills her, it is considered a misdemeanor as opposed to murder. He can choose between two punishments: three years in jail, or payment of a (fine) equivalent to ($774). This is not, in fact, an Arab law, it is a Napoleonic law — a French law that came to the Arab world and was tribalized. A bill to abolish this law has now been given urgent status in the parliament.”

Al-Nafisi said: “We have been fighting to abolish Article 153 in Kuwait for the past five years. It is important that we continue to push to make this actually happen and that the article is abolished. This is a heinous crime. This law shouldn’t exist – it’s an embarrassment. This award gives us more recognition and legitimacy when it comes to talking to ministers, members of parliament and decision makers. It means that people will listen more and acknowledge there is a need recognized by the international community.”

The group is also looking to tackle other discriminatory legislation, Al-Nafisi added: “Violence against women in any form has to be stopped. It will take a while, but as long as we are consistent and keep pushing, we will get there.”

Saudi Arabia was represented by HH Dania Al-Saud, who received the Achievement in Special Needs Education Award for her work as director of the Genius Center, which provides day care for disabled children in Riyadh.

“I am very thankful for this award,” she told Arab News. “I am a psychologist and my passion is to help (children with) special needs. I dedicate this award to them. I want society to love them and give them more education. I don’t want them to be outside of our society — I want them to be included with everyone else. I want everyone to deal with special needs kids as though they were their own children. It is my job — and everyone’s responsibility — to raise awareness about special needs children and to understand the abilities they have.”

The other exceptional women who were awarded included: HE Rym Abdulla Al-Falasy from the UAE for Achievement in Family Support; Tunisian tennis player Ons Jabeur for Achievement in Sport; Lujaina Darwish (Oman), chairperson of Mohsin Haider Darwish LLC, for Achievement in Business; Presenter, producer and film journalist, Raya Abirached (Lebanon) for Achievement in Television; Ahdeya Ahmed, president of the Bahrain Journalists Association, for Achievement in Journalism; Kuwaiti Minister of State for Economic Affairs HE Mariam Al-Aqeel for Achievement in Economic Development and Leadership; HE Najat Vallaud-Belkacem (France/Morocco), CEO of Ipsos Global Affairs, for Achievement in Global Gender Equality; and the multi-instrumentalist Ayoub sisters from Egypt for Achievement in Cultural Exchange.


Saudi Arabia’s Prince Faisal bin Salman joins King Charles at Royal Ascot opening

Updated 18 June 2025
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Saudi Arabia’s Prince Faisal bin Salman joins King Charles at Royal Ascot opening

DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s Prince Faisal bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud joined the UK’s King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Royal Ascot, one of the most prestigious equestrian racing events in the world.

Prince Faisal appeared alongside the British royals in the lead royal carriage that opened the official procession at the racecourse, just south of Windsor in the UK.  

Lady Sarah Keswick also joined the lead carriage alongside Prince Faisal, King Charles III and Queen Camilla. A close friend of the queen, she is a key member of the Queen’s Companions.

Following the royal procession, Prince Faisal joined the royal enclosure to watch the first day of races. (Getty Images)

Following the royal procession, Prince Faisal, a grandson of King Abdulaziz and son of King Salman, joined members of the British royal family, including Princess Beatrice and Zara Tindall, in the royal enclosure to watch the first day of races.

Royal Ascot remains a major fixture on the British social calendar, drawing global political and royal elites.

Arab royalty has played an increasingly visible role at the event in recent years. In 2024, Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa of Bahrain — the crown prince and prime minister — attended the event as a guest of honor, representing Bahrain’s royal family.

Meanwhile, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Emir of Qatar, has become a prominent figure in the racing world through his Wathnan Racing team. 

The organization has achieved notable success at Royal Ascot, including a win in the 2023 Gold Cup. 

Queen Camilla, King Charles III and Prince Saud bin Khalid Abdullah attended day 2 of Royal Ascot 2023 at Ascot Racecourse in Ascot, England. (Getty Images)

Prince Saud bin Khalid — son of the late Prince Khalid bin Abdullah Al-Saud, the legendary Saudi breeder behind Juddmonte Farms — was also seen attending the second day of the Royal Ascot in 2023, alongside King Charles III.


Deaf artist breaks barriers with solo debut in Jeddah

Elham Abu Talib, left, showcased more than 40 paintings at Saudi Arabian Society of Culture and Arts. (AN photo)
Updated 16 June 2025
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Deaf artist breaks barriers with solo debut in Jeddah

  • Elham Abu Talib shares vision through her expressive works

JEDDAH: “It’s never too late to follow your dream,” says Elham Abu Talib, who has held her first solo exhibition in Jeddah after 38 years.

The Saudi artist is no stranger to the local art scene, having taken part in exhibitions across the Kingdom and overcome the barriers accompanying being severely deaf.

Titled “Inspiration,” the exhibition marked a milestone, presenting her work to the public while highlighting her artistic journey amid years of persistence. (AN photo)

And at the Saudi Arabian Society of Culture and Arts in Jeddah on Sunday, Abu Talib showcased more than 40 paintings to leading artists and lovers of the genre.

Titled “Inspiration,” the exhibition marked a milestone, presenting her work to the public while highlighting her artistic journey amid years of persistence.

HIGHLIGHT

Abu Talib hopes to represent the Kingdom in international competitions. She also hopes the arts society will continue supporting disabled and female artists by providing platforms for their creativity.

Her passion began in childhood, when natural talent blossomed into fine art shaped by a beautiful dream. She lost her hearing as a child and faced speech difficulties, but met her challenges with patience, courage, and ambition.

Determined to express herself, she used a brush and colors as her voice — turning her childhood dreams into vivid reality.

Titled “Inspiration,” the exhibition marked a milestone, presenting her work to the public while highlighting her artistic journey amid years of persistence. (AN photo)

She shared that hearing loss kept her from entering university, but her late father convinced her it did not mean giving up her ambitions.

Inspired by his words, she began participating in exhibitions while raising her children and fulfilling her duties as a mother.

She believes her disability has sharpened her visual perception — a gift she channels into her art.

“I’m so happy that, after 38 years, my dream has come true with this solo exhibition,” she said. “I thank the Saudi Arabian Society of Culture and Arts in Jeddah for giving me this opportunity.”

Abu Talib hopes to represent the Kingdom in international competitions. She also hopes the arts society will continue supporting disabled and female artists by providing platforms for their creativity.

Maha Abdulhalim Radwi, secretary-general of the Radwi Art Prize, said the artist had finally achieved a major milestone, adding: “This event allowed her to showcase her unique perspective and creative talent to a wider audience, proving that art transcends communication barriers.”

Mohammed Al-Subaih, the director general of the SASCA, said Abu Talib had dreamed of a solo exhibition for nearly four decades — and was now finally living that dream.

He added: “She’s participated with us in many workshops and group exhibitions; now it’s time to celebrate her first solo show.

“She deserves all the support and encouragement.”

 


Saudi artist Ahaad Alamoudi presents ‘The Social Health Club’ in Basel 

Saudi artist  Ahaad Alamoudi presents ‘The Social Health Club’ in Basel 
Updated 15 June 2025
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Saudi artist Ahaad Alamoudi presents ‘The Social Health Club’ in Basel 

RIYADH: This month, Saudi artist Ahaad Alamoudi is turning up the heat at Basel Social Club — which runs until June 21 in the Swiss city — with her latest installation, “The Social Health Club.” 

Freshly conceived, but rooted in the artist’s past works, the yellow-drenched installation offers a layered, sensory experience — and sharp cultural commentary — as well as a first for the artist: a live-performance element. 

Jeddah-based Alamoudi is known for creating immersive multimedia installations drawing from and exploring the complex dynamics of her evolving homeland. “The Social Health Club” is built around pieces found in Jeddah’s Haraj market in 2018 — a range of exercise equipment including a rowing machine.  

Ahaad Alamoudi. (Supplied)

“These are pieces I collected from thrifting. I like the fact that no instructions came with the machines — I don’t have their name or the source of where they came from or who made them. But they’ve become part of the urban landscape that I’ve been in. And I was trying to create fun within the space,” Alamoudi told Arab News. 

In “The Social Health Club,” the equipment, painted predominantly in vibrantly-saturated monochrome yellow, stands untouched, serving as symbols of a culture obsessed with self-optimization. At the core of the installation is a cameo from a yellow-painted iron previously featured in her 2020 video work “Makwah Man.” (Makwah means iron in Arabic.) 

 Part of Ahaad Alamoudi's 'The Social Health Club' at Basel Social Club. (Supplied)

“A lot of my pieces stem from a narrative I create within a video. In ‘Makwah Man,’ this man wearing a yellow thobe is ironing a long piece of yellow fabric in the middle of the desert. And as he’s ironing, he tells us how to live our lives. But in the process of him telling us how to live our lives, he also starts questioning his own in the process — understanding the role of power, understanding the pressure of change, adaptation,” Alamoudi explained. 

“The yellow exists within the video piece, but he’s also wearing yellow thobe in the video piece. And (in this iteration at Art Basel) there’s also a rack of yellow thobes twirling in the exhibition. For me, the yellow thobe is like a unifying symbol. I’m trying to say that we’re all experiencing this in different ways. So in the performance (for “The Social Health Club”) a man (a local body builder) in a yellow thobe will be performing on these machines. He has no rule book. He doesn’t know anything; he doesn’t know how to ‘properly’ use the equipment. He’s going to go into the space and do things with the machines. 

“The performance will be recorded. But I think it’s more like an activation,” she continued. “It’s not the piece itself. The piece itself exists as the machines.” 

“The Social Health Club” was shaped through close collaboration with curator Amal Khalaf, who combed Jeddah’s market with Alamoudi in search of “machines that were a little bit abnormal, like not your typical machines that people would directly know what it is in the gym,” Alamoudi said.  

“She’s quite incredible,” she continued. “And we really built the space together. Essentially, the main thing that I created was the video; everything else was built off of that. She really helped. She really looked at social change and how we navigate that. Our collaboration was perfect.” 

Yellow dominates every inch of the piece—deliberately and intensely. 

“I obsess over symbols within certain works I create. And with that also comes a color,” Alamoudi said. “I wanted to showcase something that was luxurious, colorful, almost like gold, but it’s not gold. It’s quite stark in its appearance.” 

Yellow is both invitation and warning. “I think that yellow is also quite deceptive. I like it as a color to get people excited to come closer and see what’s happening, but at the same time question what it is — it’s so aggressive that it becomes a bit uncomfortable.” 

 A still from Alamoudi's 2020 video work 'Makwah Man,' which is also part of 'The Social Health Club'. (Supplied)

The viewer’s interaction is critical to the piece’s meaning. 

“I think the machines represent something and they carry something, but they really are activated by the people — what people are doing with them,” Alamoudi said. “And that’s why I’m encouraging a lot of viewers to engage with and use the pieces, or try to use them without any instruction. A lot of people entering into the space (might) fear even touching or engaging with them. Having the performer there activating the structures is going to add another layer to the piece itself.” 

She hopes visitors feel free to explore, unburdened by expectations. 

“People are meant to use it any way that they want to use it. They can sit on it, stand on it, touch it — they can leave it alone,” she concluded with a laugh. 


Ancient Malian city celebrates annual replastering of mosque

Updated 14 June 2025
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Ancient Malian city celebrates annual replastering of mosque

  • The annual replastering with “banco” — a mix of earth and water — shields the mosque from harsh weather

DJÉNNÉ, Mali: Thousands of Malians have replastered the iconic earthen mosque in the historic city of Djenne during an annual ceremony that helps preserve the World Heritage site.
To the sound of drums and festive music, townsmen on Thursday coated the towering three-minaret mosque with fresh mud plaster.
The annual replastering with “banco” — a mix of earth and water — shields the mosque from harsh weather ahead of the Sahel region’s often violent rainy season.
“This mosque belongs to the whole world,” said Aboubacar Sidiki Djiteye, his face streaked with mud as he joined the “unifying” ritual.
“There’s no bigger event in Djenne than this,” he told AFP.
“Replastering the mosque is a tradition handed down from generation to generation,” said Bayini Yaro, one of the women tasked with carrying water for the plaster mix.
Locals prepared the mix themselves, combining water, earth, rice bran, shea butter and baobab powder — a hallmark of Sahel-Sudanese architecture.
Chief mason Mafoune Djenepo inspected the fresh coating.
“The importance of this mosque is immense. It’s the image on all Malian stamps,” he said.
A blessing ceremony followed the replastering, with Qur’anic verses recited in the mosque courtyard. Participants then shared dates and sweets.
First erected in the 13th century and rebuilt in 1907, the mosque is considered the world’s largest earthen structure, according to the United Nations’ cultural body, UNESCO.
Djenne, home to around 40,000 residents and known for preserving its traditional banco houses, has been on UNESCO’s World Heritage list since 1988.
The site was added to the endangered heritage list in 2016 due to its location in central Mali, where jihadist fighters linked to Al-Qaeda and the Daesh group, as well as ethnic militias and criminal gangs, have waged a violent insurgency since 2012.


‘The Arts Tower’ brings new meaning and color to Riyadh’s Sports Boulevard

Updated 15 June 2025
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‘The Arts Tower’ brings new meaning and color to Riyadh’s Sports Boulevard

  • For Gharem, Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, like “The Arts Tower,” constantly lifts eyes upward, motivating people to leap from the familiar into the unexpected, pushing them to embrace the future with imagination

RIYADH: As you venture down the promenade of the capital’s latest attraction, Sports Boulevard, a new landmark is sure to catch your eye.

A tower at the intersection of Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Road and Prince Turki bin Abdulaziz Al-Awwal Road bursts with color and character.  

The mind behind this work, named “The Arts Tower,” is renowned Saudi artist Abdulnasser Gharem, who has centered the mundane within the architectural landscape early on in his career with works like “Siraat” (The Path) and “Road to Makkah.”

The Arts Tower at the intersection of Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Road and Prince Turki bin Abdulaziz Al Awwal Road bursts with color and character. (Supplied)

Gharem told Arab News: “This piece is a witness to the transformation that’s happening here. It’s a symbol of investment into the cultural infrastructure as proof of how important that is to any society or community. I think the tower represents this transformation, especially that it, in itself, transforms one of the symbols of energy into a beacon for creative expression.”

Previously one of numerous 83.5-meter electricity pylons, the tower was meant to be removed for the sake of the Sports Boulevard project.

“I asked if I could have one,” Gharem said, explaining that, as one of the nominated artists to propose a work to beautify the boulevard, he was keen to use the existing structure.  

HIGHLIGHTS

• The selected proposal features a total of 691 colored panels that were installed to bring the tower’s vibrant facade to life. 

• The pieces used are all related to the grand narrative of the Kingdom, including economic diversity, cultural transformations, and social changes. 

Author and curator Nato Thompson said about the work in a statement: “By repurposing a symbol of energy infrastructure and turning it into a beacon of artistic expression, Gharem highlights the evolving role of culture and art in Saudi Arabia’s development journey.

“It stands as living proof of the Kingdom’s commitment to nurturing its cultural landscape, making arts and creativity an inseparable part of its identity just as oil and energy were in the past.”

The selected proposal features a total of 691 colored panels that were installed to bring the tower’s vibrant facade to life.

Abdulnasser Gharem, Saudi artist

It utilizes elements from Saudi architecture and patterns we recognize from our old homes, primarily the triangular shape.  

“I was lucky that the tower was made up of triangles, which is a geometrical shape that brings together the different regions of the Kingdom and the historical features of our beginnings, so it’s a symbol of unity,” Gharem said.  

The pieces used are all related to the grand narrative of the Kingdom, including economic diversity, cultural transformations, and social changes.

This piece is a witness to the transformation that’s happening here. It’s a symbol of investment into the cultural infrastructure as proof of how important that is to any society or community.

Abdulnasser Gharem, Saudi artist

“The colors are alluding to the connection between our history and heritage and the concepts of cheerfulness and mental hospitality. A tower always forces you to look up.”

For Gharem, Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, like “The Arts Tower,” constantly lifts eyes upward, motivating people to leap from the familiar into the unexpected, pushing them to embrace the future with imagination.

“The piece is based on sunlight,” he said. “The daylight gives a completely, completely different dimension to the work compared to its urban illumination during the night.

The sketch of “The Arts Tower” by Abdulnasser Gharem. (Supplied)

“The colors do not just appear; they shift, transform, and come alive in different ways throughout the day. Here, nature becomes a crucial element to the structure.”

Even the wind has played a part in determining the number and placement of the colored pieces used. “It taught me that there needs to be some gaps in order to allow the piece to breathe and I was forced to humble myself upon the power of nature.

“The wind became my partner in design,” he said.

“The Arts Tower” is designed to make people feel represented and connected.

While the Sports Boulevard promotes physical activity, the creative landmark serves a deeper purpose: it is a thoughtful space meant to inspire human interaction and community — and more importantly, invite them to slow down, engage, and ponder the future.

“Culture is one of the key factors for our country’s development path. At the end of the day, culture is just as important as energy. It’s worth investing in, and it’s a certificate that the Kingdom is committed to nurturing its cultural scene,” Gharem said.