TheFace: Princess Tarfa bint Fahad Al-Saud, artist

Princess Tarfa bint Fahad Al-Saud. (AN Photo by Ziyad Alarfaj)
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Updated 13 March 2020
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TheFace: Princess Tarfa bint Fahad Al-Saud, artist

  • Life coaching and art are, to me at least, deeply intertwined on so many levels. At some point, I can barely see that fine line that separates them
  • When it rains, I take my canvas out (a task that involves some heavy lifting), and I let the sky express itself with the help of my colors

Like everyone else, I am someone with a story. Sometimes, on nights when I was feeling nostalgic, I would ask my mother to describe how I was as a child. “Obedient,” she would say, “a sweet girl who always listened to what her parents had to say. In her eyes I was calm, I had many friends, I was a healthy child and so were my three brothers and sister.

But I remember a different story. Yes, I was of course a happy child and I was, indeed, healthy — but I was far from obedient and I was rarely quiet. I remember being adventurous; I loved to explore and I always wanted to (and did) join the boys in their adventures and crazy plots and pranks, especially those that involved bike rides with my older brother.

Still, I wasn’t all wild, however. I had an inner life and I lived in my own bubble for a time, where I created a world that worked for me.

By the time I was in sixth grade I had produced my first piece of art, an abstract piece. I’m not sure if I knew what I had created at the time but I knew it had value. The teacher did not like it and I remember very well how disappointed I was with her for not understanding the importance to me of what I had created. Overthinking since day one.

One of the defining moments in my life was after I had my first child. I still cannot explain how significant it was for who I am as a person, for my consciousness, and for my purpose in life. I married young, so I had my first child at the beginning of my journey, when I was only 20 years old. We were going to grow together, learn together, and explore what the world has to offer together.

Sadly, that dream did not entirely come true. After turning one, my Saud was diagnosed with leukemia, while I was pregnant with my second child, my beautiful daughter Nora. After years of battling, my young hero passed at the age of 12.

My two other children, Nora and Yazeed, are my life. Even though I always involve them in the critique of my artworks, I know deep down they are my biggest fans. I love them, I cherish every minute I spend with them and I know that I am beyond grateful to have such smart, bright kids. Watching them grow, and their ambitions grow with them, has been a blessing.

A while ago I was invited to speak at Alfaisal University in Riyadh, where Nora is studying, I gave a talk titled: “The Creative Soul and the Structured World.” When I saw those young, eager eyes staring at me with all the curiosity in the world, listening to every word I said, I realized how much I loved helping young people; their appreciation was overwhelming.

To champion the youth has always been a goal for me; to help them indulge in life and face it with grace, and to adapt when the challenges are too much for a young spirit to handle. This is why I have always believed creativity is so important: it provides young people with the tools they need to navigate through the fog.

My experience with grief taught me a lot about myself, about human nature, about how the world works. Most importantly, it taught me to value what I have, what I had and what I will be given in the future to find balance and serenity in any given chaotic space.

I am deeply spiritual; I believe that everything happens for a reason and that God has a plan for each and every one of us. As part of my healing process, I started exploring and diving more into art. I fell in love with what I found. I decided to study for my diploma in visual arts in my thirties, and from there I began my professional career as an artist. Before that I was an amateur at best, the kind of person who is always going around with a sketchbook in their bag.

In our ancient culture, poets used to claim that creativity came from a magical place called the “Abqar Valley,” where creatives made deals with demons to provide inspiration. This story, despite its ancient symbolism, says a lot about working in a creative field.

Being an artist implies a certain lifestyle, a way of seeing the world. Being an artist means you are constantly exploring, wondering and arguing about how the world is or how it should be. In a nutshell, being an artist means having a free soul: untamed, bold and daring. Being an artist is a full-time job, because you are always working with your creative self. And most people know that; this is why people always roll their eyes when I tell them that in addition to being an artist, I am a life coach.

When I was young, I wanted to study one of two things: fine arts or psychology. I know now that the things we want when we are young always find a way to come back and haunt us, as they did to me until I started a professional career as an artist, studied art therapy, and became a certified life coach.

Life coaching and art are, to me at least, deeply intertwined on so many levels. At some point, I can barely see that fine line that separates them.

There is a saying that goes: “Talent hits a target no one else can hit, genius hits a target no one else can see.” I would not go so far as to say that every artist is a genius, but this is the goal of every artist: to grasp and display something no one else can see; to reveal what is concealed.

The same applies to life coaching. The goal is to reveal to a person that which is concealed from him or her, what they cannot see, and to help them through the journey of self-actualization and realization. That is the essence of life coaching.

After spending a year and a half at the Misk Foundation, working with the Misk Art institute, doing what I love and enjoy, a narrative crystallized, a window opened into the future of my life, and I saw what I wanted: me focusing on my work, my art and my hobbies. So I left my position there and started my practice as a cultural and creative consultant, where I have had the chance to work on many exciting projects, one of which was the movie “Born a King.”

Now, I spend my days in my studio, focusing on my art, developing and experimenting with the creative process, whether it is through painting or other mediums. Documenting scenes of daily life that seem dull to the untrained eye is one of my obsessions: a floating balloon, birds, forgotten roses on the street — I love searching for beauty where no one else cares to see it.

A perfect day for me includes yoga, some family time, art, moments of self-awareness, deep conversations with interesting people, a good meal and a little rain. Why the rain, you ask? Because when it rains, I take my canvas out (a task that involves some heavy lifting), and I let the sky express itself with the help of my colors.


More than 5,000 volunteers support pilgrim healthcare

Updated 53 min 22 sec ago
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More than 5,000 volunteers support pilgrim healthcare

  • The initiative aligns with the goals of the Health Sector Transformation Program and the Pilgrim Experience Program

MAKKAH: More than 5,000 healthcare volunteers are participating in this year’s Hajj season, the Ministry of Health said, as part of efforts to enhance the quality of services for pilgrims.

The initiative aligns with the goals of the Health Sector Transformation Program and the Pilgrim Experience Program, aiming to increase volunteer participation and strengthen their role in serving pilgrims.

Volunteers support healthcare services in three main areas: preventive, curative, and support, the ministry said.

Their efforts cover various locations within the holy sites, including Makkah, Mina, Arafat, and Muzdalifah, as well as hospitals and healthcare centers.

According to a report, more than 147,000 medical services have been provided to pilgrims so far.

Healthcare data shows that 80,603 pilgrims benefited from primary care centers, while emergency departments received 35,176 cases.

Outpatient clinics treated 7,541 patients, and 5,619 cases were admitted to hospitals, including 2,626 in intensive care.

Additionally, 248 cardiac catheterizations and 18 open-heart surgeries were performed.


Arab Parliament congratulates Saudi leadership on managing Hajj season

Updated 08 June 2025
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Arab Parliament congratulates Saudi leadership on managing Hajj season

  • Mohammed Al-Yamahi, the speaker of the Arab Parliament, congratulated King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
  • He said that Saudi Arabia’s use of the latest technologies and innovative services has contributed to safeguarding pilgrims during Hajj

LONDON: The Arab Parliament congratulated the Saudi leadership and the Kingdom for organizing and managing the Hajj season, which nearly 1.4 million Muslim pilgrims undertook from Wednesday.

Mohammed Al-Yamahi, the speaker of the Arab Parliament, congratulated King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on their great success in managing the pilgrimage this year, the Kuwait News Agency reported.

Saudi Arabia has employed artificial intelligence and advanced technologies to manage the Hajj pilgrimage and provide the 1.4 million pilgrims with water, food, accommodation, as well as transportation and health services in various holy sites in Makkah and Madinah.

Al-Yamahi added that the use of the latest technologies and innovative services has contributed to safeguarding pilgrims and creating an environment for performing rituals in a safe and comfortable manner.

He mentioned that the integration of advanced technologies in the Muslim holy sites in Saudi Arabia has greatly enhanced comfort, security, and safety for pilgrims and the approach serves as a model for effectively managing one of the largest annual gatherings of people in the world, the KUNA added.


Veteran Mutawwif on serving pilgrims: ‘A privilege, not a duty’

Updated 08 June 2025
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Veteran Mutawwif on serving pilgrims: ‘A privilege, not a duty’

MAKKAH: For more than 30 years, Mohammed Sabgha has witnessed the evolution of one of Islam’s most sacred professions — serving as a “Mutawwif,” or official Hajj guide, a hereditary calling that has shaped Makkah families for centuries.

The Tawafa profession is one of the oldest Hajj-related occupations, practiced exclusively by Makkah residents devoted to welcoming, hosting and guiding pilgrims through their sacred journey.

These guides coordinate every aspect of the pilgrimage — from airport reception and accommodation, to healthcare and ritual guidance — according to a Saudi Press Agency report.

Sabgha described it as a sacred inheritance: “This work passes from fathers to sons through generations. Serving Allah’s guests is a privilege, not a duty.”

Throughout his career, Sabgha has witnessed remarkable changes to Hajj, especially the rapid improvements of recent years.

“The pilgrim service system is enhanced every year — from crowd management and group coordination to medical care, ritual facilitation and overall experience,” he said.

The transformation reflects Saudi Arabia’s systematic approach to service excellence. The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah works with government agencies, private companies and nonprofit organizations in year-round planning cycles that begin immediately after each Hajj concludes.

“Every service is measured and evaluated. We identify areas for improvement and implement changes — all aimed at better serving pilgrims,” Sabgha said.

“The Kingdom invests enormous resources and spares no expense in fulfilling this sacred mission.”

He highlighted the Nusuk digital platform as particularly revolutionary, calling it “the foundation stone for delivering every service pilgrims need, regardless of type.”

Among countless pilgrim encounters, one story deeply moved Sabgha. “A few years ago, I served a man who had converted to Islam just months before his Hajj. He said his conversion was inspired by a specific Qur’anic verse.”

The pilgrim had been profoundly affected by verse 70 of Surat Al-Isra: “And We have certainly honored the children of Adam and carried them on the land and sea and provided for them of the good things and preferred them over much of what We have created.”

Sabgha said: “He reflected deeply on the verse’s meaning — that Allah, the One God, honored humanity with intellect to distinguish good from evil and benefit from harm, in both worldly and spiritual matters.”


Saudi youth volunteers shine in Hajj

Updated 08 June 2025
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Saudi youth volunteers shine in Hajj

MAKKAH: Saudi youth from across the Kingdom have made significant contributions to serving pilgrims through volunteer work during this year’s Hajj season.

Their initiatives included providing medical care in collaboration with service providers, managing crowds at the Grand Mosque and holy sites, and directing pilgrims to ensure smooth ritual performance.

Volunteers exemplify generosity and support various sectors serving pilgrims, while also developing their skills and capabilities, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Meanwhile, the Technical and Vocational Training Corp. is participating with 1,068 male and female volunteer trainees this year in Makkah, Madinah, and the holy sites.

Abdullah Al-Duhailan, the corporation’s director general of activities, said the number of volunteers has increased by over 60 percent in four years, from 655 in 2022 to 1,068 this year.

Volunteers join public service camps organized by the Saudi Arabian Scouts Association, in cooperation with government and civil society organizations.

Their roles include guiding lost pilgrims, assisting patients at clinics and hospitals, transporting those in need with hospital vehicles, and supporting tasks alongside the Ministry of Commerce and Makkah municipality.

Volunteers also identify lost pilgrims’ nationalities and service office numbers by scanning barcodes on Nusuk cards and guide them to accommodations via the shortest routes under field scout leaders’ supervision.

Scout teams are also stationed at more than 180 mobile guidance points across Mina, providing rapid support and enhancing service quality to facilitate pilgrims’ smooth Hajj rituals.


Saudi Arabia achieves unprecedented integration, efficiency during 2025 Hajj, says minister

Updated 08 June 2025
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Saudi Arabia achieves unprecedented integration, efficiency during 2025 Hajj, says minister

MINA: Saudi Arabia has achieved unprecedented levels of integration, efficiency and service excellence during this year’s Hajj, according to the Minister of Hajj and Umrah.

Tawfiq Al-Rabiah was speaking at the annual reception for dignitaries and senior Islamic figures who performed Hajj this year, which was held on Saturday in Mina and attended by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

This year saw the launch of the Hajj Transport Center, which served as the central hub for transportation across Makkah and the holy sites and was one of this year’s notable achievements, said Al-Rabiah.

In terms of infrastructure, he added, the electric power capacity in the holy sites increased by 75 percent, with total investments exceeding SR3 billion ($800 million).

Logistically, the minister said: “More than 7,000 flights from 238 destinations around the world were received. In addition, 4,700 Haramain High-Speed Railway trips and 2,500 shuttle bus journeys were operated, supported by the deployment of over 20,000 buses.”

He added: “In the health sector, hospital bed capacity was expanded by over 60 percent. A new emergency hospital was inaugurated, and 71 rapid response units were deployed, tripling the emergency response capacity compared to previous years.”

Al-Rabiah also emphasized the success of the “No Hajj Without a Permit” campaign, which played a vital role in maintaining order, protecting pilgrims and ensuring the safe management of crowds.

He said the campaign was launched to reinforce discipline, protect legitimate pilgrims and facilitate crowd management in a safe environment, enhancing smooth flow and improving organizational efficiency.

On the volunteer front, the Ministry of Health announced the participation of more than 5,000 health volunteers during this year’s Hajj season, as part of ongoing efforts to enhance the quality of medical services provided to pilgrims.

This initiative aligns with the objectives of the Health Sector Transformation Program and the Guests of God Service Program, launched in 2019 under Saudi Vision 2030, which aim to increase the number of volunteers and enhance their contribution to serving pilgrims.

The ministry said: “The volunteers supported healthcare services across three main areas, preventive, therapeutic and support services, in various locations throughout the holy sites … as well as through active participation in hospitals and health centers.”

Authorities also praised the role of advanced technology and digital platforms that streamlined pilgrims’ movements and access to services, while thousands of security personnel, health workers, and volunteers were deployed to offer support.