RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Film Commission on Sunday launched its strategy to develop the Kingdom’s film and cinema sector at a ceremony in the capital, Riyadh.
The ceremony was held under the patronage of Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, the minister of culture and chairman of the commission.
Hamed Fayez, the deputy minister of culture and vice chairman of the commission’s board of directors, said that the strategy, with its diverse and comprehensive programs and initiatives, represents a first step toward developing the sector and supporting and empowering Saudi filmmakers.
Fayez said the Kingdom has great potential in the industry due to creative Saudi talent winning awards at regional and international film festivals, Saudi films that have achieved remarkable recognition locally and internationally, and the growth of the production movement in recent years.
The Film Commission’s CEO Abdullah Al-Ayyaf said the strategy contributes to achieving the goals of the Ministry of Culture and the Kingdom’s Vision 2020 National Culture Strategy, by achieving growth in the Saudi film production sector and transforming it into a competitive industry.
It includes producing local cinematic content to attract Saudi and international audiences, and presenting the Kingdom as a leading global center for film production in the Middle East, he added.
The strategy was based on a benchmark comparison with the 20 most important countries in the film industry.
It includes six strategic pillars, including talent development, infrastructure, local production in the Kingdom, international production in the Kingdom, regulatory framework, film distribution and screening.
According to the strategy, the Film Commission will work on 19 strategic initiatives aimed at creating a large movement in the Saudi film sector, providing an infrastructure for film production, and empowering Saudi talents and capabilities.
The commission said its strategy was designed to increase direct contribution to the gross domestic product, increase the number of job opportunities in the film sector, and increase the number of locally produced feature films.
The Film Commission is one of 11 cultural bodies affiliated with the Ministry of Culture and was established in February last year.
Film Commission launches its strategy to develop Saudi film, cinema sector
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Film Commission launches its strategy to develop Saudi film, cinema sector
- The strategy aims to increase direct GDP contribution, increase job opportunities, and increase the number of locally produced feature films
Diriyah Company announces multibillion-dollar Qurain Cultural District and Northern District
- Qurain Cultural District to feature several cultural assets
- Northern District to house the King Salman Foundation, university, museum and cultural institutions
- Projects announced at ‘Bashayer 2024 — Delivering Our Future’ event
RIYADH: Diriyah Company, responsible for developing the Diriyah project, the birthplace of the modern Saudi Arabia and its foremost historical, cultural and lifestyle destination, on Wednesday announced two high-profile, multibillion-dollar educational and arts districts to be developed in the $63.2 billion Diriyah project, on the outskirts of Riyadh.
The announcement was made at its annual international event, “Bashayer 2024 — Delivering our Future.”
These two high-profile districts demonstrate the accelerating growth and development of Diriyah, The City of Earth, one of the world’s biggest and most unique urban development projects spanning an area of 14 sq. km.
Diriyah Company is committed to establishing a vibrant global hub, the Qurain Cultural District, where culture meets modern urban living, offering a diverse range of arts, retail, office and residential spaces for people to live, work, shop local brands, and enjoy local dining experiences.
Its diverse range of multidisciplinary cultural offerings will include assets in a diverse range of areas including a cinema, museums, and several academies including writing, traditional Najdi architecture and mud building, Arab music, culinary, performing arts and theatre.
The Qurain Cultural District will additionally have two world-class hotels and branded residences, including the 195-room Ritz-Carlton Diriyah with 165 residences, and the Address Diriyah, which will have 204 rooms and 60 serviced apartments.
The district will include 19 mixed-use buildings, including office, retail and residences, 10 of which have various boutique office options, and a wide range of retail space and dining venues.
The development of the Qurain Cultural District includes a SR 5.8 billion ($1.55 billion) contract awarded to a joint venture between Nesma & Partners Contracting Co. and MAN Enterprise Al-Saudia.
The Northern District will make Diriyah a global center of learning for scholars, students and visionaries and will include the King Salman Foundation, museums, a university, a library, and a public square.
The new district will also be the site of the recently announced Capella Diriyah, a 100-room luxury hotel that announces Capella Hotels and Resorts’ groundbreaking entry into the Middle East.
Construction on elements of the Northern District is already underway following the announcement of a $2 billion joint venture contract with the China State Construction Engineering Corporation and El Seif Engineering Contracting Co.
Commenting on the new high-profile districts, Diriyah Company Group CEO Jerry Inzerillo said: “Qurain Cultural District and Northern District are two of our most important and significant areas of the Diriyah masterplan and demonstrate the range and diversity of what our City of Earth has to offer.
“They will both become global centers of excellence, of knowledge, learning and creativity as Diriyah once more becomes a gathering place for the world. We are delighted to share details of these major developments at Bashayer and share once more the unique range of investment opportunities and partnerships the Diriyah Company has to offer the world.”
Speaking to Arab News, Inzerillo said: “Every year in November and early December, we do our good news event — Bashayer — we have promised every year we would open new assets, ground break on substantial assets, and announce new assets. We started this in 2021 with 2030 projects. We opened assets in 2021, in 2022, Bujairi, the UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2023.
“Now we are putting many branded residences on sale, which are sold very quickly, like Ritz Carlton Reserves. We have parks, we have finished the golf course, and are building a new royal golf and polo and equestrian center, so many exciting developments.”
This milestone brings us closer to realizing Diriyah’s vision as a premier hospitality destination, with brands like Raffles, Armani, Orient Express, Baccarat, Corinthia, Fauchon L’Hotel, and Rosewood setting the standard for world-class luxury. Each of these properties will play a pivotal role in welcoming guests from around the world to the City of Earth, he added.
“The annual event Bashayer shows what we are building to complement His Royal Highness’s (Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman) master plan,” he said.
The annual Bashayer event took place in the first of Diriyah’s planned 40-plus hotels — the 134-room Bab Samhan, a Luxury Collection Hotel. The new property is designed to reflect the 300-year-old Najdi architectural features and will begin welcoming guests at the end of this year.
The event attracted interest from global investors, hospitality companies, construction firms, infrastructure experts and representatives from the sports, arts, culture, tourism and retail sectors.
In addition to the new districts, the audience was also updated on the rapid progress being made in construction and the status of key assets at Diriyah Square with a tour of the project site, unveiled for the first time.
The Diriyah project is one of Saudi Arabia’s five giga-projects backed by the Public Investment Fund and is building homes for 100,000 people, creating 178,000 jobs, will host 50 million visits a year in the future and contribute $18.6 billion to Saudi Arabia’s GDP.
Saudi, Eurojust officials discuss judicial reforms
- Walid Al-Samaani highlighted significant developments in the Kingdom’s judicial sector
- Al-Samaani said that the right to litigation is guaranteed to both citizens and residents of the Kingdom
RIYADH: Saudi Minister of Justice Walid Al-Samaani visited the EU Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation, Eurojust, in The Hague, Netherlands.
He was welcomed by Eurojust President Michael Schmid. They discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in the judicial and legal fields to promote justice and human rights, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Al-Samaani highlighted significant developments in the Kingdom’s judicial sector, supported by King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, as part of Saudi Vision 2030.
He said that the right to litigation is guaranteed to both citizens and residents of the Kingdom, with all judicial guarantees provided to ensure equal treatment for all parties and fairness in resolving disputes based solely on facts.
Al-Samaani highlighted key judicial reforms that have enhanced transparency and public access, such as recording court sessions with audio and video, publishing judicial rulings, introducing electronic litigation services and implementing the preventive justice system.
COP29 leaders push for faster climate action in second week
- Simon Stiell: Entering the second week of this COP, it is a mixed picture
- Stiell: The bottom line is we are a long way from halving global emissions this decade
BAKU: The COP29 Presidency team gathered on Monday to discuss negotiations and some of the highlighted plans for the second week of the 29th session of the UN climate change conference.
Present at the discussions were Mukhtar Babayev, president of COP29; Yalchin Rafiyev, lead negotiator; Leyla Hasanovahe, youth climate champion for COP29; and Simon Stiell, executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Concerns were expressed regarding the state of negotiations and whether the participating parties were moving forward at the desired speed to deliver results efficiently.
“Politicians are the power to reach a fair and ambitious dream,” Babayev said. “They must deliver on responsibilities. They must engage immediately and constructively.”
Stiell also gave his thoughts on the progress thus far.
“Entering the second week of this COP, it is a mixed picture. It has been encouraging to see the significant strides forward notably on carbon markets, making progress that previous COPs could not achieve. There is more work to do, of course, and I am certainly not complacent. There are still challenges ahead there.
“The bottom line is we are a long way from halving global emissions this decade.”
While Babayev and Stiell agreed on the amount of work still needed in order for the world to reduce the impact of climate change, Stiell said he believes collaborative efforts are necessary so that all participating countries can deliver.
“We must help countries to pick up this pace over this high week,” he said.
Saudi Rail event keeps Kingdom’s transport goals on track
- Inaugural conference in Riyadh showcases global collaboration, Vision 2030 ambitions
- Saleh Al-Jasser: The immense interest shown by global companies to attend demonstrates their eagerness to contribute to and partner in the Kingdom’s ambitious railway projects
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has marked another milestone in its bid to become a global transport hub, with the first Saudi Rail Conference and Exhibition kicking off in Riyadh on Wednesday.
The two-day event, inaugurated by Saudi Minister of Transport and Logistics Services Saleh Al-Jasser, will showcase the latest advances in railway technology, while fostering collaboration between local and international transport stakeholders.
More than 200 exhibitors and speakers from around the world will take part in the event.
Aligned with Vision 2030, the event supports the Kingdom’s goals of modernizing infrastructure, and enhancing economic and social development.
Al-Jasser, who also chairs Saudi Arabia Railways, highlighted the importance of the conference, and Saudi Arabia’s progress in transport and logistics.
“More than 15,000 participants and 120 exhibitors from around the world have gathered at this inaugural event, reflecting the Kingdom’s significance and the remarkable progress in the transport and logistics sectors,” he said.
“The immense interest shown by global companies to attend demonstrates their eagerness to contribute to and partner in the Kingdom’s ambitious railway projects.”
Al-Jasser said that this is a testament to the support provided by King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whose National Transport and Logistics Strategy has set the stage for transformative growth.
The Kingdom’s railway network has grown significantly in recent years, with major projects such as the Northern Train Network, the Eastern Train Network, and the Haramain High-Speed Railway connecting major cities and facilitating pilgrimage traffic.
Urban rail systems, including the Riyadh Metro, and specialized networks such as the Mashaer Train for Hajj pilgrims have also enhanced the infrastructure.
Bashar Al-Malik, CEO of Saudi Arabia Railways, emphasized the strategic significance of the event.
“Hosting the Saudi Rail event demonstrates the Kingdom’s commitment to becoming a leader in transportation innovation. This platform connects key stakeholders and fosters regional and global partnerships,” he said.
The conference aims to accelerate international collaboration, encouraging global companies to expand their operations in Saudi Arabia.
“By fostering partnerships, we aim to drive local capacity-building and knowledge transfer, ensuring that the Kingdom’s railway sector is globally competitive,” Al-Malik added.
The railway sector’s expansion aligns with Vision 2030’s goals of economic diversification and sustainable development. By supporting tourism and trade, Saudi railways help ease road congestion, lower accident rates, and reduce environmental impact.
As the Saudi Rail Conference and Exhibition continues, it will cement the Kingdom’s reputation as a global hub for transport innovation. With strategic partnerships and cutting-edge technology, Saudi Arabia’s rail sector is poised for exponential growth, serving as a model for sustainable and efficient transportation.
Tuwaiq Academy, Misk to launch new tech training
- Deal signed to hone Saudi skills in data science, artificial intelligence, video game production
RIYADH: Leading Saudi programming trainer Tuwaiq Academy is partnering with the Mohammed bin Salman Foundation, or Misk, to support training in advanced technologies, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Tuwaiq Academy, founded in 2019, provides a range of training and educational courses in cybersecurity, programming and software development in a bid to position Saudi Arabia among the ranks of technologically advanced countries.
Its partnership with Misk was sealed at the Misk Global Forum 2024, which concluded on Tuesday in Riyadh.
A memorandum was signed by Misk Foundation CEO Badr Al-Badr and the CEO of Tuwaiq Academy, Abdulaziz Al-Hammadi.
The agreement between the two entities will result in several initiatives to hone Saudi skills in advanced technology, including data science, artificial intelligence, video game production and user experience design, the SPA reported.
Tuwaiq Academy will also turn some Misk programs into bootcamps, cooperate in meetings about the latest technology, and invite experts to enrich the tech community in Saudi Arabia.
Since 2019, Tuwaiq Academy has provided professional bootcamps to thousands of Saudi trainees and has partnered with tech giants such as Meta, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon and Alibaba.
The academy has now opened registration for a number of its advanced technology bootcamps through its website at tuwaiq.edu.sa
