RIYADH: Several events will be held in cities across Saudi Arabia starting from Tuesday to celebrate Founding Day and the Kingdom’s well-established roots that spanned for more than three centuries, organizers said on Wednesday.
The Kingdom will mark the day for the first time on Feb. 22, after the Saudi Cabinet adopted the day to commemorate the country’s founding in 1727 by Imam Mohammed bin Saud earlier this month.
The day also celebrates the close connection between its citizens and leaders since the founding of the Saudi state in mid-1727, and until now, Saudi Press Agency reported.
A number of events will be held in the capital, Riyadh, including “The Beginning” event in Wadi Namar, where 3,500 performers will shed light on the Kingdom’s history over three centuries through 10 scenes. The “Founding Operetta” — a musical theatrical performance — will be held on Feb. 23 at the Mohammed Abdo Arena in Riyadh Boulevard and will portray six historical icons that passed during the three centuries, beginning with the founder.
On the evening of Feb. 24, the Riyadh sky will be decorated with a light show featuring fireworks, aerial drone shows and sound effects, and spectators can view the show from the intersection between King Salman bin Abdulaziz Road and Prince Turki bin Abdulaziz I Road.
From Tuesday to Thursday, the National Museum in Riyadh will host the “Majlis” event to celebrate Saudi culture and includes a series of interactive workshops, discussions that document the cultural aspects of the first Saudi state.
Other events include shedding light on traditional markets, Saudi clothing and costumes and Saudi coffee, an art exhibition and historical cultural seminars, as well as fireworks displays and a range of programs suitable for all age groups.
Different regions of the Kingdom will witness various activities over the two days highlighting the historical, cultural and social legacy of the Saudi state up to the present time.
Preparations underway to mark the first Saudi Founding Day on Feb. 22
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Preparations underway to mark the first Saudi Founding Day on Feb. 22
- Various activities will be held over two days highlighting the historical, cultural and social legacy of the Saudi state
KSrelief expands aid across global crisis zones
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s aid agency KSrelief continues to make a significant global impact, providing critical assistance to some of the world’s most vulnerable communities.
In Somalia, KSrelief distributed 1,220 food baskets to families affected by floods in camps across the Banadir region, benefiting 7,320 people.
The Saudi aid agency also distributed 900 food baskets to vulnerable displaced families in Sudan’s Blue Nile State, benefiting 4,050 individuals.
In Yemen, KSrelief launched a project to treat childhood cancer in Mukalla district, Hadramout governorate, involving five volunteers specializing in various medical fields.
So far, the KSrelief medical team has examined 23 children and reviewed their treatment plans. They also conducted training sessions for local health care workers, benefiting 10 individuals to date, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
Since its launch in May 2015, KSrelief has implemented 3,435 projects worth more than $7.9 billion across 107 countries, in partnership with more than 317 organizations.
Study outlines forest fire prevention plan
RIYADH: The National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification has completed a study to enhance forest protection and reduce wildfire risks in support of environmental sustainability goals.
Titled “Forest Fire Prevention and Post-Fire Recovery in the Southern and Southwestern Regions of Saudi Arabia,” the study was conducted in collaboration with King Khalid University and Monash University in Australia.
It includes an assessment of forest conditions and risk factors, the development of a digital database, and a review of preventive measures and community practices, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
The study proposes an integrated response plan involving relevant agencies, with defined roles and the use of modern tools such as early warning systems and drones.
It also offers field designs and sustainable alternatives for strategic firebreaks, a post-fire recovery guide, a performance evaluation tool, and a framework for joint operations.
To support this, the study outlines a mechanism for engaging local volunteer teams in forest areas through training, capacity-building, and coordination with authorities.
The study demonstrates institutional, technical, and community collaboration in forest protection. It reflects Saudi Arabia’s efforts to preserve natural resources and address climate-related challenges while balancing development with ecosystem conservation.
The national center continues to promote sustainable vegetation cover and has launched an initiative to plant 60 million trees — equivalent to restoring 300,000 hectares — by 2030.
New school for neurodiverse children to open in Riyadh
- Enrollment is now open for the 2025 academic year
RIYADH: A new school specializing in educating neurodiverse children aged 3 to 9 will open in Riyadh in September, it was announced on Tuesday evening.
Josour Schools held a seminar in Riyadh this week to make the announcement, highlighting its unique model, which combines education, therapy and family services.
The school, which will be located in Roshn’s Sedra 1 community, is the result of a partnership between the Educational Infrastructure Holding Co. and UK-based CareTech.
“CareTech is always rooted in the communities in which we operate our services,” Shokat Akbar, CEO of CareTech International, told Arab News. “For (Josour) to succeed, it must be rooted in the community and be … in partnership with the community.”
Aligned with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals, Josour Schools adopts a British curriculum adapted to local cultural values.
Its small-class model, led by neurodiversity specialists, focuses on individualized education plans and combines education with therapeutic interventions.
“This school serves a critical purpose: providing good quality access to special education needs services for children,” Akbar said. “Inclusivity comes in many ways.
“Students (will) participate in society through art and sport, making their contributions visible.”
The school will have access to resources from CareTech’s global network of 47 UK schools and 550 specialized services.
“Teachers will attend CareTech UK schools as part of their induction and training,” Akbar said, adding that Josour’s therapists would collaborate with experts across CareTech’s global network, including researchers and practitioners.
Enrollment is now open for the 2025 academic year.
Ministry of Islamic Affairs launches 24/7 toll-free helpline for pilgrims
- Helpline will respond to pilgrims’ inquiries related to Hajj
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance has launched a 24/7 toll-free helpline (800 2451000) to respond to pilgrims’ inquiries and provide religious rulings (fatwas) related to the Hajj.
The service provides religious guidance in 10 languages: Arabic, English, French, Turkish, Urdu, Indonesian, Bengali, Hausa, Amharic and Hindi.
The toll-free helpline is part of the ministry’s initiatives aimed at facilitating the performance of Hajj rituals in accordance with Islamic rules.
Through direct communication with a select group of qualified scholars and professional translators, the helpline ensures pilgrims receive reliable religious support.
The ministry has urged all pilgrims to make full use of this complimentary service, underscoring the Kingdom’s intent to deliver the highest standard of care during the pilgrimage.
The minister of Islamic affairs has assigned 300 scholars and advocates to provide fatwas and lectures for domestic Hajj campaigns for this year’s Hajj season, the ministry said.
Meanwhile, the ministry continues its efforts to serve pilgrims during Hajj by providing awareness and guidance services at the Aisha Mosque, one of the main stations frequented by pilgrims in Makkah.
The services include broadcasting awareness messages in several languages via electronic screens to enhance religious awareness and facilitate the performance of rituals.
In addition, around-the-clock field-monitoring tours are being conducted by male and female inspection teams to ensure the quality of services and address observations immediately.
The ministry also ensured the availability of Qur’ans and translations in several languages and organized the movement of crowds in the mosque and its courtyards to ensure smooth flow and comfort for visitors.
Saudi coders describe inspiration behind award-winning apps
- Apple honored Saudi coders for accessibility and mental health apps built at Riyadh Developer Academy
RIYADH: Two Saudi women spoke to Arab News about the inspiration behind their apps that were named in the top 50 of a global coding competition held recently by Apple.
Manar Al-Ghamdi, 22, began coding her app during the COVID-19 pandemic with encouragement from her father. What started as a curiosity quickly turned into a career path.
“It’s wonderful when you do something and you see the result of it,” Al-Ghamdi said. “(It is) a magnificent feeling, to see the result of your hard work.”
Her app, developed as part of a challenge-based learning module, aims to improve accessibility for visually impaired users. Drawing on Apple’s VoiceOver technology, she created a game centered on Lama, a blind girl who guides users through her world.
“When I worked on real-world challenges, that helped me understand the impact of technology on people’s lives. One of the most meaningful things that came during the academy was accessibility challenges,” Al-Ghamdi said.
“I talked to someone who is blind and a programmer (and) he showed me how he programs. It opened my eyes to how often accessibility is overlooked in app development, and how it’s crucial to design for everyone,” she said.
The app is both an educational and empathetic tool, introducing developers to the challenges faced by blind users. “We need the world to be inclusive, not exclusive,” Al-Ghamdi said.
“When I show anyone my app, they say, ‘Oh my God, that’s a real thing, that’s a challenge.’
“The more knowledge they have after using my app, I think that’s the rewarding part,” she added.
Both developers are graduates of the Apple Developer Academy in Riyadh, a program designed to nurture and develop coding talent in the Kingdom.
“My experience at the Apple Developer Academy has been truly transformative,” Al-Ghamdi said.
“The academy pushed me to grow, not only as a developer, but as a thinker, a collaborator, and a problem solver,” she added.
Al-Ghamdi was motivated to participate in Apple’s Swift Student Challenge after meeting previous winners through an academy-hosted session.
“The session I was very excited about is when the club invited the previous winners. They told us about how exciting it was. So I was like, OK, I want that too,” Al-Ghamdi said.
“After this magnificent journey I had here at the academy, the first thing in my mind now is, I want to create an app or develop something that really impacts people’s lives,” she said. “I want to build something meaningful.”
24-year-old Yomna Eisa’s app takes a more personal approach. Inspired by her own struggles with mental health, she designed an animated educational app that helps users understand internal stress responses through lighthearted, accessible storytelling.
“I wanted to create something that is personal to me, so that regardless of anything, regardless of outcome, to me, that’s still winning, that I created something that has meaning to me,” Eisa said.
“My cats were always a huge emotional support for me, so it was really important to me to incorporate them in this app,” she added.
Eisa taught herself animation using her iPad, despite not having an artistic background.
“I’m not an artist. I don’t know how to draw, but I wanted to try something different with this app, and I did all the animation myself on my iPad.
“I don’t think the person I was before the academy would have been the kind of person to try out risking learning something entirely new,” Eisa said.
“I hope that my app will teach them about what goes on internally in their body when they’re under chronic stress ... and deliver that message in a way that is lighthearted and comfortable to the user,” she added.
Eisa described the Apple Developer Academy as a key influence on her personal and professional development.
“The academy really pushes us to try new things and try our best to make mistakes and learn from those mistakes. And it’s been such a push for me, personally and professionally, and made me change entirely,” Eisa said.
“Honestly, I feel like an entirely new person.
The academy program, she said, was “motivational, encouraging, and comfortable ... being surrounded by our mentors and other women who share similar values when it comes to continuous learning has honestly been so encouraging,” she added.
Fueled by her experience at the academy, Eisa is now looking ahead.
“I want to use my knowledge in tech to create something that is useful,” Eisa said.
“I want to hopefully continue doing that and possibly work for a company or an organization that can help me support that and fulfill that goal,” she added.
The Swift Student Challenge is part of Apple’s broader effort to nurture young talent in coding, design and entrepreneurship. The 50 winners — including Al-Ghamdi and Eisa — will attend Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference at Apple Park in Cupertino, California, in June.
Their recognition highlights Saudi Arabia’s growing presence in global tech innovation, especially among young women.
