RIYADH: Cities across Saudi Arabia are set to host the largest traditional cultural show simulating human struggle since the founding of the Saudi state and the development it has gained throughout its luminous history full of achievements.
The show, which will be held from Feb. 22 to 24 to commemorate Founding Day, will present visitors with a cultural celebration of traditional Saudi garments and costumes, and the aroma of traditional Saudi coffee, as the Kingdom’s history unfolds before their eyes, organizers said.
King Salman had issued a royal decree designating Feb. 22 as Founding Day, to recognize the foundation of the First Saudi State in 1727 by Imam Mohammed bin Saud.
In the era of the Saudi state, Diriyah was a meeting point for Hajj and trade caravans coming from outside the Arabian Peninsula, and the area has been renowned since the pre-Islamic era for its different markets that vary in terms of tradition and heritage and in the number of pilgrims, a statement on Saudi Press Agency said on Saturday.
It includes a simulation of the movement of the well-known commercial markets throughout the Kingdom, especially the “Nejnaj, a place where ancient flea markets burst to life.”
The Nejnaj event was divided into five regions (central, eastern, northern, western, and southern), and each region has a gate that includes a mini-art exhibition consisting of old photos from each region showing its ancient heritage and history during the Saudi state. Each region will have actors and narrators telling real stories from the founding period.
The night sky will also light up with a fireworks and drone show on Thursday.
A virtual historical exhibition will be held on Tuesday, whereby students participated by submitting a picture, painting, or a form of expressive writing defining the Founding Day and the historical depth of the Kingdom.
The exhibition is the first and largest virtual exhibition in the world in terms of space, participants and global competition,” SPA reported, adding that it will be managed through a control panel for each participant on the Saudi virtual reality system VRSA, which is the latest global smart Saudi 3D interactive technology in the world.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, a large musical show will be held in Riyadh that will take audiences back to the first days of the Kingdom up until the current time, and highlights the establishment and unification stages of the Kingdom. It also shows its transition to modern life, while preserving the language, religion, customs, traditions and social relations.
The “Founding Day Operetta” aims to celebrate the founder and other historical icons throughout three centuries in a musical led by Mohammed Abdo, Abdul Majeed Abdullah, Rashed Al-Fares, Majed Al-Mohandes, and Dalia.
It was composed by Saham, Nasser Al-Saleh and Nawaf Abdullah, and written by Prince Badr bin Abdul Mohsin, Mohammed Al-Anizi, Naif Saqer, Najla Al-Mahya and Ahmed Alawi.
Saudi Arabia to hold a number of events over three days to celebrate the first Founding Day
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Saudi Arabia to hold a number of events over three days to celebrate the first Founding Day
Rain lashes parts of Saudi Arabia with warnings of thunderstorms and hail
- Overcast skies dominated the day in the capital Riyadh, which recorded moderate rainfall in the morning
- The weather office also warned of potential near-zero visibility and flooding in some areas
RIYADH: Rain fell on parts of Saudi Arabia early on Sunday, with officials forecasting thunderstorms, hail, and strong winds.
Overcast skies dominated the day in the capital Riyadh, which recorded moderate rainfall in the morning.
The National Center of Meteorology forecast strong winds, hail and thunderstorms, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The weather office also warned of potential near-zero visibility and flooding in some areas.
In the southern Jazan region, heavy rain was reported earlier in the day, affecting Jazan City for Basic and Transformative Industries, as well as the governorates of Ad-Darb, Beesh and the Farasan Islands.
The center issued alerts for Jazan, warning of thunderstorms, high waves and strong winds in the region.
Areas including Sabya, Abu Arish, Al-Harith, Ad-Dayer, Fifa, and Harub were highlighted in the advisory.
Residents were cautioned about the risk of reduced visibility and localized flooding in affected areas.
Earlier this week, parts of Saudi Arabia, including Asir, Makkah, and Madinah regions, experienced similar weather conditions.
Thunderstorms coupled with heavy rain caused temporary disruptions in traffic and daily activities.
The authorities issued several warnings during that period, urging residents to stay vigilant, especially in flood-prone areas.
The rainfall is caused by seasonal weather changes affecting parts of the Kingdom.
The Jazan region, in particular, often experiences heavy rains at this time of year, which can result in flash floods and other related challenges.
Authorities in Riyadh and Jazan have reiterated the importance of adhering to safety guidelines, particularly for motorists navigating slippery roads and areas prone to water accumulation.
Emergency response teams are on high alert to address any incidents caused by the adverse weather.
Residents in affected areas have been advised to follow updates and warnings issued by the center to ensure their safety as weather conditions develop.
Arab, EU diplomats meet in Riyadh for meetings on Syria
- Riyadh is negotiating how to support the war-struck country’s transition
RIYADH: Top diplomats from the Middle East and Europe were in the Saudi capital on Sunday to discuss Syria, as world powers push for stability after the fall of Bashar Assad.
The talks on Sunday were due to unfold in two sessions: the first bringing together Arab officials, while the second will feature wider participation, including from Turkiye, France, the European Union and the United Nations, a Saudi official told AFP on Saturday.
Syria’s new leader Ahmed Al-Sharaa, who led the main group in the alliance that overthrew Assad, is pushing for sanctions relief.
Western powers, including the United States and the European Union, imposed sanctions on Assad’s government over his brutal crackdown on anti-government protests in 2011, which triggered the civil war.
More than 13 years of conflict have killed over half a million Syrians, left infrastructure destroyed and the people impoverished, while millions have fled their homes, including to Europe.
The European Union’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, said on Friday that the 27-nation bloc could begin lifting sanctions if Syria’s new rulers took steps to form an inclusive government that protected minorities.
Saudi Arabia cut ties with Assad’s government in 2012 and had long openly championed his ouster. But in 2023 it hosted an Arab League meeting at which Assad was welcomed back into the regional fold.
This month the Gulf kingdom has sent food, shelter and medical supplies to Syria over land and by plane.
Riyadh is now negotiating how to support the war-struck country’s transition beyond that.
“This summit sends the message that Saudi Arabia wants to take the lead on coordinating the regional effort to support Syria’s recovery,” said Anna Jacobs, non-resident fellow at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington.
“But the big question is how much time and how many resources will Saudi Arabia devote to this effort? And what is possible with many of the sanctions remaining in place?”
The meetings on Sunday represent a continuation of talks on post-Assad Syria held last month in Jordan, the Saudi official said.
After those talks in Aqaba, diplomats called in a joint statement for a Syrian-led transition to “produce an inclusive, non-sectarian and representative government formed through a transparent process.”
The statement also stressed “respect for human rights” and the importance of combating “terrorism and extremism,” demanding all parties cease hostilities in Syria.
Turkiye’s foreign minister had confirmed he would attend Sunday’s meeting. Iraq’s top diplomat was also in Riyadh for the gathering, and AFP saw Germany’s foreign minister at the conference venue.
US Undersecretary of State John Bass is also set to attend, coming from talks in Turkiye that partly covered “the importance of regional stability, preventing Syria from being used as a base for terrorism, and ensuring the enduring defeat” of the Daesh group, the State Department said.
Riyadh is “positively approaching” the new leaders in Syria, looking to see if they can bring stability and “control the more extreme elements in (their) ranks,” Karim said.
The group that Sharaa leads, Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham, is rooted in the Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda, but years ago broke that link and has sought to moderate its image.
Germany pledges $51m in aid for Syria
- Spending will ‘contribute to a peaceful transition for all,’ foreign minister says
- Decision announced on sidelines of Riyadh meeting on Syria hosted by Saudi Arabia
RIYADH: Germany will spend €50 million ($51.3 million) on humanitarian aid for Syria, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock announced on the sidelines of the Riyadh meetings on Syria hosted by Saudi Arabia on Sunday.
“Syrians now need a quick dividend from the transition of power, and we continue to help those in Syria who have nothing as we have done in all of the years of civil war,” Baerbock said.
During a press briefing, the minister said: “We will provide another €50 million for food, emergency shelter, and medical care because we know that over the last year not only millions have suffered, didn’t have enough food, didn’t have enough treatment for the children, but we also know that the new displacement attacks the women and children, especially.
“We will stand with the people of Syria to contribute to a peaceful transition for everyone,” she said.
The foreign minister said that the aid is not only needed to help those in Syria, but also serves as an investment in security in Germany and throughout Europe.
Baerbock also expressed her gratitude to Saudi Arabia for gathering countries both within the region and from Europe “to discuss the countless unresolved issues facing Syria together.”
KSrelief continues humanitarian outreach in Syria, Yemen
RYADH: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) continues with its humanitarian activities in Syria and Yemen with the distribution of food supplies, health kits and prosthetic services.
In the town of Beit Yashout, Jabla District of Syria’s Latakia Governorate, 499 families each received boxes containing a bag of flour as well as personal care kits on Saturday, state news agency SPA reported.
In Jindires of Aleppo Governorate, KSrelief distributed 1,476 food boxes and 1,476 health kits while in Talbiseh of Homs Governorate the aid agency on Thursday handed out to 86 families food parcels, each containing a 10-kilogram bag of flour, along with winter kits and personal care kits on Thursday.
This initiative is part of the Kingdom’s continuous humanitarian efforts, through KSrelief, to alleviate the suffering of the Syrian people during various crises and hardships, SPA reported.
Meanwhile in Yemen, the Project for Operating Artificial Limbs and Rehabilitation Center in Taiz provided medical services to 434 beneficiaries who lost their limbs in December last year.
The center, being supported by KSrelief, delivered 1,613 services including the delivery, measurement and maintenance of prosthetic limbs, as well as physical therapy and specialized consultations.
UAE, Syria foreign ministers arrive in Riyadh
- Welcomed at King Khalid International Airport by Saudi Deputy FM Waleed Al-Khuraiji
RIYADH: Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, the UAE deputy prime minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, arrived in Riyadh on Saturday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
He was welcomed at King Khalid International Airport by Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji.
Sheikh Abdullah is in the Kingdom to attend an expanded ministerial meeting on Syria to be hosted by Saudi Arabia on Sunday, SPA added.
New Syrian foreign minister Asaad Al-Shaibani also arrived in Riyadh on Saturday evening to participate in the ministerial meeting.
He was also welcomed at King Khalid International Airport by Al-Khuraiji.
