All eyes on Riyadh bid for World Expo 2030 as Saudi Pavilion in Dubai holds closing ceremony

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Updated 23 November 2023
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All eyes on Riyadh bid for World Expo 2030 as Saudi Pavilion in Dubai holds closing ceremony

  • Saudi Arabia emerges as a strong contender to host the global event, having won multiple endorsements
  • Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced Saudi Arabia’s bid to host Expo 2030 in October last year

DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s award-winning pavilion held its closing ceremony at Expo 2020 Dubai’s Opportunity District on Monday night, after organizing workshops, shows and exhibitions for six consecutive months during which the Kingdom’s culture, development and investment potential were in the international limelight.

As the Arab region’s first ever World Expo draws to a close this week, Saudi Arabia has emerged as a strong contender to host Expo 2030, having already won multiple international endorsements for its formal bid launched late last year.

The consensus view is that the combination of a record-breaking pavilion and attention-grabbing program of events at Expo 2020 Dubai has greatly strengthened Saudi Arabia’s case for hosting the prestigious global event in its capital, Riyadh, in 2030.

“For Saudi Arabia, Expo 2020 Dubai provided a major and highly visible platform to highlight the exciting opportunities and experiences available in the Kingdom, especially as it opens up to the world at an unprecedented scale,” Hussain Hanbazazah, the Saudi pavilion’s commissioner general, told Arab News.




Visitors tour the Saudi Arabia Pavilion at the Dubai Expo 2020 on January 13, 2022, with a projection of an image of the Kingdom's largest palm farm. (AFP/File Photo)

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced the Saudi bid to host Expo 2030 in October last year and the Kingdom submitted its formal application in December to the Bureau International des Expositions, the organization behind the expo.

In its presentation to the BIE in December, Saudi Arabia outlined bold plans to transform Riyadh and the rest of the country into a world-class venue for global connectivity, culture and climate action.

Saudi Arabia’s bid is based on the theme “The Era of Change: Leading the Planet to a Foresighted Tomorrow.” If the Kingdom is successful, the expo would take place in Riyadh from Oct. 1, 2030, to April 1, 2031.

“The BIE is pleased to receive this letter of candidature from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the fifth country to seek the organization of World Expo 2030,” Dimitri S. Kerkentzes, secretary general of the BIE, said upon receiving the formal application from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

He added: “The strong interest in hosting World Expo 2030 attests to the global desire to reconnect with each other and to build a future that is more sustainable, by fostering innovation and cooperation.”

As part of the Saudi bid, Fahd Al-Rasheed, CEO of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, announced in December last year that the Kingdom plans to build one of the world’s biggest public transport networks, establish a green space in the heart of the city that is four times the size of New York City’s Central Park, plant 15 million trees, and turn the Saudi capital’s streets into works of art.

“The transformation is not occurring only in Riyadh, it is sweeping the country,” Al-Rasheed said. “Riyadh will be more than ready to host the World Expo. It will be a perfect manifestation of what the World Expo aims to achieve to bring together the world’s best minds, ideas and solutions.”

Central to Riyadh’s urban redevelopment plan is sustainability, according to Al-Rasheed, with environmental preservation and the goal of cutting carbon emissions by half in less than a decade at the forefront of the project.

“As a first time competitor, Saudi Arabia’s candidature represents an important and symbolic challenge for our nation and one that we will embrace with full commitment,” he said.

Five countries, including Saudi Arabia, Italy, South Korea, Russia and Ukraine, are in the running to host the event. Many believe that owing to the conflict in Ukraine and the package of stringent sanctions placed by Western countries on Russia, it is unlikely that the latter two will succeed in their bids.

Saudi Arabia has already won significant backing for its expo bid. In November, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation pledged its support for the Kingdom’s application.




Saudi Arabia first participated in a World Expo in 1958 when the event was hosted in the Belgian capital, Brussels. It has actively participated in World and Specialized Expos ever since. (Supplied)

Since then, several African nations have also registered their support for the Saudi bid, including Djibouti, Morocco, Mauritania and Zambia.

Saudi Arabia first participated in a World Expo in 1958 when the event was hosted in the Belgian capital, Brussels. It has actively participated in World and Specialized Expos ever since.

The Kingdom’s enthusiasm and engagement in these events has not gone unnoticed. At a Specialized Expo 2008 in the Spanish city of Zaragoza, Saudi Arabia was handed a silver award for its pavilion design. This was topped two years later with a gold award at the World Expo 2010 Shanghai in China.

The tradition of World Expos began in London in 1851 with the Great Exhibition — a monumental celebration of scientific and technological advancement, but also a fascinating display of curiosities from around the world, reflecting an age of accelerating transport and communications, and seemingly boundless potential.

Since then, World Expos have been occasions to share and celebrate the innovations and discoveries of the day, while also reflecting on the shared challenges facing humanity in the hope of identifying shared solutions. The next World Expo is due to be held in Osaka, Japan, in 2025.

These global events, which are held roughly every five years and take place over a period of six months, take visitors on immersive journeys built around a common theme. Welcoming tens of millions of visitors, World Expos allow participating countries to build extraordinary pavilions, transforming host cities for years to come.

By all accounts, Expo 2020 Dubai has been a resounding success, drawing some 10 million visitors to the UAE’s biggest city since the event opened on Oct. 1 last year. By March 25, the Saudi Pavilion alone had welcomed some 4.6 million visitors, including 7,566 school visits.

The pavilion hosted more than 230 unique programs, including 35 that were tailored specifically towards children to teach them about Saudi history and culture in a playful and engaging setting.

The pavilion also hosted 11 business programs with the objective of driving growth and investment, while also promoting tourism and entertainment opportunities in the Kingdom. Several of these events were co-curated with other pavilions with the aim of building cross-cultural bridges and identifying common commercial interests.

Central to the Saudi pavilion’s events and exhibits, and key to its bid to host Expo 2030, are the objectives of the Kingdom’s economic and social reform agenda, Vision 2030.

“Expo 2020 Dubai is the first expo that Saudi Arabia has participated in since the launch of Vision 2030, our national transformation strategic framework, which is ushering in big changes in our country,” said Hanbazazah.




As the Arab region’s first ever World Expo draws to a close this week, Saudi Arabia has emerged as a strong contender to host Expo 2030. (AN Photo/Hashem Rzk)

The agenda, launched by the crown prince in 2016, aims to transform Saudi Arabia into a global investment powerhouse, to diversify its economy away from oil and to embrace sustainable high-tech industries with the ultimate aim of becoming the world’s 15th largest economy by the end of the decade.

The jewels in Vision 2030’s crown are undoubtedly the Kingdom’s new giga-projects, from the Red Sea Project, a luxury sustainable tourism development taking shape on the Kingdom’s west coast, to NEOM, the clean energy-driven smart city of the future under construction in the Kingdom’s northwest.

To promote these investment opportunities, the Saudi pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai included a “Business Park,” an innovative platform connecting investors from around the world to forge partnerships and discuss opportunities, and a “Discovery Center,” where visitors were invited to learn more about the Saudi economy, its competitiveness and the unprecedented reforms that have taken place in the Kingdom.

“We are very proud that our national pavilion was very popular, with one in every four Expo visitors visiting our pavilion,” said Hanbazazah.

“We invite everyone who hasn’t visited it yet to come and live the experience for themselves before the expo closes its doors on March 31.”


2 journeys, 1 destination: Hajj through the eyes of the young, elderly

Updated 14 sec ago
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2 journeys, 1 destination: Hajj through the eyes of the young, elderly

  • Generations decades apart walk same sacred path

MINA: Mina was alive in recent days with the footsteps of millions, yet every pilgrim’s pace told a different story, from those who waited decades for the moment to those capturing it in real time.

In the tent city of Mina, two pilgrims rested side by side: one catching his breath, the other capturing a selfie. One scrolled through prayer times on his smartphone; the other adjusted the strap of his orthopedic sandal. One leaned on a walking stick; the other scrolled through digital navigation. But both wore the same white ihram and followed the same steps.

This was the paradox of Hajj 2025, where generations decades apart walked the same sacred path in remarkably different ways. They shared no common language except the unspoken one of faith.

For 73-year-old Moinuddin from Pakistan, the pilgrimage was a long-awaited dream, one that had been etched over decades of supplication.

He said: “I have the desire and I ask help from God to give me courage and power to perform this Hajj for the Isaal-e-Sawaab (gifting of spiritual rewards) for my mother.”

He paused often, not just for rest, but to reflect — at Arafat, in Muzdalifah, and between the pillars of Jamarat.

Just a few rows behind him, Mustafa, 22, from Denmark, documented his Hajj in quick snaps and video clips. He brought a camera with him to capture the moments for his friends and family back home. He said: “Coming here as a young person, I am grateful. I see a lot of older people and it’s difficult; you have to work a lot.”

While Mustafa relied on digital navigation to track his group, Moinuddin leaned gently on a young companion’s shoulder. Both pilgrims endured the same sun, the same crowds, and the same powerful rituals, but the lens through which they experienced Hajj was shaped by their stage in life.

As the majority of pilgrims were elderly, many arrived with wheelchairs, walkers, or full family support. Their presence was treated with reverence — volunteers readily offered water, fans, and silent prayers as they passed.

In contrast, the younger generation brought a different rhythm — one of documentation, discovery, digital devotion, QR codes at checkpoints, real-time language translation apps, and virtual guides to make this year’s Hajj more accessible than ever.

But tech aside, the younger pilgrims still found themselves drawn into moments of stillness.

What binds both ends of the age spectrum was the raw, shared surrender to something greater. In a space where nationality, status, and language dissolve, so too does age. You could be 18 or 81 — you still bow to the same qibla.

At Mina, where pebbles were cast in symbolic defiance of ego, one young man gently steadied an old man’s arm before throwing his own stones. A quiet exchange, but one that said everything.

As pilgrims circled the Kaaba one final time before departure, the generational divide faded further. Some walked swiftly, others were pushed gently in wheelchairs, but all completed the same Tawaf Al-Wadaa (farewell tawaf).

The journey in the end was not measured in steps or speed, but in surrender. And that, in the valley of Makkah, was a language every pilgrim spoke fluently.


Exploring the hidden gems of Saudi Arabia’s sacred heritage

Beyond the holy cities, other sacred destinations continue to attract pilgrims in search of spiritual enrichment. (Supplied/File
Updated 09 June 2025
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Exploring the hidden gems of Saudi Arabia’s sacred heritage

  • In the holy city of Makkah, pilgrims visit Jabal Al-Nour, whose name means “Mountain of Light”

JEDDAH: As pilgrims complete the sacred rites of Hajj, many embark on a deeper spiritual journey by exploring historic Islamic sites across Saudi Arabia to connect with the roots of their faith.

In the holy city of Makkah, pilgrims visit Jabal Al-Nour, whose name means “Mountain of Light.” At its peak lies the Cave of Hira, where the first verses of the Qur’an were revealed through the Angel Jibreel.

The mountain’s distinctive camel-hump shape makes it a striking landmark, especially with the nearby Hira Cultural District, where the Revelation Gallery offers pilgrims to learn the story of divine revelation and history.

Beyond the holy cities, other sacred destinations continue to attract pilgrims in search of spiritual enrichment. (Supplied/File photo)

Ahmed Khan, a private tour guide said: “There’s something unexplainable about standing where it all began. When I take pilgrims to Jabal al-Nour, many of them are moved to tears it’s not just a climb, but it’s a spiritual awakening.”

To the south lies Jabal Thawr, the mountain that cradled the Prophet and his companion Abu Bakr as-Siddiq in its cave during their migration to Madinah. The story of divine protection, where a spider’s web and a dove’s nest concealed their presence from their pursuers, resonates deeply with pilgrims.

Another frequently visited site is Jabal Abu Qubays, believed in some traditions to be the first mountain placed on Earth. As the closest peak to the Grand Mosque, it resonates with the early public da’wah and the great spiritual responsibility.

FASTFACTS

• Al-Qiblatain Mosque, where revelation changed the direction of prayer from Jerusalem to Makkah, remains a must-visit site for pilgrims. 

• Programs like ‘Hala,’ launched by Al-Bait Guests Co., are curating journeys for pilgrims to explore with knowledgeable guides. 

Nearby, the modest yet historically significant Al-Bay’ah Mosque marks the location of the Pledge of Aqabah, where the Ansar of Madinah pledged allegiance to the Prophet Muhammad.

Built during the Abbasid era, it symbolizes early Muslim unity and commitment to the new faith. A short distance away in Al-Hajun district is Jabal Al-Sayyidah, at the base of which lies the revered Al-Ma’la Cemetery, resting place of Khadijah, the Prophet’s beloved wife. Her grave remains a focal point of deep reverence.

“Pilgrims love visiting these places and it helps them to understand the sacrifices of the people who shaped Islam,” Khan added.

Madinah has its own timeless legacy. Al-Qiblatain Mosque, where revelation changed the direction of prayer from Jerusalem to Makkah and marked a defining shift in Muslim identity and remains a must-visit site for pilgrims.

Hussain Rauff, regional director of Madinah Hotels at Elaf Al-Taqwa, said: “We’re planning to organize guided tours across Madinah to help pilgrims explore the city’s rich Islamic heritage. It’s a meaningful way to extend their spiritual journey beyond the rituals of Hajj.”

Further west of the Prophet’s Mosque lies the cluster known as the Seven Mosques, each linked to events from the Battle of the Trench. Among them are Al-Fath Mosque and those named after figures such as Fatimah, Ali ibn Abi Talib, and Salman Al-Farsi. These mosques are rich in historical memory and serve as reminders of hardship during one of Islam’s critical battles.

Mount Uhud rises just north of Madinah city, its slopes reminds of the Battle of Uhud and the place where the Prophet’s uncle, Hamza ibn Abdul Muttalib, and 70 companions were martyred. Today, pilgrims pause at the Uhud Martyrs Cemetery indicating the modesty found in victory and the strength drawn from loss.

Equally powerful is a visit to Baqi’ Al-Gharqad Cemetery, the resting place of many of the Prophet’s family members and companions. Located near the Prophet’s Mosque, the cemetery has long served as a site for prayer and remembrance, offering pilgrims a moment of intimate connection with those who stood beside the Prophet during Islam’s formative years.

Beyond the holy cities, other destinations continue to attract pilgrims in search of spiritual enrichment. Northwest of Madinah lies Khaybar, the site of a pivotal military campaign that showcases both the strategic and ethical dimensions of the Prophet’s leadership. Its volcanic terrain and ancient fortifications tell stories etched in stone.

Fatima Al-Mutairi, a pilgrim from Kuwait: “I am planning to visit these places in Jeddah and Taif after my Hajj. I am planning to visit the Tomb of Hawa in Jeddah and in Taif, I look forward to visiting Masjid Abdullah ibn Abbas, to pay tribute to one of the great scholars whose work in Qur’anic interpretation and Hadith continues to inspire many seekers of knowledge.”

Recognizing the growing desire for such experiences, programs like “Hala,” launched by Al-Bait Guests Co., are curating immersive journeys for pilgrims to explore these sacred sites with knowledgeable guides and spiritual context.

Mohammed Al-Shahrani, experience officer in Hajj and Umrah sector said: “Our aim is to enrich the post-Hajj experience. We want pilgrims to understand that the journey of faith continues, and Saudi Arabia is opening its heritage for those who wish to walk in the footsteps of the Prophet.”

 


MWL, GCC chiefs praise Saudi Arabia’s Hajj success

Updated 09 June 2025
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MWL, GCC chiefs praise Saudi Arabia’s Hajj success

  • Muslim World League Secretary-General Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa also extended his congratulations on behalf of all MWL agencies

RIYADH: The secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Jassem Al-Budaiwi, has congratulated King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on a successful Hajj season.

“This success reflects the Saudi government’s great efforts and capabilities in serving pilgrims and ensuring they perform rituals with ease, safety and security,” he said.

Al-Budaiwi praised the Kingdom’s advanced infrastructure, precise organization, use of modern technologies — including artificial intelligence — and skilled workforce.

“These efforts delivered an exceptional Hajj experience and reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s leadership in serving Islam and Muslims,” he added. The secretary-general also lauded the Kingdom’s continuous development of the Hajj system.

Muslim World League Secretary-General Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa also extended his congratulations on behalf of all MWL agencies.

He praised the generous care provided to pilgrims, highlighting the smooth movement between holy sites and the commitment to ensuring their comfort and spiritual focus.

 


Maldivian president leaves Saudi Arabia after official visit

Updated 09 June 2025
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Maldivian president leaves Saudi Arabia after official visit

  • Deputy Mayor of Jeddah Ali Mohammed Al-Qarni and Ahmed bin Dhafer, director of the Royal Protocol Office in the Makkah region, were among the officials present

JEDDAH: Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu departed Saudi Arabia on Monday.

Jeddah Gov. Prince Saud bin Abdullah bin Jalawi and several other officials accompanied Muizzu to King Abdulaziz International Airport to wish him farewell, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Deputy Mayor of Jeddah Ali Mohammed Al-Qarni and Ahmed bin Dhafer, director of the Royal Protocol Office in the Makkah region, were among the officials present.

 


Spiritual journey of Hajj pilgrims ends with gifts and souvenirs

As Hajj concludes, pilgrims commonly engage in the cherished custom of purchasing gifts. (SPA)
Updated 09 June 2025
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Spiritual journey of Hajj pilgrims ends with gifts and souvenirs

  • Many gifts symbolize the holy sites and carry deep religious significance
  • Popular choices include Zamzam water, prayer beads, and copies of the Holy Qur’an

MAKKAH: Throughout their profound journey of faith, especially as Hajj concludes, pilgrims commonly engage in the cherished custom of purchasing gifts.

They flock to the malls and markets of Makkah, particularly those around the Grand Mosque. This tradition expresses their spiritual fulfillment and prepares them for their return home, blessed by Allah for having performed the sacred rites, according to a Saudi Press Agency report.

Gift buying represents joy at Hajj’s successful conclusion and strengthens social bonds between relatives, SPA added.

Many gifts symbolize the holy sites and carry deep religious significance. Popular choices include Zamzam water, prayer beads, and copies of the Holy Qur’an.

Pilgrims also frequently buy perfumes like incense and musk, along with various types of dates — ajwa dates being especially sought after.

The markets of Makkah and Madinah see a significant boom after Hajj, bustling with pilgrims of diverse nationalities.

These vibrant markets include modern malls in the Haram area, the traditional Aziziyah Market, the Hijaz Market, and bazaars near the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah.

Merchants actively meet this demand, offering a wide range of products, special offers for pilgrims, and often discounts on bulk purchases.