Crown Prince announces Sindalah, NEOM’s first luxury island development

The island will act as a main gateway to the Red Sea (SPA)
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Updated 06 December 2022
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Crown Prince announces Sindalah, NEOM’s first luxury island development

  • Extending over 840,000 square meters, Sindalah is expected to create 3,500 jobs for tourism, leisure services
  • The island will act as main gateway to the Red Sea and is expected to start welcoming guests from early 2024

RIYADH: NEOM’s first luxury island destination Sindalah will play host to superyachts and top-end apartments, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman revealed as he announced the latest project set to boost Saudi Arabia’s tourism industry.

Extending over an area of approximately 840,000sq. m., Sindalah is one of a group of islands that will be developed in the giga-project, and is expected to create 3,500 jobs for the tourism sector and hospitality and leisure services.

The island will act as a main gateway to the Red Sea, offering bespoke nautical experiences and is expected to start welcoming guests from early 2024, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

The Crown Prince said: “This is another significant moment for NEOM and a major step in the Kingdom realizing its tourism ambitions under Vision 2030. 

“Sindalah will be NEOM’s first luxury island and yacht club destination in the Red Sea, providing a scenic gateway to the Red Sea that will become the region’s most exciting and attractive tourism location. 

“It will be a destination where travelers can experience the true beauty of NEOM and Saudi Arabia, above and below the water, making Sindalah the future of luxury travel.”

Speaking to Arab News, Chris Newman, executive director of hotel development at NEOM, set out the range of events and activites that the island will see once it has opened.

"Sindalah expects to host sophisticated cultural events, grand sporting spectacles and glamorous social celebrations throughout the year," he said, adding "There will be a year-round calendar of imaginative experiences, curated across various seasons."

These will include a social season from December to February which will offer guests access to exclusive music concerts, art and culture events, hosted in inspiring creative venues.

The 'Glamour season' will run from March to May, and then from October and November, and will coinciding with the peak yachting event season. gGuests will enjoy exclusive access to concerts, fashion and culinary festivals as part of the glamour season.

The active season from June to September will offer guests a range of family-friendly beach and recreational activities.

"Sindalah is one of many islands in NEOM. There are additional islands in development, and we will make the announcements in due course as more information becomes available," Newman added/

Mohammed bin Salman, who is also the chairman of NEOM’s Board of Directors, said the launch of Sindalah is a major step in realizing the Kingdom’s tourism ambitions, in line with the goals outlined in Vision 2030.

Sindalah will have an 86-berth marina, as well as hosting 413 ultra-premium hotel rooms, in addition to 333 top-end serviced apartments. 

Other attractions in Sindalah include a luxe beach club, yacht club and 38 unique culinary offerings that will provide an incomparable experience in the Red Sea.

Sindalah is also expected to become a popular golfing destination by offering enthusiasts the opportunity to experience a world-class 6,474-yard (5,920 meters) par 70 course. With its 18 tees, the Sindalah golf course will deliver two unique nine-hole experiences.

NEOM, the $500 billion smart city, is one of the most important projects supporting Saudi Arabia’s national tourism strategy, as the Kingdom steadily diversifies its economy which was heavily dependent on oil for decades. 

In November, speaking at the World Travel and Tourism Council Global Summit, Nadhmi Al-Nasr, CEO of NEOM said that the hanging stadiums in the smart city will make tourists reimagine and visualize the future. 

“In The Line, we want people to come and see how sports stadiums are built, and where they are built. The sports stadiums in NEOM are 300 meter high, loose and hanging in the air,” said Al-Nasr.

He also added that OXAGON, the industrial city in NEOM also has all the potential to become a world-class tourist destination, where visitors can come and see how the future will be.

“It is in OXAGON where all industries will be, and it is the port of NEOM. Yet, we would like to see tourists spending a day or two in OXAGON. They will see the future of industries in OXAGON. Everything in NEOM is built for the future era. We want them to come and see how future sea ports will operate,” he added.


3rd Global Conference for Giftedness and Creativity underway in Riyadh

Updated 7 sec ago
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3rd Global Conference for Giftedness and Creativity underway in Riyadh

  • More than 300 talented individuals and local and international speakers from over 50 countries were attending the three-day conference

 

RIYADH: The third edition of the Global Conference for Giftedness and Creativity opened in Riyadh on Sunday, bringing together a select group of experts and talented individuals in science, technology, and innovation.

More than 300 talented individuals and local and international speakers from over 50 countries were attending the three-day conference, which was inaugurated Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, governor of Riyadh region, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Organized by the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity, also known as "Mawhiba," the conference is being held at the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC) until Tuesday.

Themed "Beyond Creative Minds," the conference aims to showcase the potential of the gifted, develop a comprehensive care system to support them, bolster integration and strategic partnerships, and enhance opportunities for global exchange and cooperation.

An exhibition and various cultural visits are being held on the conference sidelines, the SPA report said.

According to the Mawhiba site, this conference reflects the success achieved in the two previous editions, and "provides an opportunity for partners to contribute to sponsoring the journey of talented people from different countries of the world."

 

 


Saudi-European talks to strengthen cooperation in environmental fields

Updated 25 November 2024
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Saudi-European talks to strengthen cooperation in environmental fields

  • Saudi minister of state discussed with EU security and political officials strengthening existing work on dealing with climate change

RIYADH: Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir met with European officials on Sunday in Riyadh, Saudi Press Agency reported.
Al-Jubeir, who is also the Saudi climate envoy, held talks with Delphine Pronk, the Chair of the EU Political and Security Committee, and Luigi Di Maio, the EU Special Representative for the Gulf region.
They discussed issues surrounding climate change and the cooperation between Saudi Arabia and the EU in environmental fields, SPA added.
They discussed ways to strengthen their existing cooperation on tackling climate change and the recent development in foreign policy in Europe and the Middle East.
Saudi Arabia maintains a strong dialogue with the EU, and both parties share close views on several foreign policy issues, including the Saudi-led Arab Peace Initiative for the Middle East, which aims to create a prosperous region for all its people and end the cycle of conflict.
The EU and Saudi Arabia are also linked through trade relations, which made the EU the Kingdom's second trading partner after the volume of trade exchange between Riyadh and Brussels peaked at $80 billion in 2023.


Saudi FM arrives in Italy to attend G7 ministerial meeting

Updated 24 November 2024
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Saudi FM arrives in Italy to attend G7 ministerial meeting

RIYADH: Saudi foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan arrived in Italy on Sunday to participate in an expanded ministerial meeting of the Group of Seven (G7) countries in Fiuggi, Saudi Press Agency reported. 

The meeting will discuss the current situation in the Middle East, SPA added.

During his stay in Fiuggi, Prince Faisal will hold a number of discussions that will address regional and international issues.


Saudi fund chief receives Tajikistan’s deputy prime minister

Updated 24 November 2024
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Saudi fund chief receives Tajikistan’s deputy prime minister

  • Saudi Ambassador to Tajikistan Walid Al-Rashidan was among the officials in attendance

RIYADH: CEO of the Saudi Fund for Development Sultan Al-Marshad received First Deputy Prime Minister of Tajikistan Hokim Kholiqzoda and his accompanying delegation in Riyadh on Sunday.

During the meeting, the Saudi fund’s development projects were discussed, as well as ways to enhance development cooperation between both sides, the official account wrote on X.

Saudi Ambassador to Tajikistan Walid Al-Rashidan was among the officials in attendance.

Kholiqzoda’s visit included a tour of the Saudi fund’s exhibition center, which showcases the organization’s 50-year journey, including notable development projects and their impacts on the lives of beneficiaries.

 


World’s first International Conference on Conjoined Twins kicks off in Riyadh

Updated 24 November 2024
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World’s first International Conference on Conjoined Twins kicks off in Riyadh

  • Top World Health Organization official commends Saudi Arabia’s efforts in the field

RIYADH: The inaugural International Conference on Conjoined Twins kicked off in Riyadh on Sunday. 

The event unites leading medical experts, humanitarian organizations, and families from around the globe to share vital insights, discuss innovative separation techniques, and forge collaborative pathways in the pursuit of improved lives for conjoined twins. 

Riyadh Gov. Prince Faisal bin Bandar delivered a speech on behalf of King Salman celebrating the achievements of the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program, which has become a global leader in the field.

“Since 1990, 143 cases of twins from 26 countries have been reviewed by my dear colleagues, who have successfully separated a total of 61 pairs of twins to date,” he said. 

Prince Faisal added that it is the only program globally specializing in separating conjoined twins, making it one of the largest humanitarian medical programs in the world. 

He also highlighted a recent milestone: the UN General Assembly is considering an initiative by Saudi Arabia to designate Nov. 24 as the annual World Conjoined Twins Day.

In a video address, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organization, congratulated Saudi Arabia on its leadership in organizing the conference.

“I commend Saudi Arabia for its leadership in organizing this important World Conjoined Twins Day Conference,” he said. 

This recognition would honor the medical and humanitarian efforts in this field and highlight the challenges faced by conjoined twins and their families. 

Ghebreyesus praised the initiative as a model for global collaboration in rare and complex medical cases. 

“The conference provides critical insights, from surgical innovations to long-term strategies, shaping rare initiatives. A broader platform and registry for congenital anomalies would benefit low and middle-income countries,” he said.

A keynote address was delivered by Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, advisor to the Royal Court and supervisor-general of Saudi aid agency KSrelief.

As the head of the multidisciplinary team for the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program, Al-Rabeeah provided insights into the occurrence and challenges associated with conjoined twins.

The history of conjoined twin separation reveals both the challenges and progress in medical science. 

“The first successful separation was by Johannes Fatio back in 1689 by using a constricting band for a set of Omphalopagus twins or those sharing liver and gastrointestinal organs,” he said.

With a 0.5 percent incidence rate, this early success involved “presumably, a small joining in the skin, probably a little bit of the liver,” said Al-Rabeeah. 

He added that a major breakthrough came in 1957 with the first successful separation of Craniopagus, or twins sharing one brain. 

Al-Rabeeah said that the epidemiology shows distinct patterns: “In Western countries, it’s been estimated that we get one conjoined twins in every 50 to 200,000 births.” 

He added that, however, it is more prevalent in Southeast Asia and Africa, “presumably because identical twinning and twinning is (found) more in dark-skinned people in Africa and also in Southeast Asia, increasing the incidence.”

The survival statistics, Al-Rabeeah reported, entail that “60 percent of conjoined twins are stillborn, and those who live 40 percent of them will die in the first few days of life, and 70 percent of those who would survive will be females.”

He emphasized that the reasons behind this regional disparity remain unknown and require further research.

Throughout the conference, leading medical professionals presented their expertise on various aspects of caring for and separating conjoined twins. Topics included embryology, multidisciplinary team-building, antenatal care, and labor management. 

Dr. Nadia Al-Ghilan, from the maternal-fetal medicine department at King Abdulaziz Medical City, gave a presentation titled “Caring for Conjoined Twins: A Prenatal Journey,” describing the complex process of managing pregnancies involving conjoined twins.  

She said that caring for conjoined twins is a complex and delicate process as it requires meticulous prenatal planning and a dedicated medical team.

Al-Ghilan said that “this journey is filled with unique challenges, ethical considerations, and the utmost care to ensure the best possible outcomes for the twins and their family.” 

Early diagnosis, she stressed, is critical for effective prenatal referral, counseling, and planning for delivery and postnatal care.  

Al-Ghilan also underscored the importance of genetic testing in understanding the chromosomal health of conjoined twins. 

“Techniques like amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling can help identify genetic abnormalities, providing valuable information for developing treatment strategies.”

The conference not only serves as a platform for scientific exchange but also fosters dialogue on building global partnerships to support conjoined twins and their families, particularly in low and middle income countries. The conference emphasized the importance of comprehensive care, from prenatal counseling to post-separation rehabilitation. 

For over 30 years, the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program has stood as a beacon of hope for families worldwide. The inaugural International Conference on Conjoined Twins is set to continue this legacy, inspiring further advancements in the care and treatment of conjoined twins globally.