JEDDAH: On behalf of King Salman, Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, governor of Makkah, will inaugurate on Saturday the second edition of the Global Conference for Giftedness and Creativity, which Jeddah will be hosting from Dec. 10 to 14.
The conference, organized by the King Abdulaziz and his Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity, known as Mawhiba, will be held under the theme “Journey Toward the New Future.”
The conference aims to inspire and empower talented youth from around the world to shape the future and to engage them in building a platform to address global challenges.
Young creatives from all over the world are expected to participate in the conference alongside their Saudi peers, where they will work in teams to come up with solutions to the world’s sustainable development challenges.
Mawhiba Secretary-General Amal Al-Hazzaa said that the conference seeks to develop the Kingdom’s global leadership in supporting and nurturing talented youth.
Many world experts are participating, along with representatives from leading companies and universities, including the Saudi Basic Industries Corp., Aramco, NEOM, the King Abdullah University and the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology.
A selection of keynote speakers will deliver lectures, including Yousef bin Abdullah Al-Benyan, Saudi minister of education; Dr. Robert Lee Satcher Jr. an American physician, chemical engineer and former NASA astronaut; and Sir Geoff Mulgan, professor of collective intelligence, public policy and social innovation at University College London.
Among the panelists are Prof. Tony Chan, president of the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology; Dr. Lianne Hoogeveen, president of the European Council for High Ability; Dr. Andreas Cangellaris, president of NEOM University; and Dr. Arif Ansari, a transformational leader and foresight business analytics expert.
In a short video posted on Twitter by Mawhiba, Mulgan, who also was CEO of the UK’s innovation foundation Nesta from 2011 to 2019, said that he will be speaking about how collective intelligence can support gifted people to realize their ideas and contribute to solving the world’s biggest challenges.
The conference will feature an “idea-thon” aimed at developing an idea-generating platform that will contribute qualitative solutions to the different problems facing societies in the future.
The first edition of the conference was held in the Saudi capital under the theme “Imagine the Future 2020” and was inaugurated by Riyadh Gov. Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz.
The 2020 conference tackled virtual reality and its impact on human development. It also focused on expanding international cooperation with the aim of developing human capital to confront global challenges.
Mawhiba’s 2nd global talent conference kicks off in Jeddah on Saturday
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Mawhiba’s 2nd global talent conference kicks off in Jeddah on Saturday
- The conference aims to inspire and empower talented youth from around the world to shape the future
- Young creatives from all over the world are expected to participate in the conference alongside their Saudi peers
Taif Municipality launches tree-planting initiative
- The mayor of Taif, Abdullah bin Khamis Al-Zaidi, affirmed that the municipality will help everyone meet the development needs of their neighborhoods
RIYADH: Taif Municipality launched the “Neighborhood Friends” initiative to establish a volunteer team to plant trees around housing units in the Taif governorate and identify the needs of occupants, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
According to SPA, the initiative aims to enhance communication with beneficiaries of developmental housing, identify the units’ issues, engage volunteers in tree planting, activate professional volunteering, encourage individual participation, and acknowledge the importance of social responsibility in serving the community.
Engineers and specialists are also involved in this project.
The mayor of Taif, Abdullah bin Khamis Al-Zaidi, affirmed that the municipality will help everyone meet the development needs of their neighborhoods.
He also pointed out that this initiative is a pivotal intersection between community engagement and urban development, as it represents a collaborative process in which residents and other stakeholders work together to create a shared vision for their neighborhood’s future.
Healthy demand — pumpkin production on the rise in Qassim
- Promising crop supports local food safety and achieves notable economic revenues
BURAIDAH: It may be classed as a fruit, but pumpkin has become a key ingredient in cuisines around the world, thanks to its versatility and nutritional value.
And in Qassim, thanks to a favorable climate and agricultural conditions coupled with rising local demand, pumpkin production is enjoying significant growth.
Recorded health benefits of eating pumpkin include enhanced vision and better immunity. It also supports heart health, helps weight loss and promotes healthy skin and hair, as well as providing important nutrients and being low in calories.
Farmer Saleh bin Hamad Al-Saab spoke to the media about his experience of growing the fruit.
Possible, beneficial and promising
“Pumpkin cultivation in Qassim is not only possible, but also beneficial and promising,” he said.
“There are different kinds, including field pumpkin, butternut squash, kabocha squash, and even spaghetti squash, which is gaining increasing popularity.”
Each variety has its own uses and benefits. Field pumpkin is used in soups and baked goods, while butternut squash is a rich source of beta-carotene and spaghetti squash is a healthier alternative to pasta. As for white pumpkin, it is especially popular for festive decorations and seasonal occasions.
Al-Saab said that as pumpkin did not need huge amounts of water or pesticides to grow successfully, and it could be stored for long periods without deteriorating, it was considered a promising economic crop. Drip irrigation systems and the cultivation of diverse varieties have also significantly enhanced crop quality and boosted productivity.
The farmer highlighted the public’s growing awareness of pumpkin as a healthy food choice and said there were a number of opportunities to develop other industries around the crop, such as juices, dehydrated foods and cosmetics.
This promising crop supports local food safety and achieves notable economic revenues, reflecting the agricultural sector’s role in meeting the Kingdom’s sustainable development targets.
Solstice ushers in start of summer 2025 on Saturday
- It is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere
RIYADH: The summer solstice, which marks the season’s astronomical beginning, will take place on Saturday, June 21, according to the Jeddah Astronomical Society.
The Kingdom will witness the solstice at 5.42 a.m. Makkah time, when the sun will be directly overhead above the Tropic of Cancer, latitude .
The skies of the Kingdom and the rest of the Northern Hemisphere will witness the summer solstice Saturday at 5:42 am Makkah time.
At this moment, the sun will be directly overhead above the Tropic of Cancer, latitude 23.5 degrees north. This year, the summer will last for 93 days.
Majed Abu Zahra, head of the Jeddah Astronomical Society, said: “On this day, the sun rises from the far northeast and sets in the far northwest. At noon, the shadows of objects are the shortest of the year, and the sun’s apparent path takes its highest arc northward, placing it at its highest altitude in the sky during the year, especially in areas north of the equator.”
The summer solstice occurs when the sun reaches its apparent northernmost point in the sky. This coincides with the Earth reaching a position in its orbit where its axis is tilted at the maximum angle (23.5 degrees) toward the sun, causing the longest day and shortest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, the situation is reversed.
Abu Zahra added: “The summer solstice does not occur on the same day every year, but rather between June 20 and 22, due to the difference between the calendar year (365 days) and the tropical year (365.2422 days), along with the gravitational effects of the moon and planets and the slight fluctuations in the Earth’s rotation, which are compensated for by adding a leap day every four years.”
He said it was important to differentiate between the astronomical summer and climatic summer.
Meteorologists consider summer to extend from June 1 to August 31, while in astronomy, summer begins when the sun reaches its maximum altitude — the day of the summer solstice.
Abu Zahra said although this was the longest day of the year in terms of the number of hours of sunlight, it was not necessarily the hottest.
This is because the oceans, land and atmosphere take time to absorb and store solar energy, and then release it again. This delay in the perception of heat is known as “seasonal lag,” so temperatures typically peak in July or August.
Ancient Greek scholars, led by Eratosthenes, used their observations on the summer solstice to calculate the Earth’s circumference with amazing accuracy using simple geometric principles.
After the summer solstice, the sun will appear to move southward again in the sky, and daylight hours will gradually decrease until the autumnal equinox on Sept. 22.
How AI and microtools are empowering the next generation of Saudi entrepreneurs
- AI-powered tools can save small business owners up to 10 hours weekly, boosting efficiency and freeing time for growth
- Social media remains a key starting point, but surveys show long-term success depends on managing a dedicated digital presence
JEDDAH: Digitalization has reshaped how entrepreneurs get started — particularly in the early stages. Increasingly, small businesses are launching via platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and WhatsApp, bypassing the traditional route of setting up a dedicated website.
These social-first entrepreneurs are meeting customers where they already spend time, turning social media from a communication tool into a sales platform.
“Generative AI is reshaping the future of business, and when combined with digital marketing, the results are transformative,” Selina Bieber, vice president for international markets at the US-based web hosting company GoDaddy, told Arab News.
According to the GoDaddy 2025 Global Entrepreneurship Survey, 22 percent of small business owners in the Middle East and North Africa now run their businesses primarily on social media.
This trend highlights the rising importance of social commerce, especially for solo founders and part-time business operators.
However, running a business solely on social platforms comes with risks. Visibility may be high, but ownership and control are limited. Algorithm changes or policy shifts can dramatically affect a business’s ability to reach customers or generate income.
Shoppers also tend to look for additional signals of trust before making a purchase. A professional website, for example, often strengthens a business’s credibility.
According to The State of Digital Commerce in MENA 2024 report by Checkout, 73 percent of online shoppers in the region are more confident buying from businesses that have a website, rather than relying exclusively on social media accounts.
In response to this shift, new digital tools have emerged to support social-first entrepreneurs.
Features such as branded microsites, product catalogues, and smart links — often packaged into accessible platforms — help founders establish a more centralized and professional presence online without needing advanced technical knowledge.
Artificial intelligence is also playing a growing role in this transition, helping entrepreneurs move more quickly from concept to launch. It can assist in writing product descriptions, developing pricing strategies, and automating customer engagement.
Internal data suggests AI-powered tools can save small business owners up to 10 hours a week — a meaningful benefit for entrepreneurs managing limited time and resources.
Beyond time savings, AI helps to level the playing field by making it easier for people to launch and scale businesses with minimal upfront investment.
Saudi Arabia has emerged as a particularly dynamic arena for these digital shifts.
In 2023, GoDaddy signed a partnership agreement with the Kingdom’s General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises — Monsha’at — to equip Saudi entrepreneurs with the digital tools and training needed to build their online presence.
The agreement, signed during the Biban 23 entrepreneurship forum in Riyadh, aimed to empower aspiring business owners through workshops, seminars, and a planned business accelerator.
It also included support for Monsha’at Academy and content initiatives to share local success stories.
“We’re inspired to see Saudi entrepreneurs and small business owners feel confident in embracing technology and in their approach to entrepreneurship,” said Bieber.
While social media remains a powerful tool for customer engagement, long-term growth often requires a more permanent digital footprint.
A dedicated website, complemented by tools like GoDaddy’s Show in Bio, can provide an added layer of credibility and security — something that social media accounts alone may not guarantee.
With the rise of impersonation and questionable accounts online, many customers check whether a business has a standalone website before making a purchase.
The latest generation of entrepreneurs is pragmatic and digitally fluent. While they may start on social media, many are increasingly looking for tools that offer more autonomy, control, and brand distinction.
Combining a social-first approach with a professional online presence can offer the credibility and resilience needed for sustainable growth.
“GoDaddy continues to level the playing field by offering powerful, affordable tools that allow small businesses to elevate their marketing and achieve real success,” said Bieber.
With the right mix of AI and easy-to-use tools, turning a side project into a long-term venture is more achievable than ever.
Social media may be where the journey starts — but building lasting value depends on owning and shaping your own digital presence.
Saudi science university makes world’s top 100
- KFUPM jumped to 67th in the 2025 QS World University Rankings from 101st last year
DHAHRAN: King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals has achieved a milestone by entering the list of the world’s top 100 establishments, ranking 67th in the 2025 QS World University Rankings after being 101st last year.
The transformation has taken place across academic, research, and administrative domains. Nearly 100 new programs have been launched, including innovative undergraduate and graduate offerings.
The university has also introduced the region’s first entrepreneurship program, granting students and researchers full ownership of their startups in a move that reflects a modern, innovation-driven academic culture focused on economic empowerment.
In addition, the university has adopted the FAST transformation model and the AI+X initiative, which integrates artificial intelligence as an integral knowledge component across all disciplines, making it a core academic requirement for all students.
The university has also achieved the highest female enrollment rate in engineering programs globally, and attracted students from more than 75 countries, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
