Egyptian soprano, Bocelli-Jameel recipient Laura Mekhail charms Jeddah

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Updated 31 January 2023
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Egyptian soprano, Bocelli-Jameel recipient Laura Mekhail charms Jeddah

  • In an exclusive interview after the performance, Mekhail told Arab News that receiving the Bocelli-Jameel scholarship at the Royal College of Music was the most amazing experience she ever had

JEDDAH: The second recipient of the Andrea Bocelli Foundation-Community Jameel Scholarship was awarded to Egyptian talent Laura Mekhail in 2021, who enthralled a Jeddah audience with her stunning performance on the Hayy Jameel stage on Jan. 28.

Mekhail is the first Arab woman to receive the scholarship, as the inaugural recipient was French soprano Clara Barbier Serrano.

The Arab soprano performed next to Italian pianist and composer Daniele Ciminiello, who had coincidentally also performed with Serrano last year at the same venue.




Mekhail performed classics by composers such as Mozart and Puccini, and Arabic songs including ‘El Helwa Di’ by Fairuz. (AN Photo by: Abdullah Al-Faleh)

During the show, Mekhail took her audience on a spectacular journey through the history of opera, covering classics by legendary composers such as Handel, Mozart and Puccini, followed by Arabic songs such as “Ana Albi Dalili” by Laila Mourad, and “Sahar El Layali” and “El Helwa Di” by Fairuz. She completed her performance with breathtaking renditions of English songs “I Could Have Danced All Night” and “Pure Imagination.”

In an exclusive interview after the performance, Mekhail told Arab News that receiving the Bocelli-Jameel scholarship at the Royal College of Music was the most amazing experience she ever had.

FASTFACT

Laura Mekhail is the first Arab woman to be awarded the Bocelli-Jameel Scholarship in 2021, which was previously awarded to French soprano Clara Barbier Serrano. The Bocelli-Jameel scholarship was established in 2019 with the aim of supporting emerging talents to study opera at the Royal College of Music in London.

“It is truly a dream come true to study at the Royal College of Music. It is now the top school in the world, and it’s not easy to get into. I cannot believe that I am one of the very few people who get to be there and receive this amazing education that will put me on different stages all around the world.”

The same performance also took place at the Kingdom’s cultural and historic destination AlUla at the award-winning Maraya Concert Hall on Jan. 27 where Mekhail performed next to Andrea Bocelli.

She described the thrill of singing with the legendary talent.

“I felt so comfortable. I thought I would be scared or shaky, but he made me feel like it was going to be fine. He encourages and believes in young talent. So, it felt amazing to sing next to him.”

Mekhail discovered her passion for singing during her childhood when she was part of a church choir in Cairo. She has performed at the Cairo Opera House, and the influences on her singing include many Arab musicians, along with Bach and Rossini.

She studied music performance at West Virginia Wesleyan College in the US, where she was a member of the a cappella choir and worked closely with Dan Hughes, the director of Choral Activities, whom she credits for heavily influencing her vocal development.

After graduation, Mekhail taught singing at the Chesterbrook Academy for six years before deciding to pursue a career as a professional soloist.

Mekhail’s performance at the Hayy Jameel stage is the latest development in the rising star’s professional musical career.

The seating arena was fully packed, including the theater balconies. Music enthusiasts from elders to teenagers cheered “Bravo!” after every aria and song.

Mekhail said that the heartwarming response from her Saudi audience energized her to keep singing.

Menwar Azraie, 64, a Saudi educational supervisor in the field of fine arts who attended the show with his wife, told Arab News: “I am a big fan of opera and I always like to encourage young talents. I like to attend opera gigs at the Muse music club here in Jeddah.

“I was invited to attend today’s amazing show by my daughter. I am extremely thrilled as the show perfectly captured the essence of a professional Italian opera, and what doubled my joy was that the show combined Western and Middle Eastern music styles using only the human voice and a piano. It was truly a dose of happiness, and I would love to see more of it.”

His wife Wafa Mustafa said: “I love arts and classical music, and the vibes of today’s performance were absolutely magical.”

The opera scholarship is open to students from around the world. Community Jameel, which supports the scholarship, and Art Jameel, which runs Hayy Jameel, are sister organizations founded by the Jameel family of Saudi Arabia.

The Bocelli-Jameel scholarship was established in 2019 with the aim of supporting emerging talents to study opera at the Royal College of Music in London.

Mekhail shared some words of advice for young Arab sopranos and classical singers in the region.

“You have to be persistent in your dream because it is not easy to be a classical singer, especially if you live in the Middle East,” she said. “And even if you go abroad and try to achieve that dream, it is really hard and competitive as there are very, very few Arab people in the international community. Do not be frustrated. Just be persistent. Keep following your dream. I promise you are going to get there.”

 

 


Jadal Library: A cultural oasis in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province

Ali Al-Herz (right) turned his home into a library of over 37,000 books. (Supplied)
Updated 15 June 2025
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Jadal Library: A cultural oasis in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province

  • Ali Al-Herz turned his home into a library of over 37,000 books, offering visitors space where memory, philosophy, culture come alive

DHAHRAN: In the quiet village of Umm Al-Hamam, located in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, a lifelong passion for books has been transformed into a cultural haven.

Ali Al-Herz, a bibliophile and literary archivist, has turned his home into Jadal Library, a treasure trove of over 37,000 books, more than 100,000 newspapers and magazines, and antiques, some dating back more than a century. 

Yet Jadal is not just a library; it is much more than that. It is a museum to explore, a philosophical space to reflect, and a stand against forgetting important cultural stories.

Al-Herz told Arab News: “Since I was born I have been surrounded by my mother’s books. I grew up immersed in this passion to the point where it completely took hold of me; I became a bookworm.”

The spark that ignited it all was when Al-Herz encountered the epic “Sirat Antar” at age 13. “From that epic and through it, I began to look into other worlds,” he said.  

This curiosity and fascination ultimately led Al-Herz to create one of Saudi Arabia's most unique initiatives.

The name “Jadal” means “debate” or “discussion” in Arabic, reflecting the library’s curious spirit. For Al-Herz, the goal is not just to preserve texts but also to preserve the idea of questioning and exploring ideas.

Al-Herz said: “I chose this name for the library because it is deeply rooted in ancient Greek philosophical history and in our own Arab-Islamic cultural tradition, particularly in our religious heritage.”

The philosophical atmosphere fills three main halls — named after Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle — which welcome visitors into a curated world of reading and reflection.  

Rare manuscripts, ancient texts, newspapers, and antiques have been carefully archived. Each piece is a whisper from the past speaking into the future. 

Al-Herz explained: “Even my recent focus on buying books has mostly shifted toward rare editions and old prints, to create a harmony between heritage and modernity.”

But Jadal is not stuck in nostalgia, as every two weeks Al-Herz holds a literary gathering. The event brings back a tradition that was once important in the intellectual life of Arabs.

It is an environment where writers, scholars, and thinkers gather over Arabic coffee to exchange ideas in a vibrant atmosphere.

And in a time when people seek instant information online, Al-Herz still uses traditional methods. “There is an ongoing struggle between two generations,” he observed. “Victory will ultimately go to this latter generation once my generation becomes extinct. Paper libraries will then be transformed into museums.”

Perhaps he is right; but for now, in the heart of Qatif’s countryside, Jadal Library lives on, and it is a place where ink, memory, debate, and heritage continue to shape the cultural soul of the Kingdom.


Saudi envoy leads maritime safety talks in London

Updated 15 June 2025
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Saudi envoy leads maritime safety talks in London

  • Kamal Al-Junaidi is the first Arab to preside over the committee

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s permanent representative to the International Maritime Organization recently made history by chairing the 51st advisory committee meetings of the International Mobile Satellite Organization in London.

Kamal Al-Junaidi is the first Arab to preside over the committee, creating a milestone for both the Kingdom and the Arab world in maritime governance, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

His role also reflects Saudi Arabia’s growing presence in international maritime organizations and commitment to advancing maritime communication and safety systems.

Al-Junaidi managed the sessions and acted as a neutral facilitator, helping member states reach consensus on key issues, including oversight of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System, implementation of Long Range Tracking and Safety standards and audit reviews for satellite communication providers.

He also led discussions on proposed maritime safety regulation amendments, monitored the organization’s strategic direction to ensure alignment with IMO standards and submitted the committee’s recommendations to the General Assembly.

The 51st session took place at the IMO headquarters in London, with representatives from 44 countries engaging in in-depth discussions on key maritime challenges.


Madinah records 82% satisfaction rate in quality of life, survey says

Madinah has recorded an 82 percent satisfaction rate in the quality of life, marking a 16 percent rise over the previous finding
Updated 15 June 2025
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Madinah records 82% satisfaction rate in quality of life, survey says

  • Rise of 16% over previous finding

RIYADH: As part of its push to enhance livability under Vision 2030, Madinah has recorded an 82 percent satisfaction rate in the quality of life, marking a 16 percent rise over the previous finding, the Saudi Press Agency has reported.

The new findings, released by the Madinah municipality, reflect significant public approval of recent improvements to parks, public services and infrastructure.

More than 75,220 citizens and residents participated in the survey, according to the SPA.

Driven by smart lighting, safe pedestrian pathways and improved public facades, satisfaction with the urban landscape rose to 78 percent — an 18 percent increase.

Road quality satisfaction jumped to 62 percent, up 27 percent, following enhancements in road design and lighting systems.

General cleanliness ranked among top-performing areas, with satisfaction reaching 81 percent.

Neighborhood cleanliness stood at 71 percent, while satisfaction with environmental sanitation rose to 61 percent, a 28 percent increase, fueled by improved pest control, rainwater drainage, and faster municipal response times.

The survey also showed 69 percent satisfaction with waste management, specifically the handling of construction and demolition debris.

Some 71 percent of residents expressed satisfaction with direct municipal services, and 64 percent with indirect services, supported by the region’s smart service portal and digital assistant.

Public amenities recorded a satisfaction rate of 68 percent after the municipality added more than 14 new parks and expanded green space per capita to 2.1 sq. meters.

Community engagement also featured in the survey, with 68 percent of residents satisfied with their role in shaping local decisions through open forums and channels of direct communication.

The municipality said the results underscored its commitment to transparency and resident-focused development, and will be used as a reference point for future initiatives aimed at raising the quality of life across the region.

The municipality has undertaken efforts to improve the city’s infrastructure and tourism appeal.

Madinah ranked 88th globally on Euromonitor International’s 2024 index of the world’s top 100 city destinations, and was seventh globally on the Tourism Performance Index.


Saudi forces foil several drug smuggling attempts

Updated 15 June 2025
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Saudi forces foil several drug smuggling attempts

  • Preliminary legal procedures were completed in all cases, and all seized items were handed to the relevant authorities

JEDDAH: Saudi authorities have made numerous drug-related arrests throughout the Kingdom recently, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

The General Directorate of Narcotics Control arrested a Yemeni resident in Jeddah for attempting to sell 194,000 amphetamine pills.

Security patrols in Jazan thwarted two smuggling attempts involving 213 kg of qat in Al-Aridah governorate, while in Fifa governorate, 51 kg of qat were seized.

Border Guard patrols in Jazan’s Al-Dayer sector arrested seven Yemenis for smuggling 140 kg of qat.

In Asir’s Al-Raboah sector, patrols foiled an attempt to smuggle 19 kg of hashish and arrested three Ethiopians with 75 kg of qat.

Preliminary legal procedures were completed in all cases, and all seized items were handed to the relevant authorities.

Authorities urged the public to report drug activity by calling 911 in Makkah, Riyadh, and the Eastern Province, or 999 elsewhere. Reports can also be submitted confidentially via email to 995@gdnc.gov.sa or by calling 995.


Departing pilgrims praise Saudi hospitality, organization during Hajj

Saudi authorities at the Halat Ammar border crossing in the Tabuk region say goodbye to departing Hajj pilgrims.
Updated 15 June 2025
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Departing pilgrims praise Saudi hospitality, organization during Hajj

  • As well as taking their personal memories of a well-organized Hajj, each of the departing pilgrims is given a copy of the Holy Qur’an as a gift from King Salman

RIYADH: Saudi authorities at the Halat Ammar border crossing in the Tabuk region have been saying their goodbyes to departing Hajj pilgrims from around the world.

The farewell process reflects Saudi Arabia’s coordinated efforts to serve pilgrims under the supervision of Tabuk Gov. Prince Fahd bin Sultan.

Government and service agencies have been working professionally to ensure procedures are completed smoothly and pilgrims have access to any necessary, health and guidance services, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

As well as taking their personal memories of a well-organized Hajj, each of the departing pilgrims is given a copy of the Holy Qur’an as a gift from King Salman.

Many commented on how well managed the Hajj had been and expressed their gratitude to the officials and organizers at the Two Holy Mosques and other holy sites.

Egyptian Mostafa Allam said: “We did not expect such organization and coordination at every stage, from reception to farewell.”

Kawthar Mohamed, also from Egypt, said: “Everyone treats us kindly, with constant smiles and good service.”

Mohammed Ibrahim Abdulrahman, a pilgrim from Jordan, said: “We felt as though we were among our own family. Thanks to the Kingdom, its government and people for their generosity and care.”

Palestinian Issa Abdulwahab said: “Not for a moment did it feel like a departure, but rather a farewell filled with love and appreciation.”