New initiative to empower 10,000 Jeddah students

1 / 2
The initiative will involve more than 10,000 male and female high school students. (Association for Distinguished Initiatives)
Short Url
Updated 08 February 2023
Follow

New initiative to empower 10,000 Jeddah students

JEDDAH: Integrated solutions provider Johnson Controls Arabia has announced its participation as founding partner in Saudi Arabia’s new Future Industrialists initiative.

Implemented by the Association for Distinguished Initiatives, General Directorate of Education in Jeddah, and the Industrial Council of the Chamber of Commerce in Jeddah, the company announced that it was supporting the scheme as part of its strategic commitment toward empowering young talent in the Kingdom.

The initiative will involve more than 10,000 male and female high school students competing in three categories for awards worth SR100,000 ($26,650).

Thirty student winners will be offered summer internships at the manufacturing plants of companies taking part in the initiative — including the YORK Manufacturing Complex — and training sessions will be run for 1,000 students.

Johnson Controls Arabia provides services including heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning equipment, fire and security systems, and building management systems and controls throughout the Middle East and North Africa region.

Mohanad Al-Shaikh, chief executive officer of Johnson Controls Arabia, said: “We are proud to be the founding partners of the Future Industrialists initiative as part of our ongoing commitment and efforts toward fueling innovation and sustainability, especially in the development of talent and future leaders, in partnership with the public sector.

“As a leader in the vital industrial sector on a local and global level, we will be introducing students to the latest innovative and integrated industrial processes and mechanisms used at our YORK Manufacturing Complex, YORK’s largest manufacturing facility in the region.

“Johnson Controls Arabia continues to work toward its long-term objectives of shaping and preparing students with the needed skills and experience to excel in the competitive industrial labor market,” he added.

The Future Industrialists initiative’s creative category award will recognize students who present distinctive ideas to raise a factory’s financial or marketing productivity through the suggestions of quality products.

The discoverer category will reward students with ideas for improvement of daily operations, productivity, and quality assurance, while the ambassador class will celebrate those who develop interesting content on factory output, distinctive products, and the company’s role in servicing the community.

Targeting students at public secondary schools in Jeddah, the initiative aims to broaden young talents’ vision and knowledge through conducting field visits and training at local firms and manufacturing facilities, while educating them on the Kingdom’s industrial potential, mainly in Jeddah.

In alignment with Vision 2030 goals, the Future Industrialists initiative aims to boost the economy through motivating students to join the industrial sector in partnership with the private sector.


First flights carrying Hajj pilgrims from Turkiye land in Saudi Arabia

Updated 30 April 2025
Follow

First flights carrying Hajj pilgrims from Turkiye land in Saudi Arabia

  • Qualified staff fluent in several languages and equipped with the latest technology will help simplify entry procedures for pilgrims

Madinah: The first flights carrying Hajj pilgrims from Turkiye arrived at Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah on Wednesday. The annual Islamic pilgrimage is set to take place this year between June 4 and 9.

Authorities are providing qualified staff who are fluent in several languages and equipped with the latest technology to help simplify entry procedures for pilgrims, the Saudi Press Agency reported, and are ready to assist people arriving by land and sea as well as air.

An estimated 1.8 million pilgrims participated in Hajj last year.


Jeddah communication conference explores anime’s digital evolution

Updated 30 April 2025
Follow

Jeddah communication conference explores anime’s digital evolution

  • The session focused on anime’s shift from traditional television broadcasts and DVDs to digital platforms, including live streaming, instant subtitling and cloud-based production

RIYADH: The eighth session of the Digital Communication Conference, titled “Anime in the Digital Space,” explored the transformation of Japanese anime over the past two decades, highlighting the impact of digital innovation and the internet.

According to Saudi Press Agency, the session focused on anime’s shift from traditional television broadcasts and DVDs to digital platforms, including live streaming, instant subtitling and cloud-based production.

Streaming giants such as Netflix, Crunchyroll, and Funimation were highlighted as pivotal players in the transition, offering translated or dubbed episodes immediately upon release and funding original series such as “Devilman Crybaby” and “Cyberpunk: Edgerunners.”

Speakers in the session, including Manga Productions CEO Essam Bukhary, said that social media and online forums have opened the door to unprecedented engagement among fans, as well as community and cultural interaction, since audiences now take part in evaluating episodes.

Concerns were raised that heavy dependence on technology could erode the handcrafted aesthetic that defines traditional anime.

Saudi Arabia’s burgeoning interest in manga and anime, which dates back to the 1970s, is helping to usher in a revolution in cultural production.

Japanese art forms have captivated audiences of all ages, gaining significant popularity in recent years. Their ability to combine entertainment, culture and education has made them of great interest to Saudi society.

To support this interest, the General Entertainment Authority has hosted events like the Saudi Anime Expo, drawing international visitors.

In line with these efforts, the ministries of culture and education launched the Manga Education program to nurture student talent, as well as integrate arts and culture into public education.
 


Muslim World League chief meets UK Islamic leaders in Madinah

Updated 30 April 2025
Follow

Muslim World League chief meets UK Islamic leaders in Madinah

  • Delegation visits International Fair and Museum of the Prophet’s Biography
  • Visitors reaffirm support for Palestinian cause, call for end to genocide in Gaza

LONDON: The secretary-general of the Muslim World League, Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, met British Islamic leaders in Madinah on Wednesday to discuss issues facing the UK’s Muslim community.

The visitors praised the MWL’s important role in the Islamic world and among Muslim minorities in Europe and the UK, highlighting its work to preserve cultural and religious identities.

They also noted that King Charles welcomed Al-Issa as the first Arab and Muslim figure from outside the UK to visit Buckingham Palace after his coronation.

The delegation visited the MWL-affiliated International Fair and Museum of the Prophet’s Biography, which tells the story of the Prophet Muhammad’s life.

During the talks they reaffirmed their support for the Palestinian cause and called for an “immediate end to the genocide being perpetrated against the people of Gaza by the brutal war machine of the Israeli occupation government.”

Gaza should be a symbol of unity, not division, among Muslim communities, they said, according to an MWL statement.

The delegation commended the 2019 Charter of Makkah, saying it helped foster interaction with non-Muslim audiences and promoted moderation in addressing contemporary issues.


Saudi deputy foreign minister receives Russia’s envoy in Riyadh

Updated 30 April 2025
Follow

Saudi deputy foreign minister receives Russia’s envoy in Riyadh

Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister for Political Affairs Saud Al-Sati received Russian Ambassador Sergey Kozlov in Riyadh on Wednesday.

The pair discussed relations between their countries and other topics of common interest, the Foreign Ministry wrote on X.

Also on Wednesday, Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki met Digital Cooperation Organization Secretary-General Deemah Al-Yahya in Islamabad, the diplomat wrote on X.

They discussed the importance of digital transformation and other topics of interest.


Saudi Arabia welcomes Rwanda, DRC declaration to draft peace deal

Updated 30 April 2025
Follow

Saudi Arabia welcomes Rwanda, DRC declaration to draft peace deal

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has welcomed the signing of a declaration of principles between the governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it appreciated the diplomatic efforts made by the two sides and looked forward to their commitment to the declaration, which would enhance security and stability, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The foreign ministers of Rwanda and the DRC signed a declaration at the US State Department on Friday. They agreed to draft a peace deal by May 2, respecting each other’s sovereignty and refraining from supporting armed groups after fighting resumed in the DRC’s mineral-rich east in October.