RIYADH: A new center for science and technology called “ilmi” will be launched in Saudi Arabia to encourage scientific curiosity among youth in the kingdom as well as develop their skills, Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.
The center created by Princess Sara bint Mashhour bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud will allow youth to best connect with STREAM subjects like science, technology, reading, engineering, arts, and mathematics.
“ilmi will be a beacon of creativity, learning and accessibility,” said Princess Sara, the wife of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, as quoted by SPA.
The new center, the name of which translates to “my knowledge” in Arabic, will be a fully accessible Science Discovery and Innovation Center.
The ilmi center will be located at Mohammed bin Salman Nonprofit City in Riyadh and set to open in 2025. It spans 27,000 square meters and reflects the city’s goals to embody creativity and sustainability through integration in its natural surroundings and extensive landscaping, and to make use of natural light.
The project aims to inspire and empower young people across Saudi Arabia to explore and create, as well as to tackle challenges hands-on, SPA said, adding ilmi’s core is a unique approach that seeks to project a detailed, qualitative picture of how young people across Saudi Arabia best connect with STREAM subjects.
Princess Sara said ilmi “will offer all Saudi Arabia’s young and lifelong learners the ability to realize their potential, further drive advances in the Kingdom, and help shape the future. Together, I hope that we will all create ilmi, and inspire and support our next generation.”
The project is a philanthropic, non-government initiative incubated and supported by the Mohammed bin Salman Foundation (Misk) as one of its subsidiaries, and will operate in partnership with Mohammed bin Salman Nonprofit City.
The center will host planned permanent exhibitions that will be based around three core themes: Our World, Our Selves, and Our Inventions. In addition, it will focus on issues including space, ecosystems and AI.
The center will also host a variety of installations, events, talks, performances and learning partner programs designed to build a new STREAM community in Saudi Arabia.
ilmi will offer an integrated digital platform combined with a series of pop-up learning experiences across Saudi Arabia. These will start to go live this summer, and aim to get youth, parents, families and friends of all ages and abilities excited and engaged in STREAM before ilmi’s physical home opens.
Also launching soon will be ilmi’s online offering, which will feature a series of exciting, gamified design challenges that explore key STREAM concepts, connect them to real life, and invite participants to come up with creative responses as part of a competition.
To support this initiative, ilmi will also hold a series of live activations that will explore the STREAM content behind each digital challenge and encourage families and friends to work together to create and build solutions live.
Princess Sara, wife of Saudi crown prince, launches new science and technology initiative
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Princess Sara, wife of Saudi crown prince, launches new science and technology initiative
- The center will allow youth to best connect with STREAM subjects like science, technology, reading, engineering, arts, and mathematics
Saudi, US officials discuss nonprofit sector regulation
- Saudi delegation, led by Yahya Almosteh, vice president of legal affairs, legislation and regulations at the center, met with IRS Global Operations executive director Mary Hammond and her team
- Visit featured workshops and discussions on governance, legislation and nonprofit sector regulation
RIYADH: A delegation from Saudi Arabia’s National Center for the Nonprofit Sector recently visited the US Internal Revenue Service in Washington, DC.
The visit featured workshops and discussions on governance, legislation and nonprofit sector regulation, facilitating an exchange of expertise and best practices between the two countries.
The Saudi delegation, led by Yahya Almosteh, vice president of legal affairs, legislation and regulations at the center, met with IRS Global Operations executive director Mary Hammond and her team.
Key topics included IRS best practices in nonprofit regulation, tax exemption and compliance.
Established in 2018 as part of Vision 2030’s National Transformation Program, the center aims to organize and expand nonprofit organizations, enhance their social impact, and streamline government efforts in licensing, supervision and coordination.
2025 named ‘Year of Handicrafts’ to showcase Saudi artisan talents worldwide
- Ministry of Culture aims to elevate traditional crafts and empower artisans through national celebration
JEDDAH: The Ministry of Culture has announced 2025 as the “Year of Handicrafts,” recognizing the cultural and artistic significance of this tradition in Saudi society.
The initiative, approved by the Cabinet, aims to celebrate Saudi artisans’ creativity and showcase their talents globally.
Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan expressed appreciation for the Cabinet’s decision and emphasized the importance of preserving and promoting Saudi cultural heritage, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Prince Badr said: “At the Ministry of Culture, we work to instill pride in the national identity and all the tangible and intangible cultural elements associated with it.
“This is one of the goals of the National Cultural Strategy under the umbrella of Saudi Vision 2030, which places national identity and Saudi culture among its ambitious objectives.”
The “Year of Handicrafts” will serve as a platform to honor this essential component of national identity, celebrating its cultural and artistic value.
Prince Badr added: “Saudi handicrafts reflect the creativity of Saudi society through weaving, handmade artifacts and artistic innovations passed down through generations.
“Among these are pottery, traditional clothing, ceramic utensils, leatherwork, copperwork, tailoring, dyeing, blacksmithing, gold and jewelry crafting, and other handmade creations by Saudi artisans.”
The Ministry of Culture aims to elevate Saudi handicrafts locally and internationally, empowering artisans and boosting their contribution to the economy.
This will be achieved through events organized with partners to highlight the cultural, historical and economic importance of handicrafts.
Since 2020, the ministry has celebrated an annual “cultural year” to honor key elements of Saudi culture.
The “Year of Arabic Calligraphy” was celebrated in 2020 and extended into 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Kingdom celebrated 2022 as the “Year of Saudi Coffee,” 2023 as the “Year of Arabic Poetry,” and 2024 is the “Year of the Camel.”
The “Year of Handicrafts” in 2025 promises to celebrate the artistry and heritage that form the core of Saudi identity, ensuring that this invaluable legacy is preserved and shared globally.
Students plant 1,600 trees in Saudi royal reserve
RIYADH: The King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority has completed the second phase of a school-based initiative aimed at raising environmental awareness and encouraging community involvement, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
In the second phase of the initiative, it expanded its reach to 1,300 students across all grades — up from the 500 students involved in the first phase — and included five school complexes where students planted 1,600 native trees and seedlings.
The initiative aligns with the authority’s broader goals of increasing vegetation cover, educating young people, and promoting sustainable practices, in line with the 2030 strategic targets for royal reserves and the Saudi Green Initiative.
It includes interactive projects and volunteer opportunities for students and is designed to inspire young people to become environmental stewards.
The participants’ volunteer hours are recorded on the National Volunteer Portal affiliated with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development.
By caring for these plants, students will develop a deeper connection with their environment, the SPA reported.
Saudi foreign minister in Jordan for meeting on Gaza
DUBAI: Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan said on Wednesday the dangerous situation in Gaza requires all parties to double their efforts to deal with the latest developments.
Prince Faisal made the remarks as he attended an Arab-Islamic ministerial committee meeting in Jordan focused on halting the conflict in Gaza.
Meanwhile, Jordan's foreign minister said Israel is pushing the whole Middle East to the brink of regional conflict by maintaining a dangerous escalation on several fronts.
Ayman Safadi said following the meeting that peace would not prevail without a two-state solution.
The Islamic and Arab committee, established to coordinate a global response, will consider action during the upcoming high-level meetings of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, according to the Jordan News Agency (Petra).
It includes representatives from Palestine, Jordan, Egypt, Qatar, Turkiye, Indonesia, Nigeria and Bahrain, as well as the secretary-generals of the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.
KSrelief continues pediatric hematology, oncology program in Yemen
RIYADH: The Kingdom’s aid agency KSrelief continues to provide pediatric hematology and oncology services in the Mukalla area of Hadhramaut, Yemen, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
The program, which began on Sept. 14 and runs until Sept. 21, is led by five specialists. They have already examined 21 children with cancerous tumors.
The program is a part of KSrelief’s volunteer specialist medical services for needy people across the world.
