JEDDAH: Every year, Saudi Arabia welcomes millions of pilgrims embarking on a spiritual journey to the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah. A critical aspect of ensuring their comfort and well-being is the provision of nutritious and culturally appropriate food to meet their diverse needs.
Makkah municipality, together with Hajj service providers and various relevant authorities, is making efforts to provide the best catering services.
Ayed Al-Gwinm, the deputy minister for Hajj affairs, told Arab News his ministry has been working with its partners to license service providers to meet food and catering goals.
“Catering consists of two components. One pertains to residences where pilgrims have the choice to engage an approved contractor, cook their own meals, or purchase food from the market,” he said.
“The second component involves catering services in the holy sites, where approximately 400 licensed caterers have been qualified to provide around 7.5 million meals per day.”
According to a statement by Ahmad Al-Sharif, the chairman of Makkah’s food and catering sector, during the 2022 Hajj season catering companies distributed more than 15 million meals at the holy sites, and more than 20 million meals were provided in the holy city.
Participating as a caterer during Hajj requires meeting certain quality standards. The accreditation process focuses on evaluating facilities, labor, transportation, and qualifications.
There are two international standards for food safety regulations. The first standard is the ISO 22000 food safety management system, which classifies facilities based on a star rating, while the second standard is the FSSC standard.
The municipality attaches great importance to food control, especially because of its direct impact on the health of pilgrims.
To ensure the safety of kitchens, restaurants and other establishments that deal with food during the season, the municipality has formed several field teams of specialists. These teams conduct inspections around the clock, especially during hot weather in Makkah, to ensure continuous monitoring and regulation.
The municipality has established a number of mobile laboratories that are located in the central area of Makkah and the holy sites.
Osama Zaitoony, a spokesman for the municipality, told Arab News: “These laboratories examine food samples from restaurants and kitchens to ensure their safety and suitability for human consumption during Hajj.”
The municipality is currently implementing a project which utilizes the most effective methods and new techniques in food control, while also enhancing the involvement of the private sector and its collaboration with the catering system during the Hajj season.
As part of this initiative, the municipality plans to conduct visits to over 22,000 food establishments and thoroughly inspect more than 5,000 food samples, ensuring that all meet the required standards.
In another project, the municipality and Umm Al-Qura University joined forces for a health control initiative concerning food and catering during the Hajj season.
Abdullah Al-Zaidi, the director general of municipal affairs, told Arab News: “The objective of the collaboration is to enhance the effectiveness of health monitoring for catering and nutrition services during the Hajj season. I also aim to ensure the highest standards of health and food safety by increasing the compliance index in catering kitchens.”
Before the season began, a total of 830 kitchens in Makkah and the holy sites were inspected to measure things like food temperature and pollution levels.
Makkah takes up initiatives to ensure food safety during Hajj
https://arab.news/yb96z
Makkah takes up initiatives to ensure food safety during Hajj
- Makkah municipality, together with Hajj service providers and various relevant authorities, is making efforts to provide the best catering services
- Ayed Al-Gwinm, the deputy minister for Hajj affairs, told Arab News his ministry has been working with its partners to license service providers to meet food and catering goals
Japan looks forward to strengthening relations with ‘major power’ Saudi Arabia as 70th anniversary nears
DUBAI: Japan Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya told a press conference on Friday that Saudi Arabia is a “major power” in the Middle East and plays a significant role in peace and stability in the region.
“Saudi Arabia is an important country for Japan, especially when it comes to energy and security. The country is an important partner,” he said.
Responding to a question about next year’s 70th anniversary celebrations between the two countries, Iwaya explained that Japan, on a broader and deeper scope, wants to “promote cooperation and understanding” with Saudi Arabia.
Iwaya said that Japan was soliciting public proposals for commemorative events between the two countries. “Between the governments, we are moving forward with certain plans,” he added.
In October, a commemorative logo was released, which features a combination of a palm tree, a symbol of Saudi Arabia, and cherry blossoms, a flower synonymous with Japan.
The foreign minister also spoke about Japanese boxing champion Naoya Inoue’s sponsorship contract with Riyadh Season.
“(The contract) is something that we should be very happy about, we are proud of this super champion. So, we hope that he will be very active and successful in Saudi Arabia as well. We welcome this,” he told the press conference.
Inoue announced the sponsorship deal in November, which is reported to be worth about $20 million. The boxing champion will have the Riyadh Season logo displayed on the branding for his fights.
During the press conference, Iwaya also announced newly designed Japanese passports in 2025 as well as Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru’s potential meeting with US president-elect Donald Trump.
Diriyah Season 24/25 launches celebration of history, culture and arts
- Diriyah Season 24/25 will kick off with the Enduring Resilience Exhibition
RIYADH: The Diriyah Company has announced the launch of Diriyah Season 24/25, which begins on Friday, Dec. 20 with a display of Diriyah’s heritage, hospitality, and immersive cultural experiences through various programs.
Jerry Inzerillo, CEO of the Diriyah Company, said: “We anticipate welcoming three million visitors to At-Turaif district, the birthplace of the Kingdom, by Founding Day on Feb. 22, 2025.
“We are breaking records in visitor numbers and forming numerous partnerships for ground and tour operations, with new flights already arriving from countries like China. The international presence in Bujairi is evident every night, making it one of the world’s premier gathering spots.”
Under the theme “Entertain Your Cultural Curiosity,” Diriyah Season 24/25 will kick off with the Enduring Resilience Exhibition, honoring the legacy of Imam Turki bin Abdullah, who founded the Second Saudi State 200 years ago. The much-anticipated Layali Diriyah returns with innovative experiences, while Minzal invites visitors to appreciate the natural beauty and heritage of Diriyah in a winter wonderland.
Guests can engage with the “850” interactive experience, immersing themselves in the narratives of significant historical figures. The Diriyah Storytelling Festival will celebrate literature and promote cultural exchange. Additionally, the Tyn Festival will bring together architects, academics and enthusiasts to celebrate the region’s tradition of mud architecture.
In the historic At-Turaif district and Bujairi Terrace, visitors will embark on a journey filled with cultural and artistic expression. The Souq program combines performing arts with a heritage backdrop enriched by modern elements. Lastly, the Samri Art Activities will offer interactive performances of Samri folk music and dance at various locations in Diriyah throughout the season.
UN Internet Governance Forum concludes in Riyadh
- Event witnessed launch of Riyadh Declaration to help strengthen international partnerships in AI
- Forum featured experts from 170 countries
RIYADH: The UN Internet Governance Forum concluded its 19th edition on Thursday at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center in Riyadh.
The forum’s organizers said that the global event had focused on internet governance policies and emerging digital challenges. It had achieved the highest attendance in the history of the forum, surpassing 11,000 participants.
The forum also witnessed the launch of the Riyadh Declaration, a document which aims at strengthening international partnerships in artificial intelligence and digital technologies to serve humanity.
The event featured experts and specialists in internet technology and policy from 170 countries, with more than 1,000 international speakers contributing to over 300 sessions and workshops, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
It revolved around four main topics: innovation and risk in the digital space; development and sustainability; promoting human rights and inclusiveness; and improving the digital governance of the internet, the SPA added.
King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival concludes with record-breaking prize pool
- The 17-day event featured 1,032 falconers from nine countries, 3,322 birds and a total prize pool of $9.6 million
The 2024 King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival, which featured a prize pool of more than SR36 million ($9.6 million), the largest in the history of the event, concluded on Thursday.
The festival, which began on Dec. 3 and was organized by the The Saudi Falcons Club at its headquarters in Malham, north of Riyadh, featured 1,032 falconers, of whom 160 came from outside the Kingdom. They represented nine countries — Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, the UAE, Oman, Qatar, Syria, Italy and Ireland — and brought with them 3,322 birds. A youth section included 49 young falconers.
The festival culminated in two rounds of the King’s Sword, the toughest and most lucrative section of the Melwah competition, with total prize pools of SR925,000 for each round.
Barghash Al-Mansouri, who won the first round in the Shaheen and Hur categories, said his falcon SH13 had performed exceptionally well to clinch first place. He said the bird has great strength but can be affected by adverse wind conditions. On the day, however, conditions were favorable and it was able to maintain stability and perform at its best.
He added that he had expected Shama, a falcon owned by Fahd Al-Mansouri, to take the top spot but instead it finished second. He thanked the club for its exceptional efforts in organizing the festival and congratulated all the winners, noting that the competition grows stronger each year.
Talal Al-Shumaisi, CEO of the Saudi Falcons Club, thanked the Kingdom’s leaders for their support of falconry and its heritage, in particular Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is the club’s general supervisor. He also thanked Minister of Interior Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif, the chairman of the board of directors of the club, for his support.
Princess Nourah University launches ‘Itar’ exhibition to highlight student filmmaking projects
- The exhibition features seven short films, each with distinct themes drawn from the cultural identity of the Kingdom
RIYADH: Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, represented by the College of Design and Arts, has launched the “Itar Exhibition 2024” to feature the graduation projects of 26 students from the film production and animation program.
The exhibition, which is part of the Department of Film and Theater Arts’ graduation project course, features seven short films, each with distinct themes drawn from the cultural identity of the Kingdom.
The exhibition highlights the cognitive, technical, and creative skills developed by the graduates through their film projects, demonstrating their proficiency in applying creative and critical thinking methodologies.
The exhibition provides a platform for interaction and collaboration among graduates, university students, employers, industry professionals, researchers, partners, the business sector, and the broader community. It also prepares graduates to compete in the job market and venture into entrepreneurship.
Haya Al-Rashoud, head of the Department of Film and Theater Arts at PNU, said that the exhibition is part of the College of Design and Arts’ commitment to developing national talent. It aims to foster a supportive and inspiring environment for creativity, expertise, and specialized scientific skills, while aligning with the evolving demands of the labor market, particularly in the film industry.
The “Itar Exhibition 2024” at the College of Design and Arts reflects the objectives of PNU’s 2025 strategic plan, aiming to cultivate competitive talent and empower female students. It creates an educational environment that inspires creativity, enriches cultural and artistic expression, and promotes learning, research, and innovation.
Additionally, it underscores the university’s commitment to advancing women’s leadership in driving development and progress.
