Acts announced for KCon Saudi Arabia 2023

El7z Up will perform at the event in Riyadh. (Supplied)
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Updated 17 September 2023
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Acts announced for KCon Saudi Arabia 2023

DUBAI: K-Pop focused fan event KCon is returning to Riyadh on Oct. 6 and 7 with a line-up of 14 bands.

 Day one will feature Everglow, Highlight, Hyolyn, Kard, Riize, Super Junior-D&E (which are members Donghae and Eunhyuk) and 8Turn, while the second day will see performances by Dreamcatcher, El7z Up, Evnne, Oh My Girl, Super Junior, Tempest and TNX.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by KCON (@kconofficial)

The event, which launched in Los Angeles in 2012, is said to be one of the largest Korean cultural festivals. It has been held in seven countries across the globe, drawing over a million visitors. 

The Kingdom’s hosting of the event is part of an agreement signed between the Saudi Ministry of Culture and Seoul-based entertainment company CJ ENM in June 2022. It also reflects the ministry’s efforts to boost international cultural exchange in line with the goals of Vision 2030.


Jordanian crown prince marks Princess Rajwa’s 31st birthday

Updated 28 April 2025
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Jordanian crown prince marks Princess Rajwa’s 31st birthday

  • Royal family shares new official portrait of princess

DUBAI: Jordan’s Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah took to social media on Monday to send best wishes to his Saudi-born wife Princess Rajwa Al-Hussein on her 31st birthday.

“Happy birthday Rajwa! Grateful for the love, kindness, and warmth you bring into Iman’s life and mine,” he wrote, referring to their infant daughter Princess Iman.

Princess Rajwa gave birth to Iman — the first grandchild of King Abdullah II of Jordan and Queen Rania — in August last year.

The Jordanian royal family shared a new official portrait of Princess Rajwa to celebrate her birthday. (Instagram)

The Jordanian royal family shared a new official portrait of Princess Rajwa to celebrate her birthday. She is seen wearing a jewel-toned ensemble featuring a cowl neck top and wide-leg pants from Los Angeles-based label Simkhai. She accessorized her look with the two letters lariat necklace from Joy Jewels, featuring the Arabic starting letters of the names of the crown prince and Princess Rajwa.


Jameela Jamil takes Australia by storm

Updated 28 April 2025
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Jameela Jamil takes Australia by storm

DUBAI: Actress and body positivity activist Jameela Jamil ended her first speaking tour of Australia last night, during which she took her signature blend of radical honesty, humour and advocacy to packed theatres across the country.

The tour, titled “An Evening with Jameela Jamil,” opened in Sydney on April 26, continued in Brisbane on April 27, with the final stop in Melbourne last night.

After her Brisbane show, Jamil took to Instagram to thank her audience. “These are very new things I’m talking about, some of which I’m finding literally on stage during your Q and A section. It’s where I most learn how I really feel. Which is weird when in front of over a thousand people in PIN DROP silence.

“But I’ve unchained myself from a need to be performative or perfect. So I’m giving you my truest raw form in these talks. It’s the full me showing you my heart and not expecting you to embrace me. The fact that you do, has blown me away every night,” she wrote.

Jamil also took a moment to thank her moderator, April Helene-Horton, a body positivity activist.

“Big, huge thanks to @thebodzilla who stepped out of her comfort zone with me last night and did a smashing job. What a light of a human,” she wrote.

She also shared behind-the-scenes moments and audience interactions, giving fans a glimpse into the tour’s intimate atmosphere.​

In an earlier interview with Marie Claire, she said: “I could not be more excited to have candid, bold and rebellious conversations. I have always felt drawn to the culture, humour and tenacity of Aussies, and look forward to some spirited discussions.”

Known for her breakout role as Tahani Al-Jamil in “The Good Place,” Jamil has since become a leading voice in global conversations about body image and mental health. Her Australian tour offered audiences an unfiltered look into her personal journey — from her struggles with eating disorders and public missteps to her evolution into a fearless advocate for authenticity.

Jamil's tour also highlights her initiative, Move for Your Mind, a reimagining of her earlier I Weigh movement. This project aims to dismantle toxic fitness culture and promote mental well-being, encouraging individuals to prioritize their mental health over societal expectations.


Role of culture in governance highlighted at Culture Summit Abu Dhabi

Updated 27 April 2025
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Role of culture in governance highlighted at Culture Summit Abu Dhabi

ABU DHABI: World leaders discussed how culture can transform global challenges at the seventh edition of the Culture Summit Abu Dhabi.

The summit — which opened on Sunday in the heart of Abu Dhabi’s culture district at the Manarat Al-Saadiyat — is hosting a range of panels and discussions exploring the theme “Culture for Humanity and Beyond.”

One of the panels featured former world leaders discussing the role of culture within global governance.

Former Slovak Prime Minister Iveta Radicova set the tone at the “Bridging the Cultural Gap: The Role of Culture in Shaping Global Governance” panel, saying that “400 years ago, there were 800 million people on the planet. Today, it’s 8 billion, divided into 195 states and 6,000 different community groups with their own languages and cultures.”

The panel featured former world leaders discussing the role of culture within global governance. AN Photo

New Zealand’s former Prime Minister Jenny Shipley emphasized the importance of inclusive leadership, sharing her country’s successful model of integrating Maori cultural heritage into national governance.

She noted that leadership must be “intentional” about diversity. “I always start with the ‘I’,” she explained, “because if you’re not a committed, inclusive leader, you will not get to the destination of equity.”

Former President of Mauritius Cassam Uteem illustrated how cultural diplomacy works in practice, sharing how his small island nation has played a major role in international cultural politics. He highlighted Mauritius’ participation in UNESCO, bringing perspectives of small, developing island states into global discussions.

The panelists unanimously agreed that traditional international institutions are ill-equipped to handle today’s complex cultural landscape. They called for more innovative approaches that place culture at the center of global governance, rather than treating it as a peripheral concern.

“Culture is the mirror of human existence and the producer of new dreams, and without dreams, we lose our human dignity,” said Radicova.

A recurring theme was the need to combat misinformation and protect cultural authenticity in an era of tech moguls ruling the roost and advancements in artificial intelligence.

“If you would like to build social cohesion and solidarity around the world, you have to fight for the truth, and openly, without dancing around, with courage and really verified arguments,” said Radicova.


Bella Hadid celebrates beauty brand in Texas after Gigi Hadid’s birthday in New York

Updated 27 April 2025
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Bella Hadid celebrates beauty brand in Texas after Gigi Hadid’s birthday in New York

DUBAI: Almost one year since launching her fragrance brand Orebella, US Dutch Palestinian supermodel Bella Hadid made an appearance at the Ulta Beauty Field Leadership Convention in San Antonio, Texas, to promote her label.

The alcohol-free scents of Orebella, which launched in May 2024, were Hadid’s answer to traditional perfumes. The model dubs her fragrances “skin perfumes” and she has described them as “hydrating, alcohol-free and enriched with essential oils.”

Hadid attended the convention hosted by cosmetics chain store Ulta Beauty, taking to Instagram to say it “is so beautiful because we get to celebrate so many amazing brands but most of all we get to celebrate all of the hard working Ulta family that help us feel great!”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Bella (@bellahadid)

Hadid jetted to San Antonio after celebrating her sister Gigi Hadid’s 30th birthday in New York. The birthday party was held at Le Chalet in New York City on April 25, and Bella attended in a chic all-black look complete with dark sunglasses.

Gigi entered the venue with her partner, Oscar nominee Bradley Cooper, and met up with her sister Bella, mother Yolanda Hadid, father Mohamed Hadid, Russian media personality Keni Silva and US actress Anne Hathaway.

Gigi’s birthday was on April 23, and the internet was abuzz with celebrities, designers, family and friends who sent birthday wishes to the supermodel as she turned 30.

Bella shared a carousel of photos on Instagram to celebrate, writing: “IT’S GIGI DAY EVERYONE SAY IT WITH ME. HAPPPYYY 30th BIRTHDAYYYY JELENAAAA.”

Yolanda Hadid, Gigi’s mother, took a moment to reflect on her daughter’s 30-year journey. “Thirty years went by in a flash, 10,950 days to be exact but there hasn’t been one day without you on my mind,” she wrote, sharing photos of Gigi from babyhood to recent moments.

She added: “As you know giving birth to your first born is life changing, it really marks the first day of the rest of your life as you transition from womanhood into the blessing of motherhood. Today is your special day and I want to say thank for choosing me to be your mommy and for all the love, light and reflection you have brought into my life.”

Italian designer Donatella Versace also shared a birthday message, posting a few images with Gigi and writing: “Happy Birthday to my Taurus twin, @gigihadid! I wish I was with you on this special day. I am sending you kisses and so much love - today and always. Love you!”


Hazem Harb explores displacement and memory in new Dubai exhibition

Updated 26 April 2025
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Hazem Harb explores displacement and memory in new Dubai exhibition

DUBAI: In his new exhibition, “Not There, Yet Felt,” at Tabari Artspace in Dubai, the Palestinian artist Hazem Harb is making things personal, both literally and figuratively, exploring the theme of displacement.

“It’s an out-of-body experience. I’m here and I’m not here,” he told Arab News. Harb is feeling torn; while his life and studio are physically based in Dubai, his heart and mind are emotionally attached to his birthplace of Gaza. 

The show, on view until May 27, is lined with a series of aluminium self-portraits, based on silhouettes of the artist’s head and upper chest. Instead of seeing detailed facial features, the silhouettes are black, filled with images of colorful walls of Harb’s family home, which was destroyed as a result of the continuing Israeli assault. Such details of the walls, which were photographed by Harb’s nephew and a photojournalist in Gaza, took him by surprise. “I had no idea we had shades of blue, pink and yellow in the house,” he said. “There are so many layers and memories in that house.” 

Above this series of self-portraits, a central neon artwork reads “Hope Is Power,” yet ‘power’ is flickering, indicating uncertainty and a loss of normalcy in daily life. Another instance of disturbance can be sensed in a large self-portrait, printed on paper and hanging on the wall, where the end parts of the paper are intensely crumpled. Exploring the multi-layered idea of peeling, there is also a group of calming, hand-made collage works, where wall peelings resemble figurative shapes. 

Unlike his solo exhibition last year, in which there was a heady showcase of violently passionate work, entering Harb’s new show has a lighter, romantic feel, thanks to the gentle and romantic hues and language used. “Your Skin Is My Homeland,” a wall text reads. In the back room of the gallery, Harb is also presenting figurative paintings he made 20 years ago, resembling the flowing forms he experimented with for his new exhibition. 

Despite the uncertainty felt by the artist, there is a glimmer of hope. One piece that shows this is a large work, where a body (made of medical gauze) stands still, carrying emotional wounds yet rising from the ashes. “The show is a statement. I felt a responsibility,” he said. “The whole world, not just Palestine, is in a very critical time, and I was thinking about the role of art in a sensitive, genocidal time. Art is a way to say something and is a part of history, an archive for the future.”