RIYADH: Visitors to the 10-day Saudi Feast Food Festival have been getting a taste for authentic and diverse flavors from around the Kingdom.
Organized by the Culinary Arts Commission and being staged at King Saud University in Riyadh, the event celebrates the country’s culinary heritage.
Open from 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. until Dec. 2, the festival features 13 zones including culinary art heritage, theater, the Gourmand Awards, Greece, business, and a children’s interactive farm.
The Greek zone highlights the country’s traditional dishes and food culture, while the culinary arts heritage area has been divided into five sections representing different regions of Saudi Arabia and showcasing their history, identity, and food through exhibitions, live cooking shows, artisanal displays, and cultural performances.
The tasting experience begins with the Tabuk region where popular dishes often use ingredients unique to its topography.
Some of the Saudi chefs taking part in the event are rising culinary stars. Habiba Abdullah’s popular Tabuk-inspired offerings are free of hydrogenated oils and Maggi cubes, a lifestyle choice she made after her son was diagnosed with diabetes.
She said: “I have been using olive oil in my cooking, and I made a promise to myself to try and alter the lifestyle of other families to avoid diabetes and other illnesses resulting from unhealthy lifestyle choices.”
Abdullah has worked as an assistant chef at the Ritz-Carlton and is a certified international trainer and consultant in cooking. She teaches Saudi culinary students at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University.
Asir, another featured region, is famous for its honey and coffee. Chef Noura Al-Asiri, from Asir, has been offering visitors the chance to sample arekah, a traditional regional dish made from dough which is grilled on a sheet pan before being plated for ghee and honey to be poured in the middle, and then decorated with dates.
Meanwhile, the smell of fried kingfish topped with regional spices has been drawing festivalgoers to the Eastern Province zone.
Argentine chef Chakall said: “I traveled to over 130 countries, and Saudi Arabia became one of my favorites; the diverse food from its regions, and the people are honest, friendly, and kind.
“I tasted food from different regions in Saudi Arabia, and I was blown away with what I saw, I had no idea what the food and the people were like before coming here.”
Chakall’s TV show in China and Germany is watched by millions of people, and he runs five restaurants in Portugal. And at the Saudi festival, he took part in a Gourmand Award zone discussion about his culinary journey.
The award is an international competition for food culture content, honoring the best cookbooks. In Riyadh, the zone offers local food enthusiasts an opportunity to meet leading industry figures.
Saudi cuisine showcased at food festival
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Saudi cuisine showcased at food festival
- Open from 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. until Dec. 2, the festival features 13 zones
- The Greek zone highlights the country’s traditional dishes and food culture
Saudi foreign ministry calls India and Pakistan to resolve dispute through diplomacy
RIYADH: The Saudi foreign ministry on Wednesday called on India and Pakistan to resolve any dispute through diplomatic means.
“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia expresses its concern about the escalating tension between the Republic of India and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan,” the ministry said in a statement published on “X”.
Japan FM in Riyadh to bolster ties with Saudi Arabia
- Saudi Arabia plays ‘crucial role for peace, stability and prosperity’ globally, says Takeshi Iwaya
RIYADH: Japan’s Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya arrives in Riyadh on Wednesday to hold talks with Saudi Arabia officials on strengthening strategic cooperation.
Iwaya’s visit comes as the two nations celebrate the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties this year.
In an exclusive opinion piece for Arab News published on Wednesday, Iwaya outlined his vision to help lead the international community “from division to cooperation.”
He described Saudi Arabia as playing “a crucial role for peace, stability and prosperity” globally.
He highlighted the deepening ties in several sectors including energy, education, entertainment and emerging technologies, and reiterated Japan’s strong support for Vision 2030.
This visit marks Iwaya’s first to the Middle East as foreign minister. He will also travel to the UN in New York as a part of his current travels.
Saudi Arabia welcomes first Hajj pilgrims in Jeddah, Madinah
- Flights from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Malaysia and India start the annual pilgrimage season
JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Transport and Logistic Services Saleh Al-Jasser received the first group of Hajj pilgrims on Tuesday at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah.
The flight, carrying 396 pilgrims from Dhaka, Bangladesh, was one of several scheduled to arrive at Jeddah airport and Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah.
Al-Jasser said: “Six main airports have been allocated to serve the pilgrims: King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Airport in Madinah, Prince Abdulmohsen bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Yanbu, Taif International Airport, King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, and King Fahd International Airport in Dammam.”
He said flights will continue until the beginning of Dhul Hijjah, supported by an integrated system of services to ease pilgrims’ journeys from arrival to departure, reinforcing the Kingdom’s leadership in serving the Two Holy Mosques and worshippers.
In another flight from Bangladesh, 414 pilgrims arrived at Jeddah airport and were received by Bangladesh Ambassador to Saudi Arabia M. Delwar Hossain and officials from both countries.
The envoy extended his best wishes to the arriving Hajj pilgrims and assured them that the Bangladesh Embassy, consulate, and Hajj mission are always available to support them if needed.
The pilgrims expressed their gratitude for the warm welcome and efficient arrangements at the airport. A total of 87,100 people from Bangladesh are expected to perform Hajj this year.
The first flight carrying 442 beneficiaries of the Makkah Route Initiative from Islamabad, Pakistan, arrived in Madinah on Tuesday.
More than 89,000 Pakistani pilgrims will travel under the government’s scheme during Pakistan’s 33-day Hajj flight operation.
Pilgrims will travel to Makkah and Madinah on 342 flights, with the last departing Pakistan on May 31.
Sardar Muhammad Yousaf, Pakistan’s minister for religious affairs, and Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki bid farewell to the pilgrims at the airport.
Yousaf advised Pakistani pilgrims to strictly adhere to Saudi Arabia’s laws and respect the local culture during the annual Islamic pilgrimage.
“As Hajj pilgrims, you are traveling to the sacred land as the guests of Allah and ambassadors of Pakistan, and you are urged to respect the laws and culture of Saudi Arabia,” the minister said in a televised address as he bid farewell to the pilgrims.
Yousaf said he would “soon” travel to Saudi Arabia to review Hajj arrangements.
“I will take every possible measure to resolve the issues faced by Pakistani pilgrims in Saudi Arabia and will personally be among them to provide facilities,” he added.
Yousaf said the government was pushing to extend the Makkah Route Initiative facilities to more Pakistani cities in the future.
Yousaf said each pilgrim was provided a mobile SIM card that contains an application, which can be used to guide pilgrims with directions in case they lose their way in Mina.
Meanwhile, the second Hajj flight of the day left from Pakistan’s eastern city of Lahore, carrying 150 pilgrims to Madinah via AirSial airline.
Six flights are scheduled to depart from Pakistan for the Kingdom on Tuesday: two from Lahore and one each from Islamabad, Karachi, Quetta and Multan.
This year’s annual pilgrimage will take place in June, with nearly 89,000 Pakistanis expected to travel to Saudi Arabia under the government scheme and more than 23,620 Pakistanis expected to perform Hajj through private tour operators.
From Malaysia, the first group of Makkah Route Initiative pilgrims arrived in Madinah on Tuesday from Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
The initiative aims to provide high-quality services to pilgrims from participating countries. It includes completing all travel procedures in the pilgrims’ home countries, such as issuing electronic visas, confirming health status, and finalizing passport control at the departure airport.
Additionally, luggage is coded and sorted according to each pilgrim’s transport and accommodation arrangements in the Kingdom.
Upon arrival, pilgrims are transported to their residences in Makkah and Madinah, and their luggage is delivered directly to their accommodation.
The Makkah Route Initiative is a Ministry of Interior program implemented in cooperation with the ministries of foreign affairs, health, Hajj and Umrah, and other government entities.
The first group of Indian Hajj pilgrims also arrived in Madinah on Tuesday, when 262 pilgrims from Hyderabad were received by officials who greeted them with flowers and souvenirs.
Entry procedures were completed efficiently and smoothly, thanks to the coordinated efforts of various entities operating at the airport.
All relevant authorities have launched their operational plans to ensure the pilgrims’' smooth arrival and transfer to their accommodation in Madinah, reflecting the Kingdom’s strong commitment to facilitating the pilgrims’ journey and enabling them to perform their rituals with ease.
Foreign ministers co-chair Saudi-Qatari Coordination Council meeting in Doha
- Discussions include ways to enhance cooperation between the countries in the energy, sports and tourism sectors
RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and his Qatari counterpart, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, co-chaired a meeting of the Saudi-Qatari Coordination Council’s executive committee in Doha on Tuesday.
The topics for discussion included ways to enhance Saudi-Qatari cooperation in the energy, sports and tourism sectors, and investment activities, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The Saudi and Qatari delegations also reviewed progress on initiatives implemented so far, praised the cooperation between the council's coordinating committees, and emphasized the need to maintain the momentum in service of the shared interests of both countries.
Sheikh Mohammed said the council is evidence that Qatar and Saudi Arabia are “able to achieve exceptional results in the fields of politics, security and military cooperation,” the Qatar News Agency reported.
Riyadh and Doha have also become prominent international destinations in the sports, culture and tourism sectors, he added, and role models for future hosts of major sports and cultural events. Their achievements not only boost their national economies, he said, but help project a strong image of both countries on the international stage.
Earlier, Prince Faisal was welcomed at the airport upon arrival in Doha for his official visit by Ahmed Al-Hammadi, secretary-general of the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Prince Mansour bin Khalid bin Farhan, the Saudi ambassador to Qatar. His trip follows an official visit to Oman where he held talks with his counterpart, Badr Al-Busaidi, on Monday.
New survey to improve public health services in Saudi Arabia
- The survey targets a representative sample of citizens and residents across Saudi Arabia’s regions through individual and household questionnaires
RIYADH: The Ministry of Health has launched field visits, as a part of the World Health Organization’s flagship plan, to improve public services, and monitor trends and behaviors.
The initiative uses the methodologies and questionnaires of the WHO’s World Health Survey Plus, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.
It supports the Kingdom’s progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals, aligning with Vision 2030’s goal of enhancing quality of life for the nation’s people.
The survey targets a representative sample of citizens and residents across Saudi Arabia’s regions through individual and household questionnaires.
These cover demographics, health status, risk factors, and healthcare system data, the SPA reported.
To strengthen the national health information system and identify sector priorities, the survey includes more than 14,000 participants across 13 administrative regions via health clusters.
It also aims to build a reliable health database, track SDG indicators, support early detection of chronic diseases, raise awareness of healthy behaviors, and guide the development of health services based on community needs.
