KSrelief sends 3rd relief ship to Palestinians in Gaza

The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center on Saturday shipped the third batch of Saudi assistance to the Palestinian people in Gaza. (SPA)
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Updated 02 December 2023
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KSrelief sends 3rd relief ship to Palestinians in Gaza

  • The shipment, carrying 300 large containers weighing 1,246 tons, includes 200 containers of medical supplies
  • It comes as part of the Kingdom’s historic role in standing with the Palestinian people

JEDDAH: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center on Saturday shipped the third batch of Saudi assistance to the Palestinian people in Gaza.
The shipment, carrying 300 large containers weighing 1,246 tons, includes 200 containers of medical supplies for hospitals in Gaza, and 100 containers of basic foodstuffs, baby formula and shelter material.
The ship set sail from Jeddah Islamic Port heading to Port Said in Egypt, from where it will be transported to Gaza.
It comes as part of the Kingdom’s historic role in standing with the Palestinian people.
Meanwhile, people sheltering in the south of Gaza after fleeing their homes earlier in the war said on Saturday they had nowhere safe to go now.
The city of Khan Younis is the focus of Israeli airstrikes and artillery fire after fighting resumed on Friday following the collapse of a week-long truce.
Its population has swelled in recent weeks as several hundred thousand people from the northern Gaza Strip have fled south. 


Saudi FM attends Oslo Forum in Norway

Updated 14 min 4 sec ago
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Saudi FM attends Oslo Forum in Norway

  • Forum hosts global leaders and conflict mediators
  • Prince Faisal bin Farhan will meet foreign officials

Riyadh: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan arrived in the Norwegian capital on Tuesday to take part in the Oslo Forum.

The annual event, organized by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the Center for Humanitarian Dialogue in Switzerland, hosts global leaders and conflict mediators.

Prince Faisal will meet foreign officials to strengthen relations with the Kingdom and discuss various regional and international issues, the Saudi Press Agency reported.


What pilgrims are sharing online after their journey

Updated 17 min 42 sec ago
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What pilgrims are sharing online after their journey

  • Worshippers take to social media to share profound experiences with loved ones
  • Posting online becomes a way to process the weight of Hajj for many

RIYADH: For many pilgrims, the spiritual journey of Hajj does not end when they leave the holy sites. It continues — quietly, intentionally — in the days and weeks that follow.

Across Saudi Arabia, young pilgrims are using social media to process the weight of Hajj and share the experience with loved ones.

Noor Ahmad, 21, did not plan to post during her pilgrimage. But after she returned, the urge to share came naturally.

After returning from Hajj, I decided to share a few captured moments. But how can a photo truly capture the depth and majesty of the experience?

Noor Ahmad

“After returning from Hajj, I decided to share a few captured moments,” she said. “But how can a photo truly capture the depth and majesty of the experience?”

She described how people responded in varied ways. “Those who had gone before felt nostalgic and started sharing their own stories. Others — those who hadn’t been yet — expressed their longing. It became this moment of connection.”

For Noor, the decision to post was not about aesthetics. “It’s a monumental event. Maybe I could inspire someone who’s hesitant to go. Maybe they’ll see what I saw — and want to experience it for themselves.

“It was my way of saying thank you”

Shatha Al-Jadaan, 25, took a different approach to sharing, after taking a digital detox.

I enjoy sharing meaningful moments, and after seeing the tremendous effort put into Hajj on every level, I felt my post was a small, sincere gesture of appreciation.

Shatha Al-Jadaan

“During Hajj, I decided to partially fast from social media. I used only the essentials,” she said. “After I returned, I posted a thread to my close friends explaining where I’d been and shared some of the most meaningful moments.”

The response was full of prayers and warmth. “People were kind, supportive, and curious. But what mattered most to me was that I used the thread to say thank you — to the organizers, to the volunteers, and to Allah.”

She spoke about how she found value in using digital platforms to document something greater than herself.

“I enjoy sharing meaningful moments, and after seeing the tremendous effort put into Hajj on every level, I felt my post was a small, sincere gesture of appreciation.”

Salem Al-Khudair, 28, recorded a voice note to his family group chat while performing the rites.

“I just couldn’t find the words to write. So I recorded myself speaking right after standing in Arafat. I sent it to my family WhatsApp group. My mom was emotional. My dad said, ‘May God accept from you.’ That was enough.”

In an age of curated content, Hajj posts tend to stand out for their sincerity. Pilgrims often strip away the filters, metaphors and trend-driven formats, and just speak from the heart.

Noura Al-Dosari, 23, uploaded a private Instagram story highlight with no captions. “Just visuals. No filters. No hashtags,” she said. “It wasn’t for followers. It was for me. For reflection. A digital bookmark of who I became.”

Some write long captions, others simply post a photo of their ihram folded neatly back into a drawer.

But all of them carry a silent message: I went. I came back different.

Many pilgrims use their posts to recall moments of physical hardship that brought emotional breakthroughs — the heat, the long walks, the brief but powerful connections with strangers.

Others use it to highlight the seamless organization of the pilgrimage as a reminder of how far the experience has evolved.

Amani Al-Saad, 26, used X to share a short story about a volunteer who helped her carry her bag in Muzdalifah. “She didn’t speak much, but she smiled at me and said, ‘This is what we’re here for.’ That stuck with me. I wrote about it as a reminder to myself — that sometimes the smallest moments hold the most meaning.”

While digital connections are increasingly common, most pilgrims emphasize that the real processing happens offline — in quiet conversations with family, in their prayer rooms, or on long drives home.

“I didn’t post to perform,” said Al-Jadaan. “I posted to remember.”

 


Saudi film body joins global audiovisual group

Updated 11 min 37 sec ago
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Saudi film body joins global audiovisual group

  • Through this affiliation, the commission plans to develop archiving projects and engage in knowledge exchange with international institutions

RIYADH: The Film Commission announced its membership in the International Association of Sound and Audiovisual Archives, a step aimed at supporting its work in audiovisual archiving.

The association includes members from 70 countries and represents institutions that preserve materials such as visual content, musical works, historical and literary recordings, and oral histories.

According to the Saudi Press Agency, this membership supports the commission’s efforts to preserve Saudi Arabia’s audiovisual heritage.

Through this affiliation, the commission plans to develop archiving projects and engage in knowledge exchange with international institutions.

The move also reflects the commission’s aim to adopt recognized practices and modern technologies in film archiving, the SPA reported.

Cooperation with association members will provide access to innovations in audiovisual preservation and contribute to efforts to safeguard the Kingdom’s cultural heritage.

Founded in 1969 in Amsterdam, the association promotes collaboration among institutions focused on audiovisual preservation.

It hosts an annual conference for sharing expertise in preservation, restoration, digitization, intellectual property, and public access to archival materials.

 


French architect showcases AlUla’s heritage in New York exhibition

Updated 4 sec ago
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French architect showcases AlUla’s heritage in New York exhibition

  • The exhibition was opened by Abdullah Al-Hamdan, the Kingdom’s consul general in New York, who spoke about the role of art in encouraging cultural exchange and international understanding

RIYADH: The Didier Aaron Gallery in New York, in collaboration with the Consulate General of Saudi Arabia, is hosting an art exhibition by French architect Jean-Pierre Heim.

The exhibition showcases AlUla’s culture and heritage through a collection of sketches depicting Saudi Arabia’s archaeological landmarks.

It runs until June 20, reported the Saudi Press Agency.

A special event at the exhibition featured Heim speaking about his visits to AlUla and the surrounding region.

It was opened by Abdullah Al-Hamdan, the Kingdom’s consul general in New York, who spoke about the role of art in encouraging cultural exchange and international understanding.

He also noted the value of such exhibitions in sharing aspects of Saudi heritage with a wider audience.

Heim described his design approach as being informed by local culture and geography, emphasizing the integration of architecture with environment, history, and traditions.

The exhibition includes selected architectural drawings by Heim, inspired by his travels to more than 80 countries, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Sudan, Jordan, Greece, and China.

 


Saudi leadership greets security personnel, Hajj mission entities in Madinah

Prince Salman visits the Prophet’s Mosque to review readiness for the arrival of the first groups of pilgrims from Makkah. (SPA)
Updated 4 min 25 sec ago
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Saudi leadership greets security personnel, Hajj mission entities in Madinah

  • Hajj authorities in Madinah have begun implementing their operational plans for the second season

MADINAH: Madinah Gov. Prince Salman bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, who also chairs the region’s Permanent Committee for Hajj and Umrah, conveyed the greetings and appreciation of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to security personnel and entities taking part in Hajj missions in Madinah.

Prince Salman visited the Prophet’s Mosque to review readiness for the arrival of the first groups of pilgrims from Makkah after completing this year’s Hajj rituals, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.