Riyadh: Members of Saudi Arabia’s Project Masam removed 570 explosive devices from various regions of Yemen last week.

The total included two anti-personnel mines, 50 anti-tank mines, 508 unexploded ordnances and 10 explosive devices, according to a recent report.

Ousama Al-Gosaibi, the initiative’s managing director, said a total of 473,258 mines had been cleared since its inception in 2018.

The explosives were planted indiscriminately and posed a threat to civilians, including children, women and the elderly.

The demining operations took place in Marib, Aden, Jouf, Shabwa, Taiz, Hodeidah, Lahij, Sanaa, Al-Bayda, Al-Dhale and Saada.

The initiative trains local demining engineers and provides them with modern equipment. It also offers support to Yemenis injured by the devices.

Teams are tasked with clearing villages, roads and schools to facilitate safe movement for civilians and the delivery of humanitarian aid.

About 5 million people have been forced to flee their homes since the start of the conflict in Yemen, many of them displaced by the presence of land mines.

RIYADH: The Riyadh Theater Festival is hosting a series of cultural discussions and theatrical performances distinguished by intellectual depth and artistic excellence.

Organized by the Theater and Performing Arts Commission, the festival is being held at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University until Dec. 26.

A seminar on contemporary theater in the Arab world explored the intersection of creativity and sustainability, bringing together an elite group of theater thinkers and creators.

One of the festival’s participants, Kamal Al-Alawi from Tunisia, reviewed the evolution of theater, tracing its journey from the Greek era through the Middle Ages and the Renaissance to the time of Emile Zola, which marked a qualitative shift and revolution in impressionism.

Among the intellectuals and theater experts, Lina Abiad from Lebanon discussed ways to improve theatrical production and modernize it using contemporary methodologies.

The commission’s CEO, Sultan Al-Bazie, described the festival as a cornerstone for advancing theatrical movement in the Kingdom and increasing public awareness of the performing arts.

This year’s event features 20 performances, selected by a committee of experts, reflecting the diversity of theatrical arts in the Kingdom and its intellectual and developmental programs.

The festival underscores the commission’s commitment to supporting the performing arts and Saudi talent, aiming for a strong presence on regional and international stages. It will conclude with a presentation of awards to distinguished performers.