JEDDAH: In collaboration with the Ministry of Education, the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba) has inaugurated the qualifying program for the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair 2024.
The program, held at the Mishkat Interactive Center in King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy in Riyadh, seeks to identify and prepare 35 outstanding individuals from a pool of 45 talented participants. The selected students are poised to represent the Kingdom at the prestigious Regeneron ISEF 2024 in Los Angeles in May.
Mawhiba said that the selected students will join more than 1,800 peers worldwide specializing in science and engineering. They will not only compete for ISEF awards, but also participate in international innovation exhibitions, such as ITEX in Malaysia and TISF in Taiwan.
As part of the program, mentors will review the students’ projects, developing work plans to strengthen and enhance each project before the final submission deadline to ISEF.
Workshops on presentation skills, project display, and understanding the judging mechanism at ISEF are also included in the agenda for participants.
Additionally, the Scientific Ethics Committee will have a crucial role in reviewing specific forms related to scientific ethics followed during experiments for each project. Statistical analysis of selected projects will be conducted to ensure accuracy, with specialists overseeing the development plans for each student.
Toward the end of the workshop, an independent judging committee will make the crucial decision of selecting candidates to join the Saudi science and engineering team. These chosen individuals will then proudly represent the Kingdom at ISEF 2024, competing for its coveted awards.
Mawhiba emphasized the success of previous efforts in fostering a culture of scientific research and innovation in education. This has led to the Kingdom achieving commendable global positions in international participation.
Earlier this month, Mawhiba hosted the National Olympiad for Scientific Creativity, Ibdaa 2024, to select students for the Regeneron ISEF 2024 event.
Mawhiba said that the number of students participated in this year’s Ibdaa 2024 has surged by 40 percent, reaching 210,000 compared to 146,000 students last year, who submitted projects in 21 scientific fields.
The foundation selected 180 projects from a pool of 210,000 submissions
The projects included 30 in the energy sector, 26 in materials science, 24 in chemistry, 17 in environmental engineering, 11 in biomedicine and health sciences, and nine in plant sciences.
The Ibdaa 2024 Olympiad aims to discover and support Saudi Arabia’s talented students, fostering their skills and advancing scientific projects.
The annual event provides an innovative environment for collaboration between educational supervisors, education departments and researchers, with a goal to support students.
Mawhiba prepares 35 young innovators for global science fair
https://arab.news/4u7g9
Mawhiba prepares 35 young innovators for global science fair
- Mawhiba said that the selected students will join more than 1,800 peers worldwide specializing in science and engineering
- Mawhiba said that the selected students will join more than 1,800 peers worldwide specializing in science and engineering
Kiswa of Kaaba to be replaced with advent of new Islamic year
- Production of the Kiswa requires about 1,000 kilograms of raw silk which is dyed black at the complex, 120 kilograms of gold wire, and 100 kilograms of silver wire
RIYADH: The intricate black cloth covering the Kaaba will be replaced on Muharram 1, the beginning of the Hijri year, as part of an annual tradition.
The Kiswa will be changed with the help of 159 technicians and craftsmen, Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday.
The old Kiswa will be removed and replaced by a new one which consists of four separate sides and a door curtain. Each side will be raised separately to the top of the Kaaba in preparation for its unfolding over the old side.
The new Kiswa will be then be attached from above and the ropes of the old cloth will then be loosened.
Over 200 craftsmen and administrators work at the King Abdulaziz Complex for Holy Kaaba Kiswa in Makkah where the special cloth is produced.
The complex has separate departments for dyeing, machine-weaving, hand-weaving, printing, belts, gold-plating, sewing, and assembling.
The sewing and assembling department features the largest sewing machine in the world which is 16 meters long and runs on a computer system.
Production of the Kiswa requires about 1,000 kilograms of raw silk which is dyed black at the complex, 120 kilograms of gold wire, and 100 kilograms of silver wire.
The new Hijri year is due to start on July 7.
Family vacation ends in tragedy as prominent Saudi doctor dies trying to save drowning son in Swiss lake
- The family was spending a day at the Giessbach Waterfalls in Brienz Lake near the Swiss Alps
- Dr. Alanazi’s son Abdulaziz was said to have slipped down into the waterfalls while the family took photos
BEIRUT: A Saudi family’s holiday in Switzerland ended in tragedy when Dr. Abdullah Alanazi died after jumping into Brienz Lake trying to save his drowning 2-year-old son over the weekend.
A prominent doctor and head of the research unit at the College of Applied Medical Sciences in Riyadh, Alanazi was reported by Saudi media to have been on a family vacation when the tragedy occurred.
The family was spending a day at the Giessbach Waterfalls in Brienz Lake near the Swiss Alps.
Reportedly, Alanazi’s son Abdulaziz was said to have slipped down into the waterfalls as the family took photos. The doctor immediately jumped after his drowning son in an attempt to save him, but the two were swept away by the strong currents and disappeared in front of the eyes of Alanazi’s weeping and traumatized wife and daughter.
Swiss police and rescue teams arrived at the scene shortly after the incident and launched immediate search and rescue operations that were purported to have lasted two days until Alanazi’s body was recovered. The search for Abdulaziz’s body continues. Media reports said helicopters and boats were also used during the search operation.
The Saudi Embassy in Switzerland and King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences offered condolences to Alanazi’s family.
Meanwhile, the doctor’s wife was cited in some media reports as saying that on that day, they did not intend to go out, but Alanazi insisted on going to the waterfalls, which are located 50 minutes away from where they had been residing. She was allegedly told by some people who were present there that the waterfalls were easily reachable and suitable for children.
She claimed that her husband asked her to hold their daughter’s hand while he held Abdulaziz’s hand. But while they were taking photos, their 2-year-old let go of his father’s hand suddenly, lost his balance and fell into the water.
Al-Ahsa showcases experience in preserving folk art at UNESCO Creative Cities Network Conference
- Al-Ahsa, which became a member of the network in 2015, showcased its experience in preserving handicrafts and folk arts
AL-AHSA: Al-Ahsa has joined 118 other cities worldwide for the 16th annual conference of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. Held from July 1-5 in Braga, Portugal, the event was attended by Ernesto Ottone, UNESCO’s assistant director-general for culture.
During the conference, Al-Ahsa, which became a member of the network in 2015, showcased its experience in preserving handicrafts and folk arts.
Saudi FM meets with Spanish counterpart in Madrid
- Foreign ministers discussed regional and international developments including the situation in the Gaza Strip and efforts made in this regard
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan met with his Spanish counterpart Jose Manuel Albares in Madrid on Thursday.
The meeting, held on the sidelines of the annual meeting of the European Council on Foreign Relations, discussed Saudi-Spanish relations and ways to enhance them in various fields.
The foreign ministers also discussed regional and international developments including the situation in the Gaza Strip and efforts made in this regard.
KSGAAL launches books on promotion of Arabic in 4 countries
- Four publications are part of The Arabic Language in the World series
- Publications aim to build bridges of communication with Arabic-speaking peoples around the world
RIYADH: The King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language (KSGAAL) launched four new publications on Thursday.
According to a statement, the four publications are part of The Arabic Language in the World series, and include the books: “The Arabic Language in Chad,” “The Arabic Language in Thailand,” “The Arabic language in Kyrgyzstan: A Critical Analytical Descriptive Study” and “The Arabic Language in the Comoros.”
The publications aim to build bridges of communication with Arabic-speaking peoples around the world.
Language researchers, academics, and institutions inside and outside the Kingdom can view the books on the KSGAAL website via: https://library.ksaa.gov.sa/index/view/78.
Dr. Abdullah Al-Washmi, secretary-general of KSGAAL, said the academy’s Specialized Global Research Track project includes a variety of disciplines and arts related to the Arabic language.
The Arabic Language in the World series seeks to deepen communication between institutions and individuals concerned with the language.
The program involves about 1,100 researchers from 76 countries around the world.
KSGAAL is tasked with supporting the Arabic language, enhancing its status, preserving its integrity in speech and writing, documenting its origins, methods, vocabulary and grammar, and facilitating learning inside and outside Saudi Arabia, Al-Washmi said.
