Saudi Arabia issues clear message on World Anti-Drug Day
Kingdom must protect society, young people from illicit trade, security chief says
This year’s event focuses on investing in prevention
Updated 26 June 2024
Rashid Hassan
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has doubled down on its campaign to combat drug use and those who engage in the trafficking and financing of illicit substances.
National Center for Security Operations Commander Colonel Omar bin Aida Al-Talhi said the goal of the initiative was to “eliminate” drugs and “protect society and its youth from their effects.”
His announcement coincided with International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, which was set up by the UN in 1987 and falls annually on June 26.
World Anti-Drug Day, as the event is commonly known, was “an important day that emphasizes the harm of drugs and their impact on nations, societies and individuals, which requires fighting them in various ways and taking the initiative to report smugglers and dealers,” Al-Talhi said.
“Thanks to society’s awareness, high sense of responsibility and integration with the security authorities, this has resulted in cooperation in reporting drug cases to neutralize their danger.”
He said the NCSO, represented by the Unified Security Operations Centers (911) in Makkah, Riyadh and Al-Sharqiyah, received reports about drug smugglers and dealers and passed them on to the relevant authorities.
Jazan Governor Prince Mohammed bin Nasser on Wednesday inaugurated the activities of World Anti-Drug Day, whose slogan this year is “The Evidence is Clear … Let’s Invest in Prevention,” at the Prince Sultan Cultural Center.
The venue is staging an exhibition to spread awareness of the health, social and cultural impact of drugs and the efforts being made to prevent their spread and use.
Director of Public Security Lt. Gen. Mohammad bin Abdullah Al-Bassami said the drugs trade was a cross-border issue that created challenges for countries around the world.
In Saudi Arabia, the government prioritized the protection of its citizens and tackling any threats to national security, he said.
The Kingdom’s war on drugs, directed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and overseen by Minister of Interior Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud, has yielded positive results.
Al-Bassami said the nation’s security forces were committed to protecting society, and especially young people, from the scourge of the drugs trade and urged all citizens to remain vigilant to the ongoing threat.
Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior for Security Regiment Affairs, Maj. Gen. Awad bin Mashouh Al-Enezi said World Anti-Drug Day was an occasion to raise awareness of the dangers of drugs and reiterated the efforts being made by his ministry to tackle and punish those who engaged in it.
Director General of the Border Guard Maj. Gen. Shayea bin Salem Al-Wadaani said the Kingdom had made great efforts in combating drugs and protecting society.
Saudi culture, landscape in the spotlight at Riyadh showcase
15 local, global artists present work inspired by fusion of visual arts, fashion
Updated 4 sec ago
Nada Alturki
RIYADH: The open studio at the second Intermix Residency offers entry into a realm of creative exploration in which artists from across the globe put the Kingdom’s natural landscapes and cultural elements at the center of their work.
Some 15 creators worked together over 10 weeks to develop their own artistic vision inspired by the fusion of visual arts and fashion, and centered around themes of transformation, innovation, and sustainability.
Kuwaiti artist Maha Alasaker uses her own body as a loom for weaving as she contemplates the complex relationship between body and land. (AN photos)
Italian visual artist Ivo Cotani told Arab News: “The residency (has) pushed me forward a lot. I’ve seen (it) not just in my productions, but (by) being myself in my art. I feel more mature and comfortable with what I’m doing.”
His artwork “I Am Nature” is a combination of various mediums and is inspired by local flora and fauna. His studio showcases small ceramic sculptures of oryxes, camels, eagles and other animals, abstract floral paintings, and animal-like flower masks made with the help of two artisans.
HIGHLIGHT
The Intermix Residency program is fully funded and initiated by Saudi Arabia’s Visual Arts Commission in collaboration with the Fashion Commission, and hosted in JAX District within Diriyah.
He added: “Whenever I work, I’m always relating to the land in some way. I have been looking at nature and the desert, and I also visited AlUla and saw the tombs and eagles there. From there I started creating and studying the animals of the desert. I was thinking of embodying nature in some way, and then I thought of masks.”
Egyptian fashion designer Somaia Abolezz’s abstract wearable installations demonstrate elements of the caravan journey from Egypt to Makkah. (AN photo)
The open studio’s artworks delve into the intricacies of human experience, exploring how individuals embody memories, emotions, and interpretive codes that shape relationships between oneself, daily life, and the natural world, producing an archive of experiments, research, and possibilities.
Saudi visual artist Maram Alsuliman’s “Fragments of the Missing” reflects her background and interest in tradition. She investigates the why, how, and impact of forgotten, discontinued traditions, which are only temporarily preserved through oral transmission.
Egyptian fashion designer Somaia Abolezz’s abstract wearable installations demonstrate elements of the caravan journey from Egypt to Makkah. (AN photo)
She told Arab News: “My family’s from Najran but I was born and raised in Jeddah, so I’ve always had this curiosity to know more about Najran. While it’s even difficult for me to learn about it, though my parents are from there, how will others learn? I’ve felt like it’s my responsibility to document and tell people about it through my art.”
Mirroring the residency’s sustainability theme, she uses objects that are discarded, like date seeds and broken coffee cups, to create abstract shapes that are then screen printed onto bags. The natural black dye is made from broken-down date seeds.
Egyptian fashion designer Somaia Abolezz’s abstract wearable installations demonstrate elements of the caravan journey from Egypt to Makkah. (AN photo)
Alsuliman added: “My dad used to bring dates back from Najran in these plastic bags. For him he was carrying food, but I wanted to use them to carry my traditions.”
Alla Alsahli, a Syrian Palestinian designer born and raised in the US, incorporates material manipulation and repetition to tell stories that are rooted in culture and space.
Egyptian fashion designer Somaia Abolezz’s abstract wearable installations demonstrate elements of the caravan journey from Egypt to Makkah. (AN photo)
Her Intermix project explores the idea of preservation through architecture in Riyadh and beyond. Inspired by the triangular geometrical patterns of Najdi traditional mud buildings, Alsahli creates fashion pieces out of clay, rope and fabric.
Her first ensemble joins each handmade ceramic piece with thread to hold it together. The other is constructed using the throw-away muslin fabric, which is used as a prototype by most designers, linked together by rope. The process of connecting each element to the other symbolizes a hope of preservation.
As architecture goes through phases, construction followed by deconstruction, so the art mirrors the process.
She told Arab News: “The reconstruction phase — which is when people are trying to revive and bring that space back to life — we see that a lot here in Riyadh with Diriyah and Al-Bujairi where a lot of people want to hold on to that culture and style because it's so significant to Najd. I wanted to translate that into fashion to showcase the idea of reconstruction.
“When I started the project, I was thinking about Saudi Arabia a lot, but I felt bad for not relating it to myself and my identity. When I started thinking about myself more, I thought about Syria and Palestine and that’s where the idea of ruins and preservation came from.”
The program's mission is to foster a shared visual language that celebrates the expressive potential of both visual arts and fashion design.
Kuwaiti artist Maha Alasaker focuses on the relationship between nature and culture, with a particular emphasis on the natural colors that can be extracted from the land. This led her to investigate herbal medicines and their historic use in pain management for women.
She presents a live ongoing performance using her own body as a loom for weaving as she contemplates the complex relationship between body and land.
While Egyptian fashion designer Somaia Abolezz’s abstract wearable installations demonstrate elements of the caravan journey from Egypt to Makkah, Saudi artist Um Kalthoom Al-Alawi’s “Images of Memory” investigates what lies hidden and what is revealed through printed patterns on fabric.
The Intermix Residency program is fully funded and initiated by Saudi Arabia’s Visual Arts Commission in collaboration with the Fashion Commission, and hosted in JAX District within Diriyah.
It aims to provide emerging and mid-career Saudi nationals, residents, and international visual artists, fashion designers, and curators with a platform to innovate, experiment, and collaborate in a supportive creative environment.
Al-Jarba expressed gratitude for the warm reception and affirmed the depth of the bilateral relationship
During the visit, the delegation also met with Matlubakhon Sattoriyon, the culture minister, and several ministry officials
Updated 29 June 2024
Arab News
RIYADH: A delegation from the Shoura Council’s Saudi-Tajik-Uzbek Parliamentary Friendship Committee recently met with top officials during an official visit to Tajikistan.
Led by Mohammed Al-Jarba, the committee chairman, the delegation met with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan Farrukh Sharifzoda at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dushanbe.
The deputy minister welcomed the Saudi delegation, praising the strong relations between the two countries and lauding Saudi Arabia’s global leadership, Saudi Press Agency reported.
Al-Jarba expressed gratitude for the warm reception and affirmed the depth of the bilateral relationship.
During the visit, the delegation also met with Matlubakhon Sattoriyon, the culture minister, and several ministry officials.
Sattoriyon highlighted the importance of deep-rooted cultural relations between the two countries, and praised Saudi Arabia’s international leadership.
They discussed cultural collaboration and the importance of showcasing the rich historical heritage of both nations. The meeting also explored avenues for cooperation in the cultural sector.
The delegation visited the Nurek hydroelectric power plant, where they met with plant officials, toured the facilities, and received a briefing on the construction phases, dams, and services provided by the plant.
They also met with Kamoliddin Muminzod, chairman of the Tourism Development Committee of Tajikistan, for talks on topics of mutual interest, including enhancing cooperation in the tourism sector between the two countries.
The delegation also met with Sultan Rahimzoda, chairman of the State Investment and Property Management Committee of Tajikistan. The meeting covered topics related to economic cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Tajikistan and ways to strengthen ties.
The discussions also highlighted Saudi Arabia’s economic successes under Vision 2030, and achievements in economic and investment targets.
The meetings were attended by Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Tajikistan Walid Al-Rashidan. The delegation included committee members Abdulrahman Al-Sayari, Maj. Gen. Sami Al-Hazmi, Abdullah Al-Najjar, and Hassan Al-Masloum.
Saudi students add to medal haul at junior maths olympiad
Updated 29 June 2024
Arab News
RIYADH: Five Saudi students from the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba) have earned international acclaim by winning medals at the Junior Balkan Mathematical Olympiad 2024.
The competition, held in Turkiye from June 25-30, featured 130 students from 22 countries.
Abdullah bin Tariq Al-Amer, from the Eastern Province Education Department, secured a silver medal. Bronze medals were awarded to Mohammed Shaiban, from the Jubail Industrial City Royal Commission Education Department; Bilal Al-Hujaili, from the Madinah Education Department; Fatimah Al-Marhoon, from the Eastern Province Education Department; and Arar Al-Ajami, from the Riyadh Education Department.
Amal Al-Hazaa, general director of Mawhiba, said that the victory underscores the collaborative efforts between the organization and its strategic partner, the Ministry of Education, in achieving the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.
Al-Hazaa praised the capabilities of the Saudi students, acknowledging their numerous international achievements, which contribute to building the country’s future and enhancing its human capital.
This marks the 13th participation of the Saudi team in the Junior Balkan Mathematical Olympiad. Over the years, the Saudi team has amassed a total of 58 medals, including nine gold, 22 silver, and 27 bronze.
Saudi Arabia’s success at the junior olympiad is part of a broader series of achievements in various global competitions, represented by the Ministry of Education and Mawhiba.
Students selected for the competition underwent a series of rigorous tests conducted by Mawhiba during an intensive training period. Team members received several years of focused training under the guidance of national and international trainers.
The Junior Balkan Mathematical Olympiad, organized annually by one of the Balkan countries and Cyprus, held its inaugural competition in Yugoslavia in 1997. Each participating country fields a team of up to six students under the age of 15 at the start of the competition, which takes place over a single day.
Field teams also conducted 875 tours for general cleaning, disinfecting some 7,186 locations with chemicals
The teams also attempted to study the quality of materials while carrying out their projects
Updated 29 June 2024
SPA
MADINAH: The field teams of Madinah Municipality are continuing their work to maintain and repair the road network in the holy city.
This week they helped to maintain 214,280 linear meters of main and internal roads, while repairing 2,366 sq. meters of potholes and depressions, in addition to removing several illegal speed bumps.
Field teams also conducted 875 tours for general cleaning, disinfecting some 7,186 locations with chemicals.
The teams also attempted to study the quality of materials while carrying out their projects. They looked at 32 samples of surfaces, including four asphalt samples, 27 concrete and one soil. In addition, they conducted 82 tests on the three surfaces.
The field and supervisory teams in the municipality are intensifying their tours due to the number of pilgrims traveling to Madinah following the Hajj season.
13,445 violators of immigration and residency laws arrested
Updated 29 June 2024
Arab News
RIYADH: A joint field campaign to monitor and apprehend violators of residency, work, and border-security laws in all regions of the Kingdom, carried out from June 20 to 26, has resulted in the arrests of 13,445 people.
Authorities apprehended 3,230 people for violating Saudi border-security regulations, and 1,452 others for violating the Kingdom’s work rules.
According to officials, 1,063 people were caught trying to enter the Kingdom illegally, of whom 36 percent were from Yemen, 62 percent from Ethiopia, and 2 percent from other countries. Another 66 people were caught trying to leave the Kingdom illegally during the campaign.
One person was also arrested for aiding and abetting individuals who violated residency, work, and border-security regulations, as well as concealing their actions.
