KSrelief distributes aid throughout the Middle East
Updated 13 October 2024
Arab News
RIYADH: The Saudi aid agency KSrelief continued its humanitarian efforts by implementing the fourth phase of the Al-Amal Charity Bakery project for 2023 in Akkar Governorate and Al-Miniyeh District, Lebanon.
Over the past week, the project distributed 175,000 bundles of bread to 12,000 of the most vulnerable families, including refugees from Syria and Palestine, as well as members of the host community in northern Lebanon.
In addition, on Thursday KSrelief distributed 1,500 cartons of dates to displaced people in Marib Governorate, Yemen, benefiting 9,000 people.
These initiatives are part of Saudi Arabia’s ongoing relief projects driven by KSrelief and aimed at supporting refugees and enhancing food security in various countries.
Saudi Arabia launches initiative to integrate expatriates into local society
The Global Harmony initiative aims to highlight the diverse lives of residents in the Kingdom
Updated 5 sec ago
Hebshi Alshammari
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Media has launched an initiative to integrate expatriates into local society and improve overall quality of life in the Kingdom.
Expats from diverse backgrounds shared their optimism with Arab News, with one highlighting the initiative’s significance in “embracing different cultures” in Saudi Arabia.
The Global Harmony initiative aims to highlight the diverse lives of residents in the Kingdom, featuring their professional and family lives, social and recreational activities, contributions to the economy, success stories, and cultural integration in Saudi society, according to the Ministry of Media.
It will also highlight government and private sector efforts to improve the quality of life in Saudi cities.
As a track of the initiative, the Ministry of Media, in partnership with the General Entertainment Authority, is arranging events in Riyadh Season.
These events will feature cultural, artistic and folkloric activities and shows, attended by prominent media outlets from the residents’ countries.
The cultures of countries including India, the Philippines, Indonesia, Pakistan, Yemen, Sudan, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Bangladesh and Egypt will be presented in several events during Riyadh Season for 45 days starting from tomorrow.
Among these will be concerts, cultural and family entertainment events, traditional foods, and various handicrafts.
Mohammad Sabbah, a Palestinian who has called Saudi Arabia home for more than 20 years, reflecting on his time in the Kingdom, described it as “a rewarding journey filled with security and stability for me and my family.”
“We’ve found a second home here, where safety and peace are a constant under the Saudi leadership and warm hospitality of the people.”
He praised the new initiative as “a crucial move toward fostering a more inclusive and interconnected society,” and added: “This represents a forward-thinking vision for Saudi Arabia. I see diversity as a source of strength and enrichment.”
Mohammad Sabbah, a Palestinian who has called Saudi Arabia home for more than 20 years, reflects on his time in the Kingdom. (Supplied)
As a marketing director at Energy Tracks, Sabbah highlighted the importance of the initiative in recognizing the role of expatriates.
“It acknowledges the value of expatriates in the community and serves as a bridge for better understanding and meaningful collaboration,” he said.
“Despite our cultural differences, we’ve found harmony with Saudi society. We’re proud to be woven into the fabric of this generous nation and are eager for an even brighter future ahead, especially with Vision 2030.”
Zineb Jariri, senior PR account executive at Umami Communication, said the initiative demonstrates a forward-thinking approach to fostering cultural diversity and celebrating the different communities living in Saudi Arabia.
“It truly embodies the spirit of shared coexistence and strengthens mutual understanding between locals and expatriates from around the globe,” she said.
Zineb Jariri, senior PR account executive at Umami Communication, said the initiative demonstrates a forward-thinking approach to fostering cultural diversity. (Supplied)
Moroccan Jariri emphasized that this initiative acknowledges the positive contributions of expats in various sectors of Saudi life. “It offers a chance to tell the story of Saudi Arabia as a flourishing, inclusive nation,” she said.
She said she expects the move will promote social cohesion, boost cultural awareness, enhance cultural tourism, and further solidify Saudi Arabia’s standing as a regional leader.
Winners of ninth Iqra competition crowned in Dhahran
Amin Nasser, Saudi Aramco’s president and CEO, and other senior officials attended the two-day event in Dhahran
Nobel literature laureates Abdulrazak Gurnah and Olga Tokarczuk were also present and offered insights during speaking sessions
Updated 5 min 21 sec ago
Arab News
DHAHRAN: Boasting an attendance of 16,000 people, including Nobel laureates in literature, the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture concluded its ninth annual Iqra competition on Saturday.
Amin Nasser, Saudi Aramco’s president and CEO, and other senior officials attended the two-day event in Dhahran.
Nobel literature laureates Abdulrazak Gurnah and Olga Tokarczuk were also present and offered insights during speaking sessions.
Visitors experienced a series of activities, culminating in the announcement of the competition’s winners.
Moroccan Meryem Bououd was awarded Reader of the Year, while 10-year-old Moroccan Fatima Kettani won the Promising Reader prize.
Iraqi Hira Karkhi secured the Text of the Year prize, while the Reading School award went to Tarbiyat Al-Ajial of the Private International School, Hafr Al-Batin, Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Safia Al-Ghubari claimed the People’s Reader award, while teacher Najla Ghazi Al-Suhaimi took home the Reading Ambassador prize.
Noura Al-Zamil, Ithra’s program director, spoke of the competition’s significant milestones since its inception in 2013.
Over nine editions Iqra has attracted more than 225,000 applicants and offered 48,000 hours of educational programming.
It has also engaged more than 600 speakers from 30 countries, bringing three Nobel Prize-winning authors to its stage.
Al-Zamil stressed Ithra’s continued efforts to innovate, introducing new elements like the Iqra Travels, Iqra Marathon, and Kitabiya Exhibit, to foster a reading culture among Arab youngsters.
The closing event featured cultural sessions, including a talk by Tokarczuk, who discussed literature as a tool for bridging languages and cultures.
Discussing the future, Tokarczuk expressed both optimism and caution, adding: “I embrace modern tools like ChatGPT but remain concerned about their potential misuse.”
Gurnah, reflecting on his roots, said: “Zanzibar will always be my true homeland, despite my long absence.”
The method involves an iron wire net set up in the shade of large trees
Updated 9 min 10 sec ago
Arab News
RIYADH: Falconers rely on a variety of traditional hunting techniques, with Al-Manashbia being among the most notable, requiring extensive experience and precision.
The method involves an iron wire net set up in the shade of large trees. After a falcon eats its prey, it seeks shade, where it then falls into the trap.
Khamis Al-Saqri, a falconry enthusiast, said that constructing Al-Manashbia takes one to two days, depending on the hunter’s experience. It is considered a difficult and complex method due to the need for a professional and innovative arrangement of the net holes.
While Al-Manashbia is well-known, other techniques exist as well, including Khadj Al-Tayr, where falcons are followed and captured with a large net after sunset.
Falconry involves training rituals, such as Haddad Al-Tayr, where falcons are released for long distances to train them to hunt prey. Another technique involves the use of a melwah, a decoy bird or bait, to attract and accustom a falcon to hunting.
Al-Hamad Desert in the Northern Borders region is a popular destination for falconers from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council.
It is along a migratory route for falcons, including the peregrine falcon. Many valuable falcons are released or sold at auctions held in the region.
Khalaf Al-Anzi, a skilled craftsman with a visual impairment, has captivated visitors at the International Saudi Falcons and Hunting Exhibition with his handmade falcon trapping nets.
Al-Anzi, who has been crafting these nets for over 30 years, demonstrated his expertise at the exhibition, held in Malham, north of Riyadh, from Oct. 3 to 12.
Khalaf Al-Anzi has become a regular participant in falconry-related events throughout the Kingdom. (SPA)
He inherited this craft from his forefathers and hopes to pass it on to the next generation in Turaif, the Northern Borders region.
With the assistance of his sons, he has become a regular participant in falconry-related events throughout the Kingdom, especially during the falcon migration season in the fall.
The process of creating falcon trapping nets involves meticulous work. Al-Anzi told the Saudi Press Agency in an interview that he uses silk threads and thin nylon wires to handcraft these lightweight nets, which weigh only a few grams.
The nets are attached to pigeons or jerboas (hopping desert rodents) as bait to attract falcons. It takes Al-Anzi over half an hour to create a single net.
Al-Anzi said his handmade nets are highly sought after by Saudi falconers, who often visit him at home to buy them.
He ships his nets to falconers and enthusiasts in the Gulf countries, relying on his craft as a primary source of income.
The authority has planted 2.4 million native seedlings and 4 tonnes of seeds, including yarrow, artemisia and haloxylon
Updated 28 min 44 sec ago
Arab News
RIYADH: The King Salman bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority celebrated its inclusion in the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Green List.
The celebration took place on the sidelines of the International Saudi Falcons and Hunting Exhibition in Malham, north of Riyadh.
The recognition came after a comprehensive assessment of the reserve by IUCN experts, who evaluated its environmental and developmental accomplishments, as well as its community engagement and preservation efforts.
The authority has planted 2.4 million native seedlings and 4 tonnes of seeds, including yarrow, artemisia and haloxylon, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.
It has restored 250,000 hectares of degraded habitats and relocated 1,235 wildlife species, including Arabian oryx, sand gazelles, Arabian gazelles, and Arabian leopards.
The authority manages protected areas through sustainable programs focused on conservation, community involvement and development, in alignment with international standards.
