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Riyadh Governor Prince Faisal bin Bandar received the recently appointed Ambassador of Norway to Saudi Arabia Kjersti Tromsdal in Riyadh on Wednesday.
Prince Faisal wished the ambassador success in her new duties, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Meanwhile, Madinah Gov. Prince Salman bin Sultan met with Bangladeshi Consul General Miah Md. Mainul Kabir in Madinah on Wednesday.
During the meeting, they discussed various topics of common interest.
RIYADH: Saudi authorities publicly unveiled their new Global Harmony Initiative on Wednesday night during an official launch event in Riyadh.
The aim of the initiative, announced earlier this week, is to celebrate and showcase the diverse range of nationalities and cultures among residents of the Kingdom by exploring their professional and family lives, social and recreational activities, contributions to the economy, success stories and cultural integration into Saudi society, organizers said.
The project, a collaboration between the Quality of Life Program, Saudi Vision 2030, the General Entertainment Authority and The Ministry of Media, will include a range of events, performances and shows during Riyadh Season showcasing the cuisines, cultures, fashions, music and heritage of countries including Pakistan, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Yemen, Syria, Palestine, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, the Philippines and Bangladesh.
Wednesday’s event, which took place at the Movenpick Hotel and was hosted by journalist Fatma Fahad, featured a video presentation that highlighted the pivotal messages of the initiative, including “No language or culture separates us” and “Saudi Arabia will remain your land and its people are your people.”
After the ceremony, Abdulrahman Majrashi, president of the Center for Government Communication and official spokesperson of the Ministry of Media, told Arab News: “The events will take place in Suwaidi park with the support of the General Entertainment Authority.”
India’s ambassador to the Kingdom, Suhel Ajaz Khan, told Arab News: “I think it’s a wonderful program; it’s a program to strengthen the bonds between the expatriate communities and the Saudi society. It’s a great initiative.
“We are very happy that the Ministry of Media is taking this step, in association with other agencies, to launch this initiative. It’s a very, very positive and commendable step.
“We have the largest expat community (in Saudi Arabia): 2.6 million people. The Indian community is increasing. In fact, in the past year alone we got 200,000 more people. And I think the numbers speak for themselves. You know, they are here because they feel respected, they feel welcome, they feel at home.”
Khan added that as part of its participation in the initiative, India will host a nine-day cultural festival in Suwaidi Park.
Speaking about his own experience of living in Saudi Arabia, he said: “The quality of life has been great.
“All of us are witness to the amazing transformation that is taking place in the Kingdom, socially and economically, the kind of economic growth which is there in the Kingdom, the kind of opportunities which are there.
“I think everyone is very, very interested in Saudi Arabia’s story, and relations between India and Saudi Arabia are on a very, very solid footing. We are doing a lot of things together across many domains; in the political and the economic, trade, investment, defense, culture, people-to-people contact, we are very, very optimistic about our bilateral relations.”
Abdulaziz Ahmad, Indonesia’s ambassador to the Kingdom, said: “I think this initiative is very good. We appreciate this event.”
He said he hopes to see the project expand in future and added: “We know Saudi Arabia is growing very fast; faster and faster, right now, under the leadership of King Salman and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman.
“We appreciate this kind of progress and we hope that this kind of progress will give more prosperity for Saudi people, and also give more benefits for bilateral relations between Saudi (Arabia) and the Republic of Indonesia.”
A 2022 census revealed that about 13 million expatriates live in Saudi Arabia, about 40 percent of the total population of 33 million.
RIYADH: Dressing in traditional clothing and glistening gold jewelry is the daily norm for Fatma Abdullah Al-Malak, a 72-year-old, tech-savvy Saudi grandmother from Qatif who is working hard to keep the spirit of local culture alive through her social media activity.
She creates educational content about local heritage and traditions, including clothing and cooking, and shares it on Instagram. In one video, for example, she explains the traditional significance of the Alrdah, a cloak or robe that hangs loosely across the shoulders and is worn by women when they leave the house.
In another, she shows how a millstone, a large round stone made of granite or sandstone, is used to grind wheat into flour.
“I hope (people in the local community) get to know this valuable heritage by learning about it and visiting some local museums we have, and that they feel proud of this heritage,” Al-Malak told Arab News.
“I also hope they will preserve it from extinction as it is part of our identity, for those who do not have a heritage do not have a history.”
Although she continues to live a life that is traditional in many respects, Al-Malak has also moved with the times, embracing the potential of social media to share information and ideas.
Her Instagram feed contains colorful images illustrating the cultural heritage and traditions that have been part of her life, including photos of herself in traditional clothing from the region, in particular a Hashemite dress handed down from her grandmother.
“As for clothing, I only incorporate traditional gold pieces into my daily life,” Al-Malak said. “Yes, there is the Hashemite dress that my grandmother wore and my mother inherited it from her. Now I own this dress and I cherish it greatly. I hope my daughters will value it after me.”
Al-Malak is from Qatif, a municipality in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. It is one of the oldest cities in the region, with rich history and cultural significance, and is known for its traditions of fish farming, agriculture and date palm cultivation.
Her traditional upbringing meant she was surrounded growing up by immediate family, including aunts and uncles. During childhood, she said, her father and grandmother in particular were great sources of inspiration, embodying the wisdom and resilience of the local people.
“(My grandmother) was the foundation of this home and we would gather around her,” Al-Malak said. “She played a role in instilling the qualities of love and affection among us as one family.
“I also learned the love of giving from my father, due to his kind contributions to the community.”
Now Al-Malak is the one teaching her family and caring for them. One of the ways she does this is by cooking traditional dishes, using recipes that were passed down to her through the generations, such as asida, a desert consisting of dough made from wheat flour, topped with honey.
She said her favorite dishes are harees, a hearty, porridge-type meal made from wheat and meat, usually chicken or lamb, and Qatifi kebabs, patties of meat mixed with herbs and spices.
Throughout her life in the Eastern Province, Al-Malak said she has witnessed shifting attitudes toward traditions in recent years, and so her goal is to highlight the important need to preserve local culture and heritage.
“All of our culture and traditions mean a lot to me, they are part of our identity,” she said. “Most of the traditions in our community have disappeared and only a few remain that we still practice.
“Moreover, many modern practices that have nothing to do with our community have (been adopted), such as the ghabqa (a late-night meal during Ramadan), bachelor parties and gender-reveal parties.”
Yet there are often more traditional equivalents for celebrating special occasions. For example, one of her favorite rituals occurs when a couple becomes engaged.
“The groom’s family brings bags of almonds and sweets to the bride’s family,” Al-Malak said. “The bride’s family then places them in a large basket and communicates with a woman whose job is to distribute the almonds and sweets to relatives and neighbors, so everyone is informed about the upcoming wedding.
“Also, a few days before the wedding, the women from the bride’s family and her friends go to the springs to bathe and celebrate the bride.”
In years gone by, Al-Malak said a typical day for a mother would be waking at 6 a.m., preparing breakfast for her family, and eating it together.
“The head of the family goes to work, and the children go to the teacher who teaches them reading and writing,” she added.
“The mother cleans the house and prepares lunch ingredients, then goes out to meet her neighbors while they complete some household tasks like sewing clothes or cleaning vegetables.
“She returns home to cook lunch for the family until they all come back and have lunch together. Then she prepares her children and goes out with them to visit relatives.
“Before sunset, they all return home and she prepares a light dinner for them to enjoy together while sharing conversations or watching television. They all go to bed early.”
In addition to her activities on social media, Al-Malak also participates in local events and initiatives to connect with her local community and help preserve its culture.
“I participated, and continue to participate, in many activities and festivals, including the Wahatna Farhana Festival, National Day celebrations, Al-Burah Festival, World Children’s Day at Prince Mohammed bin Fahd Hospital, Rural Women’s Day, and various activities related to Al-Itaa Women’s Association in Qatif, among many others,” she said.
CAIRO: Saudi authorities on Wednesday provided details of high-level discussions and agreements for enhanced relations and cooperation with Egypt in various sectors.
It followed an official visit to the North African nation by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman the previous day, during which he held wide-ranging talks with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.
During their meeting, at Al-Ittihadiya Palace in Cairo, the leaders emphasized the historical ties between their nations and their commitment to further cooperation, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The wide-ranging topics they discussed including economic collaborations, regional stability and the global energy market. They also signed a formal agreement for the Saudi-Egyptian Supreme Coordination Council, which aims to strengthen relations in a number of fields, including trade, defense and technology.
They praised previous diplomatic initiatives and visits, saying they helped to expand the scope of cooperation between their nations.
El-Sisi congratulated the crown prince on Riyadh’s successful bid to host the Expo 2030 and expressed appreciation of Saudi support for Egypt’s Vision 2030 plan.
A key focus of the talks was the growing economic ties between their countries, the SPA said. Saudi Arabia is Egypt’s second-largest trading partner and the volume of trade between the nations reached $8.4 billion in the first half of 2024, an increase of 41 percent compared with the same period the previous year.
Both sides expressed their commitment to overcoming any challenges so that trade relations can be strengthened further.
They emphasized the importance of diversification of economic cooperation, particularly in sectors such as energy, transportation, logistics, technology and agriculture.
The signing of an investment-protection agreement is expected to foster additional growth by encouraging increased investment in particularly promising sectors.
On the issue of energy cooperation, the leaders pledged that they will continue to work together on a project to link the Saudi and Egyptian power grids, described as the largest electrical-interconnection project in the region. They also emphasized the importance of ensuring the stability of global oil markets, and praised joint efforts by their countries in the fields of renewable energy, hydrogen technology and energy efficiency.
Turning to defense, the president and the crown prince reiterated their commitment to enhanced security cooperation to help combat terrorism, drug trafficking and threats to cybersecurity.
Their talks also covered efforts to tackle hate speech and extremism, and they emphasized their shared values of moderation and tolerance. They also expressed a desire for greater collaboration in efforts to combat crime in all its forms, and to enhance border security.
The leaders discussed several pressing regional issues, including the continuing conflict in Gaza. They condemned the ongoing attacks by Israeli forces, expressed deep concern about the humanitarian crisis in the territory, and called for an immediate ceasefire followed by a lasting truce.
They stressed the important need to ensure the principles of international law are observed to help protect civilians, and reiterated their support for a two-state solution to the wider Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
They also addressed the escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, with both leaders expressing concern about the growing Israeli aggression there.
They called for the full implementation of all international resolutions to help stabilize the situation and prevent the escalation and spread of the conflict to the wider region.
Regarding the conflict in Yemen, both leaders reaffirmed their support for the nation’s Presidential Leadership Council, called for a comprehensive political solution to restore stability, and urged the Houthis to engage with the peace process.
They also praised the ongoing humanitarian efforts there, and emphasized the importance of maintaining stability and security in the Red Sea region, which is vital for global trade.
The president and the crown prince expressed support for peace talks in war-torn Sudan in an effort to achieve a ceasefire and resolve the ongoing conflict between rival military factions in the country.
They reaffirmed their commitment to efforts to combat climate change, with Egypt supporting Saudi Arabia’s circular carbon economy approach, and Saudi Arabia praising Egypt’s leadership of the UN Climate Change Conference, COP27, in 2022.
The leaders said it is important to focus on emission reductions and the use of sustainable practices to help meet global climate goals.
Innovation and technological cooperation were among the other prominent topics during the discussions, particularly as they relate to fields such as artificial intelligence, space and clean energy. Both leaders expressed a commitment to localization of energy-sector operations and the sharing of expertise to benefit both economies.
At the conclusion of his visit, the crown prince thanked the Egyptian president for the warm welcome and hospitality he received, and reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s continued commitment to enhancing relations with Egypt.
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development and the Ministry of Health have announced higher mandatory localization rates in four private sector health professions.
Effective from April 17 next year, the mandatory localization rate in radiology will be raised to 65 percent, medical laboratory to 70 percent, therapeutic nutrition to 80 percent and physiotherapy to 80 percent.
This will initially apply to all facilities in major cities — Riyadh, Makkah, Madinah, Jeddah, Dammam and Alkhobar — and to large facilities in other regions.
During the second phase, which will start on Oct. 17, 2025, the new mandatory localization rates will cover all facilities nationwide.
Businesses that fail to meet Saudi localization quotas are subject to fines.
It aligns with the Kingdom’s efforts to make more employment opportunities available for Saudi nationals and enhance the quality of healthcare in the private sector.
In March this year, the two ministries began implementing a mandatory 35 percent localization rate in dental professions, with resolution effective from March 10.
They also applied localization ratios to private sector establishments employing three or more workers in dental professions.
It is part of efforts by the two ministries to create improved job opportunities for male and female citizens across the Kingdom.
RIYADH: The head of the UN agency that promotes responsible and sustainable tourism has described as “impressive” Saudi Arabia’s achievements in the sector.
In an interview with Arab News, Natalia Bayona, executive director of UN Tourism, highlighted the huge growth in visitors to the Kingdom.
“We are really optimistic about everything we have seen in the Gulf, especially in Saudi Arabia. It’s impressive,” she said.
“There has been a 64 percent growth in tourism arrivals, increasing from 16 million in 2022 to 27 million in 2023. Additionally, tourism expenditure grew significantly, by 43.7 percent, reaching SR141 billion ($37.6 billion).
“It’s incredible how Saudi Arabia has been booming when it comes to the human economic sector.”
Investing first in people and secondly in infrastructure were the keys to success, she said.
Under Vision 2030 — the government’s initiative to boost economic, cultural and social diversity — the Ministry of Tourism has set goals to reach 150 tourist visits, strengthen Islamic and national identity and create 1.6 million jobs.
Earlier this year, the Saudi Press Agency reported that the Kingdom welcomed 77 million domestic and 27 million international visitors in 2023. The milestone was applauded by UN Tourism.
The agency has collaborated with Saudi Arabia on a number of projects designed to boost the Kingdom’s tourism infrastructure. These include the Riyadh School for Tourism and Hospitality, which opened last year on UN World Tourism Day.
“Investing in vocational tourism to bring prospective professionals to Spain, Paris, the UK and Switzerland to be trained and return with a strong diploma is incredible,” Bayona said.
“From 2018 to 2023, 22 out of 40 foreign direct investment-funded projects in Saudi Arabia focused on accommodation, mainly in hotels, and a strong interest in personal hospitality.”
According to the IATA Air Connectivity Index, “Saudi Arabia has advanced from 27th place in 2019 to 13th in 2023,” Bayona said.
“That’s the result of the commitment and the civil aviation strategy aimed at making the Kingdom a top Middle East hub that can connect different continents to present investment opportunities and bring not only tourism but also cargo and trade.”
To maintain that upward momentum, “we need to empower our jobs more, together with the ministry and the entire ecosystem,” Bayona said.
She was also positive about the Kingdom’s bids to host the World Expo and soccer World Cup.
“The whole team has been doing an amazing job with the World Expo 2030 and the FIFA World Cup,” she said.
“Those are big names and the most powerful events in the world, alongside the Olympics. So why is this important? Because, of course, it’s a unique opportunity to promote cultural heritage and history and to engage the Saudi people with international visitors.”
