Museums Commission signs deal with National Center for Palms and Dates

Saudi Arabia’s Museums Commission signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Center for Palms and Dates on Thursday during the International Dates Conference and Exhibition at the Roshan Front in Riyadh. (X/@ncpd_sa)
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Updated 21 November 2024
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Museums Commission signs deal with National Center for Palms and Dates

  • It aims to highlight the Kingdom’s cultural and historical identity

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Museums Commission signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Center for Palms and Dates on Thursday during the International Dates Conference and Exhibition at the Roshan Front in Riyadh.

The MoU, signed by the director general of partnerships and business development at the commission, Khaled Baasiri, and the CEO of the center, Dr. Mohammed Al-Nuwairan, aims to highlight the Kingdom’s cultural and historical identity and enhance integration between government agencies to achieve the strategic objectives of Saudi Vision 2030. It aims to harness joint capabilities and expertise to develop the palm and dates sector, enhance its cultural value, and contribute to strengthening the national economy, in an effort to achieve fruitful cooperation between the two parties.

The agreement came within the framework of the two organizations’ efforts to provide an enriching cultural, educational and tourism environment for the community.

Al-Nuwairan said that the partnership aimed to achieve key goals that served the interests of both sectors alike.

“Through this cooperation, we seek to raise the heritage and cultural value of dates globally, as well as achieve promising economic income,” he said.

Al-Nuwairan said that there was a clear mechanism that had been agreed on with the commission. This included developing cultural and educational programs and interactive workshops inside museums and schools, with the aim of educating students and the public about the stages of palm cultivation, processing dates and linking them to the environmental heritage of the Kingdom.

Baasiri said that the commission was working on designing integrated cultural paths, including visits to historical farms, establishing a museum specializing in palm trees and dates, and holding exhibitions that told the story of palm trees and dates in the Kingdom.

“Palm trees and dates are of great importance in our Arab culture, as they are a symbol of authenticity and generosity, and this importance has made them an essential element of the museum narrative, whether in public or specialized museums,” he said.

Baasiri said that the commission would work to expand cooperation with intersecting government agencies and to learn about community desires from different parties, which contributed to diversifying cultural presentation methods and innovating smart display methods that contributed to achieving common strategic goals.

The move is part of making museums vital places that preserve heritage and present it in ways that contribute to enhancing knowledge and awareness among local and international visitors.


AI training for 334,000 Saudi citizens completed

Updated 04 July 2025
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AI training for 334,000 Saudi citizens completed

  • Launched in September 2024, AI skills program targets citizens of all ages and professional backgrounds

RIYADH: A total of 334,000 Saudi Arabia citizens have benefitted from a government program aimed at empowering citizens with artificial intelligence skills, according to the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority.

The “One Million Saudis in AI” program was set up in partnership with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development in September 2024.

During the keynote session of the Non-Profit Sector Forum in Education and Training 2025 in Riyadh on July 2, SDAIA chief Abdullah Alghamdi highlighted key features of the program.

He said the partnerships the authority had forged with other government agencies have positioned the Kingdom globally in empowering women in AI, and community awareness, the Saudi Press Agency reported recently.

Launched at the Global AI Summit, the SAMAI initiative targets citizens across all age groups and professional backgrounds.

Alghamdi also cited several national initiatives that resulted from this collaboration, including the National Olympiad for Programming and Artificial Intelligence, or ATHKA Competition.

More than 260,000 male and female students from intermediate and secondary schools participated, with 10,000 advancing to the final stage, he said.

One key initiative cited by the SDAIA chief was the “Road to ATHKA,” which trained more than 570,000 students on AI concepts.

Another was the “Future Intelligence Programmers” initiative, which trained over 10,000 teachers.

The SDAIA and Education Ministry had also established the Center for Excellence in Education.

This was “designed to institutionalize technological integration within the education sector, sustain future-oriented initiatives, and leverage AI to enhance learning outcomes.”


Saudi crown prince receives UAE national security advisor

Updated 04 July 2025
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Saudi crown prince receives UAE national security advisor

RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received UAE National Security Advisor Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan at Salam Palace in Jeddah, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The crown prince and Shiekh Tahnoun, who is also the deputy ruler of Abu Dhabi, discussed relations between the Kingdom and the UAE and ways to enhance them.


Saudi authorities close 996 establishments over health violations 

Updated 03 July 2025
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Saudi authorities close 996 establishments over health violations 

RIYADH: A total of 5,912 inspections covering 4,307 establishments were carried out across the Kingdom by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority in April and May.

A total of 996 were shut down due to various violations, while 136 were closed for operating without required licenses and for product safety breaches.

Additionally, production lines at 127 establishments were halted and 1,750 types of products were seized.

The initiative is part of the SFDA’s efforts to ensure compliance with approved regulations and to uphold high quality standards.

At one food establishment, inspectors found raw materials of an unknown origin, employees without health certificates, the absence of a tracking system and inadequate measures being taken to prevent cross-contamination. These led to the closure of the business and the implementation of necessary legal measures.
 


Need for global collaboration to fight drought stressed

Updated 03 July 2025
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Need for global collaboration to fight drought stressed

  • Saudi Arabia, along with partners, launched the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership on the first day of the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development

RIYADH: As part of the Kingdom’s efforts to mitigate the impacts of desertification, improve air quality and achieve its sustainable development goals, Saudi Arabia, along with partners, launched the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership on the first day of the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development.

Held in Seville, Spain, from June 30 to July 3, the four-day event saw the participation of 70 countries, including attendance by local and international ministers, environmental organizations and financial development entities.

Among the participants was Saudi Deputy Minister for Environment, Water and Agriculture Osama Faqeeha.

Faqeeha, who is also the adviser to the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties Presidency, emphasized the significance of collaborative efforts and innovation to address the escalating threat of climate change that resulted in complicated and devastating environmental issues such as drought.

Faqeeha said: “The Riyadh Drought Resilience Partnership will serve as a global facilitator, a ‘one-stop shop’ for drought resilience, promoting the shift from reactive relief response after drought hits to proactive preparedness.

“We also seek to amplify global resources to save lives and livelihoods around the world.”

The deputy minister said that solutions should be applied through strategies and mechanisms to ensure enhanced resilience in the areas that were mostly affected by drought and climate change globally.

He praised the partnership with the International Drought Resilience Alliance, a global coalition that aims to build resilience against droughts and climate change. 

He said it was fundamental to bridging the gap between the political and financial aspects to ensure the achievement of long-term sustainable development objectives.

The discussion highlighted some of the national efforts and strategies for environmental sustainability, including efforts by the OPEC Fund for International Development, the Islamic Development Bank and the CAF Development Bank of Latin America.


Saudi Shoura Council members visit Turkish parliament

Updated 03 July 2025
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Saudi Shoura Council members visit Turkish parliament

ANKARA: Members of the Saudi-Turkish Parliamentary Friendship Committee of the Saudi Shoura Council met with their counterparts from Turkiye during a visit to the country.

During the meeting, held in Ankara, the two sides reviewed ways to further boost their relations and discussed other topics of common interest.

The Saudi delegation also met with Numan Kurtulmus, president of the Turkish Grand National Assembly.