Jeddah’s oldest school to begin new chapter as museum

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The historical section of Al-Falah School building will be handed over to the Ministry of Culture for its transformation into a cultural landmark. (Supplied/Ghazi Mahdi)
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Updated 20 January 2025
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Jeddah’s oldest school to begin new chapter as museum

  • We still visit to remember the good old days, says 82-year-old alum

JEDDAH: The first school formally established in the Arabian Peninsula is poised for a new chapter as a museum, according to Ali Al-Sulimani, the managing director.

The historical section of Al-Falah School building will be handed over to the Ministry of Culture for its transformation into a cultural landmark.

It was built in 1905 by Saudi businessman Sheikh Mohammed Ali Zainal Alireza as the first boys’ school in Jeddah at a time when the Hijaz, the western part of modern Saudi Arabia, was partially under Ottoman Turkish rule and both poverty and illiteracy were common.




An archival image of students in class. (Supplied)

Although Zainal went through major financial crises, he continued funding the school with help from other business families. Eventually, the Kingdom’s founder King Abdulaziz visited it and appreciated its great educational and social role, and arranged for government support.

The school marks the onset of modern education in Saudi Arabia and has been the alma mater of numerous national figures, including former Minister of Information Mohammed Abdu Yamani, former Minister of Commerce Abdullah Zail, former Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Ahmed Zaki Yamani, and former Minister of Hajj Hamid Harasani among others.

Al-Falah School, is located in the heart of the historical area in Jeddah, has continued to the present day, and includes two buildings, the older of them dating back more than 120 years.




The school offers three levels of education — elementary, intermediate and high school — with each having its own playground. (AN photo by Ghazi Mahdi)

According to Al-Sulimani the older building will be a fully integrated museum, including a cultural space, a cafe with a heritage theme and seating areas where visitors can learn about the historical area and the history of the school.

“The old part was handed over to the Ministry of Culture to be prepared to comply with the development plans for the old buildings in the historic area,” he said.

One former pupil, 82-year-old Hamza Awfi, told Arab News: “The school was based on a solid foundation. It is the place I considered as our second home. Here I have met many students who graduated and later held important leadership positions and I still remember them, young and old.

It was a place of knowledge and it provided me a wonderful environment and opportunity to learn and grow myself in every field.

Ahmed Abdulgader Al-Noaman, 72-year-old alum

“We really hold great memories, and by the way, I and other friends who graduated from this school, still go and visit it from time to time to remember our old good days.”

Awfi added that keeping the modern building for education as a symbol of resilience and enlightenment while at the same time transforming the old building into a museum is a great idea.

Another former pupil, 72-year-old Ahmed Abdulgader Al-Noaman, told Arab News: “My four years at Al-Falah have been an excellent memory to cherish for a lifetime. The time spent has been full of learning opportunities. It was a place of knowledge and it provided me a wonderful environment and opportunity to learn and grow myself in every field.”

The school offers three levels of education — elementary, intermediate and high school — with each having its own playground. Today, the old U-shaped building stands in the center of the complex and is used by elementary students. The classrooms remain their original size, which is considered small by current standards.

The floors, ceilings, and doors of the school’s original building are made from wood they were restored, with their traditional character retained in order to preserve the school’s history and heritage. The original green dome still rests on top of the old building.

 


Saudi fashion showcased in Selfridges

Updated 18 June 2025
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Saudi fashion showcased in Selfridges

  • London store to host designs by Kingdom’s rising stars

RIYADH: The Saudi Fashion Commission has teamed up with the Cultural Development Fund and British high-end department store Selfridges to showcase some of the Kingdom’s leading stylists.

Selected labels from the Saudi 100 Brands program and CDF beneficiaries, all of which blend modern Saudi aesthetics with innovative design techniques, will be on display at the store in London for the next two months, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

The commission’s CEO Burak Cakmak said: “This is more than retail, it marks a new era for Saudi fashion, from Riyadh to London.”

The Saudi 100 Brands program supported designers in refining their craft and building global business opportunities, he said.

The partnership with Selfridges represents a significant milestone for the Saudi fashion industry, reflecting its rising momentum and evolving talent base. It also coincides with the Kingdom’s Year of Handicrafts 2025.

CDF CEO Majed Al-Hogail said the event highlighted the sector’s growing role in shaping Saudi Arabia’s cultural economy.

“Saudi talents are redefining our creative identity, rooted in heritage, expressed globally,” he said.


New award honors top Hajj hospitality centers

Updated 18 June 2025
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New award honors top Hajj hospitality centers

  • The award recognizes top-performing hospitality centers affiliated with Ekram Al-Dayf

MAKKAH: Amr Al-Maddah, undersecretary for Hajj and Umrah services at the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, has launched the inaugural Ekram Excellence Award for Hajj season 2025.

The award recognizes top-performing hospitality centers affiliated with Ekram Al-Dayf, a division of Ashraqat company serving Arab pilgrims, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Adnan Saleh Al-Shehri, adviser for excellence and awards at Ekram Al-Dayf, said the initiative aims to inspire excellence in administration and operations.

It seeks to deliver high-quality, sustainable services in line with Vision 2030, the ministry’s goals, the Pilgrim Experience Program, and Ekram Al-Dayf’s strategy.

The award honors outstanding centers, promotes a culture of quality and commitment, and encourages compliance with service standards.

It also aims to boost competition among providers, improve performance indicators, and support innovation, according to the SPA.

The initiative further promotes social responsibility, volunteerism, and enhances the overall pilgrim experience. It aligns with the ministry’s broader efforts to raise hospitality standards and ensure an exceptional Hajj journey.


JIAT clears coalition of alleged rights violations in Yemen

Updated 18 June 2025
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JIAT clears coalition of alleged rights violations in Yemen

  • Coalition forces identified four locations and carried out an air mission on what was considered a legitimate military target and in line with international humanitarian law

RIYADH: The Joint Incidents Assessment Team on Wednesday issued a statement in response to allegations of human rights violations in Yemen over the targeting of Sarwah Rural Hospital in Harib directorate, Marib governorate on April 24, 2015.

After examining various documents, including air tasking orders, daily mission schedules, mission execution procedures, after-mission reports and satellite images, the JIAT concluded that the hospital is located in Sarwah village and included on the coalition forces’ no-strike list.

Specialists studied satellite images of the hospital and found no trace of damage to its structures caused by aerial targeting.

Analyzing coalition air missions on April 24, 2015, the JIAT found no evidence of operations in Sarwah village. Similarly, missions on April 23 and April 25 showed no activity in the area.

In a press conference in Riyadh, JIAT spokesman Mansour Al-Mansour addressed an allegation that coalition forces targeted a mosque in Al-Sawad in Yemen’s Amran governorate on Sept. 23, 2019.

After reviewing air missions, the JIAT found that no coalition operations were carried out in Amran on that date.

By studying missions conducted the day before, the JIAT reported that intelligence indicated Houthi militia fighters were gathering at mobilization sites in Harf Sufyan in Amran in preparation for a major attack.

Coalition forces identified four locations and carried out an air mission on what was considered a legitimate military target and in line with international humanitarian law.

“The coalition forces have taken all possible precautions to avoid accidental loss or damage to civilians and civilian objects, or in any case, to minimize it to the lowest possible level, during the planning and execution of the military operation,” Al-Mansour said.

The precautions included the use of “guided bombs proportionate to the size of the military targets and ensuring that there were no civilians present before or during the targeting,” he said.

The JIAT concluded that the strike was lawful. It noted that while the targeted structure was claimed to be a mosque, no indications such as a minaret were found.

It also addressed an allegation that a coalition airstrike hit a pickup truck in Al-Jarr village, Hajjah governorate, followed by a second strike 10 minutes later that destroyed a house on June 16, 2019.

After reviewing air mission data, satellite images and visiting operational centers, the JIAT found no evidence of coalition activity on that date, nor on the days before or after. Satellite imagery also showed no signs of aerial targeting.

The JIAT concluded that coalition forces did not target Al-Jarr village, as claimed.

It also addressed an allegation that coalition forces targeted houses in Al-Hijrah village, Markhah Al-Sofla directorate in Shabwah on Jan. 4, 2019.

After reviewing air tasking orders, mission schedules, post-mission reports and satellite images, it found that no coalition air missions were conducted in Shabwah.

The JIAT also confirmed that no air missions were carried out in the governorate on Jan. 3 or Jan. 5, 2019, and concluded that coalition forces did not target houses in Al-Hijrah village as claimed.


FSB Sports Show Riyadh spotlights exhibitors powering sports, leisure solutions for urban future

Updated 18 June 2025
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FSB Sports Show Riyadh spotlights exhibitors powering sports, leisure solutions for urban future

  • Saudi Arabia’s plan to become center for world-class sports infrastructure gaining momentum

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s ambitious plans to be a center for world-class sports infrastructure and recreation spaces are gaining momentum, with more than $2 billion in committed investments and a projected $5.9 billion in sports sector revenue by 2030.

With major international events, including the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027, Asian Winter Games in NEOM’s Trojena in 2029, Riyadh Expo 2030, FIFA World Cup 2034 and the Asian Games in Riyadh in 2034 on the horizon, the Kingdom is accelerating development as part of Vision 2030.

Aligned with this ambition, the inaugural FSB Sports Show Riyadh — organized by DMG Events and Koelnmesse — welcomed thousands of industry leaders and professionals this week at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center.

Rob Hetherington, group business development director at Gebal Group, which was among the exhibitors, said: “Saudi is our most important market that we are focusing on right now.

“We have been working in Saudi for five years now and have already developed over 40 to 50 outdoor spaces. So we have got a team that’s growing into double figures. Our company has 400-plus people and we are going to rapidly grow into the Saudi market.”

The company designs and supplies outdoor recreation areas and has developed skate parks for the Red Sea Project and at the Qiddiyah entertainment city, NEOM and Sports Boulevard, among other places.

“We delivered lots of fanzone spaces in Qatar for the World Cup. Our plan is to do the same thing for the World Cup in Saudi Arabia,” Hetherington said.

Muhammed Kazi, senior vice president for construction at DMG, said: “From active cities and giga-projects to school playgrounds and public parks, Saudi Arabia is transforming how it designs and delivers spaces for sports, wellness and recreation.”

Denis Steker, senior international vice president at Koelnmesse, said: “FSB is the international benchmark for innovations in sports and leisure facilities. As Saudi Arabia scales up investment across public parks, playgrounds or stadiums to increase the health and well-being of the public, now is the ideal time to bring this event to Riyadh.”

At the show, which ran from Monday to Wednesday, Scott Van Der Kleij, sales director at exhibitor GreenFields, told Arab News: “We are here to get a better understanding of what the Saudi market is and especially towards the FIFA World Cup 2034.”

Ramsha Asghar, director for sports flooring at Neo Sports, said the event had “been a really good opportunity to showcase our material and speak to really high-end individuals, and I am really excited for what’s to come from the sports projects.”

Bill Lennox, managing director at Yardex, which supplies artificial grass and is FIFA-certified, told Arab News he saw “tremendous volume and potential for the product” in Saudi Arabia.

The sports show was held concurrently with the International Hardware Fair Saudi Arabia.

Gerald Bose, president and CEO of Koelnmesse, said: “Launching both FSB Sports Show and International Hardware Fair marks a significant step in connecting global expertise with Saudi Arabia’s rapidly advancing sectors.”

With more than 200 exhibitors and brands, the FSB Sports Show supported the Kingdom’s plans to develop inclusive and modern environments for community wellness and active living.

Among the standout attractions were TeleiosX, which gave visitors the chance to experience competitive, full-motion racing on the show floor, and a virtual golf simulator presented by Marafei Almarefah.


Immersive ‘Diriyah experience’ to open in London’s Knightsbridge

Updated 18 June 2025
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Immersive ‘Diriyah experience’ to open in London’s Knightsbridge

  • Diriyah Experience House, at One Hyde Park, will feature the project masterplan for the city
  • Jerry Inzerillo: We are thrilled to launch the Diriyah Experience House in the heart of London

JEDDAH: A pavilion hoping to attract investment in the development of historic Diriyah will open in London’s prestigious Knightsbridge borough next month.

The Diriyah Experience House, at One Hyde Park, will feature the project masterplan for the city, which is projected to welcome more than 50 million visitors annually by 2030. Interactive content will allow visitors to explore the scheme in more detail.

Jerry Inzerillo, group CEO of Diriyah Company, said: “We are thrilled to launch the Diriyah Experience House in the heart of London. Through this global platform, our team will share the story of Diriyah in a way that reflects its stature on the world stage — supporting our international outreach as we build one of the world’s most iconic destinations rooted in the Kingdom’s deep history and rich cultural heritage.”

The pavilion is set to have its official opening in early July, in collaboration with Sotheby’s International Realty, which will operate the venue.

It follows a successful month-long event held in London in July 2024, which highlighted the plans for Diriyah and was accompanied by an intensive promotional campaign across the British capital.

The efforts aim to elevate Diriyah’s global profile as the birthplace of Saudi Arabia and attract increased international interest in its investment potential.

Diriyah Art Futures also recently concluded “The Light Footprint” exhibition at Venice’s Querini Stampalia Foundation. Held in collaboration with Italian architecture firm Schiattarella Associati, it coincided with the opening of the Venice Biennale of Architecture 2025.

Curated by Marta Francocci, the exhibition explored the design and conceptual development of DAF’s innovative Riyadh headquarters, an architectural landmark inspired by Najdi tradition and sustainable design. It highlighted the fusion of cultural heritage with technological advancement through models, sketches, videos and archive materials.

Developed by the Saudi Museums Commission, DAF is envisioned as a global hub for art, science and education. “The Light Footprint” was also featured in the collective exhibition, “Intelligens Naturale, Artificiale,” curated by Carlo Ratti as part of the biennale’s official program.