Japanese ambassador visits Japan Cultural Days at Ithra
Yasunari tours exhibits, drops in on sushi-making workshop
Locals, expats and Japanese visitors try tea ceremonies and other activities
Updated 29 January 2025
Jasmine Bager
DHAHRAN: Japan’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia attended a cultural event in Dhahran on Monday as the two countries celebrate 70 years of diplomatic relations this year.
Ambassador Morino Yasunari toured various Japan Cultural Days exhibits at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra), where events run until Feb. 8. The envoy even dropped in on a sushi-making workshop where Arab News was in attendance.
Communal tables were set up and a professional sushi chef instructed the 20 participants on how to prepare three kinds of sushi, using select ingredients. The ticketed class allowed sushi-lovers to roll out their own sushi and then eat it.
It is the first time that Japanese culture is truly immersed at Ithra. (Photo by Ahmed Al-Thani)
Those at the table joked that perhaps the ambassador popped in to see their work because he could not resist the delicious aromas coming out of the space.
One of those participants at the class was Danah Al-Harbi. The ambassador happened to visit her session, and she told Arab News that his visit showed his commitment to understanding the similarities between the two countries.
“It was honestly a completely new experience for us in the Eastern Province. It is the first time that Japanese culture is truly immersed at Ithra, and one of the most notable highlights of this event for me was the sushi-making experience.
Saudis that maybe did not go to Japan have a chance to taste the flavor of Japan. I hope to see you next time in Japan but today, you can come to Ithra.
Rieko Ono, Workshop facilitator
“I had to try it and it was truly exceptional. I love eating sushi, but I didn’t know how to make it until today,” Al-Harbi told Arab News. “Now, I can eat it after making it.”
Saudis making sushi at the Japan Cultural Days workshop. (Photo by Ahmed Al-Thani)
Yasunari also visited the Japanese House experience where visitors took part in a traditional tea ceremony, serving and drinking matcha while making wagashi, the delicate, plant-based traditional Japanese confectionary crafted by hand to complement the unsweetened tea.
“The most interesting part is that I find something similar and also something in common between the two countries, Japan and Saudi, I found that the Arabic coffee and tea culture is something very close to each other, and we use this too for friendship and harmony,” Rieko Ono, who flew over from Tokyo to lead some of the workshops, told Arab News.
“I came to Saudi Arabia a few years ago, that was also fun, so it’s my second time and I love this. I’m very happy that Saudi Arabia is open now and so welcoming — I admire this.
“Saudi people love Japanese culture and anime helped us a lot,” she said. “Saudi people that maybe did not go to Japan have a chance to taste the flavor of Japan. I hope to see you next time in Japan but today, you can come to Ithra.”
Wrth strengthens Saudi-Chinese relations through traditional arts
Two-day event aimed to promote cultural exchange between the two countries and strengthen relations between China and Saudi Arabia
Updated 27 April 2025
Arab News
RIYADH: An event to promote cross-cultural exchange between Saudi Arabia and China in design and traditional arts was held in Riyadh this weekend.
In a collaboration with the Chinese Academy of Arts and Design at Tsinghua University, the Royal Institute of Traditional Arts, known as Wrth, hosted the event from Friday to Sunday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The two-day event aimed to promote cultural exchange between the two countries and strengthen relations between China and Saudi Arabia.
The event aligns with the Ministry of Culture’s theme for 2025 as the “Year of Handicrafts,” emphasizing the importance of tradition in Saudi Arabia, delivering messages to future generations and telling stories through art.
Activities included conversations on traditional handicrafts and a presentation by Reema Al-Dossari, who is a lecturer at the College of Visual Arts, showing examples of Saudi arts on UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Workshops also showed the art of Najdi decorations on wood, especially Najdi traditional designs on windows, in addition to other workshops displaying traditional Chinese metal crafting of hairpins.
Wrth was established as an initiative to improve the quality of life in Saudi Arabia, as part of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 reform plan.
New Jersey governor promotes stronger relations with Kingdom
Phil Murphy says trade, education, technology are pathways to mutual growth
US state’s focus on AI, energy, innovation aligns with Kingdom’s Vision 2030
Updated 27 April 2025
Tamara Aboalsaud
RIYADH: New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has arrived in Saudi Arabia on the first stop of a three-country Gulf tour to strengthen economic ties and expand investment opportunities.
New Jersey, the most densely populated and diverse state in the US, is a leader in the “innovation economy,” according to the governor.
Technology and artificial intelligence, life sciences and pharmaceuticals, film and television, financial technology, and the green economy are top priorities for the delegation’s discussions in the Kingdom.
Murphy said: “We think that with Saudi Vision 2030 we match up very well. So, that is among the other reasons why we’re very excited to be here, to share best practices.”
Murphy’s trip, which is sponsored by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, comes two weeks before President Donald Trump’s official state visit to the Kingdom.
The governor said: “The Kingdom is one of the most important relationships the US has anywhere in the world.
“I know President Trump well enough to know that he would not be coming here unless he thought he could meaningfully build on what is already a good foundation.”
He noted the enormous opportunity to help advance Vision 2030, benefiting not only Saudi Arabia but also the rest of the world.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy speaks to the press during his visit to Saudi Arabia, the first stop of a three-country Gulf state tour. (Supplied)
As part of his economic mission, Murphy aims to foster educational growth, witnessed by the signing of a letter of intent between King Saud University and Rutgers University to establish an academic collaboration in public policy research, facilitated by Choose New Jersey.
The letter outlines a collaborative framework between the two institutions in public policy, business administration, management, urban planning, city development, and other fields.
It prioritizes research that supports continued development within the state, attracts businesses, and boosts investment in urban areas.
The partnership aims to introduce students to new academic and cultural perspectives to foster innovative solutions for challenges in both regions, said Antonio Calcado, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Rutgers University.
“King Saud University strategically partners with institutions that share our commitment to innovative research in diverse industries on a global scale,” said Prof. Yazeed Al-Sheikh, vice president for graduate studies and scientific research at King Saud University.
The governor also highlighted a major investment opportunity in the Greater New York-New Jersey area to deploy capital, renewable energy, and alternative energy sources.
When asked how New Jersey and Saudi Arabia can benefit each other in areas of AI and digitalization, the governor recounted a delegation he and first lady Tammy Murphy led in northern California three years ago.
A group of the smartest and most influential leaders in AI gathered to exchange ideas, and from those discussions came the question of creating an AI hub in New Jersey.
Murphy said: “If you look three years ago, the overwhelming AI presence was in the greater San Francisco Bay Area … that’s now begun to shift a little bit.”
With the No. 1 public education system in the US, the highest concentration of scientists and engineers per square mile, and respected institutions of higher education such as Princeton University and Rutgers University, the governor wanted to shift the conversation.
He added: “The two words that drive us are talent and location.”
The NJEDA — whose CEO Tim Sullivan is also on this visit — along with Princeton University, Microsoft, and CoreWeave, a New Jersey company, have come together in a joint venture with the state of New Jersey to drive AI innovation forward.
Murphy said: “I know Saudi Arabia is as invested in generative AI as any country in the world … my guess is this could easily be a memorandum of understanding, maybe a cross-investment, maybe an investment into our fund, maybe something on our side into an investment here, talent exchange, let’s say all of that is on the table.”
As New Jersey now requires all state employees to train in generative AI to improve government efficiency, a lot can be learned from the Saudi approach, Murphy said.
Considering the current economic climate with Trump’s tariffs, which range from 10 percent to 40 percent based on country and industry (10 percent on Saudi Arabian imports), “there is too much volatility in the system right now,” the governor said.
“I am not a big tariff guy,” he said. “Unless they are deliberately punitive on somebody who’s a bad actor.”
He added: “OK, I get it. Let’s continue to pursue smart ways to manufacture more in the US. Let’s make our government as lean and efficient and as impactful as possible. I am good with both, but let’s do it in each case in a strategic way, in a smart way.
“I think it is headed that way. I pray that it gets there soon.”
The governor wants the volatility in the markets to decrease. The objectives are there, but the methods need to change. He believes that the Kingdom and the region as a whole will be strong allies in an increasingly challenging world.
He also mentioned a bill he is sponsoring, and hoping to get signed in the next month, that will put a significant manufacturing incentive in place to encourage the production of goods in New Jersey.
Murphy also hopes that global conflict and geopolitical tensions will be addressed in the same statesmanlike, tactical way, citing Trump’s brief talks with President Zelensky in Rome on Saturday.
The governor was scheduled to meet the US-Saudi Business Council on Sunday to introduce the delegation to several prominent private sector players, opening the door for further conversations.
Other areas of cooperation with potential for expansion are sports, film, and television.
New Jersey will host eight matches for the FIFA World Cup 2026, one of which will be the final. It is an experience it can use to advise Saudi Arabia ahead of its hosting of the competition in 2034.
Murphy said: “We have a very good relationship with FIFA, which has been important. But thanks to FIFA we’ve had a very good relationship with Qatar, and lessons learned from their World Cup that we can benefit from.
“And I am sure the same will be true as we learn to pass (information) on to the Saudi delegation.”
The state of New Jersey will also be hosting the first World Club Cup this summer, a tournament Saudi club Al-Hilal is expected to take part in.
Murphy added: “We are (also) making New Jersey a global player in film and television, and that means we are not just making content in New Jersey, but we are also building sound stages and campuses.”
Since the cinema ban was lifted in Saudi Arabia in 2018, the Kingdom has made significant strides in developing its film industry, with efforts such as the Red Sea Film Festival and the growth of local productions and stars, aiming to make it a $1 billion industry by 2030.
Following his visit to the Kingdom, Murphy is set to visit Bahrain and the UAE for similar talks on economic and cultural cooperation.
JEDDAH: Volunteers and government agencies are working together as part of a two-week initiative to clean up Jeddah’s beaches.
The Environmental Fund, in collaboration with the Lenobadir Volunteer and Community Partnership Program, recently launched the “Beach Protection and Restoration” initiative, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.
The 14-day campaign, held under the patronage of Jeddah Gov. Prince Saud bin Abdullah bin Jalawi, was organized in partnership with several government agencies to clean up two beaches along Jeddah’s coast.
It also aims to raise environmental awareness and encourage community participation.
Activities will be implemented in four phases, targeting the western, southern, eastern, and northern coastal areas.
Munir bin Fahd Al-Sahli, CEO of the Environmental Fund, said that while the project relies on technical analysis and AI technology for data collection and planning, active community involvement remains crucial for its success.
Volunteer opportunities are open to university students, families, and individuals eager to contribute to preserving Saudi Arabia’s coastal environments.
The Lenobadir Volunteer and Community Partnership Program in Jeddah recently took part in an Environment Week 2025 exhibition organized by the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture’s Makkah Region branch under the theme “Our Environment is a Treasure.”
Saudi health minister leads Walk 30 initiative at Sports Boulevard
Activity program is ‘a pillar of health and quality of life transformations,’ Fahad Al-Jalajel says
Efforts have contributed to rise in average life expectancy in the Kingdom, minister says
Updated 27 April 2025
Nada Alturki
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Health Fahad Al-Jalajel led a walk at Riyadh’s Sports Boulevard on Saturday to kick off the Walk 30 public health initiative.
Al-Jalajel told Arab News that one of the aims of the program is to increase activity among the Kingdom’s population, with the goal of at least 150 minutes each week.
Walk 30 aims to address the health challenge of physical inactivity, which currently affects over 80 percent of people.
The campaign encourages a simple, but effective, goal: Walk 30 minutes per day, or 150 minutes per week, to achieve long-term behavioral change, and become healthier and more active.
“Walk 30, in its fifth season, is considered a pillar of the health and quality of life transformations,” Al-Jalajel said.
The push for healthier lifestyles is bearing fruit, with 58.5 percent of adults now engaging in at least 150 minutes of physical activity each week, above the 2024 target. Among children and adolescents, 18.7 percent meet the daily 60-minute activity recommendation.
These efforts have contributed to a rise in average life expectancy, which now stands at 78.8 years, edging closer to the Vision 2030 target of 80 years.
“I’m really glad to see Walk 30 today achieving a new record,” Al-Jalajel said.
He said that walking, even for 30 minutes a day, enhances one’s health and can lower the risk of chronic illnesses, including heartburn by 30 percent and strokes by 40 percent.
With the approach of summer and higher temperatures, the minister advised people to walk in the evenings, when it is cooler, and to stay hydrated and shaded.
He also highlighted the Healthy Mall program, which encourages people to take exercise in shopping malls.
The program began in 2019, and takes place in several locations across the Kingdom.
Malls have been transformed into places where members of the community can comfortably walk, featuring stations for bottled drinking water and restaurants serving healthy meals.
Al-Jalajel said: “We think that Walk 30 is something that can be replicated in different countries. Last season we had Dr. Tedros (Adhanom Ghebreyesus), director-general of WHO, participating with us, and they have a walking program, too.
“We have multiple initiatives for advancing Walk 30 in the wintertime, in the summertime, and we can participate with different countries on that,” he said.
Saudi authority clears first Hajj medical shipment
Updated 27 April 2025
Arab News
RIYADH: The Saudi Food and Drug Authority has cleared the first medical shipment for this year’s Hajj pilgrims, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The shipment, weighing 44 tonnes, arrived at Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah and contains essential medicines and other medical products.
This operation underscores the authority’s commitment to overseeing Saudi Arabia’s air and seaports, ensuring the safety and quality of imported food, medicine and medical products.
In collaboration with Hajj affairs offices, the authority’s awareness campaigns have enhanced compliance with regulations on medicines, medical devices, and food items for Hajj.
Teams are working around the clock to monitor incoming shipments and ensure the safety of products for pilgrims, the SPA reported.
Efforts at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and Prince Mohammed airport in Madinah, are coordinated with government authorities and private sector partners.
