MAKKAH: The second “Building Bridges Between Islamic Schools of Thought” international conference concluded in Makkah early on Saturday, with participants from more than 90 countries adopting the “Encyclopedia of Islamic Intellectual Harmony.”
Held under the patronage of King Salman bin Abdulaziz, the two-day conference gathered senior muftis, scholars, and thinkers who also approved the strategic and executive plan for the document “Building Bridges between Islamic Sects,” a media statement said on Saturday.
The conference was organized by the Muslim World League and held under the theme “Towards an Effective Islamic Alliance.”
The high-level session dedicated to the recitation of the conference’s final statement, which was issued at dawn on Saturday, was attended by the Secretary-General of the Muslim World League, and Chairman of the Muslim Scholars Association, Sheikh Dr. Mohamed bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa; Member of the Council of Experts for Leadership in Iran, Sheikh Ahmed Mobalghi; Adviser at the Royal Court in Saudi Arabia, Imam and Preacher of the Grand Mosque, Sheikh Dr. Saleh bin Abdullah bin Hamid; Head of Religious Affairs at the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, Imam and Preacher of the Grand Mosque, Sheikh Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Sudais; Secretary-General of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Dr. Mustafa Qutb Sano; Member of the Council of Senior Scholars in Saudi Arabia, Dr. Youssef bin Mohamed bin Saeed; and the Mufti of Sidon in Lebanon, Sheikh Mohamed Osseiran.
The attendees witnessed the launch of the “Encyclopedia of Islamic Intellectual Harmony,” which was supervised by the Intellectual Protection Center at the Saudi Ministry of Defense, and was prepared by 60 scholars over about 1,800 pages.
The encyclopedia was refereed by the General Secretariat of the Council of Senior Scholars in Saudi Arabia, the Islamic Fiqh Academy, and the Supreme Council of the Muslim World League to be a roadmap for relations between Muslim sects.
Participants also decided in the final statement to consider the “Document on Building Bridges between Islamic Schools of Thought” with its 28 articles as the basis and starting point for the path of joint Islamic action “scientifically” and “intellectually,” with a view to strengthening brotherhood and solidarity among the peoples of Muslim nations.
The attendees further extended their sincere thanks to the leadership of the Kingdom for the great services they are providing to Islam and Muslims.
They also affirmed their pride in the comprehensive Islamic identity, and their supportive stance toward the steadfastness of the Palestinian people on their land, and their rejection of displacement and destruction projects.
The conference witnessed several sessions addressing developments in Palestine, Sudan, and Syria, as well as issues concerning Muslim minorities around the world.
2nd ‘Building Bridges Between Islamic Schools of Thought’ conference concludes in Makkah
https://arab.news/rk9ap
2nd ‘Building Bridges Between Islamic Schools of Thought’ conference concludes in Makkah
- Participants from more than 90 countries discuss development of comprehensive Islamic identity
- 1,800-page ‘Encyclopedia of Islamic Intellectual Harmony’ prepared by 60 scholars
Shanghai Film Festival: Saudi Arabia to boost cultural cooperation with China
RIYADH: The Saudi Film Commission has announced its participation in the Shanghai International Film Festival, which will be held from June 13 to 22 in Shanghai, China.
The event is the largest film festival in China and the only Chinese festival accredited by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations.
By participating, the commission aims to enhance cultural cooperation, strengthen international ties, and promote the visual and geographic richness of the Kingdom’s film locations. It also plans to explore co-production and distribution opportunities for Saudi films in the Chinese market.
The Saudi pavilion will be a platform to display the commission’s programs and initiatives, engage with industry professionals, and highlight the creative and commercial potential of the Kingdom’s film sector.
This participation underscores the commission’s commitment to supporting the Kingdom’s film industry by engaging with key international platforms, empowering local talent, and fostering global cultural exchange.
Saudi king, crown prince extend condolences to Indian president after air crash
- The Air India passenger plane bound for London with more than 240 people on board crashed and exploded after takeoff and there was only one survivor
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman extended their condolences to Indian President Droupadi Murmu after a plane crashed after takeoff in India’s northwestern city of Ahmedabad on Thursday.
The Air India passenger plane bound for London with more than 240 people on board crashed and exploded after takeoff and only one person survived, officials said.
Black smoke billowed from the site where the plane crashed into a medical college hostel and burst into flames near the airport in Ahmedabad, a city of more than 5 million and the capital of Gujarat.
In separate cables, the king and crown prince extended their condolences to Murmu, the families of the deceased, and to the Indian people. They also wished the injured a speedy recovery.
The Kingdom’s Foreign Ministry also expressed its condolences to India after the incident.
Arab storytelling tradition makes region ideal for filmmaking: Katara executive
- Demand for premium Arabic content that resonates with a global audience is the main driver for production company
- Authenticity requires cultural integrity — such as maintaining dialect, accents and costumes
Riyadh: The Arab world’s roots in detailed storytelling means that the region is well suited to making movies, according to Hussein Fakhri, chief commercial officer and executive producer for Katara Studios, and the latest guest on The Mayman Show.
Founded in 2018, the Doha-based production powerhouse is behind regionally iconic projects such as the fantasy short film “The Lost Chapter of Kelileh & Demneh” and the ceremonies for the 2022 FIFA Arab Cup.
“Storytelling, I think, is in our DNA, as Arabs generally, right? We come from a long line of storytellers; it is really part of who we are,” Fakhri said. “For me, the sort of career advancement was very much evolutionary, organic, as I come from an advertising and marketing background.”
Before entering the world of filmmaking and immersive storytelling, Hussein started out in Dublin, Ireland, pioneering digital advertising in a market far from his cultural roots. Hussein left the marketing agency life and now leads Katara’s mission to produce bold, meaningful stories that resonate with a global audience with an unapologetically Arab perspective.
“I had my own advertising agency, and we had so much work that I had to found a film production company to be able to shoot our TV commercials,” Fakhri said. “I would hire filmmakers, and we started doing short films, more brand films and documentaries, and that just sort of evolved. I just love the craft, although I’m not a filmmaker myself, but I just love the business of it.”
Part of the work was instrumental in what eventually evolved into Katara Studios, founded by a group of talented filmmakers, he said. “Watching them work and watching the kind of stuff that they do — just the love for it grew, to be honest.”
The need for premium Arabic content that resonates with a global audience is the main driver for what Katara does creatively, he said.
“We have a huge audience. We have 500 million Arabic speakers. And we have very little premium content for them. There was a gap there that was spotted and an opportunity to be able to create premium content for this primary audience.”
The demand for premium Arabic content and the interest in Arabic culture made for a great recipe for success, he said.
“We also have a lot of people around the world that are very interested in our culture, are very interested in our part of the world. And I don’t think we’ve given them enough content to engage with us, and that’s what we are trying to do, ultimately.”
With a culture as rich and layered as the Arab world’s, authenticity is not simply a goal — it is a responsibility for Katara Studios projects, he said, as they aim to bring stories to life with depth, accuracy, and heart, even when they are infused with other styles of filmmaking.
Katara Studios is producing a fantasy Bedouin Western, and according to Fakhri, a balance for this genre experimentation and cultural authenticity is critical to telling a good story and being innovative without losing its Arab essence.
Asked how Bedouin storytelling could be showcased with this approach to experimental filmmaking, Fakhri said: “You know, I’m so glad you brought up that word because authenticity is the foundation for everything that we try to do. Genuinely, it has to be authentic. Because if it is not authentic — if you’re trying to please an audience just by throwing stuff in there — it shows every time.”
Authenticity required cultural integrity — such as maintaining dialect, accents, costumes and other small and important details in the presentation — and this would then reflect very positively to the film, he said.
“You get every element of it right; it really comes through in the final product. So, we’re very careful to try to be as authentic as possible. And I think we’ve done that with this project,” Fakhri said.
Rare kidney operation performed at King Faisal Specialist Hospital
- Precise medication management needed for surgery
- No stomach incisions, with suture done via the mouth
RIYADH: King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Riyadh recently performed a rare Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty on a patient who had previously undergone a kidney transplant.
In a statement, KFSHRC said the operation was considered “the first of its kind in the region.”
It required “meticulous management of immunosuppressive medications and the prevention of any complications that could jeopardize the transplanted organ.
“This procedure marks a significant advancement in providing safe treatment solutions for transplant recipients, to improve their graft survival and quality of life.”
The ESG procedure differs from surgical sleeve gastrectomy in that it requires no abdominal incisions, which is important for transplant patients.
Instead, it uses an endoscope inserted through the mouth to suture the stomach internally, effectively reducing its volume and enabling the patient to lose weight and improve overall health.
The procedure was performed by a multidisciplinary team of experts led by Dr. Ehab Abufarhaneh, consultant in adult transplant gastroenterology and hepatology.
Abufarhaneh told Arab News: “Performing endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty on a kidney transplant patient is exceptionally rare and complex due to the need to protect the transplanted organ while carefully managing immunosuppressive therapy.”
“This procedure provides a safe therapeutic option for transplant recipients, addressing a critical medical challenge and helping preserve graft function through a minimally invasive approach tailored to their condition,” Abufarhaneh added.
The team included gastroenterologists, various transplant surgeons, anesthesiologists, and nursing staff.
In the statement, the hospital said it was “adopting innovative techniques tailored to the unique needs of transplant patients and developing treatment protocols that address post-transplant challenges.”
The facility “reinforces its position as a regional referral hub for cases beyond the scope of conventional treatment pathways,” and as a leading healthcare provider in the region.
It was fulfilling its vision of being the optimal choice for patients supported by an integrated ecosystem of education, research, and clinical excellence that aligns with Saudi Vision 2030, the hospital stated.
The hospital has been ranked by Brand Financing 2025 as first in the Middle East and North Africa, and 15th globally on the list of the world’s top 250 Academic Medical Centers for the third consecutive year.
Additionally, it was included in the World’s Best Smart Hospitals list for 2025 by Newsweek magazine.
Hadiyah launches program to promote cultural and humanitarian engagement with pilgrims
RIYADH: The Hajj and Mutamer’s Gift Charitable Association (Hadiyah), based in Makkah, has launched the “Let Them Witness the Benefits” to offer enriching experiences to pilgrims after completion of the Hajj rituals, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The program aims to build bridges of cultural and humanitarian engagement between pilgrims and Saudi society by hosting pilgrims in Saudi homes, where they experience traditional hospitality and learn about the Kingdom’s values, customs and traditions, fostering a sense of closeness and belonging.
The chairman of Hadiyah, Hatem Al-Marzouki, said that the program is one of several initiatives designed to create a lasting positive effect after Hajj by strengthening cultural and humanitarian ties between pilgrims and Saudi society.
“Hadiyah’s services go beyond hospitality, offering a comprehensive and unforgettable experience that reflects the human values of the Saudi people,” he said.
Al-Marzouki said the program is part of an integrated system of high-quality initiatives aligned with the aspirations of Saudi leadership.
According to SPA, these initiatives aim to enhance the pilgrims’ experience and strengthen the Kingdom’s image as a global center for serving and caring for pilgrims, culturally and humanely.
