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Kingdom dazzles with record-breaking LED display and inspiring sustainability schemes.
The Saudi pavilion at the Doha Horticultural Expo 2023 won five awards, set world records and drew 1.8 million visitors to its expansive site spanning 5,000 sq. meters.
The pavilion’s lush green design drew inspiration from Mount Tuwaiq, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.
Saleh Bindakhil, the head director of the Saudi campaign, said that the pavilion provided a “groundbreaking digital experience” centered on agriculture and environmental sustainability.
It showcased more than 80 successful Saudi projects and initiatives in line with the exhibition’s objectives, he added.
The pavilion, which aimed to inspire the global community to combat desertification, secured five awards and set world records, Bindakhil said.
It broke the Guinness World Record for the largest display of exterior LED screens, with an impressive array of 435 external LED columns.
Additionally, the pavilion received a Gold Muse Award in the conceptual design and events category, and a Gold French Design Award in the interior design and architecture category.
It clinched the LIV Award in architectural and landscape design, along with a silver award from the Bureau International des Expositions in the self-built pavilions category.
The pavilion welcomed visitors from around the world, offering communications in seven languages: Arabic, English, French, Italian, Spanish, Japanese and Persian.
Its numerous sections showcased the diversity and richness of the Kingdom.
The pavilion also highlighted the pivotal role of agriculture and major sustainable projects in Saudi Arabia.
The Doha expo, which began in October last year and ended on March 28, aimed to promote environmental solutions to a global audience.
The event included four key pillars: Modern agriculture, technology and innovation, environmental awareness and sustainability.
source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)
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The pavilion’s lush green design drew inspiration from Mount Tuwaiq, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday. (SPA)
For the Palestinian-born Arab International Women’s Forum founder, the laws of economics mean each woman must be heard.
Haifa Al Kaylani moves through the Carlton Tower Jumeriah looking as effortlessly elegant as the recently renovated decor of the landmark hotel in the heart of Knightsbridge, London.
Her hair is coiffed, make-up flawless, and a string of pearls and turquoise brooch accessorise a classic cropped bouclé jacket from a Swiss fashion house.
But she walks straight past the diners socialising over salads or the afternoon tea being served all day in the lounge, and gets down to business at a table in a nearby meeting room.
“I’ve never been one of those ladies who lunch,” the development economist and president of the Arab International Women’s Forum (AIWF) tells The National.
As Al Kaylani talks about her remarkable career, in which she has hosted Queen Rania of Jordan and been honoured herself at a reception by Sarah Brown, wife of former UK prime minister Gordon Brown, at No 10 Downing Street, it’s hard to believe there has ever been time for a midday meal.
On the global stage, she is known as a “high-impact change agent” in every area, from leadership, youth empowerment and diversity to education, sustainability and the environment.
The AIWF was founded in 2001 on two key principles dear to her heart: that no economic, political or social development is possible anywhere without optimising the 50 per cent of the population who are female; and that women from the richly diverse 22 Arab countries need to establish bridges between each other and their counterparts everywhere.
“We broke ground wherever we went,” she says. “We were the first women’s organisation to be hosted by the League of Arab States, the first hosted at the European Parliament, the first invited by the World Bank, the first conference in Madrid between Arab, Spanish and Latin American women, [the then French Minister of the Economy] Madame Lagarde chaired the forum’s annual conference in 2009 in Paris, we were the first to host a conference for business women at the Dubai International Financial Centre.
“And we had key, succinct issues on the table. It was not just about the gatherings, though they were important. Breaking the stereotypes, building knowledge and understanding were very important but we also wanted to ensure we could empower and effect change on the ground … so we walk the walk.’’
In person, Al Kaylani is reserved but warm, overcoming a natural modesty to highlight various successes in the hope of giving them renewed impetus. A story of doing good, she insists, must be told.
Her own is certainly that – a peripatetic life, first as a Lebanese of Palestinian origin and then as the wife of a Jordanian diplomat, fuelled her desire to empower women as “engines of economic growth” to foster development and prosperity in Arab countries.
Both her father, Badr Said Fahoum, the district governor of Acre in Mandatory Palestine whom she credits for her business mind, and mother, Alia Zubi, came from prominent families in Nazareth.
Nakba toddler
They moved, as did hundreds of thousands of others, to Beirut in 1948 during the Nakba when Haifa was a toddler, initially intending to stay only until it was safe to return.
“Nobody knew that they were going to spend the rest of their lives there. They left everything behind.’’
Relatives and friends continued to trickle out of Palestine, some bringing objects from the Fahoum house while those who remained sent letters and news of the events unfolding.
The family was given Lebanese citizenship at the time. An estimated 210,000 Palestinians remain stateless in the country even today, yet Al Kaylani points to how much Beirut owes to these exiled families.
“They made it their home and contributed to the economy, society, culture,” she says.
Haifa’s mother, Alia, was highly educated but took on the responsibility of raising her five daughters. She fostered an appreciation of the siblings’ heritage through stories of their ancestral home before the partition of borders but was keen, too, to ensure that they made the most of life, friends and schooling in Beirut.
Mother’s learning
Apart from her love and devotion as a homemaker, Al Kaylani recalls Alia creating a cultural cocoon full of classical music and literature such as the Abbasid-era poetry of Al-Mutanabbi that she recited by heart.
“She was an avid reader. We would go to the mountains every summer, and before we packed our clothes, we used to pack boxes of books because the vacations were supposed to be spent reading and learning, and on sports and outdoor life.’’
After being a pupil at the British Lebanese Evangelical School for Girls in Beirut, fifteen-year-old Al Kaylani was sent to board at Sherborne School for Girls in Dorset to pursue her English education.
“I loved it,’’ she says, and quotes from her end-of-term reports as testament. “They would say: ‘Haifa’s settled in as if she’s one of us.’ I think this is one of my good traits. I’m adaptable and I’m flexible.’’
The timing of her arrival made it easier not to pine for home despite the pupils having to go out for runs in snow up to their waists. As she explains, the 1962-63 academic year was one “like no other’’, and the pupils eagerly kept up with events on the BBC’s weekly news programme Panorama.
“It was number one, the year of the Big Freeze, the Beatles [with their first hit single Love Me Do], James Bond [Dr No in Sean Connery’s MI6 cinematic debut], the Profumo Affair, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Vatican Council. I learnt a lot and enjoyed it all,’’ she says.
Al Kaylani chose to study economics at her father’s alma mater, the American University of Beirut, which she calls “that beautiful campus by the sea”, before regrouping with Sherborne friends at Oxford to read the new diploma in development economics.
Next was 12 months as a junior economist at the United Nations Economic and Social Council in Beirut, which enabled her to meet the second of two non-negotiable conditions set for the girls by Badr and Alia.
“We weren’t to get married or focus on a family until first having at least a Bachelor of Arts, if not a Master’s, and we had to work for one year. When you think about it, they are golden rules. So I’m very glad.
“If we had been five boys, our parents would not have done more in terms of empowerment and providing opportunities. Tashji’ [encouragement] non-stop.’’
She set up home in Amman after marrying Wajih Al Kaylani, who used to regale her with vivid tales of walking all over Palestine’s mountains, down hills and into valleys as a boy scout. “This is how you see the place, and get an affinity with the people in the villages,’’ Al Kaylani says.
While giving birth in hospital to her son, Sirri, she heard an announcement on the radio that Wajih had been appointed ambassador to Tunisia by King Hussein of Jordan, “which was a great honour but we asked permission to stay a few more months to allow the baby to grow”.
They immersed themselves in their roles in Tunis and then Delhi where her husband was ambassador to India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Thailand. “I found myself on another planet. Especially in the evenings, the sounds, the smells were different,” she says, recalling the aroma of firewood burning outside their diplomatic residence.
The couple visited every state in India at the invitation of the governors, and the deep insights gained from travelling as an Arab ambassador’s wife compelled her to take up an MPhil part-time at Jawaharlal Nehru University.
‘I wanted to read more, and Indian economists were the best in economic development at the time.’’
Al Kaylani left the country “with tears in my eyes’’ when Wajih retired from the diplomatic service in a return to the private sector, and London became their base.
After Sirri set off to board at Stowe School in Buckinghamshire, she turned to playing tennis, learning Spanish and Italian, enrolled at London Business School, and began volunteering for Arab and British women’s charitable organisations.
Help was needed for Palestinian refugees, and for Lebanon, which had entered a 15-year civil war. In the 1990s, she was part of a committee raising funds for Iraqi children and recalled the complexities of delivering aid in spite of the UN-led embargo after Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait. “It was very hard and serious work,” she says.
Among her biggest achievements was raising £250,000 ($318,050) for the Queen Alia Fund for Social Development, with Princess Basma as key speaker at an event in 1994.
Al Kaylani recalls a magical evening that transformed The Dorchester’s ballroom into a showcase of Jordanian culture through a fashion parade of “out of this world” Arab costumes, handicrafts and local produce on the tables, and floral arrangements of emblematic black irises and native herbs.
“It was something that London had not seen – neither before nor after,” she says.
“I’m a good fund-raiser. Why? Because I only commit my time and myself if I really believe in the cause, and believe that I can help the cause.
“I learnt a good lesson early in fund-raising, from an English friend. She told me: ‘You must be able to convince me why I should part with my funds for this cause rather than that one.’ So you need to prepare well.’’
Rebuilding the Balkans
She sat on the committee of a charity supporting Bosnian women during the war that was chaired by former UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher of whom she was a great admirer. “She revitalised the British economy and put it on track. She brought prosperity back.”
A few years later, Al Kaylani founded the AIWF with the aim of connecting Arab women from all walks of life as “part and parcel’’ of the international community politically, socially and economically.
As the forum has evolved from initially helping with the set-up of businesses to becoming much broader in scope, her intention has been to approach each project not as a feminist but as an economist first and foremost.
London Climate Week
In January 2017, Al Kaylani was chosen as one of 46 global leaders to become a Fellow of the Advanced Leadership Initiative at Harvard University. The key outcome of her fellowship has been an agriculture project being piloted in Jordan for which she secured World Bank funding.
“Following my pivotal year at Harvard, we have been pursuing a sustainability agenda,” she says.
Recently, the AIWF teamed up with Masdar’s global initiative Women in Sustainability, Environment and Renewable Energy, known as WiSER, to produce a report for Cop28 in Dubai, and will host the forum’s second conference on the same themes in June at London Climate Week.
Asked how she has maintained such motivation for so many decades, Al Kaylani says: “First, I enjoy what I do – otherwise I would not be doing it. This is the key because then it is from your heart, coming from inside, you’re committed. Most of my work is pro bonoand totally voluntary.
“Second, the energy … you need to read, to keep educating yourself. I’m a great believer in lifelong learning. That’s why I went to Harvard. I enjoy my own time like everybody but I love meeting people, and working, learning and connecting with others.”
Arguably the pinnacle of the numerous accolades garnered so far is being appointed an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in King Charles’s New Year’s 2024 Honours List in recognition of services to women, young people and cultural relations between the UK and the countries of the Middle East.
She is thrilled and humbled by the thought of next month’s investiture but says none of it would have been possible without her parents – “I have to pay tribute to them” – and husband Wajih, whose face would beam every time he saw her achieve another milestone.
“My late husband was the best partner in life I could ever have had. Encouraging, loving, empowering. Without him, I promise, I could neither have started nor given so much time to the AIWF to attain what it has and continues to attain now. He was with me every step of the way.”
Al Kaylani goes on to speak of the friends and members from the wider AIWF family, who have all provided invaluable contributions, but soon returns to the source of her own personal impetus.
“Your roots sustain and empower you, those who see you when you are up and down. You know,’’ she says with a small shrug, “all of us are human after all.”
Haifa Al Kaylani OBE, pictured at the Carlton Jumeirah London, is known as a change-maker in areas from leadership and youth empowerment to sustainability and the environment. Photo: Mark Chilvers
Saudi scientists’ use of a special DNA sequencing process to identify a new bacterial species could help in global efforts to combat resistance to antibiotics.
The discovery by experts at Riyadh’s King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center was expected to throw new light on bacterial-drug interactions, fostering innovative therapeutic approaches.
A technique known as whole-genome sequencing was used to spot the new species, stenotrophomonas riyadhensis.
According to the center, the findings will contribute significantly to global antibiotic resistance efforts, while throwing a spotlight on the center’s growing reputation for scientific research and patient care.
In a statement, the center said WGS underscored the “potential of genomic tests in diagnosing and treating bacterial infections, particularly in critical environments like intensive care units and among immunocompromised patients.”
It added that the discovery represented “substantial progress” in the fight to combat antibiotic resistance, the development of pharmaceuticals, and the prevention of disease spread.
The new species, discovered during a 2019 investigation into an outbreak at the center’s intensive care unit, was initially presumed to be a variant of pseudomonas aeruginosa, known for its antibiotic resistance.
However, further WGS analysis revealed that riyadhensis deviated from the pseudomonas genus, belonging instead to the stenotrophomonas family. It exhibited distinct genetic and morphological traits, setting it apart from any other scientifically recognized members.
Head of the center’s infectious disease and immunity department, Dr. Ahmad Al-Qahtani, said: “Traditional bacterial identification methods may lead to misidentification; in contrast, WGS analysis offers a precise and targeted approach that ensures accurate identification and provides detailed insights into resistance mechanisms, proving its significance in disease outbreak investigations and patient care improvements.”
Dr. Reem Almaghrabi, head of transplant infectious diseases at the center’s Organ Transplant Center of Excellence, highlighted the importance of the discovery in the use of advanced technologies, such as WGS, to develop faster and more accurate diagnostic methods.
She said the approach had established the groundwork for scientific collaboration at all levels, enhancing global efforts to combat antibiotic resistance.
Almaghrabi noted that understanding the nuances of new bacterial species, particularly their antibiotic resistance, was crucial in modern healthcare and was the primary means of combating bacterial infections.
“As these bacteria continuously evolve their resistance, they pose a significant and ongoing threat to human health,” she added.
source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)
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A technique known as whole-genome sequencing was used to spot the new species, stenotrophomonas riyadhensis. (Supplied)
The King Salman Park Foundation Board of Directors announced the completion of the Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq Tunnel, a significant milestone that promises to enhance traffic flow and reduce congestion in Riyadh.
This tunnel, the first to be completed since the initiation of the King Salman Park project in the third quarter of 2021, represents a critical component of the extensive development efforts led by King Salman Bin Abdulaziz and the Crown Prince, which were first announced on March 19, 2019.
Spanning 2,430 meters from north to south beneath the expansive King Salman Park, the Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq Road Tunnel stands as one of the longest in the Middle East.
Its completion is a testament to the ambitious infrastructure development underway, including the construction of additional tunnels on Al-Oruba Road. Specifically, a new 1,590-meter tunnel will link with the existing 840-meter tunnel along Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq Road, creating a unified pathway designed to streamline vehicle movement.
Starting Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024, the tunnel will open to vehicles, offering three lanes in each direction and an emergency lane, all equipped with advanced traffic management and safety systems, including emergency services and evacuation routes.
The architectural design of the Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq Road Tunnel is inspired by the concept of Salmani architecture. It integrates seamlessly with the natural and geological aesthetics of Riyadh, featuring interior designs that mimic the city’s rock formations. The choice of sustainable materials and colors that complement the local environment underscores a commitment to ecological and aesthetic considerations.
King Salman Park, covering an area of over 16 square kilometers, is poised to significantly elevate Riyadh’s global stature, aiming to position the city among the world’s most liveable. The park will not only offer the largest green space in Riyadh but also an array of cultural, arts, entertainment, sports, recreational, commercial, and residential facilities. Highlights include the Royal Arts Complex, the Visitor Pavilion, and several museums, collectively redefining urban park experiences in the region.
By offering a diverse range of attractions and amenities, King Salman Park is set to become a pivotal destination for citizens, residents, and tourists alike, promising new lifestyle options that enhance the quality of life and offer memorable experiences.
Spanning 2,430 meters from north to south beneath the expansive King Salman Park, the Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq Road Tunnel stands as one of the longest in the Middle East.
Masters of relaxation: The record-breaking freedivers of Egypt.
When the countdown began, Khaled Elgammal took one final, deep breath before descending without any breathing equipment into the ocean. One minute and 29 seconds later, still holding his breath, the Egyptian athlete had free-fallen to 102 metres (335 feet) – a national record.
But for it to count, he had to reach the surface again. He turned at the bottom of the line and began his ascent – focusing on deep relaxation and the feelings of the surrounding water. In all, he had held his breath for two minutes and 50 seconds.
Elgammal is Egypt’s deepest freediver, and his remarkable achievement set a new national record at the Sharm el-Sheikh competition in October 2023.
“When I came to the surface, it was bliss. It felt amazing,” Elgammal recalls.
Freedivers like Elgammal rely solely on the ability to hold their breath while diving underwater. Through training, these divers master relaxation to slow down their heart rate, allowing them to stay beneath the surface without breathing equipment for minutes at a time. Very deep dives like the one he did recently usually require divers to hold their breath for around three minutes at a time.
The practice of freediving can be traced back to traditional fishing in communities like Asia’s Bajau people, where coastal groups have used freediving to hunt underwater for 200 years. As a sport, freediving is now undergoing record growth, attracting people looking to connect with the ocean and better understand their body’s abilities.
As for Elgammal, he says he was captivated by the unique sensations of diving with a single breath.
“I always say that scuba diving is everything in slow motion; you’re moving slow, breathing slow, and the sound of the bubbles is hypnotising, so everything is in slow motion. Freediving is like you’ve paused… and are the only thing moving down there. So you give yourself the chance to sink within.”
The sport is now growing in popularity around the world. According to AIDA International rankings, 2,889 freedivers registered to compete in competitions in 2023, more than twice the number a decade earlier.
The freediving organisation told Al Jazeera that around 20,000 people have become certified freedivers in recent years. Scuba Schools International (SSI) has similarly seen a steady 10 percent annual rise in the number of people earning their first freediving certification.
Many of these certifications are awarded in Dahab, a bohemian enclave on Egypt’s Red Sea coastline which has become home to numerous freediving schools and elite instructors. Dahab featured a shoreline of palm trees and traditional Bedouin homes just a few decades ago. While still considered a small town today, it boasts a thriving beachfront of Egyptian and international restaurants and attracts a growing crowd from Cairo, Europe and Asia. A handful of luxury hotels have emerged but Dahab still maintains an authentic charm – with herds of goats freely roaming the streets.
It’s also one of the world’s best-known freediving hotspots due to its year-round water conditions and proximity to Egypt’s Blue Hole. Just 20 minutes away by car, the Blue Hole is a famous reef-lined sinkhole accessible from the shore.
Here, divers can descend to around 90 metres (295 feet) – almost the height of the Statue of Liberty.
A heightened state of self-awareness
But what has contributed to the rise of freediving?
The sport is linked to several mental and therapeutic benefits. A 2013 study by academics at Atilim University in Turkey, found that freedivers tend to exhibit lower stress and anxiety levels than non-freedivers.
Carlos Diezel, the manager of Dahab Freedivers, a school that trains divers, explained that much of this is down to “breathwork”.
“The fact that we have to pay attention to our breath, our mind and relaxation when we go down teaches us awareness,” he says. “I believe that part of the problem, statistically speaking, for mental health issues is related to the lifestyle in modern society, that’s leading people to forget or block any kind of self-awareness.”
This heightened state of self-awareness is something that dedicated freedivers like Elgammal strive for. “I’m always aware now of what I’m feeling, what I’m sensing,” he says. “Freediving helped me to connect with myself.”
Freediving’s connection with nature and immersion in water may also contribute to its mental health benefits. Diezel says the most common reasons people sign up for freediving courses are a fascination with the ocean and learning more about themselves.
“They grasp this connection with themselves when you hold your breath and go deep,” he said, adding that students consider it “a ‘deep’ experience – sorry for the pun”.
Social media equally plays a role in bringing freediving to the forefront. Many freediving pictures allude to a sense of freedom, featuring divers among marine life and colourful reefs. The hashtag #freediving has amassed more than 3.5 million mentions on Instagram so far. “It’s getting a lot of attention as it’s quite photographic. Some videos are just mesmerising,” Diezel adds.
Diving safely
Within the existing freediving community, the sport’s surge in popularity brings added responsibility. Considered an “extreme sport”, freediving can be risky if safety protocols aren’t followed, or divers push themselves beyond their physical limits. They can experience oxygen deficiency symptoms like hypoxia and blackouts, as well as pressure-related risks like a ruptured eardrum, an example of a barotrauma.
Contrary to portrayals such as Netflix’s The Deepest Breath, divers losing consciousness – known as blackouts – are relatively uncommon, particularly in recreational diving at shallower depths.
Freedivers are also trained to rescue a fellow diver safely as part of their earliest training, learning to monitor each dive, spot signs of distress and how to react. Under the buddy system, which helps to ensure freedivers remain safe, divers never dive alone.
Tamsyn Signe is a professional freediver who champions safety whenever she enters the water. She has worked as a safety freediver in multiple competitions, and it’s her role to ensure the competing divers make it to the surface safely. Last year, she saved a diver’s life 30 metres (98 feet) underwater in a rare example of a deep rescue.
“As he got in front of me, the lights went out,” Signe recalls, describing the moment the ascending freediver just stopped moving after losing consciousness. At 30 metres below the surface, Signe was also holding her breath. However, she wasn’t thinking about the carbon dioxide building in her body – she had a job to do.
“Everything really slowed down,” she says. “I knew I was his best shot at being ok.” As she’s trained to do, Signe closed his airways with her hands and started finning (swimming up with flippers) with him toward the surface – a tricky job with the added weight of another diver. The competitor regained consciousness after reaching the surface, partly thanks to Signe’s quick thinking and supportive team. He would later reach out and thank her for saving his life.
Signe says the rescue changed her life too, making her more observant and prepared for unexpected risks, but it’s part of the job. Most freedivers believe that practising safety in freediving, such as never diving alone and being trained for rescue, is crucial to the sport’s survival.
But this is not just a tick-box exercise; safety also forges close bonds within the community. “When you go through an experience with people where you could potentially die, there’s some sort of connection that happens that is way deeper and intimate than normal. And those friendships do last a lifetime,” Signe adds.
Responsibilities beyond the breath-hold
Alongside valuing safety, Zahraa El-Husseiny, a freediving instructor and Egyptian national record holder, believes that protecting our oceans is also an important responsibility which comes with freediving. Many freedivers collect plastic they find floating in the water; others, like Diezel, stopped eating seafood after learning about the human impact of overfishing.
As Earth’s oceans face increasing pressures from pollution and global warming, those who rely on the sea will play a vital role in future conservation. First drawn to freediving because she was fascinated with marine life, El-Husseiny tries to teach others about respecting the ocean through her sport.
“We are very connected to the ocean, and we owe it to this to protect it. We know how essential it is to move freely underwater, so… we need to protect it,” she says.
For many, freediving offers a path for self-discovery and a deeper connection to the natural world. As a sport, it’s poised for continued growth in the future.
Freediving isn’t reserved for a select few either, and freediving communities are expanding in many coastal locations. “Everyone can learn how to hold their breath,” El-Husseiny adds.
“Everyone can learn how to enjoy the ocean and the peacefulness of diving. I would like people to know that this is something they can do, learn and progress in”, she says.
Passing on the love of this sport is something many freedivers take seriously. When Elgammal isn’t training for record-breaking dives, he’s working as an instructor and coach. He similarly urges those interested in the sport to “be curious”.
“Relax, enjoy, trust. Think about what you like and try to visualise that feeling.”
Transaction, first announced in September 2023, represents Aramco’s first downstream retail investment in South America.
Saudi Aramco successfully completed the acquisition of a 100 percent equity stake in Chile’s Esmax Distribucion, a leading diversified downstream fuels and lubricants retailer, it was announced on Friday.
Esmax has a national presence that includes retail fuel stations, airport operations, fuel distribution terminals and a lubricant blending plant.
The transaction, which was first announced in September 2023, represented Aramco’s first downstream retail investment in South America, illustrating the attractiveness of this market, and supports the Saudi company’s strategic goal to strengthen its downstream value chain.
“We are delighted to conclude the acquisition of Esmax and look forward to working with the outstanding team on the ground in Chile to achieve our shared ambitions,” Yasser Mufti, Aramco executive vice president of products & customers, said.
“Aramco aims to be a primary global retail player and this deal combines our high quality products and services, including Valvoline lubricants, with the experience and quality of an established operator in Chile.”
source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)
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Pictured at the transaction closing are Southern Cross Group Partner Raul Sotomayor, front left, and Aramco Europe President & CEO Mazin Dabbagh, front right. Back row, from left, are Southern Cross Group Partner Jaime Besa, Aramco Vice-President of Retail and Esmax Chairman Ziyad Juraifani, and Aramco International Retail Director Nader Al Douhan. (Aramco)
• 2023 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix wins Event Innovation Award at F1 Promoter Awards in London, which recognises exceptional achievements of Formula 1 venues across the world.
• Award recognized several key innovations at Bahrain International Circuit, including the establishment of an industry-leading solar facility.
The 2023 Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix has won The Event Innovation Award at the F1 Promoter Awards in London. The ceremony recognizes key achievements of F1 venues across the world, with Bahrain picking up the award for a number of industry-leading innovations over the last twelve months. These included key sustainability initiatives as well as technology developments in areas including race control and traffic management.
The awards themselves are arranged and judged by Formula 1, the commercial rights holder of the sport. Categories are open to all Formula 1 venues from across the world, with a shortlist of three circuits announced in advance of the awards ceremony. Arif Rahimi, Chairman of Bahrain International Circuit, collected the award on behalf of BIC, which was presented by F1’s Chief Commercial Officer, Emily Prazer. The awards ceremony was attended by other senior BIC management, as well as Formula 1 promoters and partners from around the world.
The Event Innovation award was presented to the F1 venue which demonstrated the most significant innovation in their event delivery, commercial product offering or infrastructure. Announcing The 2023 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix as the overall winner, the judges recognized several key innovations at BIC, including:
• BIC’s industry-leading solar production facility: In its first year of operation the solar park at BIC produced over 5 million KWH of clean energy, enough renewable energy to cover all the usage for F1 with significant capacity to spare, the equivalent of offsetting 3,108 tonnes of carbon.
• Innovative energy saving measures: In 2023, BIC undertook a number of measures to reduce energy consumption. This has included a new building management system that efficiently monitors and manages light and air conditioning provision, an upgrade to more efficient air conditioning chillers and the replacement of all street and building lighting to LED lights. BIC’s combined energy saving measures saved over 30% in energy use over the year.
• Innovative technology in race control: In 2023, BIC installed a first of a kind system in the world that links flag digital panels on track to cameras in race control – with the specific camera automatically highlighting the relevant flagged area of the circuit. This saves officials in race control crucial time when looking into incidents.
• Digitalization: BIC introduced digitalized directional signage for fans coming into the circuit, enabling better proactive and efficient management of traffic, which reduced overall traffic queues and alleviated the need for printing materials for temporary signs.
Eight community partnership leaders have received the 11th Princess Seetah bint Abdulaziz Award for Excellence in Social Work.
Minister of Human Resources and Social Development Ahmed Al-Rajhi announced the winners of the prestigious Saudi accolade in Riyadh on Tuesday.
Established in 2012 by royal decree, the Princess Seetah bint Abdulaziz Foundation for Excellence in Social Work encourages and supports community upliftment programs.
The award aims to encourage competition among pioneers of social work, and to support excellence in social work both locally and internationally.
A total of 1,177 candidates applied for the 11th award. Among them, 95 advanced to the scientific evaluation stage, and 15 to the final judging stage. Following thorough screening and field visits for each candidate, the judging committee selected eight winners.
Al-Rajhi, chairman of the board of the foundation, praised the award, highlighting its societal value and pioneering role and alignment with the ministry’s objectives for community development, national initiatives and innovation.
Princess Nouf bint Abdullah bin Saud Al-Kabeer, chair of the foundation’s executive committee, said that the award was in line with the state’s direction in social work.
She stressed the award’s pivotal role in fostering and motivating creative work while adopting ideas, initiatives and projects for regional development in social, humanitarian and charitable work within the Kingdom.
Princess Nouf praised the award’s diverse partnerships with government, non-government and civil society organizations. These partnerships enhanced the award’s objectives, especially in empowering young individuals and improving their skills.
Dr. Fahad Al-Maghlouth, the foundation’s secretary-general, said that the common goal was to serve the nation and enhance citizens’ lives.
He said that the 11th award’s theme, “Community Partnerships in Meeting Humanitarian Needs,” reflected Saudi Arabia’s support for the social sector.
Al-Maghlouth also highlighted the award’s interest in human needs and its efforts to align with the state’s objectives, asserting that social responsibility was a collective obligation for all.
The excellence in national achievement award went to Mohammed bin Saleh Albuty, CEO of the National Housing Co., and Firas Aba Al-Khail, deputy general manager of business at the Human Resources Development Fund.
The excellence in Islamic endowment award went to Mansour bin Mohammed Al-Jumaih, deputy secretary-general of the Mohamed Abdullah Abdulaziz Al-Jomaih Endowments Foundation.
The excellence in social work programs award went to Nora Al-Rashid, deputy chairperson of the board of the Abdul Moneim Al-Rashid Humanitarian Foundation.
Prince Sultan bin Salman received the award in the category of excellence for social work pioneers.
The corporate social responsibility award went to Mohammed Al-Abbadi, CEO of the transport and operators unit at Saudi Telecommunication Co., and Abdulmalik Al-Rajhi, chairman of the board of Hail Cement Co.
Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Mushaikeh, a former member of the Saudi Shoura Council, received the environmental sustainability award.
source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)
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A number of princes and individuals interested in social work attended the ceremony for the Princess Seetah bint Abdulaziz Excellence Award for Social Work in Riyadh on Tuesday (27 Feb).
Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), São Cristóvão (SE), Brazil, 22-24 August 2023
The Arab diaspora living in Latin America and the Caribbean currently has more than 20 million people.
Most are descendants of immigrants who travelled from the Middle East to the region in the 19th century. Considering its contribution to the multicultural character of the area, UNESCO created the 2022 Arab Latinos! meeting. This year, it is the 1st International Conference. The event will be held at the Federal University of Sergipe (UFS) from 22 to 24 August 2023. It has been organized in partnership with the Centro Internacional de Estudos Árabes e Islâmicos (CEAI) in São Cristóvão (SE). It is the location of São Francisco Square, a World Cultural Heritage Site inscribed by UNESCO in the World Heritage List in 2010.
The conference will address migration and displacement; memory, territory, and cultural rights; literary and artistic exchanges; and youth. The event will also feature the launch of the Arab-Latin Youth Network! (Arab Latinos! Youth Network) which will bring together young people from Arab countries and Latin America to build new opportunities for cross-regional collaboration. Among the participants are Brazilian singer Martinho da Vila, Palestinian filmmaker Kamal Aljafari and writer Ana Maria Gonçalves.
Arab culture has made important contributions to Latin America and the Caribbean. In Brazil, Arab culture’s presence is felt in music, science, cooking, and many other areas. The recently launched program ‘Arab Latinos!’, by UNESCO, aims to map these connections between our cultures, and we hope that the meeting in Sergipe will be an important step further to deepen this view from a scientific and academic perspective.
Marlova Jovchelovitch NoletoDirector and Representative of UNESCO in Brazil
The international meeting seeks to present and discuss how migratory movements within and between Arab States, Latin America, and the Caribbean have created and continue to create different solidarity strategies, promoting mutual understanding and advancing human rights and dignity.
The scientific coordinator of the “Arab Latinos!” initiative, Professor Geraldo Campos, highlights the importance of holding this 1st International Conference in Sergipe.
The theme of the conference, migrations, and solidarity is a vital contemporary issue and highlights the potential of the Initiative’s dialogues with the different sectors of Brazilian society.
Professor Geraldo CamposScientific Coordinator of the “Arab Latinos!” initiative
The Arab Latinos initiative! It was launched in Brazil in August 2022, resulting from a meeting between 15 specialists from five countries in Latin America and the Caribbean (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico), selected by UNESCO, who developed a 5-year Action Plan (2023-2027), available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Arabic. The “Scope Review” of the project was also launched on the occasion, a document that presents an overview of the contemporary flows of scientific and cultural collaborations between the regions.
In May of this year, during the 216th Session of the Executive Council, UNESCO Member States adopted a decision to support and contribute to “Arab Latinos!”. The decision, co-sponsored by more than 30 Member States, recognizes this initiative’s importance in promoting South-South cooperation and strengthening cultural diversity and solidarity practices.
The 1st Arab Latinos! International Conference, sponsored by the Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud Foundation, Câmara de Comércio Árabe-Brasileira, the Federação das Associações Muçulmanas do Brasil (FAMBRAS), the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro and the Federal University of Sergipe, will count on the participation of high-level representatives of Arab countries, Latin America and the Caribbean, representatives of the United Nations, as well as internationally renowned intellectuals, writers, civil society, artists, researchers and young scholars.
The Event’s Agenda
AUGUST 22, 2023
3:30 pm – 5:00 pm:
Meeting: UNESCO in the Territory (Exchange with local actors, government/civil society)
19:00 – 20:00:
Official opening of the Conference (Federal University of Sergipe)
20:00 – 21:00:
Arab-Nordeste Concert
AUGUST 23, 2023
9:30 – 11:30:
Panel 1: Arab-Latinos!: migrations and displacements
(Didactic Auditorium 7 – Federal University of Sergipe)
2:30 pm – 4:15 pm:
Arab-Latin Workshops!
Workshop 1: The Arab presence in Brazilian music
Workshop 2: Arab-Latin Cinema
Workshop 3: Arabic-Latin Literature
5:30 pm – 6:30 pm:
Intercultural Memories: Dialogue with Martinho da Vila
19:15-19:30
Cultural activity: The Bacamarteiros of Aguada
19:30 – 20:30:
Ceremony awarding the title of Doctor Honoris Causa to Martinho da Vila
(Didactic Auditorium 7)
20:30 – 21:00:
Cultural Activities
AUGUST 24, 2023
2:30 pm – 4:30 pm:
Panel 3: Memory, Territory and Cultural Rights
(Didactic Auditorium 7)
17:00 – 19:00:
Arab Latinos! closing panel with Ana Maria Gonçalves
19:30 – 20:00:
Closing of the Conference – Outcomes and Next Steps
The Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology (MTCIT), in cooperation with Universal Postal Union, will host the first edition of the Arab Postal Leaders Forum from February 12 to 14 in Muscat.
An official at MTCIT informed that with participation of more than 60 representatives from 18 Arab countries, the forum will serve as a platform for discussions of crucial topics related to the digital transformation of business models within the postal sector. He explained that the primary focus of the forum is on leveraging digital technologies to reshape the postal industry.
Among its key objectives is exploration of opportunities to broaden access to digital economy services, encompassing e-governance and e-commerce, through various digital platforms.
The event will delve into the challenges associated with digital transformation across diverse sectors such as trade, finance, communications, transportation and customs.
“The forum’s agenda includes presentations and discussion sessions that will spotlight innovative digital solutions in the postal and e-commerce domains. Moreover, global best practices in the realms of digitisation and postal transformation will be discussed. The goal is to underscore the significance of collaborations and information exchange among stakeholders, fostering increased adaptability in postal systems amid the rapid pace of digital transformation,” the MTCIT official said.
The event seeks to enhance the adaptability of postal services and systems in response to the evolving technological landscape.
