Tag: Arab World Records

ARAB CULTURE IN SPAIN: 5 Marvels of Arab Culture to see in Spain

.When you hear of Al-Andalus, you might think of Andalusia. And yet, from 711 to 1492, until the famous Fall of Granada, the Future Andalusia was only a small part of this vast Arab territory, whose influence can be seen everywhere in Spain. Let us take a tour.

Al-Andalus, a long series of powerful people

In the early 8th century, the Iberian Peninsula belonged to the Visigoth Empire, when the commanders of the Umayyad Caliphate (with a territory extending from the Arabian Peninsula to the Maghreb) set out to conquer the lands on the other side of the Mediterranean.

The Umayyad dynasty ruled in Al-Andalus (what would become Spain) for more than 300 years. It was suceeded by Taifas (independent kingdoms). The Abbasids, then the Almoravids, rose to power. In 1147, it was the Almohads who took over the empire. This proved to be a prosperous period, with great scholars, such as Averroes, a doctor, lawyer, and advisor to the Caliph. These scholars helped to make Al-Andalus a grand dominion. But the Christian reconquest gained ground. From 1238 to 1492, the Reconquista blazed on, and soon only the Emirate of Granada remained in southern Spain, the last vestige of the great Muslim empire.

From the north to the south of Spain, the Arab-Andalusian influence can be seen everywhere

One after the other, Cordoba, Seville and Granada became the capitals of the kingdom of Al-Andalus during the Middle Ages. Arab culture has permeated everything from traditional Andalusian music to the names of localities, and the Spanish language. But the most visible influence can of course be seen directly in the architecture of buildings and streets. Numerous vestiges, sometimes intact, sometimes remodelled, remain in the cities’ maze of streets, and this period of Spanish history has left prodigious monuments of Arab origin and fabulous examples of Islamic art. Many of these monuments bear a unique blend of cultural influences as they were renovated or repurposed over the centuries.

The most beautiful Arab monuments in Spain

The Arab Baths of Ronda, a magnificent ruin site

The hammam tradition was a cornerstone of Arab culture for centuries. From the 13th to the 15th century, several such baths were built in Spain. The baths of Ronda, in Andalusia, are one of the best examples, with their three magnificent barrel-vaulted rooms and visible heating and water circulation systems. The Guadalevín river, which often floods, has prevented these baths from being used, but excavations have been carried out, and now you can visit and admire some of the best-preserved Arab bathhouses in the country.

pix: P. Escudero / hemis.fr

Baños Árabes
C. Molino de Alarcón
29400 Ronda
Málaga
+34 951 15 42 97
turismoderonda.es

The Alhambra of Granada, an extraordinary castle

On the Sabika hill, opposite the Albaicín district, stands the Alhambra of Granada, a majestic conglomeration of several buildings built in the early 12th century. The grandeur of the last Nasrid rulers is at its peak. Not to mention the sublime, breathtaking view over the plain of Granada!

pix: KellyISP / Getty Images Plus

Alhambra de Granada
C. Real de la Alhambra
18009 Granada
+34 958 02 79 71
www.alhambra-patronato.es

The Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba, from Islam to Christianity

Another Muslim building, the Cordoba mosque is a symbol of Arab influence at its most grandiose. From the 8th century to 29 June 1236, the building served as a mosque, before becoming a church again following the Reconquista. Representative of the art of the Umayyads of Cordoba, it is a monumental structure, and it covers over 1.5 hectares. The building is a splendid example of Islamic architecture: the “forest of columns” in the main hall – 1,300 marble, jasper and granite columns – highlights the gargantuan size of the place.

pix: kasto80 / Getty Images Plus

Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba
C. Cardenal Herrero, 1
14003 Córdoba
+ 34 957 47 05 12
mezquita-catedraldecordoba.es

The Aljaferia Palace in Zaragoza, a seat of power

The Mudejar art of Aragon, in the north of Spain, has been declared part of UNESCO’s World Heritage, and the Aljaferia in Zaragoza is one of its most flamboyant masterpieces. When it was built in the second half of the 11th century, this palace clearly displayed the magnificence of the Taifa of Zaragoza. It served as a residence, a fortified enclosure and a barracks. It currently houses the Parliament of Aragon. The palace’s interior decoration is gorgeous, with a series of delicate, refined arches.

pix: kasto80 / Getty Images Plus

Palacio de la Aljafería
Calle de los Diputados
50003 Zaragoza
+34 976 28 96 83
www.turismodearagon.com

The Seville Giralda, a perfect example of mixed construction

The architectural marriage of the Giralda, the bell tower of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the See in Seville, is immediately evident. The lower parts were built in the 12th century, when the city was the capital of the Arab-Andalusian empire, under the rule of the Almohads. Four centuries later the upper floor was added, and the mosque’s minaret became a bell tower. It is now an unspoken rule that no building should be higher than this symbol of Seville.

pix: marinzolich / Getty Images Plus

Catedral de Santa María de la Sede de Sevilla – Giralda
Av. de la Constitución
41004 Sevilla
+34 902 09 96 92
www.catedraldesevilla.es

source/content: en-vols.com / ENVOLS (headline edited)

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pic: Alhambra / Wikipedia

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SPAIN

SAUDI ARABIA: Lamya Al-Nahdi, the First Saudi International Referee in Basketball History

  • Al-Nahdi has been accredited as the first Saudi international referee in the history of basketball in the Kingdom
  • FIBA also accredited three other Saudi international basketball referees

For most teens, picking a sport to play in school relies on passion and love for a particular game; for others, choosing is a tough decision. For Lamya Al-Nahdi, opting to play basketball was not something she knew she wanted, as she had played a few different sports, but basketball resonated with her the most.

“I have been playing basketball since I was 13 years old; it is one of the unique sports that relies on speed, intelligence and teamwork. Those three elements combined really got my attention in this beautiful sport,” Al-Nahdi said.

“Basketball is not only about being healthy and sporty and all of that, it gives you so many values when it comes to teamwork, when it comes to the decision-making phase in the court, it is so much more than just a sport,” she said.

After more than ten years of devotion to the sport, Al-Nahdi has been accredited as the first Saudi international referee in the history of basketball in the Kingdom, having passed the test for becoming an international basketball referee set by the international basketball federation FIBA.

FIBA also accredited three other Saudi international basketball referees: Ahmed Hassan Al-Khamis, Abdullah Marzouq Al-Hujaili and Razen Ahmed Al-Awfi. The accreditation of the three Saudi referees follows them successfully passing the FIBA theoretical and practical exams.

“I had to go through a lot of preparation and training in basketball in the field, and also with the legislation and laws,” Al-Nahdi said.

Al-Nahdi said that becoming the first Saudi international basketball referee was both an honor and a huge responsibility.

“I am not only representing myself but also representing a beautiful sport that I grew up playing for more than ten years, so it represents the love and passion for that sport,” she said.

“And it also represents my country, religion and lots of values that I took along with me.”

While playing basketball, Al-Nahdi graduated from Dar Al-Hekma University with a human resources management degree. After graduating, Al-Nahdi worked in human resources for five years before joining her family business as a business development manager of Blooming, a female clothing brand founded by Saudi women.

Al-Nahdi being accredited as the first Saudi International referee in basketball follows the efforts made by the Saudi Sport Federation to empower Saudi women in the sport sector, particularly Saudi female referees, and to support Saudi women locally and internationally.

“Now is the time for anything, particularly in the Saudi sports industry, with the support system we have,” Al-Nahdi said.

“I am loving the focus on females playing sports, specifically basketball,” she said. “I do believe it is the number one sport when it comes to female sport, gaining much attention among Saudi females compared to other sports.”

Encouraging women to take up sport and providing job opportunities in several sports fields, including football and basketball, has allowed Saudi women to excel in professional and recreational sports.

“In my early years of playing basketball, we actually used to do it not secretly, but no one knew about us back then, compared to the attention, support and the number of basketball coaches available to train Saudi women,” Al-Nahdi said.

“Now is the time. The support structure is there, all you need to do is to believe in yourself and work hard toward your goal.”

Al-Nahdi said that believing in yourself was the first and most important step in achieving anything, the second was surrounding yourself with supportive people to help you along the way.

Her elevation as the first Saudi international referee for basketball has been welcomed enthusiastically.

The Saudi Embassy in the US tweeted: “The @FIBA has approved Lamia Fawzi Al-Nahdi as the first Saudi international referee in the history of Saudi basketball. This is the result of the efforts of the @sbfksa to empower Saudi female referees and support them locally and internationally.”

Saudi Arabia’s first female international referee for football was appointed by the FIFA in January this year, when Anoud Al-Asmari was awarded the international badge, less than a year after the Kingdom’s national women’s team made their debut.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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Lamya Al Nahdi, is the first Saudi international referee in the history of basketball in the Kingdom

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SAUDI ARABIA

EGYPT: Award-Winning Architecture Firm ‘Innovation Design Studio’ designs more than 400 Projects in 10 years

Innovation Design Studio, an award-winning architecture and design firm, has designed more than 400 projects in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Oman over the past 10 years. The company was recently awarded the A’ Design Golden Award for its design of a business district in Egypt.

Mahmoud Farouk, chief of design and co-founder of Innovation Design Studio, said the company started in 2014 with one project worth $4m. In 2023, the company is working on a project worth $400m.

Farouk added, “Our work encompasses the local market to include key regional projects in Oman and Saudi Arabia with an envisioned global expansion plan.”

Alaa Abdel Hameed, CEO and co-founder of Innovation Design Studio said the company is committed to using local materials and products.

“We believe that designers play a crucial role in directing developers’ projects towards more reliance on materials localization,” Abdel Hameed said. “This is in line with the Egyptian government’s direction of limiting importation and preserving foreign currency.”

Abdel Hameed also praised the efforts of Egyptian manufacturers in developing solutions and products that meet international standards.

“The local producers are becoming the preferred option and partner for developers and designers,” he said.

source/content: dailynewsegypt.com (headline edited)

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EGYPT

SAUDI ARABIA: Dr. Abdullah Al-Thiabi Invents Device to Relieve a potentially Life-threatening Health Condition ‘ Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)’

Dr. Abdullah Al-Thiabi claims to have developed a way of controlling the condition, known as gastroesophageal reflux disease.

A Saudi consultant specializing in the digestive system has invented a device that could provide relief for millions of people suffering with acid reflux, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

Dr. Abdullah Al-Thiabi claims to have developed a way of controlling the condition, known as gastroesophageal reflux disease.

GERD is a temporary disorder that occurs when stomach acid repeatedly flows back into the tube (esophagus) connecting the mouth and stomach. This backwash, often referred to as acid reflux, can irritate the lining of the esophagus. If left untreated it can develop into a chronic condition with severe and life-threatening implications.

Also an expert in liver conditions and endoscopy, Al-Thiabi’s procedure involves placing a specialized device underneath the esophagus — using upper gastrointestinal endoscopy — which acts as a valve, preventing the backflow of stomach fluids and acids.

The device regulates medication levels and prevents side effects, while also monitoring esophageal tissue to lower the risk of cancer of the esophagus. In addition, it allows for easy sample collection and initial evaluation before laboratory analysis.

Installation time can be as quick as 15 minutes, and the technology reduces reliance on acidity drugs, surgical procedures, and healthcare costs for both institutions and patients.

After four years of rigorous scientific work following approved standards and methodology, the King Abdullah International Medical Research Center at the Ministry of National Guard has officially registered the device with the relevant authorities.

The next step will be to obtain rights and a local patent certificate from the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property, and globally from the US Office of Innovation and Intellectual Property.

To then bring the product to market, funding from the public and private sectors will be required to support largescale commercial production, manufacturing, storage, shipping, sales, promotion, and marketing.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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Dr. Abdullah Al-Thiabi claims to have developed a way of controlling acid reflux, known as gastroesophageal reflux disease. (SPA)

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SAUDI ARABIA

MOROCCAN-BRITISH: Westminster’s First Arab Lord Mayor lauds community support. Hamza Taouzzale at 22, Creates History : Westminster City Council’s First Arab and Muslim, and Youngest, Lord Mayor.

  • Hamza Taouzzale, 22, became the youngest person to hold the office 
  • Serving as councilor offers chance to connect with people left behind by politics, he tells Arab News

At London’s Westminster City Hall, 22-year-old Hamza Taouzzale warmly welcomes us into his dynamic working environment.

The councilor made history in the political heart of the UK last year when he became Westminster City Council’s first Arab and Muslim, and youngest, lord mayor.

He introduced us to his realm of responsibilities, shedding light on the multifaceted nature of his duties. With a passionate demeanor, he delved into the rich history of Westminster and its surrounding boroughs, painting a vivid picture of inspiring local stories.

Taouzzale described his emotions upon learning of the news of his election as a mixture of nerves and excitement. Calling his mother, he recalled her shock, as well as the astonishment of his entire family.

“But for me, it was that pride and that representation to understand that I was going to be the first Muslim, the first person from a minority ethnicity and the youngest ever at the age of 22 to become lord mayor of Westminster,” Taouzzale added.

The role, which he held until earlier this year, involves acting as a community representative, offering a chance to connect with those who may feel disconnected from local politics and decision-making.

Taouzzale emphasized his commitment to engaging with various segments of the community, including schools, youth clubs and care homes, highlighting the need to meet the demands of locals.

Growing up on the nearby Lisson Green Estate, the 22-year-old acknowledged the importance of community support in his journey.

He recalled his initiation into politics at the age of 16, when a youth leader, Tariq, encouraged him to join the local Youth Council.

From there, Taouzzale was elected as a youth MP. That position paved the way for him to later become a Westminster City councilor.

The journey, guided by mentors and a desire to make a positive change, led to his eventual appointment as lord mayor of Westminster in May 2022.

As the first Muslim and Arab in the position, Taouzzale described his background as having provided representation to local communities. He underestimated the impact he would have globally, but gradually realized the importance of his role as a symbol of empowerment and inspiration, especially for young people.

He said: “I had people in my first week from countries I’ve never been to in the Middle East message me on Facebook: ‘I’m so, so proud of you,’ ‘This is brilliant,’ ‘Masha Allah.’

“That sort of pushed me to understand who I was representing. I wasn’t representing just Westminster; I wasn’t representing just my community. I was representing all those people who had never done something that I had been able to do, as a present in the Arab world, the Muslim world,” Taouzzale added.

Through his work, the councilor hopes to encourage others, especially young people, to see the possibilities that lie ahead. He wants to leave a legacy that motivates people to believe that, like him, they too can overcome challenges.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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Hamza Taouzzale, describing his political journey to Arab News at Westminster City Hall in London, United Kingdom. (AN Photo)

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BRITISH / MOROCCAN

ARABS ORAL HISTORY: Oral History, Which Records Once-Silenced Voices, Gains Ground in the Arab World

Oral history, which is gradually taking hold as an academic discipline, captures potentially hidden corners of the historical record by listening to those whose voices might otherwise have been ignored.

“Oral history provides a big challenge to the people who are powerful, including historians, who think that they should get to decide whose stories are being told and what counts as evidence,” says Wesley Hogan, director of the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University, in the United States, perhaps the best-established academic institute in the discipline.

In the Arab world, where official histories often reflect political viewpoints, oral history has taken on an increasingly important role, scholars say. Rosemary Sayigh, a retired faculty member at the American University of Beirut who has used oral history to record the stories of dispossessed Palestinians, says oral history has particular value in recording the status and experiences of women, agricultural and industrial workers, linguistic minorities, colonized societies, immigrants, refugees, and gypsies.

“The most powerful thing oral history does is force the researcher to look the subject in the eye—forcing the historian to be an ethnographer, actually sitting face to face with the narrator, listening to their voice and sensing their emotions and body language,” says Hana Sleiman, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Cambridge and manager of a Palestinian Oral History Archive at the American University of Beirut. “It puts you in contact with the entire life narrative.”

The U.S.-based Oral History Association describes the field as gathering, preserving, and interpreting the narratives of people, communities, and participants in past events. The discipline is the oldest form of documenting history, dating back to times when sharing stories was the only form of creating a historical record. At the same time, it is one of the most modern means of documenting history, expanding with the use of tape recorders.

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“The most powerful thing oral history does is force the researcher to look the subject in the eye—forcing the historian to be an ethnographer, actually sitting face to face with the narrator, listening to their voice and sensing their emotions.”Hana Sleiman
Manager of the Palestinian Oral History Archive at the American University of Beirut

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Oral history as an academic sub-discipline was first established in the mid-1960s. “For a long time in the 1940s and 1950s, there was just not enough access to equipment,” says Hogan, at Duke. “We did not have access to portable tape recorders until 1963.”

One of the earliest uses of oral history by scholars was at Spelman College, a historically black institution for women in Atlanta, Georgia. Academics would take portable tape recorders to civil-rights movement meetings in the mid-1960s to record discussions and interview participants. Despite the clear value of having such on-the-spot recordings, many historians at the time viewed them with suspicion.

“Even though historians started to use [portable tape recorders] in the early ’60s, most history departments only started to admit oral history as evidence in the late 1970s, so it took a very long time for historians to be willing to accept oral history as evidence, comparable to evidence material, such as journals or written documentation,” added Hogan.

Oral History and Palestinians

Perhaps the event that has been the most documented by oral historians in the Arab world is the Palestinian Nakba. The 1948 Palestinian exodus, also known as the Nakba, occurred when more than 700,000 Palestinians—which was then more than half of the Palestinian population—were displaced from their homeland by the creation of Israel.

Much of that work has been collected by the Palestinian Oral History Archive, launched in June at the American University of Beirut. The archive contains more than 1,000 hours of video and tape-recorded interviews with Palestinians, made available to the public through a digital archive. Some of the interviews are available on the Internet.

Sleiman, the archive manager, says it “offers a push back in the face of the destruction of the villages and the attempts at erasing the records, and captures an entirely different layer of history that is not captured by written archives, including the most intimate texture of human life.” The collection includes folktales, songs, and the stories of the Palestinian refugees who fled to Lebanon.

Even Palestinian national cultural institutions have been slow to record Nakba experiences, but individual scholars and activists have moved in to fill the gap, says Sayigh.

“History is often written by the victors, and the story of the Nakba has been presented through the accounts of the Zionists and the colonial regimes,” said Lena Jayyusi, a professor emeritus at Zayed University.

“The details of the massacres and how civilians were forced out of their homes [during the Nakba] are very important to understand what happened; a general idea is not enough to build a foundation for the continuity and the remembrance of a certain community,” added Jayyusi.

Jayyusi also said oral history was important to “reconstruct Palestinian life before the Nakba: the social life, the religious life, the relationships between the people.”

Rising Respect for Oral History

Technological advances in managing sound and video files have made oral historians’ lives easier lately and increased the power of the discipline. Scholars can now more easily archive and index sound and video files, search files for particular speakers, and label emotions, as pointed out on the Oral History and Technology website.

Also, the average citizen now has easy access to powerful oral-history tools. “In a world where many people have access to a smartphone and an app that can record, and where data storage is cheap, we have increasing access to creating oral history archives,” says Hogan. “The more information we have from everyday people, people who are on the margins, the more we can understand societies, especially the ones in rapid transition.”

Many resources on the web, such as the International Oral History Organization, are also increasingly providing instructions and encouraging people to start their own oral history projects, filling a gap because universities do not often offer such courses. Archiving social media history is an important complement to oral history, scholars say, especially in societies where governments might delete what is now online.

Oral History and Academia

Oral history, just like any other qualitative research methodology, must be conducted with a critical eye, scholars say. Much of oral history relies on memory and a lot of subjectivity comes into play.

“People’s ideas and perceptions are reflected in oral history, and researchers should be aware of that,” explained Jayyusi.

Jayyusi said that no methodology is straightforward and objective, and researchers must be critical even when dealing with numbers. Methodologies must be triangulated, compared, and assessed, before producing a final report.

If oral history catches on with younger scholars, who fan out and capture the stories of today’s refugees and others whose stories are not being chronicled well in official channels, those scholars will be creating an evidence-rich gift for future historians.

source/content: al-fanarmedia.org (headline edited)

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An old man and a young girl were made refugees by the Arab-Israeli war of 1948. Experiences like theirs are being recorded by oral historians, so the story is not told only by the victors (Photo: Creative Commons).

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ARABS

ARABIC LANGUAGE: World Celebrates Arabic, ‘The Language of Poetry and the Arts’

  • UNESCO chooses theme for World Arabic Language Day 2023 
  • Arabic is one of the most widely spoken languages, used daily by more than 400m people

Language is a main pillar of any society, and a driving force for connecting communities. As one of the six official languages in the UN, and one of the most spoken languages globally, Arabic is an incubator of culture, science and knowledge.

It is also one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, used daily by more than 400 million people.

World Arabic Language Day has been celebrated by UNESCO every year on Dec. 18 since 2012, the date coinciding with the day in 1973 that the UN General Assembly adopted Arabic as the sixth official language.

UNESCO recently chose “Arabic — the Language of Poetry and Arts” as the theme of World Arabic Language Day 2023 to highlight the role Arabic has played in poetry and art for centuries.

Experts told Arab News that Arabic has many characteristics and aesthetic values, both in written text and spoken discourse.

“Arabic language is very closely linked to the arts, literature and various cultural styles, from poetry to prose, to the rest of the literary genres, such as the story, the novel, the narrative, and poems in various artistic and scientific fields,” Mohammed Alfrih, a member of the board of directors of the Saudi ‎Publishers Association, said.

“We can hardly find another language that mimics the Arabic language in its elegance and its different expressive ability, and it is not surprising that non-native speakers confirmed that, let alone its native speakers,” he said.

Yousef Rabab’ah, a professor of Arabic language and literature at ‎Jordan’s Philadelphia University, said: “The Arabic language is characterized by features and characteristics in derivation, vocabulary, and idiomatic expressions that make it able to keep pace with developments in various fields, and this is proven objectively.” 

Rabab’ah‎, who is editor-in-chief of Afkar Magazine, which is published by the Jordanian Ministry of Culture, said: “The Arabic language has been able throughout its history to influence many arts related to it, for example the arts of decoration, in which the Arabic calligraphy was essential in its formation. Artists were able to adapt the Arabic letters and Arabic calligraphy to produce artistic paintings and beautiful decorations that we see in places of worship, the walls of castles, palaces, and on the covers of books.

“Likewise, Arab voices, and the way they are performed and controlled, have a great role in the arts of singing, music and mirth, and we will not forget the plastic arts that adopt the formations of Arabic calligraphy which enter into the drawings of this type of art,” he said.

According to Hanan ‎Al-Sharnouby, assistant professor of literature and criticism at Alexandria University, the Arabic language has a profound association with various forms of arts, and it is necessary for those seeking to engage in linguistic arts and speech sciences to master the language.

Al-Sharnouby noted that language and art are interconnected, influencing each other. She emphasized that quality content for films, series, and theater necessitates a language that reflects Arab identity effectively and that the rich heritage of Arabic serves as a solid foundation for sophisticated art that fully engages its audience. 

Mohammed Daud, a professor of Arabic language and dean of the ‎Faculty of Linguistics at Sudan University of Science and Technology,‎ said: “There are formative and structural characteristics common to natural human languages, in addition to what is specific to each language.

“The Arabic language is distinguished by these formative and structural characteristics without the rest of the languages. It is represented by the fact that Arabic is concerned with the aesthetic values in the written text and spoken discourse, taking into account the semantic differences between words that appear synonymous in different structural contexts, which enabled it to express the same meaning in different ways and with amazing accuracy.

“This is reflected in its illustrative styles and its individual and collective creative arts, and applies to the ways of thinking of its speakers in their keenness to portray the details of artistic situations and the integrity of their creative production,” he said.

Daud said that the future of the Arabic language is bright due to the stability of its morphological, grammatical and semantic systems, and its ability to derive words and generate meanings through these means.

Tha’er Alethari, a professor of criticism and literature at University of Wasit in Iraq, said: “It is important to realize that Arabic is the only language in the world that has been understood for 2,000 continuous years.

“We read pre-Islamic poetry, understand it, and perhaps quote it on a contemporary issue, and this communication has given the language vitality and the ability to adapt to every era.

“There are two linguistic characteristics that helped it in this, the first of which is the abundance of linguistic roots in it, and the second is its etymological nature. Arabic does not depend on antecedents and suffixes in generating connotations, as is the case with most human languages. subject, noun, adverbs, etc,” he said.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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World Arabic Language Day has been celebrated by UNESCO every year on Dec. 18 since 2012. (Reuters)

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ARABIC LANGUAGE

SAUDI ARABIA: How the ‘Saudi Pro League’ became the Football World’s Biggest Story

  • Saudi football, not to mention Middle Eastern and Asian teams in general, will be seismic in the years ahead
  • Global interest in the league has skyrocketed, with broadcasters DAZN, Canal Goat and LA7 jumping on board

 Cristiano Ronaldo raised a few eyebrows when, only months into his move to Al-Nassr, he predicted the Saudi Pro League would be one of the top five in the world within a few years. Recent developments have shown his remarks to be right on the mark.

“(The) Saudi league is getting better and the next year will be even better,” he told Saudi sports channel SSC toward the end of last season.

“Step-by-step, I think this league will be among the top five leagues in the world but they need time, players and infrastructure. But I believe that this country has amazing potential, they have amazing people and the league will be great, in my opinion.”

It is a view he has since repeated with confidence and, each time he does so, his belief looks more and more justified and accurate.

On July 18, while in Spain with his Al-Nassr teammates for their preseason training camp, Ronaldo doubled down on his comments. He committed to his Saudi adventure and dismissed many European leagues — and America’s Major League Soccer, the new home of his rival, Lionel Messi — in one fell swoop.

“Europe has lost a lot of quality,” he said. “The only one that is one of the best is the (English) Premier League. It’s way ahead of all the other leagues from my point of view.

“The Spanish league lost its level, the Portuguese one is not a top one, the German has also lost a lot of quality. The USA? No, the Saudi championship is much better than the USA.”

Given the number of major recent signings of top international stars by Saudi Arabia’s leading clubs during the summer transfer window, Ronaldo’s estimate of a “few years” could well be accelerated.

Some of the big moves to the Kingdom from Europe are worth highlighting: Karim Benzema from Real Madrid to Al-Ittihad; Sadio Mane from Bayern Munich to Al-Nassr; Riyadh Mahrez from Manchester City to Al-Ahli; N’Golo Kante from Chelsea to Al-Ittihad; Reuben Neves from Wolves to Al-Hilal; Sergej Milinkovic-Savic from Lazio to Al-Hilal; and the trio of Fabinho, Roberto Firmino and Jordan Henderson from Liverpool to Al-Ittihad, Al-Ahli and Al-Ettifaq respectively.

There are many more, as the number of players signing from abroad seemingly grows by the day.

What has taken place is nothing short of a revolution in Saudi football. It is comfortably the biggest story in the football world, following the unprecedented summer 2023 transfer window.

Of course, there were already many standout past and current foreign players in the Saudi Pro League over the past few years. The likes of Bafetimbi Gomis at Al-Hilal, Talisca at Al-Nassr and Abderrazak Hamdallah at Al-Ittihad, to name just a few, have all been hugely successful in the SPL, not to mention popular with the fans.

But Ronaldo’s arrival in Riyadh on Dec. 31, 2022, redefined the Saudi Pro League. Once dismissed as a mere rumor, his move to Al-Nassr — after being released by Manchester United — changed perceptions of Saudi domestic football overnight. Coming shortly after the Kingdom’s historic 2-1 win over Argentina at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, it showed that the Kingdom had to be taken seriously.

Suddenly, other players began to take notice, as did the fans and the international media. The knock-on effects since then have been astonishing. Saudi Arabia’s top clubs, having been privatized and backed financially by the country’s Public Investment Fund, can now afford to pick off players at the peak of their careers from some of the biggest, and richest, clubs in the world.

Global interest in the league, which is also known as the Roshn Saudi League, has already skyrocketed, with international broadcasters also jumping on board. They include live sports streaming service DAZN, which has the exclusive rights to show games in the UK, YouTube channel Canal Goat, which will screen matches in Brazil, and free-to-air channel LA7 in Italy, according sources.

DAZN is set to stream three matches each week, beginning with Friday’s season opener between newly promoted clubs Al-Ahli and Al-Hazm. Sky Sports had picked up the UK digital broadcast rights to the Saudi top flight halfway through last season, but DAZN was the first to commit to a whole season.

No doubt the effects of all these developments on the future of Saudi football, not to mention that of Middle Eastern and Asian football in general, will be seismic in the season and years ahead. But amid the excitement and euphoria, there are serious issues that need to be addressed.

While the wider picture is clearly positive, and is already ensuring the SPL is a league to be reckoned with, the future of football in the Kingdom will have to be managed carefully and strategically to ensure the overall health of the game is maintained for the benefit of the clubs, the national team and the nurturing of young Saudi talent.

The rate of signings in recent weeks has been relentless and has raised questions as to when the spending spree will end. Officially, the Saudi transfer window closes on Sept. 7, a week after the one in Europe. This has caused concern among clubs, particularly those in the English Premier League, who worry they might lose more players during that overlapping period with no opportunity to replace them.

Beyond this summer’s immediate deadline, however, things will remain somewhat open-ended in terms of outgoing and incoming players, although an obvious end point for some clubs would be when they fill their full quotas for foreign players.

Another area of debate surrounds how this strengthening of the elite clubs will affect some of the league’s smaller teams. This concern was recently addressed by authorities, who said targeted projects will be supported if and when they are implemented for clubs outside the big five.

Then there is the worry that the influx of foreign players will adversely affect the development and progress of young Saudi talent, along with the careers of established local players.

The SPL and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation have moved to allay those fears by formulating a strategy designed to drive competitiveness on and off the pitch. New regulations are being rolled out, designed to increase playing time for young Saudi players. They include a reduction in the age of eligibility from 18 to 16, and a requirement for squads to include 25 senior players and 10 under the age 21 beginning with the 2025-26 season.

It is a policy that Al-Ettifaq coach Steven Gerrard and new signing Jordan Henderson — two former Liverpool captains — have thrown their support behind by committing to help efforts to nurture the next generation of Saudi footballing talent.

“At Ettifaq we have a lot of promising young talent who have a bright future,” said Gerrard. “And I am really proud to be the coach of the team. Hopefully I can help support these players and help develop them into better players in the future.”

For now, there is no denting the sense of optimism and positivity sweeping through Saudi football. For fans of the SPL, old and new, the 2023-24 season’s big kick-off on Friday cannot come soon enough.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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SAUDI ARABIA

SAUDI ARABIA Releases More than 1,500 Endangered Animals in AlUla

This winter five-phase release includes about 650 Arabian gazelles, 550 sand gazelles, 280 Arabian oryx and 100 Nubian ibex.

More than 1,500 endangered animals will be released in AlUla as part of the Royal Commission for AlUla’s mission to reintroduce native species into their natural habitats.

The animals will be released across three of AlUla’s nature reserves: Sharaan, Wadi Nakhlah and Al-Gharameel.

This winter five-phase release includes about 650 Arabian gazelles, 550 sand gazelles, 280 Arabian oryx and 100 Nubian ibex. The first phase, on Jan. 10, saw the release of about 80 animals. The species were sourced from respected conservation facilities in the Kingdom and UAE.

Stephen Browne, wildlife and natural heritage executive director of the Royal Commission for AlUla, said: “We are a growing player in conservation through biodiversity initiatives including species reintroduction, habitat restoration, protected area management and Arabian leopard conservation. RCU’s conservation and restoration initiatives are successfully moving forward in the revitalization of AlUla’s natural habitat — and one day we will reintroduce the Arabian leopard back to the wilds of AlUla.”

The reintroduction of the Arabian leopard, an apex predator classed as critically endangered, would serve as a capstone on the regeneration of the reserve. The reintroduction is targeted for 2030.

Monitoring of the newly released animals will be carried out with SMART software analysis tools, camera trapping and satellite tracking collars. It is the first time that the lightweight, solar-powered collars will be used for ungulate species in the region. RCU has conducted extensive genetic and physical screening of the animals to ensure their fitness for release into the wild.

The new release is by far the largest since RCU’s reintroduction program began in 2019. Animal reintroduction enriches RCU’s ambitious plan to activate six nature reserves while regenerating AlUla as a leading global destination for cultural and natural heritage.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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The animals will be released across three of AlUla’s nature reserves: Sharaan, Wadi Nakhlah and Al-Gharameel. (Supplied)

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SAUDI ARABIA

KUWAIT: 5 Inspiring Women – Alanoud Alsharekh, Ascia Al Faraj, Shayma Shamo, Lulu Alaslawi & Lulwa Al-Qatami

Recently, Kuwait has taken concrete steps towards women’s empowerment and gender equality. This progress is largely due to the political, cultural and social commitment of pioneering women who have helped to change things. A fight that continues, especially to denounce sexual harassment and demand more protection. Discover the portraits of 5 inspiring women from Kuwait.

1 – Alanoud Alsharekh

Alanoud Alsharek is an academic researcher and activist in the fields of youth and gender demographics, GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) security, bicultural trends and feminism in the Arab world. She is, in fact, a strong advocate for women and their rights, and does not hesitate to speak on this topic through conferences and debates. In 2016, she was named Knight of the National Order of Merit by the French government, for her contribution to the improvement of women’s lives in Kuwait and the region.

2 – Ascia Al Faraj

Famous fashion blogger, ex-model and influencer with 2.5 million followers on Instagram, Ascia Al Faraj is behind the Me too movement in Kuwait. In February 2021, the young woman spontaneously published a video face to face with the camera where she expressed her anger. “Every time I go out, there is someone harassing me or another woman on the street! Don’t you feel ashamed? We have a harassment problem in this country and I’m sick of it!” she exclaims. The video then triggers a wave of testimonies. Dozens of women tell, in turn, how they are harassed and assaulted on a daily basis.

3 – Shayma Shamo

A few days after the video post of Ascia Al Faraj, the young doctor Shayma Shamo brings her support by creating the Instagram account “Lan Asket” (“I will not be silent”, in French). Messages from victims are pouring in and the word is getting out about verbal, physical and sexual harassment. “We must express ourselves, unite and defend each other because what is happening is unacceptable,” she told AFP. The page now has more than 15,000 subscribers.

4 – Lulu Alaslawi

Another inspiring woman from Kuwait to speak out against violence against women is fashion and lifestyle influencer Lulu Alaslawi. A media figure with more than 400,000 followers on her page, the Kuwaiti breaks the silence by denouncing the bullying she faces for her fashion photos. “The girls do not speak for fear of being stigmatized. But we won’t stop until we defeat this cancer in society,” she says.

5 – Lulwa Al-Qatami

Known for being the first Kuwaiti woman to go to England for university studies in 1953, Lulwa Al-Qatami has had a remarkable career since then. A former director of Kuwait University and UNESCO ambassador, she was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005. Most recently, in 2019, Lulwa Al-Qatami was awarded the Legion of Honor for her commitment to education and women’s empowerment.

source/content: kawa-news.com (headline edited)

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KUWAIT