Tag: Records of Saudi Arabia

SAUDI ARABIAN Students Win 41 Medals in ‘Geneva Invention Awards’ at the 48th Geneva International Exhibition of Invention

Students of King Abdulaziz University won 41 medals during their participation in the 48th Geneva International Exhibition of Inventions.

The recently concluded exhibition saw 825 exhibitors from 44 countries take part with more than 1,000 inventions.

The head of innovation at the university, Dr. Iqbal Ismail, told Arab News: “Other Saudi universities are also participating. However, the participation of King Abdulaziz University at this exhibition is the largest and has been ongoing since 2016.”

Dr. Hana Al-Naim, acting president of the university, praised the achievements of the university’s male and female students, which have contributed both to the community and the Kingdom’s ranking, regionally and globally, in the field of creativity and innovation.

The students came from the university’s various colleges including departments of medicine, engineering, information technology and nursing.  

Rahaf Alem and Raghad Al-Jundi won the International Federation of Inventors Association Award for the invention of a laser blood disease detector, also winning the gold medal.

A special prize from Taiwan was awarded to student Faisal Al-Subaie for inventing a cistern made from palm fronds to provide irrigation water.

Ahmed Al-Zahrani, Saleh Bakraa, Marwan Al-Jadaani, and Mohammed Al-Khamis also won the special award for their automated diagnostic platform.

The silver medal was awarded to Duaa Al-Shabani, Lama Al-Jelani, Gaitha Al-Khatami, Emtinan Yamani, and Hadeel Al-Lazori for their invention of an antimicrobial agent for dialysis patients.

Several Saudi inventions received the bronze medal. Safwan Hashim and Abdullah Abu Thyab won it for their renewable-energy car umbrella and Abdullah Al-Khotami for his work on protective glasses that shield wearers from thermal diseases.

Hala Mogarbel, Shahad Asiri, and Shatha Al-Sulami won the bronze medal for their urinary catheter holder invention.

Dina Al-Shibeeni, Marwa Bakour, and Hind Al-Rashid also won the bronze medal for the invention of an artificial intelligence gardening system.

The invention of a bedsore-proof bed earned Bateel Bajamal, Rena Al-Qahtani, Joud Hakami, Asmaa Bahmeed, and Shahad Al-Nahdi the bronze medal.

Shathar Al-Shabak, Jumana Al-Madhoun, Njoud Al-Ghamdi, and Raneem Saati were also awarded for their invention of “Minqath,” a drowning warning system.

Finally, Sumayah Baamer, Raniya Baksh, Rahaf Al-Saeed, and Deema Majashi won the bronze medal for school environment safety measures using artificial intelligence.

Ismail said: “There is no doubt that such student participation will have a great impact on raising a generation that thinks and researches in a scientific way and develops appropriate solutions to the problems facing the…community.”

He added that the exhibition constitutes an important opportunity to transform inventions into products that can be manufactured and marketed inside and outside the Kingdom.

Al-Naim will honor the exhibition’s winning students in a ceremony on Wednesday.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

SAUDI ARABIA: Dr. Jalees Razavi Wins Prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award from American College of Occupational & Environmental Medicine’ USA. History Made by being the First Physician from Saudi Arabia and First Physician from Arab World to be Honoured

  • Dr. Jalees Razavi is first physician from Kingdom, Arab world to be honored
  • Prize presented by American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

A Saudi doctor has been presented with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement in OEM Award by the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

Dr. Jalees Razavi is the first Saudi, and Arab, to have been honored with the prize and also the first person from outside North America.

The award, which was created in 1938 by William S. Knudsen, then president of General Motors, recognizes doctors who have made a distinguished contribution to occupational and environmental medicine.

“Never in my wildest dream did I think that I would ever be nominated, let alone win it, Razavi told Arab News.

“I Googled the award and was speechless, as the luminaries who have won this award in the past consist of the who’s who of the specialty, such as C. Everett Koop, the 13th surgeon general of the US, and the father of modern occupational medicine in Canada, Ernest Mastromatteo in 1987.”

Saudi Arabia has many world-class medical researchers. Many Saudis have already proven to the world that they are hardworking, capable, ethical and goal-oriented professionals. I hope that this award willinspire the next generations ofSaudi professionals to continue to workhardand aim higher.

Dr.Jalees Razavi, Saudi physician

Based in Canada, Razavi has been a pioneer in the field of occupational and environmental medicine in Saudi Arabia and across the Middle East, and has chaired many symposiums, conferences and technical workshops.

“I think (receiving the award) is the combination of my active clinical work, unyielding commitment to the health and safety of the workforce and teaching,” he said.

At the award ceremony, Razavi was praised for his work as head of occupational medicine and later as chief of preventive medicine at Saudi Aramco, where he led on a number of environmental health campaigns.

“During my work as the executive medical director for Imperial Oil Ltd., Canada and ExxonMobil I worked on the slogan I introduced: ‘Having a Healthy Career,’” he said.

Razavi said occupational and environmental medicine was the field that dealt with the relationship between work and people’s physical and mental health.

“Without enough physicians, the gap is filled by professionals who will not have the skill sets required to address worker health needs. This ultimately impacts the health of workers and even their safety, depending on their job. I don’t think that there is a global solution, nor is it something that can be solved alone.

“Instead, governments, industries, unions, workers, medical schools, regulatory bodies and others should come together to determine how to arrive at an adequate number of specialists to meet population needs and maintain worker health.”

He also suggested incorporating OEM courses in undergraduate medical education and postgraduate residency training in order to grow interest and awareness in the speciality.

“Over the past 20 or more years, planetary health, global warming, greenhouse effect and climate change became global challenges. The occupational medicine specialists were quick to recognize the need for addressing the environmental medicine need,” Razavi said.

“The postgraduate programs in occupational medicine at the Universities of Toronto, Alberta and Montreal, for example, over the last many years have expanded their training curriculum to include environmental medicine.

“I expanded my practice for heat- and cold-related diseases and injuries, migrant and remote workers heath, and I also consult on disaster responses, because what happens in one corner of the world can impact the rest within hours, such as with COVID-19 or catastrophes such as Fukushima or Chernobyl.”

Different from clinical medicine, OEM evaluates and addresses whether certain illnesses are caused by a specific workplace exposure and evaluates risk, toxicology, injuries management and prevention.

“For example, we may diagnose diabetes in the workplace during routine screening. We don’t actively treat the condition, but assess and manage the impact of the disease on the worker’s health at work, and his or her safety in the workplace,” Razavi said.

He said he was proud to be the first Saudi to win the award.

“Saudi Arabia has many world class medical researchers. Many Saudis have already proven to the world that they are hardworking, capable, ethical and goal-oriented professionals. I hope that this award will inspire the next generations of Saudi professionals to continue to work hard and aim higher.”

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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SAUDI ARABIA

SAUDI ARABIA to Launch Largest Radio Telescope in Middle East

Project to be located at astronomical observatory in Hail’s Mashar National Park.

 The Saudi Amateur Radio Society is preparing to launch the largest radio telescope in the Middle East, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday. 

Construction on the 20-meter diameter device is done and tests will be conducted before it is linked to the radio telescope system developed at universities. 

The radio telescope will be sited at the astronomical observatory in Mashar National Park.

Prince Badr bin Fahd, the president of the association, said the project was in line with Saudi Vision 2030 goals of sustainable development, digital transformation and attracting investments in the fields of technology and innovation.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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Construction on the 20-meter diameter device is done and tests will be conducted before it is linked to the radio telescope system. (File/AFP)

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SAUDI ARABIA

SAUDI ARABIA: Dr. Mohammed bin Yahya Al-Sayel, Member of the UN’s Global Geospatial Knowledge and Innovation Center (UN-GGKIC)

Mohammed bin Yahya Al-Sayel has been appointed to become a member of the UN’s Global Geospatial Knowledge and Innovation Center following a royal decree on April 16.

The UN-GGKIC aims to build geospatial capabilities and competencies at the global level, develop centers of knowledge and innovation in countries, and benefit from the mechanisms, techniques, and analysis used in the field of geospatial information.

The center is working on implementing the Integrated Geospatial Information Framework to improve and strengthen work on managing national geospatial information for achieving sustainable development goals.

Al-Sayel has been the regional coordinator for Arab countries at the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing since January.

Al-Sayel, who has also been the president of the Kingdom’s General Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information since 2021, was nominated for his new position by the board of directors at the ISPRS.

The general authority is mandated with developing national capacities in the sector, in cooperation with universities and specialized institutes with its counterparts in other countries, international bodies, and organizations related to the sector.

The ISPRS is a non-governmental organization devoted to the development of international cooperation for the advancement of photogrammetry, remote sensing, and their applications.

Al-Sayel received a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering in 1984 from Roger Williams University, Rhode Island, US. He also received a high diploma in geodesy and map production from the Royal School of Military Survey.

He was granted a master’s degree in geomatics in 1994 from the University of Toronto, Canada, and obtained a doctorate in surveying engineering and geospatial information from Leibniz University Hannover, Germany.

Al-Sayel has taken a number of advanced training courses on geographic information and global positioning systems. He has attended several training courses on negotiations and boundary delimitation at Durham University in the UK.

Al-Sayel, who is both the CEO of Quality Geospatial Engineering Co. and Vision Intelligence, a digital sustainability solution-providing company, has risen in the military to the rank of major general and was an assistant director at the General Directorate of Military Survey. He was also the head of the boundaries and documents department.

He is the secretary-general of the Cooperative Society of Moringa and Desert Plants, one of the first Saudi cooperative societies aiming at increasing the country’s vegetation.

Al-Sayel is a consultant member of the Saudi Council of Engineers and a member of the American Imaging and Geospatial Information Society, and the ISPRS.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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Mohammed bin Yahya Al-Sayel

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SAUDI ARABIA

SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi Girls Shine at European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad 2023

  • The EGMO is an international competition in mathematics targeting female high school students whose commitment to mathematics goes beyond the usual school curriculum
  • To participate at the EGMO, students must qualify first at a national competition, after which they, together with their advisors, form their respective national delegations

Two Saudi girls have achieved advanced positions in the European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad 2023, which is being held in Slovenia from April 13-19.

The EGMO is an international competition in mathematics targeting female high school students whose commitment to mathematics goes beyond the usual school curriculum.

To participate at the EGMO, students must qualify first at a national competition, after which they, together with their advisors, form their respective national delegations.

“Saudi Arabia, represented by King Abdulaziz and his Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba) and the Ministry of Education won two medals in the EGMO 2023 in Slovenia,” Mawhiba tweeted on Tuesday.

The young talents have raised Saudi Arabia’s medal tally to 26 in all editions of the EGMO, in which 213 students representing 55 countries are currently participating.

Saudi students Jana Ali Saad Al-Dosar from the Eastern Region and Fatimah Hassan Mohammed Bu Ali from Al-Ahsa won a bronze medal and a certificate of appreciation, respectively.

Mawhiba’s Secretary-General Dr. Amal bint Abdullah Al-Hazzaa congratulated the winners and expressed gratitude to King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for their support of higher education, which led to these achievements.

Al-Hazzaa noted that the students’ successes embody the integration between Kingdom’s institutions and its commitment to advancing young talents through education and training in line with international standards.

She also praised the cooperation between Mawhiba, the Ministry of Education, and the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, a partnership that aims to develop Saudi human capital and increase competitiveness in the labor market in line with the National Transformation Program and Saudi Vision 2030.

The Saudi girls participating in the EGMO 2023 have undergone intensive training to develop their scientific skills and were nominated to participate based on the results they achieved in the training forums held by Mawhiba.

The EGMO was initially launched in the UK, which hosted its first edition in April 2012 with 19 participating countries.

The international competition aims to motivate more female students to participate in the International Mathematical Olympiad, where girls currently constitute only 10 percent of the participating students.

This is Saudi Arabia’s 11th participation in the EGMO. The Kingdom has achieved two gold medals, six silver medals, 12 bronze medals, and six certificates of appreciation.

The EGMO 2023 awards are scheduled to be distributed on Wednesday during a final ceremony.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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Fatimah Hassan Mohammed Bu Ali and Jana Ali Saad Al-Dosar. (Twitter/Mawhiba)

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SAUDI ARABIA

SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi Swimmer Mariam Saleh Binladen Sets New Women’s World Record for Red Sea Crossing

Mariam Saleh Binladen took just four hours to make the crossing from the Saudi island of Tiran to the Egyptian resort of Sharm El-Sheikh.

A Saudi dentist and endurance swimmer has set a new women’s world record time for swimming across the Red Sea.

Mariam Saleh Binladen took just four hours to make the crossing from the Saudi island of Tiran to the Egyptian resort of Sharm El-Sheikh.

She was accompanied in the water on her 9-kilometer swim by Lewis Pugh, a British South African endurance swimmer and UN patron of the oceans.

Pugh was on the first leg of his campaign to raise awareness about the destruction of oceans and coral reefs in the run up to the 2022 UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) due to take place in Sharm El-Sheikh next month.

Binladen told Arab News: “During the final moments of the swim, I felt elated, a sense of jubilation, and blessed to have achieved my goal with my body intact.

“I had concerns before embarking on the swim, namely the weather conditions and sharks. As the last moments approached, I thanked Allah that the team had made it safe and sound through what were quite hazardous conditions.”

Due to high winds and rough seas the swim had to be staggered over two days.

She said: “We completed the swim in two segments and fed less often to minimize the risk of shark attacks. I would say that the most challenging aspect was at the midway point when the sea became very turbulent.

“We had also agreed to swim without protective cages, so those sharks were always at the back of our minds.”

Binladen has been involved in open water endurance swimming professionally since 2012.

“I train hard at least three times a week. Over my weekends, I alternate between four to six hours of swims to maintain momentum. I maintain a dedicated fitness regime, and I keep to a physically gruelling schedule when I am preparing for a challenge,” she added.

Her first major world record-breaking swim was in London’s River Thames in 2016, but she pointed out that the Red Sea attempt was for a greater cause.

“I agreed to join this challenge as the cause is near to my heart. These challenges are not for the faint of heart; you really need to be disciplined with your training and build up your physical and mental strength. Those two things are what will keep you going and be the key to success,” she said.

Long-distance swimming, she noted, was physically and mentally challenging and it was only with the support of a sports counsellor and her family that she was able to prepare herself.

“We sift through any fears and concerns together. I cannot stress enough how important it is to always work with professionals and to surround yourself with the right people.

“I’m blessed to also have the support and reassurance of a loving family without whom I could never have embarked on this journey,” she added.

Binladen’s charitable work has included offering support to refugees.

She said: “I am primed and physically and mentally prepared to take on my next challenge.

“In terms of the future, I will continue to use my challenges to raise awareness of issues that concern me, my philanthropic work is ongoing, and I have my career, and I am very busy.”

She now has five world records to her name, including being the first Arab to complete the Dardanelles Strait open water race in Turkey from Asia to Europe, in August 2015, completing the 6.5-km distance in one hour, 27 minutes, and 26 seconds.

In September 2016, she became the first Saudi to complete an assisted swim across the English Channel of 39.7 km, a feat she did in 11 hours and 41 minutes.

And she was also the first swimmer to cross the Dubai Creek and Dubai Water Canal, clocking up a total distance of 24 km in nine hours and 10 minutes.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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Saudi dentist and endurance swimmer Maryam Saleh Binladen. (Supplied)

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SAUDI ARABIA

UAE holds the Highest Number of Guinness World Records followed by Saudi Arabia and Egypt across Mena

Dubai – Dubai is the also the most record-breaking city not just within the country but also across the Mena region.

The UAE is far ahead in achieving the Guinness World Records regionally as the country boasts 425 GWRs with 34 of them were achieved in 2020 alone.

Dubai is the also the most record-breaking city not just within the country but also across the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region.

“The UAE is currently home to 425 Guinness World Records titles, making it the biggest record-breaking country in the Mena region… Dubai has the lion share of titles in the country with around 60 per cent of the overall number,” said Danny Hickson, senior events production manager at Guinness World Records Ltd in Dubai.

Global Village, a multicultural family entertainment destination, achieved two records in November alone. The first record was set by having the most LED lights ever on a car. The vehicle had 36,676 LED lights. The feat began two weeks ago as the park achieved the record for the most videos in a music medley video following the Rockin’1000 Season 25 opening concert.

Global Village aims to break 25 records this season as part of its Silver Jubilee anniversary celebrations.

Emirati shipbuilder Obaid Jumaa bin Majid Al Falasi also made it into the history by building the world’s largest dhow, a wooden Arabic boat, measuring 91.47-metre long and 20.41-metre wide. That is equal to the length and almost half the width of a standard American football field floating over the Indian Ocean.

Dubai’s Nakheel Mall, too, recently broke the record for the world’s largest fountain, measuring a whole 7,327 m2. The record breaking fountain named The Palm Fountain was designed a with tricks including colour and brightness controls.

The emirate is also home to the world’s tallest hotel – 75-storey Gevora Hotel, measuring 356.33 metres tall from the group level to the top.

Danny Hickson said Saudi Arabia comes second with 96 Guinness World Records titles, while Egypt is not far in the third place with 93 titles.

On September 23, Saudi Arabia achieved the Guinness World Record for the largest fireworks display in multiple cities as the display consisted of 962,168 fireworks.

“What’s brilliant about breaking world records with brands in the UAE is that there is almost a chance to do something different with the heritage. Brands and individuals think it is impossible to be break world records, but we believe everyone is amazing in his own way, and we are here to make their achievement Officially Amazing!,” said Hickson.

“We have seen the tallest house of cards build in 12 hours, sat on top of a washing machine, to demonstrate its reduced vibrations and noise levels; and an iconic car brand celebrated its 80th anniversary by breaking the record for the largest loop the loop in a car! Would we find amazing talents among Khaleej Times readers?,” concluded Hickson.

source/content: khaleejtimes.com (headline edited)

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SAUDI ARABIAN Ministry Introduces 3 New Fonts to Celebrate Kingdom’s Culture

The fonts, celebrating the Kingdom’s culture, will be available free of charge.

The Ministry of Culture on Monday launched an initiative creating three new Saudi fonts.

The fonts, celebrating the Kingdom’s culture, will be available free of charge to individuals and organizations wishing to use them in design, artistic, and creative works, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The Masmak font has been named after the historic Masmak Fortress, characterized by its durability and strong structure. The font has been described as clear and easy to read and was developed without reference to traditional calligraphy methods, the SPA said.

The second new font, Al-Naseeb, resembles handwritten notes, and has been recommended for use in headlines, texts, literary works, poetry, and children’s stories.

Watad, the third font, was inspired by the tent peg with its letters having curved corners. Its suggested use was for text relating to festivals and sporting events.

The Ministry of Culture launched the initiative in celebration of the Arabic language. In a statement, it said: “It is introducing a unique touch that gives a Saudi identity to Arabic fonts and celebrates Saudi heritage and cultural symbols.”

The fonts can be downloaded at https://engage.moc.gov.sa/fonts.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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SAUDI ARABIA: South Korea President joins Aramco CEO for $7bn Petrochemical Plant’s groundbreaking ceremony in Ulsa, South Korea, March 2023

Building work on Saudi Aramco’s new $7 billion Shaheen petrochemical project in Ulsa, South Korea has officially begun after a groundbreaking ceremony involving the energy giant’s CEO.

Amin Nasser attended the inauguration event alongside South Korea’s president Yoon Suk Yeol and senior officials from both countries.

The Shaheen project, announced in November 2022, is being built by South Korean refiner S-OIL Corp., of which Aramco owns a more than 63 percent stake.

“We are deeply honored by the presence of His Excellency President Yoon at this historic groundbreaking ceremony,” said Nasser – also the Aramco President.

“Shaheen is among Aramco’s biggest international downstream investments, representing a significant and sizeable step forward in our liquids-to-chemicals expansion and another major milestone in further strengthening our presence in Korea,” he continued. 

Shaheen is Saudi Aramco’s largest investment in South Korea and is expected to be among the biggest integrated steam crackers – a petrochemical process – in the world. 

It is also the first large-scale commercial use of Aramco’s thermal crude-to-chemicals technology, which was developed in partnership with Lummus Technology, a leading licensor of proprietary petrochemicals. 

The construction of the new plant will be completed by 2026 and will have a production capacity of up to 3.2 million tons per year, in addition to a facility for producing high-value polymers. 

Aramco has established a solid relationship with South Korea, and has recently agreed to a $6 billion framework deal with the country’s export-import bank.

According to the deal, Eximbank can lend Saudi Aramco up to $6 billion, which can be used to fund South Korean enterprises involved in projects with the global energy firm, whereas the bank indicated that $1 billion is set aside for hydrogen and renewable energy projects. 

Moreover, Aramco also inked a memorandum of understanding with South Korea’s Hoban Group last month to collaborate in building and manufacturing.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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South Korea’s President Yoon (centre) with Aramco president Amin Nasser (Supplied)

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SAUDI ARABIA

SAUDI ARABIA to Chair ‘WTO Trade Policy Review Body’ for 2023-2024

Almoqbel is the first Arab ambassador to the WTO to preside over the TPRB.

The World Trade Organization General Council has selected Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to WTO Saqer Abdullah Almoqbel to chair its Trade Policy Review Body for 2023-2024. 

Almoqbel is the first Arab ambassador to the WTO to preside over the TPRB. 

The TPRB aims to facilitate the efficient operation of the multilateral trading system by increasing the transparency of WTO members’ trade policies. All members are subject to review every two to six years under the mechanism. 

Periodically, the agency releases reports on the global economy, including detailed chapters examining the trade policies and practices of each member, as well as descriptions of the trade policymaking institutions and the macroeconomic environment. 

Saudi Arabia’s new position at TPRB reinforces its leadership position within the WTO. In addition to being the organization coordinator for the Arab group, the Kingdom has chaired the Council for Trade in Services, the Council for Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, the Working Group on Transfer of Technology, and the Committee for Balance of Payments Restrictions in previous years.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to WTO Saqer Abdullah Almoqbel presents his credentials to Deputy Director-General Yi Xiaozhun in 2020. (WTO)

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