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The governing board voted unanimously to reelect Vice Chairman Munir bin Mahmoud Eldesouki at the body’s 12th annual meeting.
The Kingdom has retained its leadership position in the Global Research Council, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
The governing board voted unanimously to reelect Vice Chairman Munir bin Mahmoud Eldesouki at the body’s 12th annual meeting in Interlaken, Switzerland this week.
The reelection to this position, for the second time since the body’s establishment in 2012, confirms the council’s confidence in Saudi Arabia, the SPA reported.
The council highlighted Saudi Arabia’s efforts in promoting research, development and innovation in the Middle East North Africa region, the report added.
The council comprises heads of research institutions that fund projects globally.
source/contents: arabnews.com (headline edited)
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The governing board voted unanimously to reelect Vice Chairman Munir bin Mahmoud Eldesouki at the body’s 12th annual meeting. (SPA)
The pioneering Riyadh resident knocked out Egypt’s Nada Faheem at the inaugural edition of PFL MENA in Riyadh last week.
As her opponent lay defeated on the floor, the Saudi mixed martial arts fighter marked a landmark victory by waving an imaginary sword in the air.
The celebration was appropriate— Hattan Alsaif’s family name translates directly as “the sword.”
Overnight, Saudi had a new sporting superstar.
On May 10, the 22-year-old made headlines around the world after she knocked out Egypt’s Nada Faheem, delivering a head kick in the second round of their bout at the inaugural Professional Fighters League Middle East and North Africa edition in Riyadh.
Her win, she says, was also a message of love and commitment to her friends, family and fans.
“It [the win] was something I was so proud of,” Alsaif told Arab News. “To make them see how far I reached, and I was doing my best to show them that I will never let them down.”
The future of Saudi women in MMA has been brewing for some time. In February, Alsaif made history when she became the first female from the Kingdom to sign a contract with a major MMA promoter – the PFL, now backed by Saudi’s public investment fund.
Her performance at the Green Halls last week has raised her profile beyond her hometown or even the region. Alsaif is now an international contender.
She said representing Saudi Arabia “meant everything” to her: “I do love my country so much, and I wanted to represent my country in the best way I can.”
But behind the win were three months of relentless training — mental and physical — and even cage-like fights in her gym.
Alsaif is a relative newcomer to the sport. When she first began training in 2021, it was never part of the plan to turn professional.
“First five days I began boxing, I jumped in a championship, and I lost the game,” she said.
Alsaif took the loss as a wake-up call to shift her perspective.
“You have to work hard, you have to work more, so you can have what you want. So I got that point on my mind and I worked on it,” she said.
Alsaif’s appetite for risk and adrenaline rushes dates back to her school days when, she recalls, her late parents received numerous complaints about her behavior.
“They (the school) were always calling my parents. ‘Your kid is jumping from the classes and jumping from the roof and jumping everywhere’,” Alsaif said.
“I was (also) in love with hiking and I was so in love with the desert bikes.”
A fighting spirit feels almost inherited, considering the Kingdom’s own rich history.
“I was born in Saudi Arabia and Saudi Arabia is my country. Saudi Arabia is in my blood,” she told Arab News.
“If I’m a girl from this city (Riyadh), that means I was born a fighter. I’m ready to sacrifice whatever it is for my country and for my people.”
For Alsaif, sports such as Muay Thai are more than physical battles against an opponent. She feels there is a psychological fight between the inner critic in her mind and the fighter in her heart.
“Your mind will tell you ‘It’s all right. You’re bleeding now. No one will blame you if you quit…just quit’,” she said. “If your mind says that, then your body is going to move as much as your mind told you. If you moved with your heart, courageous heart, then you win it.”
Alsaif’s Islamic faith and spirituality has carried her through life’s hardships, which included losing her parents as a child.
“But I always believe that God is with me, and that I’m never alone,” Alsaif said.
After religion, it’s mixed martial arts that provides solace, resilience and a feeling of belonging for Alsaif.
In the last three years, she has spent months in Muay Thai training camps in Ko Samui and Phuket, relishing even the hardest moments of tears, cuts and bruises.
“It was so amazing visiting Thailand and having a camp (there). That was one of my dreams,” she said.
The sports scene in Saudi Arabia has transformed so rapidly in recent years that a new generation of homegrown stars like Alsaif no longer needs to look beyond their borders or regions for role models.
Her inspiration is Saudi MMA fighter Abdullah Al-Qahtani, with whom she shares a coach.
“I can see how much discipline, motivation he has […] and how much hard work he does,” she said.
Their coach, Feras Sadaa, is “the best,” she said, adding that she frequently reminds herself she has his complete backing: “I always trust him.”
Alsaif’s routine is simple but rigorously disciplined and follows the vital components of sports development and recovery — train, eat, sleep and repeat.
Alsaif says she is focused on taking any opportunity that arrives in her path and hopes to see more Saudis competing in MMA.
“I know my people and I know that my people are good enough to enter that cage and to show us a good fight,” she said.
source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)
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The 22-year-old Hattan Alsaifi made headlines around the world after she knocked out Egypt’s Nada Faheem. (Instagram: @hattanalsaif24)
The King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Center for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue is hosting a global dialogue forum in Lisbon, Portugal, from May 14 to May 16, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Themed “Transformative Dialogue: Building Alliances for Peace in a Changing World,” this event marks a significant milestone in the center’s decade-long commitment to fostering global change and peace.
Bringing together influential leaders from decision-making institutions, the forum offers an opportunity to forge partnerships addressing today’s complex challenges, the SPA reported.
It serves as a platform for global political figures, intellectual leaders and clerics to tackle issues of peaceful coexistence and sustainable development amid rapid transformations.
Attendees include former French president, Francois Hollande; Sheikh Dr. Saleh bin Abdullah bin Humaid, the imam of the Grand Mosque in Makkah; Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, the archbishop of Constantinople; Matteo Renzi, former Italian prime minister; and former president of Austria, Heinz Fischer.
Exploring dialogue’s transformative potential, the forum aims to advance human rights, social cohesion, reconciliation and environmental cooperation in line with the center’s mission, the SPA said.
By fostering cooperation among nations, international institutions and civil society, the forum seeks to build understanding between cultures and religions.
With participation from prominent figures across various fields, this forum holds significant potential to shape policies and priorities for peaceful coexistence and societal advancement, the SPA reported.
source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)
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The Lisbon forum marks a significant milestone in the center’s decade-long commitment to fostering global change and peace. (X: @KAICIID)
Taleb, the first Saudi athlete to directly qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics, receives honor from Egyptian sports minister
Saudi Taekwondo Federation named Best Arab Federation in recognition of its achievements both locally and internationally
Saudi taekwondo standout Donia Abu Taleb has been honored with the Best Arab Achievement Award at a ceremony in Cairo celebrating the achievements of Arab athletes.
About 40 athletes from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE, Tunisia, Jordan, Algeria, Qatar and Morocco were honored, along with businessmen from various Arab countries.
Egypt’s Minister of Youths and Sports, Ashraf Subhi, handed the recognition to Taleb, the first Saudi athlete to directly qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
The Saudi Taekwondo Federation was also awarded the Best Arab Federation in recognition of its achievements both locally and internationally, particularly Taleb’s qualification for the Paris Olympics.
Mohammed Al-Shehri, executive director of the federation, accepted the award on behalf of the sports group.
source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)
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Saudi taekwondo standout Donia Abu Taleb was the first Saudi athlete to directly qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics. (Supplied)
The event aims to bridge the growing North-South divide and drive inclusive economic development and a sustainable energy transition.
The World Economic Forum’s special meeting on global collaboration, growth and energy for development, scheduled to take place in Riyadh on April 28 and 29, is expected to address global challenges as geopolitical tensions increase.
The meeting will bring together more than 700 participants, including stakeholders from governments and international organisations, politicians and corporate leaders, as Saudi Arabia aims to boost its global profile.
The Riyadh gathering of global leaders will overlap with a recently announced visit by US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, scheduled for Monday and Tuesday to meet with regional partners. The goal is to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of Israeli hostages, according to the State Department on Saturday.
WEF, held under three themes – catalysing action on energy for development, a compact for inclusive growth and revitalising global co-operation – the event aims to bridge the growing North-South divide, which has further widened on issues such as emerging economic policies, the energy transition and geopolitical shocks, it said.
Amid these intricate challenges, there is a strong need for action-orientated dialogues from the Global North and South, the Switzerland-based organisation added.
Faisal Al Ibrahim, the Saudi Arabian minister of economy and planning, said the world was at a global inflection point and that his country will implement its “full diplomatic might”, and ensure that conclusions made are not one sided.
“We are working to ensure that progress for one part of the world does not come at the expense of another,” he said, as the kingdom seeks a mutually beneficial path to prosperity for the intertwined destinies of the global community.
“This WEF special meeting comes at a time when Saudi government officials are accelerating efforts to shine a positive light on the country’s economic transformation and specific development initiatives,” Robert C Mogielnicki, senior resident scholar, The Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, said.
“This special meeting is almost certainly going to be a net positive for Riyadh, as it is hard to see significant downsides to convening a dialogue with prominent global voices.
“However, events alone will not accomplish the government’s ambitious agenda. International investors are increasingly looking beyond splashy, organised events and talking points to gauge for themselves examples of concrete progress and future opportunities in Saudi Arabia.”
The world economy is facing geopolitical shocks, unabating inflationary pressures and central banks’ efforts to keep interest rates at elevated levels to stabilise consumer prices.
After a “surprisingly resilient” 2023, the International Monetary Fund revised global growth slightly higher this year to 3.2 per cent.
The global economy is set to post its slowest half-decade growth in 30 years, with the raging conflict in the Middle East among key downside risks to the outlook, the World Bank said in its Global Economic Prospects report.
Global economic prospects remain subdued and are fraught with uncertainty as more than half of chief economists expect the world economy to further weaken this year, a WEF report said in January.
The report stated that the world is facing a critical turning point and identified economic downturn and inflation, the lack of economic opportunity, disrupted supply chains for essential goods and energy, in addition to the impact of climate change as the issues that need the immediate attention over the next two years.
The opera was produced by the Saudi Theater and Performing Arts Commission.
“Zarqa Al-Yamama,” the world’s first and largest grand opera in Arabic, made its debut at the King Fahad Cultural Center in Riyadh, taking the audience on a lyrical journey through one of the best-known folkloric tales in the Arabian Peninsula.
The opera was produced by the Saudi Theater and Performing Arts Commission, and will run until May 4, telling the story of the central character’s attempts to warn her Jadis tribe of an imminent invasion.
source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)
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ـ “Zarqa Al-Yamama,” the world’s first and largest grand opera in Arabic, made its debut at the King Fahad Cultural Center in Riyadh. (SPA)9
Two Saudi students distinguished themselves at the European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad, which took place in Georgia from April 11 to 17. The Olympiad stands as a prestigious international platform tailored for high school girls with a profound enthusiasm for mathematics that extends beyond conventional academic boundaries. This year’s event witnessed the participation of 212 students hailing from 54 different nations.
A bronze medal and certificates of appreciation, respectively, were awarded to Fatimah Hassan Buali from Al-Ahsa and Retaj Al-Saleh from the Eastern Province, who represented Saudi Arabia, the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba), and the Ministry of Education. This marks the Kingdom’s 12th engagement in the Mathematical Olympiad, showcasing a consistent presence on this global stage. Over the years, Saudi students have amassed a commendable collection of accolades, including two gold, six silver, and 13 bronze medals, alongside seven certificates of appreciation.
Amal bint Abdullah Al-Hazzaa, the Secretary-General of Mawhiba, underscored the significance of the students’ triumphs, emphasizing the cooperation between Saudi institutions and their dedication to nurturing young talents through education and training, aligning with international benchmarks. She commended Mawhiba and the Ministry of Education’s collaboration, noting that both institutions have as their common objective the development of Saudi human resources in accordance with Saudi Vision 2030 and the National Transformation Program.
Mawhiba, in close partnership with the Ministry of Education, administers the Mawhiba Program for International Olympiads, meticulously preparing Saudi teams for such competitive arenas. This comprehensive initiative encompasses advanced training modules and curriculum updates that are carefully timed to coincide with Saudi scientific teams’ yearly participation in international contests. The Saudi female participants in the Mathematical Olympiad underwent rigorous training regimes designed to sharpen their scientific acumen, their selection for participation being predicated on their performance in the training sessions convened by Mawhiba.
Munira’s election recognises contributions of regional office in achieving WCO objectives
Saudi academic Munira Khalid Al Rasheed has made history by becoming the first Saudi and Arab woman to lead the World Customs Organisation’s regional offices for global information exchange.
The Regional Information Exchange Offices of the World Customs Organisation have elected Munira as the President of the Regional Information Exchange Network for the next two years (2025-2026).
The announcement was made during the 31st global meeting of the Regional Offices, recently held at the headquarters of the World Customs Organisation in the Belgian capital, Brussels.
The election follows Munira Khalid Al Rashid’s appointment as Vice-President in addition to her current position as the Director of the Regional Office for Information Exchange in the Middle East (RILO ME) at the Zakat, Tax, and Customs Authority.
Her election recognises the contributions of the Middle East Regional Office in achieving the objectives of the World Customs Organisation. It also involves representing 11 local offices affiliated with the Middle East region in all meetings, conferences, and workshops.
The Kingdom has, in recent years, enacted landmark reforms, significantly expanding women’s opportunities.
These reforms include granting women the right to drive and increasing their workforce participation.
Munira’s educational background includes a Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in Management, Marketing, and International Business from the University of New Haven, USA, in 2004, and an Executive MBA from Al Yamamah University, Saudi Arabia, in 2013.
Over her 18-year career, Munira has held various positions, including heading the Admission and Registration Department at Al Yamamah University, working in the Regional Management Department at Credit Suisse Saudi Arabia, and serving as Director of Public Relations at Volkswagen Group Saudi Arabia.
She has also been the Director of the Marketing and Communication Program at the Government Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF) and Advisor to the Deputy Governor for Security Affairs at the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority.
Al-Qwaidi was accredited by FIFA last year, and took charge of Friday’s clash between Al-Qadsiah and Al-Riyadh.
Hiba Al-Owaidi has become the first Saudi female referee to take charge of a Women’s Premier League match, after she officiated Al-Qadsiah’s 1-0 win against Al-Riyadh on Friday.
In a historical first for Saudi women’s football, Al-Qwaidi took charge of the match as field referee after she was internationally accredited by the games’s governing body FIFA.
The clash the Al-Qadsiah’s stadium in Al-Khobar saw Abdullah Al-Madad and Khaled Al-Anezi take part as assistant referees.
Al-Qwaidi’s first appearance after receiving her accreditation was as the fourth referee in the Riyadh Season Cup tournament, specifically the match that that’s aw Saudi’s Al-Hilal beat Inter Miami of the US 4-3 at Kingdom Arena.
Al-Qwaidi, a graduate of College of Sports Sciences at the University of Jeddah, is now among 22 Saudi referees accredited by FIFA, as announced by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation last December.
The referees include Mohammad Al-Hoaish, Faisal Al-Balawi, Sami Al-Garisi, Majed Al-Shamrani, Khaled Al-Taris, Abdullah Al-Shehri, and Shukri Al-Hanfosh.
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)
