Tag: Saudi Arabian Records

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)

__________

___________________________________

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E)

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)

____________

_________________

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)

____________

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

_________________

SAUDI ARABIA

SAUDI ARABIA : Recipes for Success: Saudi Chef Mona Mosly discusses her VOX cinemas collab, the importance of being yourself

Known for her creative take on classic favorites, Saudi chef Mona Mosly is one of the region’s most recognizable celebrity chefs, renowned for her creative takes on classic favorites.  

As well as being a judge on the Arabic-language version of talent show “Top Chef,” Mosly has extensive experience in culinary art, having trained professionally in Switzerland before attending the world-renowned Le Cordon Bleu in London and subsequently honing her craft at restaurants across the Middle East. 

In January, Mosly joined forces with VOX Cinemas in Riyadh and Jeddah to curate an expanded menu that features more than 20 dishes, including kibbeh nachos and BBQ chicken bao, Armenian tabbouleh, dukka madani chicken burger, halva cookies with Syrian ice cream, Thai curry salmon and more.  

“What I love about this is that (movies) bring people joy,” Mosly tells Arab News. “I believe that I can bring people joy with my food as well. And it’s all about happiness, right? So it’s a beautiful collaboration for me.” 

When VOX first reached out, Mosly says, her first thought was to create a menu of cinema food, “with an Arabic or Saudi twist.” 

She explains: “I believe that food has to be related to us. It could take us to a beautiful memory. It could remind us of flavors from our childhood and all that.”  

One of her favorite dishes on the menu is the kibbeh nachos. “It’s basically kibbeh, but it looks like nachos. Instead of cheddar sauce, I used mohamara sauce, so it gives the same feeling,” she says. “I also love the fish and chips, because it has a very nice story behind it. I like food that can gather different cultures together.” 

Here, Mosly takes a trip down memory lane to when she first started her career, and offers advice for amateur chefs.  

Q: When you started out as a professional, what was the most-common mistake you made when preparing a dish? 

 A: When I was working for Leylaty ballroom in Jeddah, I once burned 80 kilos of morels — one of the most expensive mushrooms. But after that, morel became my favorite ingredient. In kitchens — or any job where you work with your hands — if you don’t make mistakes, you’ll never learn. 

What’s your top tip for amateur chefs? 

Be yourself. Food is all about who you are. You translate what you have within you to people.  

What one ingredient can instantly improve any dish?  

Garlic. Or onion. They are the essence of food. 

When you go out to eat, do you find yourself critiquing the food?  

After six years of ‘Top Chef,’ believe me, I don’t want to critique anything. I’m done critiquing. I go out to have fun. I’ve reached a place where I don’t want to critique, I just want to enjoy. 

What’s the most-common mistake you find restaurants making? 

What annoys me the most is when food doesn’t have a taste because the cook didn’t respect the ingredients. I don’t understand how you can end up cooking a dish that doesn’t taste of anything.   

When you go out to eat, what’s your favorite cuisine? 

It depends. My cheat meal will always be a burger. But if I want to give myself a treat, I’ll go for sushi — or Japanese cuisine anyway. 

What customer behavior or request most annoys you? 

When people like something, they don’t try other stuff. I find that sad, rather than annoying. Why did you like the first thing that you tried? Because you tried it. That’s why you have to try other things too.  

What’s your favorite dish to cook and why? 

I do enjoy things like rolling warak enab (stuffed vine leaves) or stuff that takes time, because I’m a very fast person. I do everything very quickly. So, I like things that calm me down like baking. I like having to wait.  

As a head chef, what are you like in the kitchen? Are you laidback? Or a disciplinarian? 

I believe that when you are loved, appreciated and respected, you can do wonders. So, that’s what I try to give to the people I work with. Really, I like to dance, I like to sing, I like to enjoy being with my team. But when something goes wrong, something goes wrong. So, sometimes, I do have to shout. 

Chef Mona’s Calamari 

  • 1lb or 1/2kg squid rings and tentacles, thawed 
  • Buttermilk brine (300g cold buttermilk & 10g salt, stirred) 
  • 300g or 1 3/4c ap flour 
  • 100g or 3/4c cornstarch 
  • 6g or 2tsp baking powder 
  • 2-3g or 1ish tsp black pepper (finely ground) 
  • 2qt or 8c neutral oil (peanut, canola, etc) 
  • Few pinches of salt

Or 
100g flour 
100g semolina half soft half medium 

MARINARA / “RED SAUCE”

  • 800g or 1 28oz can crushed tomatoes 
  • 1/2g or 1tsp dried basil 
  • 1/2g or 1tsp dried oregano 
  • 1/2g or 1/2tsp dried chili flake 
  • 10g or 2 1/3tsp sugar 
  • 7g or 1 1/4tsp salt 
  • 50g or 3Tbsp tomato paste 
  • 25g or 2Tbsp (double glug) olive oil 
  • 15g or 2 cloves minced garlic 

CHIPOTLE RANCH SAUCE 

  • 125g or 1/2c mayo 
  • 1 large garlic clove, minced 
  • 5-10g or 1-2tsp hot sauce 
  • 1 chipotle chili in adobo 
  • 15g or 1Tbsp lemon juice 
  • 50g or 1/2c sour cream 

TARTARE SAUCE 

  • 250g mayo 
  • 25g capers 
  • 25g gherkins
  • 25g onion 
  • 3g parsley 
  • 2g chives

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

_____________

Chef Mona Mosly joined forces with VOX Cinemas in Riyadh and Jeddah to curate an expanded menu that features more than 20 dishes. (Supplied)

_______________

SAUDI ARABIA

SAUDI ARABIA: February 22nd. Founding Day 2023 in Saudi Arabia: What is it and how is it different from National Day?

The new annual celebration aims to celebrate the origins of Saudi Arabia.

Wednesday, February 22, marks Saudi Arabia’s Founding Day, a new annual holiday to commemorate the founding of the first Saudi state in Arabia.

The holiday was established with a royal decree issued by King Salman last year through the official Saudi Press Agency. It said the move is meant to commemorate the history of Saudi rule dating back hundreds of years.

It is a different event to Saudi National Day, which is marked on September 22.

What does Founding Day commemorate?

Saudi Arabia’s new annual holiday commemorates the ascendancy to power of Mohammed bin Saud, who founded the First Saudi State.

In February 1727, bin Saud inherited leadership over the central Arabian town of Diriyah, which had been established by his ancestors back in the 15th century.

He oversaw the expansion of Diriyah from a city-state to an emirate, conquering territories in central Arabia and uniting them under his family’s rule.

His dynasty became known as the Al Saud, named after his father, Saud bin Mohammed Al Muqrin, who had ruled Diriyah from 1720, the date often cited as the founding of the dynasty.

Founding Day commemorates these origins and aims to highlight the important part the Al Saud dynasty has played in the history of Arabia.

What was the First Saudi State?

Although Mohammed bin Saud came to power in Diriyah in 1727, the establishment of the First Saudi State is usually dated to 1744.

It was in this year that he allied with Mohammed bin Abdul Wahab, a religious scholar who led a movement that called for a return to the “true” version of Islam.

This alliance was at the heart of the First Saudi State, also known as the Emirate of Diriyah, the first of three Saudi states.

From Diriyah, the Al Saud dynasty quickly expanded to conquer much of the Arabian Peninsula, including the Hejaz region, home to the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah.

This expansion was seen as a threat by the Ottoman Empire, the region’s major power, which sought to restore its influence in Arabia.

After a seven-year war, Ottoman-allied forces led by Egypt’s Ibrahim Pasha defeated the Al Saud and destroyed Diriyah, bringing an end to the First Saudi State in 1818.

From the First Saudi State to the modern kingdom

The Al Saud re-established their state six years later with a new capital at Riyadh, close to Diriyah.

Throughout the 19th century, they competed with the rival Al Rashid dynasty for supremacy over central Arabia. Internal conflicts and military defeats eventually weakened the Al Saud position, leading to the capture of Riyadh by the Al Rashid in 1891 and the end of the Second Saudi State.

Imam Abdulrahman Al Saud, who led the Al Saud at the time, sought refuge with the local Bedouin in the deserts of the Empty Quarter before taking his family to Kuwait.

His son, Abdulaziz, recaptured Riyadh in 1902 in a raid, laying the foundations for the expansion of Saudi rule across Arabia. In 1932, Abdulaziz formalised his reign by establishing the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with himself as its first king.

His sons, including the current King Salman, have ruled the kingdom since.

How is Saudi Arabia’s National Day different from its Founding Day?

Saudi National Day is celebrated annually on September 23. It marks the 1932 decree, issued by King Abdulaziz, which renamed the Kingdom of Najd and the Hejaz as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The unification of the kingdom took place on the 21st of Jumada Al Awwal in 1351 H — which corresponds to September 23, 1932.

Today, National Day is celebrated through fireworks displays, ceremonies and parades.

What will happen on Founding Day?
Events to show off traditional crafts, culture and heritage are planned across the kingdom.

Live music and dance performances are scheduled in cities including Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam.

Festivities are expected to last several days, with students given a long weekend until February 27.

source/content: thenationalnews.com (headline edited)

___________

Founding Day commemorates when Imam Mohammed bin Saud established the first Saudi state in the Hijri year 1139, or February of 1727AD.

__________________

SAUDI ARABIA

SAUDI ARABIA: Noor Riyadh Festival Wins 6 Guinness World Records

Noor Riyadh owes much of its success to the insight and care of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, which enabled the celebration to become the world’s largest in the field of light arts.

Noor Riyadh wrapped up its cultural and artistic events on Saturday, after setting six Guinness World Records, including for largest celebration of light arts.

The 17-day festival achieved five other records for the artwork titled “Pulse of Light” — longest distance covered for a light laser display, largest light laser display, highest and largest display on a building interface, and largest number of drones participating in a creative art show.

The installations were part of the annual festival of light and art featuring more than 190 works by 130 Saudi and international artists from more than 40 countries.

Noor Riyadh is the first such festival implemented under the auspices of Riyadh Art, the first public art initiative in the Kingdom. It aims to transform the capital into a “gallery without walls,” to beautify it and enhance the creative spirit among the population.

The festival, which opened on Nov. 3, has contributed to enriching the Kingdom’s cultural and artistic landscape by receiving more than 2.8 million visitors.

It presented 500 different events in 40 locations throughout the Saudi capital, including King Abdullah Park in the Malaz neighborhood, Alsafarat neighborhood, Diriyah Historical Town and King Abdullah Financial District.

Noor Riyadh owes much of its success to the insight and care of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, which enabled the celebration to become the world’s largest in the field of light arts.

“This success would not have been possible without God’s grace,” said Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, minister of culture, member of the board of directors of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, and chairman of the steering committee of Riyadh Art.

“The achievements of the Noor Riyadh are a clear demonstration of the Kingdom’s commitment and continued efforts to support national and international talents and to embrace the greatest celebrations that contribute to placing the Kingdom at the forefront of the global art landscape,” Prince Badr added.

He emphasized the importance of continuing efforts to strengthen partnerships with all relevant parties in the future.

Noor Riyadh’s celebrations will be accompanied by an exhibition titled “From Rays to Passion,” which will be held in the Jax neighborhood and will run until Feb. 4, offering visitors an artistic journey of creative light transformation in the past and future, through the continuation of workshops and dialogues presented by elite artists and experts.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

__________

‘Noor Riyadh 2022,’ which lasted 17 days and ended on Saturday (November 19, 2022), achieved six Guinness World Records titles. More than 130 male and female artists from 40 countries took part in “Noor Al Riyadh,’ presenting more than 190 works of art. (Supplied)

_________________

SAUDI ARABIA

SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi Team Win the ‘2022 International Date Palm Innovative Technology Excellence Prize’ for their Special Sensor to Protect Date Palms from Pests

A team from the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology and Al-Hasa-based Palms and Dates Center has been awarded the 2022 International Date Palm Innovative Technology Excellence Prize.

Presented by the National Center for Palm and Dates, the award was made in recognition of the team’s fiber-optic distributed acoustic sensor, which is used in the early detection of red palm weevils in date palm trees.

Tackling infestations of red palm weevils has been a long-standing problem across the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Europe and other parts of the world.

The winning team comprised Dr. Islam Ashry, Dr. Chun Hong Kang and Prof. Boon S. Ooi from the KAUST Photonics Laboratory and Dr. Yousef Alfehaid and Eng. Abdulmonem Alshawaf from the PDC, which operates under the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Infestations of red palm weevils a major problem across the Middle East.

• Researchers from KAUST-PDC collect $53,000 in prize money.

As well as the prestige, the team collected SR200,000 ($53,000) in prize money. The award was announced at the 3rd International Dates Conference and Exhibition, which ran from Dec. 7-10 in Riyadh. Their design beat off the challenge of 65 other submissions for the prize.

Ashry said the team was honored to have won such a prestigious award and paid tribute to his colleagues at the Photonics Laboratory and the PDC who helped in the development, testing and deployment of the technology.

“This recognition motivates us to continue improving, optimizing and advancing this technology to a new level,” he said.

According to the NCPD, the event provided “a unique combination of scientific research and commercial strategy to exchange scientific knowledge and innovative technologies to enhance the safe production and commercialization of these extraordinary super-fruits.”

The Kingdom is home to some 33 million date palm trees, producing about 1 million tons of dates a year, or 20 percent of global production. In the Middle East region alone about $8 million is spent every year fighting infestations of weevils.

“Our RPW-detecting technology uses a fiber-optic distributed acoustic sensor,” Ashry said. “It is the first of its kind and offers a more scalable approach (than) other detection methods, such as microphone probe, computer-based tomography and visual inspection.”

Kang said the team’s system used fiber-optic cables wound around individual tree trunks.

“Acoustic signals generated by the weevil larvae inside a trunk can be picked up by the cable and transmitted back to an interrogator system,” he said.

“The collected signals are then analyzed and processed through a machine learning algorithm to identify each tree’s infestation status.”

Ashry and Kang are now working with various organizations within the Kingdom, including the PDC, MEWA, NEOM, the Royal Commission for AlUla and the Tabuk Agricultural Development Co., on the deployment of their technology.

These test applications will help to improve the sensitivity of the sensor systems so they can be used on large-scale farms.

“Our research efforts align well with … Saudi Vision 2030 in terms of diversifying the economy, especially for the date palm sector,” Ashry said.

Ooi said: “Our technology offers a unique and low-cost solution to protect the large number of date palm trees in the country through early infestation detection.”

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

____________

(L to R): KAUST Research Scientist Dr. Islam Ashry and Prof. Boon S. Ooi receive the 2022 International Date Palm Innovative Technology Excellence Prize from the NCPD on behalf of their team. (Supplied)

________________

SAUDI ARABIA

SAUDI ARABIA: World’s Largest Light Ball illuminates Riyadh Season 2022

A new modern landmark in the capital of the Kingdom, the Light Ball, has been named by Guinness World Records as the largest illuminated LED ball in the world, with an estimated height of 35 meters.

Located at Boulevard World, the exterior of the ball emanates bright lighting that flickers in different patterns, while the interior boasts a 220-seat theater equipped with state-of-the-art features.

Guests can recline in their seats facing a 360-degree circular screen. The short films presented in the theater are five minutes long, with varying genres suitable for families to enjoy. The shows run every 30 minutes daily from 3:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

In addition to cultural experiences, Boulevard World includes the largest artificial lake in the world. Visitors can take part in boat and submarine rides in the lake — a first for Riyadh Season.

There are also distinctive entertainment options, such as Combat Village, Super Hero, the largest sphere in the world and cable car trips between Boulevard World and its neighboring zone, Boulevard Riyadh City.

The zone offers visitors other entertainment experiences as well, such as Boulevard Pier, Discovery, Realistic Monopoly, The Mountain, Area 15, Ninja Warriors and Fun Zone for children.

source/contents: arabnews.com (headline edited)

___________

Located at Boulevard World, the exterior of the ball emanates bright lighting that flickers in different patterns, while the interior boasts a 220-seat theater equipped with state-of-the-art features. (Supplied)

_________________

SAUDI ARABIA

SAUDI ARABIA Ranks First Globally among Donor Countries in offering Relief Assistance

Aid constitutes 1.05 percent of Saudi Arabia’s gross national income, says KSrelief chief.

Supervisor General of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah said that Saudi Arabia ranked first among donor countries in offering official development assistance (humanitarian and development) to low and medium-income countries, with a total of SR26.71 billion ($7.12 billion), according to data published by Development Assistance Committee of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

The data showcased the official 2021 development assistance offered by donor countries — member states and states with associate memberships at DAC, where the Paris-based committee is considered the biggest forum.

In a statement published by the Saudi Press Agency on Monday, Al-Rabeeah said that this assistance constitutes 1.05 percent of Saudi Arabia’s gross national income.

He added that by this proportion the Kingdom has topped the donor countries and surpassed the target approved by the UN General Assembly in October 1970 that donor countries should allocate a 0.7 percent of their gross national income as official development assistance while seeking innovative sources of financing development in developing countries.

KSrelief is exerting relentless efforts to register Saudi Arabia’s humanitarian and development assistance in the Saudi Aid Platform launched by King Salman in 2018, where assistance is documented in cooperation with relevant Saudi ministries and departments to highlight the Kingdom’s humanitarian and development identity, he said.

Al-Rabeeah expressed appreciation for the efforts of these agencies in documenting and recording the assistance provided by Saudi Arabia to the countries of the world through international platforms in accordance with internationally approved standards.

“The directives of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have contributed to this big achievement that put Saudi Arabia at the top of international humanitarian action,” he said.

Concluding his speech, Al-Rabeeah extended his appreciation and gratitude to the Kingdom’s leadership for its unlimited support and concern for humanitarian action, which ensure Saudi Arabia maintains its prestigious global status in this field. 

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

____________

Beneficiaries of a KSrelief medical project for open-heart surgery and catheterization in Mali can be seen. (KSrelief)

_________________

SAUDI ARABIA

ARAB WORLD: Arab-Chinese Media Cooperation Forum launches Joint Broadcasting Initiative

Ahead of the Chinese President’s visit to Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Ministry of Media and the China Media Group announced the launch of a joint partnership initiative to promote relations between Arab countries and China through media in a ceremony in Riyadh on Monday.

“It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to the Arab-Chinese Media Cooperation Forum, which is being held today in Riyadh…between the Saudi Ministry of Media and the China Media Group,” Acting Minister of Media Majid Al-Qasabi said.

Al-Qasabi addressed the audience in a speech via video extending his support for the cooperation.

“We look forward to the cooperation today to launch new media initiatives that contribute to deepening the ties between the Arab and Chinese cultures and between their peoples,” he said.

The initiative, he explained, will promote the presence of Chinese media on Arab channels, translating Chinese television shows into Arabic.

Through the initiative, Saudi and Chinese television will also work together to create programs highlighting the stories of individuals from both Saudi Arabia and China who achieved success in each other’s countries.

The initiative will also create opportunities for travel between the two countries, opening a space for greater understanding and strengthening the relationship between China and Saudi Arabia through media and cultural exchange.

In line with the aim of improving communication, the ceremony was held in both Arabic and Chinese in the presence of Ambassador of China to Saudi Arabia Chen Weiqing, Director-General of the Arab States Broadcasting Union Abdulraheem Sulaiman, and Chinese politician Li Shulei, head of publicity at the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party.

Mohammed Fahad Al-Harthi, president of the Arab States Broadcasting Union and CEO of the Saudi Broadcasting Authority, presented the initiative in a speech during the ceremony.

“Saudi-Chinese relations are old and well-established and strong, and they are witnessing prosperity and expansion,” he said, citing Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to China, the over 20,000 Arab students studying in China and the several schools in Saudi Arabia that teach the Chinese language and culture.

“We hope that this relationship will witness greater growth with the connection of interests and relations between the two peoples,” he added.

Toward the end of the ceremony, top media representatives from Palestine, Egypt, Bahrain, Libya, Yemen and Iraq extended their support for the initiative.

Al-Harthi stressed the importance of media in any country’s diplomatic relations.

“To achieve a solid relationship between the two societies, the media must play this role,” Al-Harthi said.

Through the initiative, translated Chinese works will be broadcast in Palestine, Algeria, Jordan, Sudan, Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

source/contents: arabnews.com (headline edited)

____________

_________________

SAUDI ARABIA