The exhibition represents an extension of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation’s vision, which embraces support for creative expression in all its manifestations and seeks to consolidate the Kingdom’s position as a cultural hub
Updated 1 min 13 sec ago
SPA
RIYADH: The inaugural MADE Design Forum, organized by the Diriyah Biennale Foundation, began on Thursday in Jeddah, within the Islamic Arts Biennale Cultural Program building, in the West Hajj Terminal at King Abdulaziz International Airport.
The forum, which will run until May 4, is a celebration of the design industry, opening a lively space where the lines of art, engineering and crafts intersect, SPA reported.
Every corner of the forum incites the eye to contemplate and stimulates the mind to question. (SPA)
It brings together an elite group of designers, artists and independent makers from the Arab world and beyond, to showcase works that pulse with the spirit of experimentation and redefine the relationship between humans and materials.
Visitors wander among pieces that carry stories in their details: Furniture woven with memory, ceramics that speak silence, textiles that weave the future and vital materials that draw from nature and return to it.
Every corner of the forum incites the eye to contemplate and stimulates the mind to question. (SPA)
Every corner of the forum incites the eye to contemplate and stimulates the mind to question, SPA reported.
MADE opens the doors of thought through lectures, workshops and dialogue sessions that delve into the depths of design in terms of values, connotations and ethical practices.
It raises questions about the meaning of innovation, the role of crafts in shaping identity and the position of the designer as a cultural actor in a changing era, SPA reported.
The exhibition represents an extension of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation’s vision, which embraces support for creative expression in all its manifestations and seeks to consolidate the Kingdom’s position as a cultural hub that pulsates with dialogue, embraces creators and exports beauty to the world with authentic Saudi vocabulary and a universal spirit.
President of the French Agency for AlUla Development Jean-Yves Le Drian praised the strong friendship and strategic alliance between Saudi Arabia and France and their steady development
Updated 4 sec ago
SPA
RIYADH: The Saudi Embassy in France, in partnership with the Francophone Business Forum, hosted a seminar on Saudi Vision 2030, showcasing its achievements and partnerships.
The event coincided with the release of the ninth annual Saudi Vision 2030 report and drew ambassadors, French officials, media representatives, business leaders and consultants, the SPA reported on Friday.
Saudi Ambassador to France and the Principality of Monaco Fahd bin Mayouf Al-Ruwaili began the seminar with a welcoming speech, followed by an overview of the ninth annual Saudi Vision 2030 report.
He emphasized the report’s updated information, key achievements and the strong performance of its indicators.
These indicators have surpassed most targets in national programs and strategies — notably in human resource development, women’s empowerment, infrastructure development, technology localization, sustainable development and environmental protection.
He also spoke about Saudi-French cooperation and partnership under Saudi Vision 2030 and their joint efforts to enhance regional and international security and stability.
President of Francophone Business Forum Steve Gentili delivered a speech on the growing partnerships in business, technology and the financial sector, as well as mutual investments and the attractive business environment in Saudi Arabia.
President of the French Agency for AlUla Development Jean-Yves Le Drian praised the strong friendship and strategic alliance between Saudi Arabia and France and their steady development.
He provided an overview of the AlUla Development Project, a major initiative under Saudi Vision 2030, and discussed its success across all stages.
Arthur praised the Kingdom for introducing regulations governing the use of AI, particularly its model for ethical adoption
Updated 19 sec ago
SPA
UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General Lydia Arthur recently visited the headquarters of the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority and the International Centre for Research and Ethics in Artificial Intelligence in Riyadh.
Arthur was briefed on the SDAIA’s efforts in the sector, and the support the Kingdom provides to the UNESCO-affiliated ICAIRE to carry out its international missions, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Friday.
Arthur praised the Kingdom for introducing regulations governing the use of AI, particularly its model for ethical adoption. She said the Kingdom’s model should be adopted more widely at a global level.
During the visit, she reviewed the work of the ICAIRE center and its international efforts to promote responsible uses, in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The ICAIRE organization seeks to advance research and ethics through international cooperation, champion awareness, nurture skills development, and provide policy advice, according to its website.
Asir education department launches literacy campaign
The campaign is strategically designed to activate continuing education programs by engaging target populations in their own communities
Updated 25 sec ago
Arab News
RIYADH: The General Administration of Education in Asir region has launched a campaign titled “We Reach You for a Society Without Illiteracy,” aiming to reach beneficiaries in remote areas and villages.
Asir’s Education Director-General Fahd Aqala emphasized that the initiative aligns with Saudi Arabia’s broader efforts to elevate education levels and eradicate illiteracy.
It supports social and economic development while advancing Saudi Vision 2030’s comprehensive education goals, he added.
The campaign is strategically designed to activate continuing education programs by engaging target populations in their own communities.
Aqala stated that the directorate has mobilized resources to maximize the campaign’s reach.
He said literacy represents more than education — it serves as a fundamental cornerstone for societal advancement and sustainable development.
According to Aqala, continuing education programs in the region served over 11,414 male and female learners in 2024 at 263 centers and evening schools.
Thai festival brings eruption of color and music to Riyadh
Event is a celebration of the strong and growing friendship between our countries and our people, says Thailand’s envoy
Updated 02 May 2025
Tamara Aboalsaud
RIYADH: The Thai Festival in the Cultural Palace in Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter celebrates both Thailand’s rich culture and its blossoming friendship with Saudi Arabia.
Riyadh was chosen as one of six flagship cities around the world to hold the festival, alongside Washington DC, Beijing, New Delhi, Hanoi, and Paris.
The cutting of the ribbon marks the inauguration of the Thai Festival in one of six flagship cities, Riyadh. (Photo by Huda Bashattah)
At a press conference prior to the festival, which is open to the public May 2 and 3, Thailand’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Darm Boontham said: “This is a proud moment for us and a great opportunity to share the rich tradition and modern creativity of Thailand with our Saudi friends.”
The festival comes at a significant time, three years since the normalization of diplomatic relations between Thailand and Saudi Arabia.
HIGHLIGHTS
• This year’s theme is ‘The Pulse of Tradition, The Pulse of Tomorrow,’ reflecting Thailand’s pride in its culture and its commitment to innovation and creativity.
• The ministers of culture for Thailand and Saudi Arabia — Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol and Prince Badr bin Abdullah Al-Saud — attended the event.
“This event is a celebration of the strong and growing friendship between our countries and our people,” Boontham continued.
Booths showcasing Thai products and services at the Thai Festival at the Cultural Palace in Riyadh. (Photo by Huda Bashattah)
This year’s theme is “The Pulse of Tradition, The Pulse of Tomorrow,” reflecting Thailand’s pride in its culture and its commitment to innovation and creativity.
The festival features several exhibitions of Thai products and services, including handicrafts from local communities in Thailand, live demonstrations, health and wellness products, eco-tourism, and Thai cuisine.
Muythai demonstration at the Thai Festival in Riyadh. (Photo by Huda Bashattah)
It also includes a live cooking show by a celebrity Thai chef, screenings of several beloved Thai movies followed by Q&A sessions, a musical and cultural performance, a Muay Thai boxing demonstration, a fashion show by Thai designers, and a Khon performance.
Khon, a traditional masked dramatic art that features music and dance as well as ritual, literary, and handicraft components, is included on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list, Boontham said.
Booths showcasing Thai products and services at the Thai Festival at the Cultural Palace in Riyadh. (Photo by Huda Bashattah)
“We invite everyone, Saudi nationals, residents and all friends of Thailand to join us for this unique celebration, to enjoy the science of sound and taste of Thailand and to continue building a warm and lasting friendship between our two great nations.”
The festival was organized by the Royal Thai Embassy in Saudi Arabia in partnership with Thailand’s private and public sectors, including Thai supply chain company SGC International’s Riyadh division, with the support of Saudi and Thai private companies.
Fashion show by Thai Designers at the Thai Festival in Riyadh. (Photo by Huda Bashattah)
The ministers of culture for Thailand and Saudi Arabia — Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol and Prince Badr bin Abdullah Al-Saud — attended the event.
The objective of the festival goes beyond tourism, the ambassador said, it is intended to promote everything Thailand can offer in terms of creative economy, innovation, and how Thailand can tap into Saudi Vision 2030 and the Kingdom’s green initiative.
Thai minister of culture Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol speaks at the Thai Festival in Riyadh. (Photo by Huda Bashattah)
Boontham also confirmed plans to create Thai AirAsia X, a new low-cost airline from Thailand that should operate flights from Riyadh to Bangkok “very soon,” he said.
According to Boontham, the largest developing areas of cooperation between the two nations are economy, trade, and investment.
Thai ambassador to Saudi Arabia Darm Boontham inaugurates the Thai Festival at the Cultural Palace. (Photo by Huda Bashattah)
Over the last three years, the volume of trade has increased by an average of 25 percent and the ambassador is confident that “all the necessary mechanisms” are in place to support further growth.
In 2024, trade reached a value of $8.8 billion and the hope is that in two years that number will reach $10 billion, he added.
Booths showcasing Thai products and services at the Thai Festival at the Cultural Palace in Riyadh. (Photo by Huda Bashattah)
Boontham cited SGC International, a Thai company known for construction materials that is now expanding into petrochemicals, food, and food processing as a sign of promising investment in Saudi Arabia.
Technology sharing, in areas including green consumption technology, is “quite prevalent” and shows promise, he added.
Interactive booths showing live demonstarions of handicraft at the Thai Festival in Riyadh. (Photo by Huda Bashattah)
Tourism is another large area of cooperation. Last year, around 230,000 Saudi tourists visited Thailand, and 13,000 Thai tourists visited Saudi Arabia; both numbers are expected to grow in coming years, the ambassador noted.
According to Boontham, “many Thai students” are coming to pursue their studies in Saudi as well, and Thailand is working hard to encourage more Saudis to study in Thailand.
In hospitality education, especially, “Thailand has a lot to offer Saudi students,” Boontham said. In 2024, 50 individuals from Saudi Arabia went to train in Thai hotels and institutions.
Saudi Arabia condemns Israeli airstrike near Syria’s Presidential Palace
Airstrike, which occurred early Friday, came after Israeli authorities reportedly warned the Syrian government against attacks on Druze
Updated 02 May 2025
Arab News
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Friday strongly condemned an Israeli airstrike that targeted the vicinity of the Presidential Palace in Damascus, calling it a blatant violation of the Syrian Arab Republic’s sovereignty and a serious threat to regional stability, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed the Kingdom’s condemnation “in the strongest terms” of the attack, and reiterated its categorical rejection of Israeli actions that undermine the sovereignty, security, and stability of Syria.
The airstrike, which occurred early Friday, came after Israeli authorities reportedly warned the Syrian government against advancing toward villages inhabited by members of the Druze minority in southern Syria.
The warning followed days of violent clashes between pro-government forces and Druze fighters near the capital, which left dozens of people dead or injured.
Syria’s presidency described the Israeli attack as a “dangerous escalation against state institutions and the sovereignty of the state,” and urged the international community to take a stand against such violations. It warned that the strike not only threatens Syria’s national security but also the unity of its people.
The Saudi foreign ministry echoed these concerns, calling on the international community to intervene and halt Israel’s “blatant violations of international law in Syria and the region.”
The Kingdom further warned that the continuation of such policies and what it described as “extremist Israeli practices” could exacerbate violence, extremism, and instability across the region.
