JEDDAH: Minister of Transport and Chairman of the Public Transport Authority Dr. Nabeel Al-Amoudi, said that the agreement on cooperation in maritime transport between Saudi Arabia and China aims at enhancing the maritime transport industry.
He said that the agreement encourages maritime studies and specialized training, including providing scholarships for Saudi maritime cadres, promoting the exchange of communications and enhancing the transferring of technology between maritime transport bodies and institutions of both countries.
This serves to contribute to the development of maritime transport techniques, providing facilities for shipbuilding and their maintenance, and encourage the establishment of maritime companies and joint maritime institutions.
On Friday, the cooperation agreement in maritime transport between the Chinese and Saudi governments was signed by Saudi Minister of Commerce and Investment Majid Al-Qassabi and Chinese Minister of Transport Li Xiaopeng.
Saudi-Chinese pact to enhance maritime industry
Saudi-Chinese pact to enhance maritime industry
- This serves to contribute to the development of maritime transport techniques, providing facilities for shipbuilding and their maintenance
Candlelight concerts return to Riyadh
- Events bring a rich classical music experience to Saudi audiences
RIYADH: Candlelight concerts are returning to Riyadh in three different settings, bringing a rich classical music experience to Saudi audiences following a thrilling series in December last year.
The iconic concerts, supported by the live entertainment platform Fever, have been held in more than 150 cities across the world, including Dubai, New York City, London, Singapore and Tokyo.
Running until the end of June, the shows are held in several places in Riyadh, including The Ritz-Carlton Hotel and the Crowne Plaza Riyadh Palace. Performers play music from greats such as Mozart, Vivaldi and Ludovico Einaudi.
In an interview with Arab News, Magdalena Wajdzik, a Polish pianist who performed in the Ritz-Carlton ballroom, discussed how Einaudi has inspired her career.
HIGHLIGHTS
• Running until the end of June, the shows are held in several places in Riyadh, including The Ritz-Carlton Hotel and the Crowne Plaza Riyadh Palace. Performers play music from greats such as Mozart, Vivaldi and Ludovico Einaudi.
• The Candlelight Concerts in December featured hits from British rock band Coldplay as well the outstanding works of Polish composer Chopin.
• The concerts held around the world have celebrated works from classical, jazz, pop, film soundtracks, ballet and more.
“I have watched Ludovico Einaudi’s work in movies a long time ago and absolutely loved the soundtracks. So, I obviously Googled the soundtracks, and I started playing his music ever since,” said Wajdzik.
The pianist resides in Dubai and performs in concerts for Fever throughout the Gulf.
“The Saudis are eager for this form of art and are really welcoming. It was my first time playing for a Saudi crowd, and I thought it was fantastic. I really enjoyed the atmosphere, and I believe the Saudi audience is quite curious,” she said.
It was my first time playing for a Saudi crowd, and I thought it was fantastic.
Magdalena Wajdzik, Polish pianist
“The ballroom is just gorgeous. Their location is excellent, and I believe Fever distinguishes our candlelight concepts by always looking for truly wonderful sites, such as this ballroom at the Ritz-Carlton.”
The Candlelight Concerts in December featured hits from British rock band Coldplay as well the outstanding works of Polish composer Chopin.
Candlelight concerts held around the world have celebrated works from classical, jazz, pop, film soundtracks, ballet and more.
Opposites attract as artists explore beauty in Diriyah exhibition
- The exhibition is curated by Khayria Refaat, who said in a statement: “This exhibition exemplifies the power of artistic collaboration and the ability of artists to create profound narratives
RIYADH: In Shashai Studio’s latest exhibition, “Delicacy of Dualities,” seven artists and one creative studio from the Kingdom explore the theme “intricate dance of opposites”.
The exhibition in Diriyah’s Jax District showcases a series of thought provoking artworks and installations from artists Nada Al-Ali, Maan Alabbadi, Nouf Alsharif, Rasha Saddiq, Abdullah Al-Bugami, Eida Alzahrani, Ahmad Haddad, and Makhtut Studio.
Each artist tells a profound and personal story, including Al-Bugami, who dedicated his three artworks to the powerful duality of woman and man.
In some traditional and conservative societies, such as parts of Saudi Arabia, some women may choose to wear the burqa, a cultural garment that covers the entire body and includes a mesh screen to cover the face.
This exhibition exemplifies the power of artistic collaboration and the ability of artists to create profound narratives.
Khayria Refaat, Curator
Women who practice this tradition choose to cover themselves in front of everyone, including their husband and family members.
“The burqa is considered the identity of the badu woman. Some people may see it as something that is quiet or sad, because it is black, but I decided to portray my aunt, who is in her 70s and I have never seen her face,” he said.
“One time, I accidentally saw her face and I could not recognize her. But, with that being said, behind the covering, when I greet her, I feel a deep and profound sense of love and belonging.”
One of Al-Bugami’s artworks is handwoven using the sadu sewing technique, an ancient skill made famous by Saudi women in the north of the Kingdom. It is characterized by its bright colors and intricate weaving, and is registered on UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage.
Sadu is usually performed by women, but Al-Bugami chose it as his medium to portray the sense of woman in his work.
“The pattern in the middle is an old design used in the past, and I decided to depict this pattern as if it resembles a woman. I decided to put the design in the middle because she is the foundation of the home; she is the most important part. I could not put the design in a corner, otherwise the home won’t be balanced.”
Al-Bugami has worked on a series of artworks that reflect his views on the vital role of women in life.
“For a while I have been working on a concept that depicts things within humanity that complete one another, such as the man and woman, life and death, Adam and Eve ... I have worked on this project using charcoal, acrylic, and sadu.
“Life is man and woman; what would a man do without a woman and what would a woman do without a man? You can’t have one thing without the other. We have to have the duality of both, like night and day.”
The exhibition is curated by Khayria Refaat, who said in a statement: “This exhibition exemplifies the power of artistic collaboration and the ability of artists to create profound narratives. ‘Delicacy of Dualities’ invites viewers to question and explore the boundaries of perception while discovering the hidden beauty within the dance of opposites.”
Maldives president arrives in Madinah for official visit
- Muizzu greeted upon arrival by Prince Salman bin Sultan
RIYADH: The president of the Maldives, Mohamed Muizzu, arrived in Madinah on Friday for an official visit to Saudi Arabia and to pray at the Prophet’s Mosque, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Muizzu and his accompanying delegation was greeted upon arrival at Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport by Prince Salman bin Sultan, the governor of Madinah Region, and other local officials.
International conference in Korea concludes with aim to spread Arabic language
RIYADH: The international conference, Challenges and Prospects of Teaching Arabic Language and Literature, concluded on Friday in the South Korean capital, Seoul.
Held over two days at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, the event was organized by the King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language in cooperation with the Korean Association of Arabic Language and Literature and Hankuk University of Foreign Studies.
Dr. Abdullah Al-Wosheemi, secretary-general of the King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language, emphasized the center’s commitment to strengthening its strategy and objectives in promoting the Arabic language worldwide.
He highlighted the center’s ongoing efforts to enhance Arabic language education in Korea by implementing courses, publishing books, and organizing lectures.
Al-Wosheemi expressed the center’s aspirations for the international conference to serve as a platform for reaching global audiences, establishing communication channels, and drawing upon diverse global experiences in teaching Arabic as a second language. He further emphasized the center’s dedication to unifying scientific references internally and externally in the Arabic language and its sciences.
Dr. Jong Wha Lee, president of the Korean Association for Arabic Language and Literature, provided a historical overview of the Arabic language in Korea, mentioning the establishment of several departments, the oldest dating back to 1965.
He also discussed the rapidly evolving language education landscape with the advent of artificial intelligence. He intends to develop a plan for revitalizing Arabic language instruction through collaboration with organizations in Arab countries, he said, as well as exchanges among Arabic language specialists to explore various approaches to ensuring effective teaching methodologies.
The conference’s sessions addressed six key themes: Modern methodologies in teaching Arabic as a second language; preparing teaching materials for Arabic as a second language; measurement and evaluation in the context of teaching Arabic as a second language; means and techniques for teaching Arabic as a second language; the current state of Arabic language teaching in Korea; and language planning for teaching Arabic and other languages in Korea.
Riyadh expo reveals the future of family entertainment
- Firms from over 40 countries showcase industry-disrupting products at Saudi Entertainment and Amusement expo
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia provided an insight into the future of family entertainment, with the Saudi Entertainment and Amusement expo revealing the biggest disruptors in the industry, and showing how technology will shape developments in the rapidly growing market.
As the expo concluded on Thursday, Daniel Hudson, global head of commercial and business development at Embed, told Arab News: “It’s an exciting time for the amusement and FEC (family entertainment centers) industry in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East. The Saudi market is so dynamic that we are seeing the emergence of both standalone entertainment offerings and giga-projects underway, with the FECs as the core entertainment offering.”
A family entertainment center, also known as an indoor amusement park, family amusement center, family fun center, soft play, or simply fun center, is a small amusement park marketed toward families with young children to teenagers, often entirely indoors.
“Under Saudi Vision 2030, building Saudi Arabia’s Quality of Life Program through vibrant experiences in tourism, hospitality, and family entertainment puts us in a strategic position to help realize the goal through our cashless solutions. The Saudi market is so vast that there is room for both the continuous development of FECs and the emergence of IP themed FECs. The sector will stay important, and is in fact one of the reasons why the FECs in the region are evolving,” said Hudson.
Referring to Embed’s clients and work in Saudi Arabia, he said: “We have the first-mover advantage as one of the earliest cashless system providers in the Kingdom, with our long-time client over 10 years old."
He said that Embed’s commitment to Saudi Vision 2030, along with its local partners, shows the quality of its presence in the Kingdom.
“We have a lot of esteemed customers in Saudi Arabia, and Sala Entertainment is one of them, with over 40 locations running on the Embed system,” he said.
The three-day expo at the Riyadh Front featured hundreds of entertainment brands from across the globe, with firms from over 40 countries showcasing their industry-disrupting products.
