RIYADH: On behalf of Prince Ahmad bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, honorary president of the Saudi Alzheimer’s Disease Association (SADA), Riyadh Gov. Prince Faisal bin Bandar inaugurated the third International Alzheimer’s Conference at the headquarters of King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) in Riyadh on Monday.
Following the inauguration, Prince Saud bin Khalid bin Abdullah bin Abdulrahman, chairman of the SADA board of directors, signed partnership agreements with private-sector organizations including the Saudi Electricity Co., the Saudi Investment Bank, Dallah Al-Baraka Group Holdings, Abdulmohsen Al-Hokair Group and Home Experts Holdings.
Prince Faisal thanked King Salman for exerting immense care in treating the elderly in this program. He also thanked the philanthropists who have come forward via their organizations to help in this venture.
Describing Saudi Arabia as a land blessed with philanthropy, righteousness and solidarity, Prince Faisal said Islam preaches the same principles in treating the elderly in society.
He added that the conference will inform participants of the latest advances in the field of Alzheimer’s, and is a good opportunity for the Kingdom to announce its achievements in treating the disease in the past seven years.
The prince commended the efforts of Princess Madawi bint Mohammed bin Abdullah bin Abdulrahman, vice chairman of the SADA board of directors.
KACST President Prince Dr. Turki bin Saud bin Mohammed also addressed the gathering at the inauguration.
Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disorder named after German physician Alois Alzheimer, who first described it in 1906. Scientists have since learned a great deal about the disease.
Alzheimer’s gets worse over time and is fatal. It is the sixth-leading cause of death in the world and the most common form of dementia, a general term for loss of memory and other intellectual abilities serious enough to interfere with daily life.
Other types of dementia include vascular dementia, mixed dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies and frontotemporal dementia.
SADA’s vision is to create a world without Alzheimer’s, while optimizing awareness of the disease and the quality of living for affected individuals and their carers.
Riyadh governor opens Alzheimer’s conference
Riyadh governor opens Alzheimer’s conference
Saudi Arabia witnessing comprehensive cultural development, says expert
- Clotilde Entrecanales of Acciona hails pace of change in Kingdom
JEDDAH: Museums, exhibitions and art centers play a crucial role in the development of free and educated societies such as the one now burgeoning in Saudi Arabia, an expert has told Arab News.
Clotilde Entrecanales, the Spanish art historian and cultural executive who heads Acciona Living & Culture, a leading creator of technology-driven interactive museums, exhibits and events, said the Kingdom is making efforts to expand the role of culture development to show the world the greatest possible cultural offer.
She added that the Kingdom has quickly infused new energy into the region, and is rapidly establishing itself as a global cultural hub through massive investment in world-class museums, public art and international events, aligning with its 2030 vision.
She said: “With around 70 percent of the population under 30, cultural consumption looks very different than in Europe or the US. These spaces can’t feel like quiet, isolated institutions … they need to be fast, dynamic, brave and deeply connected to the city, blending into everyday urban life rather than sitting apart from it.”
Asked about the role of these sites in the evolving global cultural landscape, particularly in emerging cultural hubs like Saudi Arabia, Entrecanales said: “Our vision is to be a purpose-led partner for cultural and entertainment institutions, helping them be more relevant, connected, inclusive and sustainable.”
She added: “In emerging cultural hubs like Saudi Arabia, that approach feels especially relevant. The cultural transformation underway is moving fast — with major heritage and cultural destinations being developed and opened to the world.”
Speaking about her impression of the Kingdom’s approach to blending heritage with modernity face, Entrecanales said: “Others who attempt to achieve this balance often end up turning heritage into a theme, a layer of storytelling or a cultural program. What feels different about Saudi’s approach is how much pressure there is to treat heritage as the foundation, not just the surface.
“When you’re building at this speed and scale, there’s always a risk that history becomes a backdrop instead of a backbone. The projects that work best are the ones that slow down just enough to let the past set the rhythm for the present.”
Regarding opportunities and challenges, she said: “The opportunity is nothing less than positioning Saudi Arabia as a global cultural center. The challenge, as always, lies in balancing the speed and scale of that ambition with long-term sustainability and a sense of authenticity that remains credible and rooted.”
She added: “You can really feel this in places like the Islamic Arts Biennale, which shows hundreds of historical artefacts of the Islamic world, while re-framing them through contemporary scenography and designs by some of the best design studios in the world; or in AlUla, a world-class heritage site that hosts a major contemporary platform like Desert X, allowing ancient context and present-day artistic practice to coexist in a way that feels genuine.”
Under her guidance, ACCIONA Cultura aspires to create museums and cultural experiences that function as landmarks while fostering sustainable, inclusive and immersive interactions.
She elaborated on how the company is integrating technology, culture, and sustainability to preserve and promote the region’s cultural heritage: “We always start with human connection and storytelling: what’s the story, what should people leave with? Tech comes later.”
Recently, ACCIONA Cultura has been involved in significant projects in Saudi Arabia and is looking forward for more.
She said: “Right now, for example, we’re designing and curating a museum gallery where the entire space is shaped by the practice of a Saudi artist. Another example is the Net Zero exhibition at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra), where we brought together Saudi and international artists to explore sustainability and our relationship with the planet, including voices like Dina Haddadin, Mohammed Al-Faraj, and Zahrah Al-Ghamdi.”
She added: “One of the projects I’m most proud of isn’t a museum, but our NEXT IN Summit, which we’ve hosted in two editions in our ACCIONA Campus in Madrid, highlighting the Kingdom’s unprecedented cultural momentum as it builds future-facing institutions with a startup mindset.”
About further collaboration with Saudi Arabia, she said: “Let’s just say … something’s definitely simmering in the kitchen.”
Commenting on being recognized among the Blooloop 50 Museum Influencers for 2025, she said: “It means a lot. More than anything, it feels like a nod to the years of teamwork and dedication behind Acciona Cultura, rather than to me personally.”
