RIYADH: The King Salman Center for Disability Research and the Technical (KSCDR) and the Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC) recently signed an agreement to develop services in education and training for persons with disabilities.
Prince Sultan bin Salman, chairman of KSCDR’s board of trustees, and Dr. Ahmed bin Fahd Al-Fuhaid, TVTC governor, signed the memorandum of understanding at the KSCDR headquarters inside the Diplomatic Quarter in the Saudi capital.
The agreement with the TVTC was one of five signed by the KSCDR with various organizations, in the public and private sectors, to benefit the disabled.
“We signed five agreements. One is on vocational training,” Prince Sultan bin Salman told Arab News, in reference to the TVTC as the organization to hold training for disabled persons.
Under the agreement, the KSCDR and the TVTC will implement training courses specialized in matters related to workshops for people with disabilities, and the exchange of consultations in the training and qualification process.
The two sides will also prepare studies for the development of people with disabilities to prepare them to join the labor market.
The TVTC revealed that persons with disabilities, who have graduated from colleges and technical institutes, have a 92.7 percent employment rate in the public and private sectors.
In a statement, the TVTC said that it is keen to come up with programs to serve persons with disabilities and provide them with a suitable training environment.
The TVTC added that it is currently launching electronic training programs for people with disabilities to give them the opportunity to train in the disciplines that are best suited for them.
KSCDR, TVTC sign agreement on benefits for disabled persons
KSCDR, TVTC sign agreement on benefits for disabled persons
Saudi hospitality boom sparks innovation beyond the plate
- At the Four Seasons Riyadh, Diageo hosted a private tasting at Tonic Bar followed by a 10-course dinner at Julien
- Dinner at Julien paired dishes with drinks made using Tanqueray 0.0, Captain Morgan 0.0, and Guinness 0.0
RIYADH: As restaurants and hotels in Saudi Arabia refine their culinary identities, beverages are increasingly being treated as crafted experiences in their own right, shaped by technique and intention.
At the Four Seasons Riyadh, Diageo hosted a private tasting at Tonic Bar followed by a 10-course dinner at Julien, offering a snapshot of how this evolution is beginning to take shape, as international players and local venues test new approaches to pairing and presentation.
Speaking to Arab News, Nick Rees, marketing director of Diageo MENA, pointed to the rapid growth of the nonalcoholic segment globally and in the region: “There’s a far faster growing percentage of it (the industry) is non-alcohol … There (are) trends globally … A lot of it will be pointed to wellness, mindful drinking.”
Rees said that Saudi Arabia’s fast-developing culinary and hospitality scene calls for beverages that match the level of excellence seen in kitchens across the Kingdom.
“It’s kind of the lack of choices and that’s where we want to be able to provide people the option, and people here absolutely have the same kind of talent and desire as their counterparts behind the kitchen,” he said.
“That’s where our role is to give people the kind of core ingredients for them to be able to work with … we have many more brands that we would love to introduce to the Kingdom.”
The dinner at Julien paired dishes with drinks made using Tanqueray 0.0, Captain Morgan 0.0, and Guinness 0.0, offering a glimpse into the range of styles Diageo is bringing to the market.
Flavor profiles ranged from light and refreshing combinations with cucumber and capers brine to richer, malt-forward blends, each designed to complement the accompanying dishes, from ravioli to black cod.
Rees emphasized that pairing food with thoughtfully crafted beverages is becoming an essential part of the hospitality experience.
“In the Kingdom, we’re looking at giving people the experience that currently is not available to them because I know for sure that the kind of quality and expertise and craftsmanship that can go into creating some of these drinks is absolutely as exciting as the work that the chefs would do with their food,” he said.
Anthony Abou Haider, head of Gulf at Diageo, said the company sees long-term potential in Saudi Arabia’s hospitality sector.
“It’s such an opportunity to be a part of this transformation journey,” he told Arab News. “We’re not looking for a short-term gain, we’re looking at a very long-term gain here because whatever we do now is building for the future.”
