RIYADH: The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) will train its Saudi engineers under a Saudi-US expertise exchange program.
The decision was the outcome of a meeting held in Washington on Monday by GACA President Abdulhakim bin Mohammed Al-Tamimi when he led a delegation to the US Federal Aviation Administration to hold discussions aimed at improving bilateral cooperation.
Al-Tamimi held discussions with Ali Bahrami, associate administrator for aviation safety at the US Federal Aviation Administration.
The two sides discussed several topics related to civil aviation and the means to develop further cooperation between the two authorities in the fields of training and exchange of experience.
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) will be issued shortly for the specialized programs to train GACA engineers and specialists in the field of aviation operations, aircraft certification, aircraft validity and other specialized technical programs.
Al-Tamimi stressed the importance of developing cooperation and relations with the US Federal Aviation Administration in all areas of civil aviation, particularly regarding safety, security and modern technologies.
He said the meetings with the US delegation were successful, which indicates a strong relationship between the two countries in various fields.
The GACA delegation held three meetings with several US aviation authorities with Bahrami representing the American side, accompanied by several representatives of foreign and international US aviation affairs and airports bureaus.
The GACA emerged from the Presidency of Civil Aviation in 2006. Since then, the authority has been on a mission to become a main contributor to Saudi Arabia’s gross domestic product (GDP) while expanding and modernizing its aviation sector, primarily employing qualified Saudis.
Over the years, the Kingdom has achieved unprecedented growth in civil aviation which has helped drive development at airports across Saudi Arabia.
GACA oversees economic and safety regulations, air navigation services and the operations of Saudi Arabia’s 27 existing airports comprising five international, nine regional and 13 domestic airports with a collective passenger traffic of 75 million as of 2014.
Local engineers to be trained under Saudi-US aviation program
Local engineers to be trained under Saudi-US aviation program
Saudi Film Festival to return in April with focus on Korean cinema
- Ahmed Al-Mulla, founder and director of the Saudi Film Festival, said in a statement: “We’re excited to welcome filmmakers to our annual gathering. Our doors are open to all creators, and filmmakers remain at the heart of everything we do
DHAHRAN: The Saudi Film Festival, organized by the Cinema Association in partnership with the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture and supported by the Saudi Film Commission, has announced that it will launch at Ithra in Dhahran between April 23-29.
This year’s festival explores the theme of “Cinema of the Journey,” presenting a selection of Arab and international films, both short and feature-length, that center on journeys and movement as essential storytelling elements.
The program includes road movies, travel narratives and films where physical or emotional journeys drive the narrative.
The theme encourages Saudi filmmakers to explore this subject through their own perspectives. It positions cinema itself as an act of continuous transition, where identity, place, and time converge to shape the human experience.
FASTFACTS
• This year’s Saudi Film Festival will explore the theme of ‘Cinema of the Journey,’ presenting a selection of Arab and international films that center on journeys and movement as essential storytelling elements.
• The program includes road movies, travel narratives and films where physical or emotional journeys drive the narrative.
Following last year’s focus on Japanese cinema, the festival will present a special “Spotlight on Korean Cinema” this year.
Ahmed Al-Mulla, founder and director of the Saudi Film Festival, said in a statement: “We’re excited to welcome filmmakers to our annual gathering. Our doors are open to all creators, and filmmakers remain at the heart of everything we do. This year’s festival creates an atmosphere filled with inspiration, idea exchange, and shared learning. It’s a celebration of cinematic creativity for everyone.”
Tariq Al-Khawaji, deputy director of the festival, added: “At Ithra, we’re proud of our longstanding partnership with the Cinema Association. It has enabled the festival’s growth and thematic diversity year after year, which we see clearly in how we empower filmmakers and create opportunities to engage with global cinema.
“The festival continues to grow across all areas, from preparations and participation to industry expectations locally and regionally. That makes attention to every detail essential.”
Since its launch in 2008, the Saudi Film Festival has played a central role in nurturing local and Gulf cinema. After intermittent early editions, it has now established itself as an annual platform for narrative and documentary competitions, industry programs and project markets.
By bringing together emerging and established filmmakers in Dhahran each year, the festival strengthens Saudi Arabia’s growing presence on the global film stage.
