LONDON: So far, it has been all about meeting Donald Trump and other political bigwigs. But there is much more on the agenda for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in his first official visit to the US.
In his seven-city tour of America, the prince is also meeting corporate CEOs with a view to striking deals with companies dealing in renewable energy, high tech, sport, tourism and, perhaps most importantly, entertainment.
When it comes to the entertainment industry, Saudi Arabia is virtually a blank page. There are no cinemas or concert halls or amusement parks — yet. The message from the crown prince is that Saudi Arabia is not only open for business, it is open for fun too, with a large young generation — his generation — crying out for entertainment on their own doorstep, that does not entail a drive or flight to neighboring Bahrain or the United Arab Emirates.
Six Flags, the world’s largest amusement park company, with 20 sites in the US, Canada and Mexico, is to build its first property outside the American continent in Saudi Arabia. The company announced last June that it had begun talks with the Saudi government and it was subsequently reported that the first of three initial amusement parks was set to open in 2020, with Riyadh the most likely location.
That turned out to be overstating the situation but the project is certainly not dead.
Sandra Daniels, vice president of corporate communications at Six Flags head office in Grand Prarie, Texas, told Arab News, “We do not have a formal agreement to build a park in Saudi Arabia yet; however, Six Flags is excited to be in discussions to do so and to be part of an important cultural movement, along with other western brands, in support of the Vision 2030 commitment to bring world-class entertainment experiences to Saudi Arabian families.”
Executive chairman Jim Reid-Anderson said the parks were likely — but not guaranteed — to be owned by the Saudi government, adding that there was “great support” for the project.
Saudi audiences will not have to wait that long for the Greatest Royal Rumble wrestling extravaganza, which WWE is staging on April 27 at the 70,000-capacity King Abdullah stadium in Jeddah. The entertainment conglomerate, which is based in Stamford, Connecticut, is shipping out 50 of its WWE “Superstars” and promising “a spectacle of historic proportions.”
WWE prefers a six-month lead-in time period but the agreement to stage this event was signed only at the beginning of March, leaving only six weeks of promotion time. Nonetheless, confidence is still high that tickets will sell out after they go on sale on March 31.
Saudi Arabia and its sports-mad young audiences clearly offer an unprecedented opportunity for WWE to build a new fanbase almost from scratch. WWE has already made one foray into the country, testing the waters with an event 18 months ago in Riyadh, earning a “great reaction.”
Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon said the forthcoming April event is part of a 10-year partnership with the Saudi General Sports Authority supporting Vision 2030, a clear indication that WWE sees Saudi Arabia as a long-term prospect.
According to Britain’s The Sun newspaper, there were comments on Twitter about WWE because the line-up for the Jeddah show does not include any female fighters.
WWE stresses that while its shows are “inclusive and progressive” they always “respect local values and customs.”
Cinema chains and leisure conglomerates are falling over themselves to gain a foothold in a market that is not only almost completely new but also affluent.
Saudis currently spend $22 billion a year on entertainment and tourism outside the country. The government wants at least 25 percent of that sum to be spent at home.
AMC Entertainment, based in Leawood, Kansas, have announced an agreement with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia to “explore opportunities” within the Kingdom and IPic Entertainment of Boca Raton, Florida have struck a partnership with the BAS Global Investments Company, a Saudi company, to develop cinemas and restaurants throughout the country, with the aim of opening in 30 locations within a decade.
Cinema chains, amusement park operators queue up to enter Saudi Arabia market
Cinema chains, amusement park operators queue up to enter Saudi Arabia market
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.
South African ambassador holds Freedom Day celebration in Riyadh
- Freedom Day is celebrated annually on April 27 in South Africa to commemorate its first democratic election on that day in 1994
RIYADH: Mogobo David Magabe, South Africa’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, hosted a Freedom Day celebration on Thursday in Riyadh’s Cultural Palace.
Freedom Day is celebrated annually on April 27 in South Africa to commemorate its first democratic election on that day in 1994, an event that signaled the end of official racial segregation in the country. The embassy in Riyadh decided to hold the 30th anniversary celebrations after Ramadan.
“This is a very important day because of the relationship that South Africa shares with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in several areas,” Magabe told Arab News. “Since 1994, our diplomatic ties, which this year turn 30, have grown substantially.
“Saudi Arabia is a regional power that is presenting itself as a gateway into the market and GCC countries,” the ambassador continued. “South Africa is also a gateway into the continent of Africa and the two friendly nations play a very important role.”
Magabe highlighted numerous visits made by South Africa’s leaders to the Kingdom, including President Cyril Ramaphosa’s visit in October 2022, when he met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
During that visit, the two sides signed multiple Memorandums of Understanding, to a value exceeding $15 billion, and also agreed to explore areas of joint cooperation in the fields of energy, petroleum and petrochemicals, and electricity and renewable energy such as solar and wind.
At the celebrations on Thursday, Magabe gave a speech highlighting the historical ties between the two countries and areas of cooperation including trade, investment, and tourism. Mayor of the Riyadh Region, Prince Dr. Faisal bin Abdulaziz bin Ayyaf, was the guest of honor.
Following Magabe’s opening remarks and the cutting of the cake — performed by the ambassador and the mayor of Riyadh — guests had the opportunity to sample multiple products and dishes from South Africa.
Leading Saudi science, engineering students to compete in world fair
- 35 students selected from 210,000 candidates this year
- Mitigating dust build-up on solar panels is a top project
RIYADH: Thirty-five Saudi Arabia students will compete in the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair 2024 in Los Angeles from May 10 to 18, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Friday.
They will join 1,700 other participants from 70 countries in the ISEF, which is recognized as a pre-college competition in scientific research and innovation. The Kingdom will be led by representatives from the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity, or Mawhiba, and the Ministry of Education.
The Kingdom’s team was selected from over 210,000 candidates earlier this year by experts and specialists linked to Mawhiba. Their projects underwent rigorous evaluation during the “Ibdaa” National Olympiad for Scientific Creativity, culminating in the selection of 180.
Thirty-five talented students were nominated to represent the Kingdom in the ISEF from the 45 students whose projects qualified for the Olympiad’s finals, the SPA reported.
Among these students is Areej Al-Qarni, who will showcase her research focused on mitigating dust accumulation on solar panels. This is a problem that leads to energy and financial losses amounting to millions of dollars.
Al-Qarni explained that her research is aimed at developing sustainable solutions to this global issue, to conserve energy and ensure financial viability for crucial projects.
Mawhiba has emphasized that the students chosen to represent the Kingdom underwent rigorous training conducted by both local and international academics and experts across various disciplines, the SPA reported.
The Kingdom is a primary sponsor of the ISEF 2024 exhibition, offering prizes for innovative projects in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM. These prizes include full scholarships for undergraduate studies at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, and participation in the Mawhiba Universal Enrichment Program.
This year marks the Kingdom’s 18th-consecutive participation in the ISEF. Saudi Arabia students have at previous fairs won 133 awards, including 92 grand prizes and 41 special distinctions.
