JEDDAH: Adventurers of all ages soon will be able to see the spectacular landscapes of Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ula region up close — by rock climbing.
The Royal Commission for Al-Ula (RCU) announced plans to encourage the sport of rock climbing in the province by identifying and developing selected climbing paths, offering climbers of different ages and abilities the best facilities to help them discover the province.
Saudi and overseas climbers will be able to enjoy their sport in Al-Ula against a backdrop of some of the Kingdom’s most dramatic landscapes. The result will be an unforgettable experience in a unique historic and heritage site, with climbers joining the province’s pioneers of adventure and exploration.
With its historic treasures and spectacular landscapes, Al-Ula has the potential to become one of the most important tourist destinations in the world not only for cultural tourism, but also for sports, leisure and adventurous travel.
The RCU will develop the climbing routes through its partnership with the Saudi Climbing Federation (SCF). It seeks to put Al-Ula among the leading international tourist destinations and showcase the province’s adventure attractions, breathtaking natural scenery, and historic and heritage sites.
A group of Saudi climbers embarked on exploratory trips to different sites in Al-Ula from Oct.11-14 to identify climbing paths — the first time a large number of climbers from the SCF came together to enjoy rock and mountain climbing in the region.
The trips were led by SCF President Prince Bandar bin Khalid, who was accompanied by Yasmine Al-Qahtani, director-general of the federation.
The commission’s teams and the SCF will continue to identify climbing tracks, develop the necessary infrastructure and establish plans to ensure climbers’ safety. The partnership will also train Al-Ula residents as climbing guides to protect climbers’ safety as part of the efforts to promote social participation in the province. This will provide more job opportunities for the people of Al-Ula and support its local economy.
“Rock climbing is a sport that everyone can practice without any prior requirements,” Al-Qahtani said. “The tracks that the federation will develop will be suitable for climbers from different age groups. The sense of achievement you get when you reach the top cannot be described and the view from the top will be inspirational.”
The memorandum of understanding signed between the RCU and the SCF will provide a cooperative framework based on discussion, dialogue and communication to develop the sport in accordance with the best sustainable development practices.
Rock stars get ready to roll in Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ula
Rock stars get ready to roll in Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ula
Asir region is first with launch of tourism identity
- Prince Turki said the slogan “Karam Al-Arouma” was inspired by the generosity and welcoming nature of the people of the region
Saudi Arabia’s Asir region has become the first in the Kingdom to create a regional tourism identity, accompanied by the slogan “Karam Al-Arouma,” or “the generosity of the people of Asir.”
Asir Gov. Prince Turki bin Talal bin Abdulaziz, who also heads the Asir Region Development Authority, launched the identity at an official ceremony organized by the authority and hosted by the Rijal Heritage Village in Rijal Almaa governorate.
“This identity has been in the works for quite a while. It’s a very exciting day for us to finally unveil this to the world. It’s going to help our marketing efforts both domestically and internationally,“ Hashim Al-Dabbagh, the authority’s CEO, told Arab News.
“The vision of the Asir region is to be a preeminent destination year-round, and having our own identity is a step in that direction,” he said.
Asir is seeking to become a global destination throughout the year, based on its authentic culture and wide range of natural attractions.
Prince Turki said the slogan “Karam Al-Arouma” was inspired by the generosity and welcoming nature of the people of the region.
The identity was supported by the launch of the “Discover Asir” tourism website under the umbrella of “Visit Saudi,” which will provide tourist information.
Saudi Justice Ministry to host training conference
RIYADH: The Saudi Ministry of Justice is to hold the International Conference of Judicial Training in Riyadh from May 6-7.
The Judicial Training Center hosts the event which will see the participation of several international training institutes, centers, and experts in the field of judicial and legal training. The objective is to facilitate the exchange of experiences and deliberations on contemporary trends in the era of digital transformation.
Called “The Future of Judicial Training in the Era of Digital Transformation,” the event will delve into the prospects of training in the future. It will explore paths for enhancing training content; strategies for harnessing modern technology; artificial intelligence in judicial training; and effective methodologies for measuring the training’s impact.
Saudi energy minister attends Tashkent International Investment Forum
TASHKENT: Saudi Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman on Thursday participated in the primary dialogue session at the third Tashkent International Investment Forum.
In the presence of the president of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the energy minister highlighted the distinguished relations between the two nations, emphasizing the leadership’s strong commitment to enhancing and expanding cooperation across all sectors, particularly energy.
The partnership aims to benefit both countries and their citizens.
Who’s Who: Ali Alhasan, CEO and founder of NanoPalm
- Alhasan co-developed deep tech to leverage large language models for biotech discovery
- He was granted the Outstanding Researcher Award from the International Institute for Nanotechnology in 2012
Ali Alhasan is CEO and founder of the company NanoPalm. He holds a Ph.D. in nanomedicine, with expertise in nano-drug delivery and gene therapy and five years of experience in executive management.
In his role as CEO, Alhasan formulates the strategic and business plans for accelerating therapy translation globally and trains talents in deep tech, nanotech, and gene editing tech.
Alhasan co-developed deep tech to leverage large language models for biotech discovery. He also co-invented Nanopalm’s biorobots for the delivery of gene editing primers and helped discover four nanomedicines for four different genetic diseases.
He is also an associate professor at King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology and an adjunct professor at Alfaisal University, establishing collaboration agreements between the two.
As associate professor, he is the principal researcher for development and innovation in nanomedicine and the fourth industrial revolution.
In his role as adjunct professor, Alhasan teaches nanomedicine and mentors postgraduate and undergraduate students. He also co-established the Cancer Nanoscience Program.
Previously, Alhasan served in executive leadership roles at KACST as deputy at the Joint Centers of Excellence Program (2021), deputy of the Life Science and Environment Research Institute (2020), director of the Center of Excellence for Biomedicine (2020), and director of Strategic Initiatives (2016).
Alhasan was a post-doctoral scholar at the University of California in 2015 and received his Ph.D. in the Interdepartmental Biological Sciences Program from Northwestern University in 2013.
In 2008, he received a master’s degree in biotechnology also from Northwestern University, while in 2001, he received his bachelor’s degree in medical technology from King Abdulaziz University.
Alhasan was granted the Leader of the Year award from the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology in 2024. In 2018, he received the Outstanding Investigator Award from KACST.
He was granted the Outstanding Researcher Award from the International Institute for Nanotechnology in 2012.
Prince Faisal bin Farhan speaks with Swiss foreign minister
- two ministers discussed developments of common interest and efforts made by both countries in those areas
RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan spoke on the phone with his Swiss counterpart Ignazio Cassis on Thursday.
During the call, the two ministers discussed developments of common interest and efforts made by both countries in those areas, Saudi Press Agency reported.
Cassis was in the Kingdom last month to attend the Special Meeting of the World Economic Forum held in Riyadh on April 28 and 29, during which he met with Prince Faisal.
Prince Faisal and Cassis also met earlier in the year in February during UN meetings in Geneva.
