Saudi treasures at Louvre Abu Dhabi dazzle visitors

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The exhibition helps to spread cultural knowledge among visitors about the glorious past of the region. (Photos/SPA)
Updated 17 December 2018
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Saudi treasures at Louvre Abu Dhabi dazzle visitors

  • The event reflects image of distant past from the heart of a country that preserves the spirit of ancient civilization

JEDDAH: The Roads of Arabia exhibition at the Louvre Museum Abu Dhabi has proved a big attraction for visitors of various nationalities. Subtitled Archaeological Treasures of Saudi Arabia, it carries important information about the history and civilizations of the Kingdom and the Arabian Peninsula.
Visitors expressed their pride that the exhibition confirms the Kingdom’s special place in the field of archaeology, in both the discovery of these treasures and the way they are preserved.
“The exhibition represents the ancient desert memory when trade was the lifeblood of the world. The Arab trade route through the region was one of the world’s most famous routes at the time,” said former Director General of the French National Museums Pierre-Francois Zemmour.
A similar exhibition titled Treasures of Saudi Arabia was held in the Paris Louvre in 2010 and achieved great popularity in Europe, according to Zemmour.
“The exhibition hosted by Louvre Abu Dhabi this year displays 466 artifacts from the Arabian peninsula, the land of the Hijaz and the Arabian Kingdom of Kindah in 200BC,” he added.
“This is a cultural and historical event of great importance which is attracting the attention of thousands of people around the world. It shows the authentic lifestyle of these ancient peoples, who were interested in riding, breeding falcons and hunting, as well as in the protection and organization of commercial convoys,” Zemmour said.
“What is distinctive about the exhibition is that the museum reflects the image of the distant past from the heart of a country that still preserves the spirit of ancient civilization and lives on the spirit of authenticity in a contemporary form.”
Simone Garaudy, a researcher at the National Institute of Archaeology and Heritage in Paris, said that Western and Arab archaeological missions have discovered thousands of important sites in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain over the past 10 years. “These discoveries are very important for the history of humanity. It is great to see that the UAE is particularly interested in national museums which represent the memory of the region and preserve the history of the Gulf region and the civilization of the Arabian Desert for the present and future generations,” said Garaudy.
Garaudy said that the Louvre Abu Dhabi displays the great value of the past using the latest techniques of presentation, preservation and storage. “This is very important because it makes it easy for millions of people around the world to follow the exhibitions, which present Arab history to the world,” she added.
Jean de Cornies, an artist and a member of the board of trustees of the Musee d'Orsay in Paris, said that the Louvre Abu Dhabi Museum has a collection of thousands of artifacts that reflect Arab lifestyle through the ages, collected from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Yemen and Oman.
“The Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi works with its counterparts in other Arab countries and around the world, making the Louvre Abu Dhabi a integrated historical memory that reflects a long history of the Arabs.”
Indian researcher Alimuddin said: “I can see sculptures from the Stone Age and artifacts that are tens of thousands of years old, and this makes us rethink many ideas and wonder how these pieces have been preserved, despite the difficult environmental conditions in the region.”
Kabra, a visitor, stressed the importance of viewing this great heritage, noting that she did not know much about the heritage of the Arabian Peninsula, and that holding such exhibitions helps to spread cultural knowledge among the people.


Innovators challenged to improve pilgrim experience for people with mobility issues

Updated 5 sec ago
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Innovators challenged to improve pilgrim experience for people with mobility issues

  • During a week-long event, 250 people on 39 teams are working to develop innovative products and services to serve the mobility needs of pilgrims

MAKKAH: Innovators and entrepreneurs have been challenged to find ways to enhance the pilgrim experience in Makkah for people with mobility issues.

To help them develop solutions, provide support and encourage collaborations, the General Authority for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, Umm Al-Qura University and investment business Wadi Makkah Co. organized a week-long event that began at the company’s headquarters on Sunday.

The specific goal is to improve pilgrim services through the development of innovative ways to help people who find it difficult to complete Hajj rituals such as Tawaf (walking around the Kaaba in the Grand Mosque seven times) and Sa’i (moving repeatedly between the Safa and Marwah hills at the mosque). The challenge includes four categories covering the use of manual wheelchairs, electric vehicles, golf carts and trailers, and a fifth, open section for creative mobility ideas.

Ali Al-Shaery, the CEO of Wadi Makkah, said he was proud of the company’s participation in this collaborative effort, and highlighted the significant role it can play in improving pilgrims’ mobility.

“We are contributing to realizing the Vision of our beloved kingdom, enriching the experience of pilgrims, and increasing the number of pilgrims and Umrah performers by 2030,” he said.

“Through this challenge, we aim to provide participants with a knowledge boost, cultural enrichment and empowerment through specialized workshops and expert mentors.”

The general authority is giving participants a sense of the nature of pilgrim-mobility issues, he added, while mentors from Wadi Makkah are providing technical, innovative and entrepreneurial knowledge.

A panel of judges from various sectors related to Hajj and Umrah will select the most promising solutions proposed during the event, Al-Shaery said.

Ammar Attar, a faculty member at Umm Al-Qura University and coordinator of the mobility vehicles category of the challenge, said it was important to engage the academic community in efforts to tackle real-world issues.

“We aim to activate the role of faculty members, students and researchers in designing creative and innovative solutions that enrich the Tawaf and Sa’i experience,” he said.

He added that 250 people on 39 teams are working with the best tools to develop innovative products and services that can best serve the needs of pilgrims.

Ahmed Morsi, an entrepreneurship projects engineer with Wadi Makkah, said participants in the challenge have been provided with the tools they need to help come up with ideas that can significantly improve the pilgrim experience through the use of manual and electric wheelchairs, golf carts and trailers.

“Mentors have been provided to offer guidance and advice during the challenge period in developing ideas, designing products and building the first model, with the aim of assisting innovators, entrepreneurs and the Makkah community in creating a conducive environment and providing all essentials for achieving success stories that enhance the experience of pilgrims and Umrah performers,” Morsi added.

Prizes of SR10,000 ($2,666) will be awarded to the best projects chosen by judges in each of the five categories.


Mauritania president arrives in Madinah to visit Prophet’s Mosque

The President of Mauritania Mohamed Ould Ghazouani arrives in Madinah on Thursday. (SPA)
Updated 32 min 17 sec ago
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Mauritania president arrives in Madinah to visit Prophet’s Mosque

  • The president will pray in the mosque and pay his respects to Prophet Muhammad and his companions Abu Bakr and Umar

RIYADH: The President of Mauritania Mohamed Ould Ghazouani and his accompanying delegation arrived in Madinah to visit the Prophet’s Mosque on Thursday.

The president will pray in the mosque and pay his respects to Prophet Muhammad and his companions Abu Bakr and Umar. 

Earlier on Thursday, Ghazouani attended an Arab League summit in Bahrain.


Experts discuss the challenges of tracking the illicit flow of funds

Updated 16 May 2024
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Experts discuss the challenges of tracking the illicit flow of funds

  • Abou Sharif made her statement on Thursday in Riyadh during a panel session titled “Follow-the-Money Techniques to Detect Financial Crime: Potential and Challenges”
  • If a society is cash based, she said, it puts a strain on the tracing of funds

RIYADH: Financial inclusion is crucial to reducing challenges in tracing the illicit flow of funds, said Samya Abou Sharif, the director of Jordan’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing unit.
Abou Sharif made her statement on Thursday in Riyadh during a panel session titled “Follow-the-Money Techniques to Detect Financial Crime: Potential and Challenges” at the Arab Forum of Anti-Corruption Agencies and Financial Intelligence Units.
She emphasized the role of law enforcement and the financial intelligence units in tracing funds, the sources, transfer, and use of these funds to follow the flow of financial proceeds from criminal activities.
If a society is cash based, she said, it puts a strain on the tracing of funds “because the transactions happen outside the formal banking system.”
Therefore, Abou Sharif said, financial inclusion is crucial to encourage the opening of bank accounts, offering smooth financial services, protecting customers, and encouraging them to participate in the financial system.
“With the ongoing innovations in finance, such as the use of artificial intelligence, we need to build capacity in law enforcement in this direction, to be faster than criminals.”
Jerome Beaumont, executive secretary of the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units, pointed to the creation and development of new decentralized financial spaces over the past 10 years.
“I am referring to the crypto industry and the broader concept of Web3, which encompasses cryptocurrencies. It is important to note that more than 100 new cryptocurrencies were generated and created daily at one point.”
Beaumont said we have created financial intelligence units for this new space as a reaction to these emerging platforms.
“We are now adopting and using new tools and crypto-based technologies to track transactions.”
Beaumont said that financial intelligence units face an ongoing trend: the increase in suspicious transaction reports sent by reporting entities.
“The only way to kind of bridge the gap was technology. Interestingly, a lot of those used … have been using AI, machine learning, and big data analytics.”
Maj. Gen. Abdullah Al-Zahrani, director of the General Department of Finance Investigations, Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority, mentioned key factors for the success of the financial investigation.
“In 2023, we provided over 400 people across the Kingdom with training on financial investigations.”
Al-Zahrani said the authority has a cadre of highly trained employees working closely with the Saudi Central Bank and other authorities to combat financial crimes.
“We cooperate with our colleagues in the criminal investigation and prosecution units concerning … labor investigations, then weigh the results of these investigations to tighten the noose on criminals,” he added.
Al-Zahrani said that the authority strives greatly to determine the real beneficiary of the proceeds of the crime.
“We bear great responsibility for dealing with financial corruption as it is a very complex crime.”


Saudi experts on urban heritage give lectures in Paris

Updated 16 May 2024
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Saudi experts on urban heritage give lectures in Paris

  • The program of four lectures explores some of the initiatives developed by the organization
  • The first lecture delved into material and intangible methods for preserving urban heritage

RIYADH: Experts on urban heritage from Saudi Arabia are giving a series of lectures on the topic at the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization offices in Paris.
Organized by the Saudi Heritage Commission, the program of four lectures explores some of the initiatives developed by the organization and the wider strategies on urban heritage in the Kingdom, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The first lecture delved into material and intangible methods for preserving urban heritage, while the second looked at the development of traditional architecture in Al-Ahsa.
The third talk considered the role international architects have played in shaping modern architecture in Saudi Arabia, while the upcoming fourth and final lecture will tell the stories of sites in the Kingdom that have been added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
The commission said the lectures in Paris reflect the organization’s efforts to preserve and develop national heritage as part of the Saudi strategy for culture set out in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 plan for the development and diversification of the national economy, and its work to promote Saudi heritage in international forums.
The aim of the commission is to enhance the heritage sector in the Kingdom, officials said, by raising awareness of Saudi heritage and how it relates to the cultural identity of the nation, fostering a sense of pride in this rich cultural heritage, and strengthening its partnerships with UNESCO, other international organizations and local experts.


Norway embassy hosts National Day celebration in Riyadh

Updated 16 May 2024
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Norway embassy hosts National Day celebration in Riyadh

  • Thomas Lid Ball: At the end of August, I will take up the position as Norway’s representative to the Palestinian Authorities
  • Norway’s national day is celebrated annually on May 17, paying tribute to the constitution of 1814 and honoring the royal family

RIYADH: Thomas Lid Ball, Norway’s ambassador to the Kingdom, hosted his last national day reception as his country’s representative in Saudi Arabia before taking up his new role later this year. 

“This will be the last national day celebration here at the compound for my wife Camilla and me. At the end of August, I will take up the position as Norway’s representative to the Palestinian Authorities,” Ball said in his opening remarks.

“We will remain forever grateful for the invaluable support from the fantastic team here at the embassy over the past years,” he said. 

Norway’s national day is celebrated annually on May 17 and pays tribute to the constitution of 1814 and honors the royal family.

Attending the national day reception as the guest of honor was Prince Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz, the deputy governor of the Riyadh region. 

In his opening address at the reception, Ball discussed a range of topics, including his time in the Kingdom as ambassador, Saudi-Norwegian private sector cooperation, and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. 

“The Saudi-Norwegian private sector partnerships contribute to the implementation of Vision 2030 in the Kingdom – to value creation, sustainability and corporate social responsibility,” Ball said. “They are an essential part of the solid bilateral relations between Saudi Arabia and Norway, officially established more than 60 years ago.

“Our relations have further developed over the past year, through bilateral dialogues on a range of issues and various visits and events, including two Saudi ministerial visits to Oslo, and vice versa, two Norwegian ministerial visits to Riyadh,” he said. 

During his speech, the ambassador stressed the need for an “immediate ceasefire, for hostages to be released, for safe and unhindered humanitarian access to alleviate the unprecedented suffering of civilians in Gaza and for an end to the escalating violence elsewhere in the occupied Palestinian territories.”

Still addressing that conflict, he said: “According to local health authorities, at least 35,173 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since October 7. Many of those who have lost their lives are women and children. On the West Bank, 479 Palestinians have been killed, including 116 children. 

“The conflict must be moved into a political track aiming for a political solution – a two-state solution that fulfills the right of the Palestinian people, ensures security for Israel, and paves the way for enhanced security in the wider region,” Ball said. 

The theme of the national day reception hosted in the ambassador’s residence was water.  

“As you may have noticed, we’ve chosen water as the theme for this year’s event. Because ‘water is life’; necessary for the survival of all living organisms on the planet, and because the management of our water resources is of such importance, both for the Kingdom of Norway and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” the ambassador said. 

Concluding his speech the ambassador said: “I would like to take the opportunity to also thank our Saudi friends and host country, our honorary consul in Jeddah, Abdullah bin Mahfouz, our friends in Bahrain, Oman and Yemen, our fellow citizens in the four countries, and not least our dear colleagues here in the diplomatic community.”

The celebration featured an open dinner buffet highlighting traditional dishes from Norway. The reception also featured a photograph area where visitors could pose against a boat backdrop while wearing Viking headgear.