Saudi science Olympiad winners going for gold at international competition

Saudi students chosen to compete at the ISEF 2020 gathering in California undergo rigid training in Riyadh. (SPA)
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Updated 06 March 2020
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Saudi science Olympiad winners going for gold at international competition

RIYADH: Twenty Saudi students are being put through their paces to prepare for taking part in the world’s largest pre-college science competition.

The King Abdul Aziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba), in cooperation with the Saudi Ministry of Education, has put together a program of training and workshops to ready the Kingdom’s team for this year’s International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) being staged in the US.

The talented group of young people were all finalists in the National Olympiad for Scientific Creativity (Ibdaa 2020), and they will be competing with more than 2,000 students from 90 countries at the fair in Anaheim, California, from May 10 to 15.

The Saudi students are currently in the process of refining and developing their scientific and research projects following a training workshop held on Wednesday at the Mishkat Interactive Center, in Riyadh, where academic experts gave advice and helped the students with their presentation skills.

Members of the arbitration and scientific committees also held one-to-one interviews with the students to review their work and provide the necessary scientific support to help them in representing the Kingdom at the ISEF.  

The Saudi team participating in the fair is made up of 14 female and six male students from schools in the Eastern Province, Riyadh, Makkah, Jeddah and Hail.


France, Saudi collaborate on space for artists in Riyadh

Updated 14 sec ago
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France, Saudi collaborate on space for artists in Riyadh

  • L’Institut francais, Riyadh Art will open La Fabrique on Feb. 22
  • ‘New cultural chapter’ between the nations, says France envoy

RIYADH: L’Institut francais in Saudi Arabia and Riyadh Art, an initiative of the city’s royal commission, have announced the opening of La Fabrique, a space for artists, on Jan. 22.

The project is based in the Riyadh Art Hub in JAX District and will enable Saudi and French artists to create, experiment, and bring their visions to life, according to a press release from the organizers.

La Fabrique also offers the public a rare opportunity to witness creative production including movement performances, digital and immersive arts, photography, music, cinema, cuisine and poetry.

At its core, La Fabrique fosters artistic exchange between French and Saudi artists, fostering new encounters, shared practices, and co-creation.

The initiative is aligned with the vision shared by French President Emmanuel Macron and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who have placed cultural cooperation at the heart of the renewed Saudi-French strategic partnership.

Anchored in the ambitions of Vision 2030, La Fabrique is a part of Riyadh’s transformation into a major international cultural hub.

Developed in cooperation with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture, the project strengthens the long-standing cultural dialogue between the two nations, the press release stated.

Patrick Maisonnave, ambassador of France to Saudi Arabia, said: “La Fabrique embodies the spirit of a new cultural chapter between France and Saudi Arabia.

“By bringing our artists together, we are not only sharing techniques and traditions, we are opening a space where imaginations meet, new forms emerge, and creativity becomes a bridge between our two societies.

“This initiative reflects our belief that artistic dialogue is one of the most powerful ways to build understanding, trust, and a shared future. It stands as a concrete example of France’s contribution to the ambitions of Vision 2030.”