Recruitment campaign seeks 1,000 Saudi students for Dubai expo

The ratio of males to females accepted on the program will be 50:50 in line with equal opportunity policies. (Photo by volunteers.ae/KSAPavilion)
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Updated 08 March 2020
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Recruitment campaign seeks 1,000 Saudi students for Dubai expo

  • Volunteers will be ‘ambassadors on a global stage’

ABU DHABI: A recruitment drive has been launched for Saudi students to volunteer at the Kingdom’s pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai.

The volunteer recruitment campaign was launched in partnership with the Emirates Foundation and universities across the UAE.
A workshop was held recently involving the presidents of Saudi student clubs and students in seven Emirati universities, launching the process to enlist an estimated 1,000 student volunteers.
Fahd Al-Yabis, project manager for the Kingdom’s pavilion, said: “Volunteering is an essential component of our strategy as it aims to highlight and hone volunteers’ capabilities, enrich their practical skills, unleash their creativity and energy in a way that enhances the image of the Kingdom and its youth.”
Students can apply through www.volunteers.ae/KSAPavilion/, which is linked to the pavilion’s official website. Successful applicants will undergo a research-based selection process, including personal data validation, a pre-assessment interview and a skills assessment. Once they progress from this stage, the students will receive intensive training for specific positions based on their skills’ set and, upon completion, be awarded at a graduation ceremony.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Saudi Arabia’s pavilion is designed by Boris Micka Associates. It will be second in size only to that of the UAE pavilion, covering an area the size of two football pitches.

• The pavilion will give visitors an immersive experience of the Kingdom’s transformation and its traditions, ambitions and innovation.

• More than 190 nations have confirmed their participation at Expo 2020 Dubai.

• Organizers expect to record 25 million visits between October 2020 and April 2021, with 70 percent of visitors projected to come from outside the UAE.

The ratio of males to females accepted on the program will be 50:50 in line with equal opportunity policies.
Thurya Al-Badran, head of visitor services and head of the volunteering program at the pavilion, said: “Our program provides these students with the opportunity of a lifetime to act as ambassadors for our country on a global stage. Taking on diverse volunteering roles at Expo 2020 and gaining unrivaled hands-on experience, the students will gain unique experiences and develop themselves both personally and professionally.
“Expo 2020 Dubai provides Saudi people a chance to show the world how relatable we are, and these student ambassadors will be shining examples of this.”


Saudi wildlife center records rare sighting of critically endangered leatherback turtle in Red Sea

Updated 05 February 2026
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Saudi wildlife center records rare sighting of critically endangered leatherback turtle in Red Sea

  • NCW says the leatherback traveled thousands of kilometers to reach the Red Sea
  • The closest known nesting grounds are located in India’s Andaman Islands, some 6,500 km distant

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's National Center for Wildlife (NCW) has documented a rare sighting of a leatherback sea turtle in the Red Sea, marking a significant biological record for one of the planet's most critically endangered marine species.

The sighting occurred approximately 30 kilometers off the coast of Al-Qunfudhah within the Blue Holes Protected Area, a newly established marine reserve, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

The NCW confirmed that the presence of a leatherback in these waters is an exceptional event. Recognized as the largest turtle species on Earth, the leatherback can weigh up to 900 kilograms. It is easily identified by its unique leathery, black carapace—distinguished by five longitudinal ridges rather than a hard bony shell—and its ability to dive to depths exceeding 1,000 meters.

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Noting the species' migratory nature, the center explained that leatherbacks travel thousands of kilometers foraging for jellyfish. The specimen likely navigated through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in search of food. 

This is considered a remarkable journey, the NCW said, noting that the nearest known populations reside in the Indian Ocean, spanning waters from South Africa to Sri Lanka (roughly 7,000 to 8,000 kilometers away). The closest known nesting grounds are located in India’s Andaman Islands, approximately 6,500 kilometers distant. No nesting activity has been recorded in the Red Sea.

According to the IUCN Red List, the leatherback is Critically Endangered in the Indian Ocean. While data for the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf is scarce, recent isolated sightings include a juvenile recorded in Jordan in December 2025 and another off Djibouti in 2019.

The NCW emphasized that these rare appearances highlight the ecological importance of the Kingdom's marine conservation efforts in the Red Sea. The center pointed to the Farasan Islands Marine Protected Area, along with the new Blue Holes and Ras Hatiba reserves, as critical sanctuaries that could support the potential expansion of such endangered species' ranges.