JEDDAH: Dr. Yousef Al-Othaimeen, secretary-general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), reiterated his call for the UN and other international and regional organizations to declare March 15 as the International Day of Solidarity against Islamophobia, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.
He stressed that the call serves to promote global awareness of the danger of Islamophobia, hatred and intolerance against Muslims.
Al-Othaimeen exhorted the international community to take practical measures to address this phenomenon and to promote tolerance, understanding, and peaceful coexistence in the world.
This came during his speech marking the one-year anniversary of the terrorist attack that targeted two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, killing a large number of innocent worshippers.
Al-Othaimeen expressed sympathy and solidarity with the families of the victims on behalf of the OIC, as well as appreciation of the firm stance taken by the government and people of New Zealand against terrorism.
He applauded the measures adopted by the prime minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern, to address hatred and terrorism and to care for the country’s Muslim community.
Al-Othaimeen stressed that the heinous terrorist act sent a powerful message that hate speech, intolerance, and Islamophobia constitute a threat to all societies and that terrorism has no religion, race, or nationality.
OIC calls on UN to declare March 15 as solidarity day against Islamophobia
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OIC calls on UN to declare March 15 as solidarity day against Islamophobia
- The OIC secretary-general made the call during his speech marking the one-year anniversary of the terrorist attack that targeted two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand
- He applauded the measures adopted by the prime minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern, to address hatred and terrorism and to care for the country’s Muslim community
Date confirmed for Health Tourism Future Forum in Riyadh
- Event will showcase the Kingdom’s importance as a promising global market for health
- Aim is to attract visitors, interested parties, and investors from all over the world, as well as promote major projects, such as Amaala
RIYADH: The Health Tourism Association has revealed what is in store at its future forum, which will be held in Riyadh from April 28-30.
The event, which is being organized by the Health Tourism Club and the Health Tourism Association in partnership with the Global Healthcare Travel Council, will showcase the Kingdom’s importance as a promising global market for health tourism, presenting investment opportunities in the tourism and healthcare sectors, along with new destinations, while hoping to establish a new annual global platform for the industry in Riyadh.
The aim is to attract visitors, interested parties, and investors from all over the world, as well as promote major projects, such as Amaala, in an effort to make the Kingdom an attractive destination for safe, high-quality healthcare with international accreditation.
The press conference preceding the event spoke of patients seeking healthcare benefiting from the advanced system in the country and the extensive network of distinguished, high-quality hospitals and medical centers throughout the Kingdom.
Scent of success as Saudi Arabia aims for 2bn roses
- Reef Saudi, which focuses on enhancing productivity of vital agricultural crops, announced a 34 percent increase in rose production last year
- Reef also seeks to diversify agricultural production across rural areas, while ensuring optimal and sustainable use of natural agricultural and water resources
RIYADH: Reef Saudi, a sustainable agricultural rural development program, has almost doubled rose production in the past four years, increasing from 500 million roses in 2020 to 960 million roses, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The program, which focuses on enhancing productivity of vital agricultural crops, announced a 34 percent increase in rose production last year, and said it aims to reach a figure of 2 billion roses by 2026.
Reef also seeks to diversify agricultural production across rural areas, while ensuring optimal and sustainable use of natural agricultural and water resources.
As part of the program, plant nurseries have been established around the Kingdom, with mobile clinics to diagnose plant diseases.
The Reef program aims to raise the living standard of farmers and rural families, increase efficiency and productivity, and improve food security.
It has developed six sectors: fruit, coffee, honey, rose, rainfed agriculture, and a support program for rural families in agriculture.
Sports medicine professionals gather at global event in Riyadh
- ECOSEP conference will run until April 27 at the Crowne Plaza Riyadh RDC under the supervision of the MOVE Center for Comprehensive Sports Medicine
- MOVE Center is a specialized integrated sports medicine facility, that places a focus on diagnosing, treating, rehabilitating, educating and protecting athletes from sports injuries
RIYADH: A major global sports medicine conference began in Riyadh on Thursday, with more than 60 speakers arriving in the Saudi capital from 15 countries around the world.
The European College of Sports and Exercise Physicians (ECOSEP) conference, one of the largest events in the industry worldwide, will run until April 27 at the Crowne Plaza Riyadh RDC under the supervision of the MOVE Center for Comprehensive Sports Medicine.
The MOVE Center is the first facility specialized in integrated sports medicine in the Kingdom, focusing on diagnosing, treating, rehabilitating, educating and protecting athletes from sports injuries.
Dr. Mubarak Al-Mutawa, the center’s CEO, said: “One of our main goals at MOVE is medical prevention. When I take one’s measurements and weight, and evaluate their condition, I always solve them with preventative solutions.
“The world is taking the lead toward the importance of being cautious and aware. A quality life consists of good nutrition and staying active because those factors prevent chronic conditions, such as diabetes and high blood pressure.”
Nikos Malliaropoulos, ECOSEP secretary general and a sports consultant, told Arab News that constant learning is the most important part of working in sports medicine.
“It (sports medicine) is starting to expand all over the world and I am really happy that we are here today in Saudi Arabia, opening the doors to sports exercise medicine.
“I think it is important as Saudi Arabia will host the World Cup in 10 years. So, over the next 10 years, this knowledge needs to be expanded to all healthcare professionals. This course changed my life and my practice 20 years ago. It was the motivation and the drive to develop that.”
Dr. Amir Pakravan, a consultant in sport and musculoskeletal medicine, as well as an ECOSEP board member, told Arab News that he previously had experience working in fast-paced medical environments, which prepared him for his job as a sports consultant.
When he is on the field, Pakravan ensures that he has a checklist of procedures memorized at all times, to ensure a quick response if an athlete is injured.
“What I would say to myself is to stick to the one, two, three and four of your list and check that you have done all of them. That focus on procedure is important.”
The three-day conference will host a series of workshops as well as sessions with industry leaders and officials.
It comes as an extension of efforts in the Saudi sports sector under the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
47th Saudi relief plane for Gazans arrives in Egypt
- The aid will be transported from Egypt’s Al-Arish International Airport into Gaza
- Relief is part of the Kingdom’s historic role in supporting Palestinian people in times of crisis
RIYADH: The 47th Saudi relief plane carrying medical and shelter supplies for the people of Gaza arrived in Egypt on Wednesday evening.
The aid will be transported from Egypt’s Al-Arish International Airport into Gaza.
The plane was operated by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center in coordination with the Kingdom’s Ministry of Defense, Saudi Press Agency reported.
The aid is part of the Kingdom’s historic role in supporting Palestinian people in times of crisis, SPA added.
World’s largest coral restoration project unveiled in the Red Sea
- NEOM nursery will by 2025 produce 400,000 corals annually
- Aim to restore reefs globally, says KAUST President Tony Chan
Scientists at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, in collaboration with NEOM, have launched the first nursery of the KAUST Coral Restoration Initiative.
“KCRI is the largest coral restoration project in the world and represents a significant step towards restoring reefs globally with a primary nursery officially in operation and a second facility in development, both in the Red Sea,” according to a statement released on Thursday.
The nursery, built on the coast of NEOM in northwest Saudi Arabia, is set to transform coral restoration efforts with a production capacity of 40,000 corals annually.
Functioning as a pioneering pilot facility, researchers will leverage the project as the blueprint for large-scale coral restoration initiatives, including the world’s largest and most advanced land-based coral nursery.
Located at the same site, this advanced coral nursery will boast a 10-fold larger capacity to nurture 400,000 corals annually. The project is expected to be completed by December 2025.
Home to 25 percent of known marine species despite covering less than 1 percent of the sea floor, coral reefs are the bedrock of numerous marine ecosystems. Experts estimate up to 90 percent of global coral reefs will experience severe heat stress by 2050.
Prof. Tony Chan, president of KAUST, said: “Recent events provide a stark reminder of the global crisis that coral reefs face. Our ambition is, therefore, to pioneer a pathway to upscale from the current labor-intensive restoration efforts to industrial-scale processes required to reverse the current rate of coral reef degradation.”
The initiative aligns with the Saudi Vision 2030 and its efforts to bolster marine conservation, leveraging KAUST’s research into marine ecosystems and serving as a platform to test innovative restoration methods.
Nadhmi Al-Nasr, CEO of NEOM, said: “Through our long-standing partnership with the KAUST, we will also highlight the role of coral reefs, among the most important marine environmental systems, and the value of their preservation for future generations.”
