RIYADH: Saudi Arabia announced four more deaths and 154 new cases of coronavirus on Friday, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 2,039.Of those new cases, 34 were reported in Madinah, 30 in Jeddah and 21 in Makkah.
Saudi Arabia’s interior ministry implemented a 24-hour curfew in the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah on Thursday to limit the spread of coronavirus.
So far 351 patients have recovered from the virus in the Kingdom and 25 people have died from it.
On Friday, King Salman issued a royal decree ordering the allocation of 9 billion Saudi riyals ($2.4 billion) to compensate citizens working in facilities affected by repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic.
Saudi Arabia announces 4 more deaths, 154 new cases of coronavirus
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Saudi Arabia announces 4 more deaths, 154 new cases of coronavirus
- Saudi Arabia’s interior ministry implemented a 24-hour curfew in the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah on Thursday to limit the spread of coronavirus
From arts to apps, Riyadh’s youth is redefining a new global narrative
- Talal Al-Hammad, the editor-in-chief of entArabi, said these changemakers are at the forefront of a significant shift toward sustainable and inclusive development
- Talal Al-Hammad: It may come as a surprise, but the young entrepreneurs in Riyadh, both men and women, are deeply engaged with all the latest trends in entrepreneurship
RIYADH: Young people in the Saudi capital are ready to reshape the city’s landscape and show Riyadh as a hub of dynamic social progress.
From grassroots community organizing to pioneering entrepreneurship and cultural innovation, the new generation of changemakers models itself as the driving force behind positive transformation in their community.
Arab News approached some of those inspiring change.
Talal Al-Hammad, the editor-in-chief of entArabi, said these changemakers are at the forefront of a significant shift toward sustainable and inclusive development.
“It may come as a surprise, but the young entrepreneurs in Riyadh, both men and women, are deeply engaged with all the latest trends in entrepreneurship.
“We have genuine problem solvers, addressing issues unique to Saudi society with innovative solutions.
“They’re making waves across various sectors including fintech, edtech, proptech, blockchain and AI (artificial intelligence), among others.”
He highlighted two ventures as examples of the positive impact these young entrepreneurs are making, the Barakah and Hemam apps.
Co-founded by Abdulaziz Al-Saud and Rabah Habiss, the Barakah app tackles the problem of food waste by using a mobile platform to offer discounts on surplus food from restaurants and stores.
Meanwhile, Bader Alarjani’s Hemam app is breaking down barriers for people with disabilities, offering them improved access to transport services and greater inclusivity in daily life.
Al-Hammad, who has witnessed firsthand the dynamic shift in the entrepreneurial landscape of the capital, said that the surge in young changemakers in Riyadh “is driven by Vision 2030 and government support, aiming to diversify the economy and foster innovation” and, coupled with “increased access to venture capital, angel investors, and government grants, provides essential financial support, enabling the testing and scaling of innovative ideas.”
EntArabi plays a critical role in this ecosystem by supporting youth, highlighting their achievements, offering a comprehensive directory of startups and sharing founders’ stories to inspire others.
For aspiring entrepreneurs in Riyadh eager to embark on a journey of social innovation, Al-Hammad emphasized the importance of making use of the many government initiatives and grants available, especially in the early stages of the venture, as well as to harness the power of the media and storytelling.
“Skillful storytelling can attract support, motivate others, and enhance your venture’s influence,” he said.
In a city immersed in tradition, Morouj Meliebary is leading efforts to revitalize Riyadh’s cultural heritage and promote artistic expression.
The senior section manager for communication and engagement at the Royal Commission for Riyadh City is on a mission to transform the capital into a global art gallery.
She said: “The vision of Riyadh Art is to turn the city into a gallery without walls. We are physically and tangibly making a change, architectural changes, we are placing art across the city.
“And this art should represent the people who live in the city or the people who visit, the people who are part of this identity.”
Riyadh Art, one of the largest public art initiatives in the world, was launched in March 2019 by King Salman, under the supervision of the Committee of Grand Projects chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The culture expert added: “We have opened the door for youth, we want the youth to be part of this imprint. We have a lot of very young artists who participated in Noor Riyadh, and we always open the door for them to meet with more experienced artists who have been in the industry for much longer for them to learn from each other.
“The idea behind that is to have non-Saudi artists meeting with local artists and kind of exchanging culture.”
Noor Riyadh, a Riyadh Art initiative, is a citywide annual festival of light and art comprising public art installations across Riyadh city, including a diverse program of talks, tours, workshops and events.
Meliebary, a Saudi anthropologist who takes pride in her narrative of encapsulating the essence of a “society changemaker,” said that “inclusion is important because there’s so much that we share in common.”
Beyond the tangible artworks, the initiative has embraced digital platforms to boost its reach and allow for a transnational dialogue on art and culture.
This digital expansion is particularly significant for young Saudis, providing them with an opportunity to engage with and contribute to the worldwide art community, demonstrating “that Saudi is transforming, and they are the face of this change,” Meliebary said.
After using her passion for writing to publish her first book, Meliebary’s transition to the Royal Commission for Riyadh City further amplifies her influence, with an eye to improve inclusivity, sustainability and cultural enrichment.
Experts call on people to prevent food waste
- Academics and specialists agreed that Saudi Arabia should implement new initiatives to combat the rising challenge of food waste
- Titled “Stop Food Waste,” the virtual event was organized by Saudi Platform in cooperation with Vision Platform
JEDDAH: Preventing food waste can be made possible through greater adoption of affordable and user-friendly technologies, best practices initiatives, and more awareness campaigns, experts who met at a recent virtual awareness meeting have said.
The academics and specialists agreed that Saudi Arabia should implement new initiatives to combat the rising challenge of food waste and loss effectively.
Titled “Stop Food Waste,” the virtual event was organized by Saudi Platform in cooperation with Vision Platform. It revealed that more than 33 percent of food is wasted in the Kingdom, which costs Saudi Arabia around SR40 billion ($10.66 billion) annually.
Najah Al-Omari, an international trainer and family counsellor, presented a video about recycling plant waste. Citing Qur’anic verses, she explained the difference between loss and waste and highlighted the importance of preserving food.
She presented a group of slides about Saudi citizens’ consumption of food compared to global consumption rates.
“The comparison between food waste rates reveals shocking numbers, after local waste exceeded global levels by a large margin,” she said.
Al-Omari presented a set of instructions on preserving food, reducing food waste, and achieving sustainability, and noted the extent of the impact of food waste on individuals in particular, and the country in general.
She also presented a set of practical solutions to stop food waste, some of which relate to the enactment of legislation.
Al-Omari discussed how specialized charitable organizations play a role in treating the impact of loss and waste.
Fahd Turkestani, an environmental expert, confirmed that such awareness meetings spread the culture of preserving grace and awareness in society.
He said: “In France, they ask the customer to take his or her leftover food with him (or her); and in Italy, they have put in place binding laws to limit waste. In Britain, the first supermarket was opened for leftover food.
“A restaurant in Chicago refused to use the waste bin for two years, forcing customers to consume all their meals; and in Denmark, the country succeeded in reducing food surplus by 25 percent, within five years, thanks to effective awareness programs.”
Turkestani called on the Saudi authorities to enact strict laws, including fines and penalties, to combat waste.
Meanwhile, Nouf Halawani, director of social responsibility projects at Savola World, reviewed the experiences and practices in the Kingdom during the past years. “New technologies are needed to reduce food waste,” she said.
Abdullah Osama Filali, chairman of the board of directors of the Hefz Al-Nema organization in the Makkah region, highlighted effective initiatives undertaken by the association to reduce waste, which included making agreements with hotels, restaurants, and wedding halls, to take surplus food, package it, and distribute it to the needy.
He pointed out that 800,000 meals were distributed during the year, benefiting needy families, after recycling and investing surplus food in these areas.
Music, art, local dishes stir the senses at Diriyah’s Ramadan market
- Live cooking, henna stations, oud and piano performers among the activities and entertainment at the market
RIYADH: Music, food and art are the sense-stirring offerings at Diriyah’s JAX Ramadan Market, which opened this week.
The Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale is hosting the market as a part of the “Layali Biennale” program.
“The (JAX Ramadan) market is such a cute idea ... the atmosphere, the music, the food, the people all of it is such a fun vibe for Ramadan nights,” Jood Marzouqi, a visitor, told Arab News.
The JAX Ramadan Market is open to the public from 8:30 p.m. to 2 a.m., until April 1, and offers visitors a taste of local Ramadan favorites with a modern twist.
Bateel Ismail, the food and beverage lead of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation, told Arab News: “The JAX Ramadan Market has seven main selections of hot stations for live-cooking food and eight stations for other miscellaneous cuisines and products including chocolates, dates, tea, cheese, and specialty crackers.
“We also present a henna station and live activities for families.”
Ismail said: “We curated a diverse range of businesses that offer unique and high-quality products. We also considered factors such as the authenticity of the products, the cultural significance, and the ability to provide a delightful experience for visitors.
“The goal was to create a vibrant and enjoyable market that showcases the best of Ramadan’s most famous food.”
The market featured live oud and piano performances for guests to enjoy while shopping.
To foster Ramadan’s community spirit, the market has set up a long table where guests can sit together to eat and chat.
One of the booths named Balila Al-Hijaz offers boiled chickpeas with toppings of pickles and spices including cumin.
A variety of stuffed dates can be found at several booths including The Flavors of Hijaz and Musa & Palm. On the dessert side, Najd Luqaimat has fried dough balls stuffed with cheese, drizzled with honey, chocolate or other syrups.
Visitor Marzouqi said the market captures the spirit of the holy month. “I grew up in Jeddah. Having food with friends and hanging out, was our most memorable tradition during Ramadan in Jeddah.”
She added: “Since I’ve moved to Riyadh, I started missing that, and I heard about this market; and honestly it feels similar to Jeddah. It’s a little different but the vibes, atmosphere and energy truly remind me of a Ramadan back home.”
When asked, Marzouqi said her favorite booth was “definitely the Flavors of Hijaz.”
“I wish it (the market) was bigger. The space is smaller than I expected, but it’s still a fun activity for Ramadan nights.”
Also at the market, The Truffleers, a Saudi Arabia luxury chocolate truffle company, featured several varieties of their products including salted-butter caramel truffles, pure chocolate truffles, Arabian coffee beans, and cookie crisps.
The Truffleers was launched three years ago in Dhahran and has now expanded across the Kingdom.
Wijdan Hussein, operations manager of The Truffleers, told Arab News: “We have seven locations within the Kingdom and we are participating in events such as the JAX Ramadan Market. We are showcasing our chocolate truffle products.
“Our participation in the market today has been very nice, the atmosphere is wonderful, and everything is very beautiful.”
Another booth featuring handmade Saudi Arabia desserts is Okay by Sara, a sweets company that displays their take on ghorayebah, a type of local butter cookie.
Afnan Mahmoud, a sales representative from Okay by Sara, said: “All of our desserts are handmade and come in different designs, based on the occasion you have. For example, if you order dessert for the occasion of Ramadan or any celebration we will specialize it and design it for you.”
Saudi Arabia’s KSrelief donates tons of dates and food aid to families in need
RIYADH: Saudi aid agency KSrelief has donated 40 tons of dates to Malaysia and Poland, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday.
In Warsaw, Poland, 15 tons of dates were handed over, while in Malaysia a further 23 tonnes were distributed as part of the agency’s ongoing work to assist those most in need.
On Wednesday, meanwhile, the Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance launched the Kingdom’s gift program to distribute dates and iftar meals in Amman, Jordan.
The first stage involves the delivery of approximately 5 tons of dates to more than 20,000 people.
The second part of the program aims to provide iftar meals to over 7,000 people.
KSrelief also provided 2,900 food aid parcels to Montenegro, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Benin and Sudan, benefiting 14,275 people.
Crown prince receives governors of Saudi regions
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has received governors of the Kingdom’s regions following their 31st annual meeting, the Saudi Press Agency said early Thursday.
The Crown Prince was briefed on the most prominent topics discussed at the annual meeting.
He commended the governors’ efforts to serve the country, citizens and residents, and their work to achieve comprehensive development.