Dakar Rally: BFGoodrich Tires conducts desert cleanup drive

The cleaning drive took place as part of the 45th edition of the Dakar Rally, which was held between Dec. 31, 2022, and Jan. 15. The goal was to invite the larger community to clean up waste dumped in the desert.
Short Url
Updated 15 January 2023
Follow

Dakar Rally: BFGoodrich Tires conducts desert cleanup drive

On Jan. 9, marked as a rest day during the race, BFGoodrich, the official tire partner of the Dakar Rally since its 2002 edition, organized a desert cleaning drive in partnership with the Dakar Rally organization and the Filipinos for the Saudi Green Initiative association. In Riyadh, 40 volunteers from the public joined hands with the on-ground teams in collecting more than 70 large trash bags to be disposed of responsibly.

The cleaning drive took place as part of the 45th edition of the Dakar Rally, which was held between Dec. 31, 2022, and Jan. 15. In its efforts to unite the off-roading community, volunteers were joined by Dania Akeel, the first Saudi female to receive a license for motorcycle circuit racing, and Abdulaziz Al-Fudhili, automotive journalist and racing driver known as Saudi Stig, who participated in the cleanup.

The goal of the drive was to invite the larger community to clean up waste dumped in the desert in order to promote sustainable habits and responsible public land use to preserve the pristine desert landscape of Saudi Arabia.

Over 150 years of heritage, BFGoodrich Tires has been providing high-performance tires for those passionate about driving in any environment, now with a keen focus around its mission to respecting and protecting these environments. This cleaning drive falls in line with the brand’s first set of CSR initiatives, aimed at increasing awareness on environmental sustainability and safety among GCC markets.

“The success of this event further emboldens BFGoodrich tire’s commitment to sustainability, making way for more CSR initiatives that aim to enable sustainable desert trail use and secure a responsible green future,” a statement said.


25,000 attend Social Development Bank’s DeveGO25 forum

Updated 27 December 2025
Follow

25,000 attend Social Development Bank’s DeveGO25 forum

The Social Development Bank concluded the second edition of the Entrepreneurship and Modern Business Practices Forum — DeveGo 2025 — announcing the achievement of high-impact outcomes that further reinforced the forum’s position as the largest national platform in the region dedicated to entrepreneurship, innovation, and freelance work in Saudi Arabia and beyond. 

The forum witnessed broad participation from local and international experts, investors, entrepreneurs, and representatives of local, regional, and international institutions.

Over three days at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center, the forum drew 25,000 participants and visitors, who benefited from over 45 specialized workshops and over 2500 advisory sessions delivered by more than 70 consultants and experts. 

The sessions covered key areas including entrepreneurial planning, business models, venture capital, digital platforms, freelancing, and emerging technologies. 

The forum also featured 20 panel discussions with leading local and international speakers, addressing major global trends in entrepreneurship, including the future of artificial intelligence, the creative economy, digital transformation, and venture investment. 

The forum saw the launch of the Saudi Empretec Fellowship, in the presence of Rebeca Grynspan, secretary-general of the UN Conference on Trade and Development. 

The partners in success within the Social Responsibility Portfolio supporting entrepreneurs were honored. 

It also saw the honoring of 13 winners of the Handicrafts Competition, representing various regions of the Kingdom, the announcement of winners of the Salam Award for Promising Projects, and the recognition of leading entrepreneurial projects fund under the Enterprises Track. 

In addition, the NEXT UP Challenge concluded on the third day of the forum with 20 startups presenting their projects to more than 500 investors, enhancing opportunities for networking and partnership building.

As part of efforts to strengthen the support ecosystem, the forum witnessed the signing of 51 agreements, along with the launch of a suite of new financing products. These included the Capital Expansion Product with a ceiling of up to SR10 million, the Payroll Product with a ceiling of SR2 million, and the Rental Product with a ceiling of SR1.5 million, aimed at supporting enterprises in asset development and covering operational costs. 

This reflects the bank’s direction toward offering more specialized financing tools that respond effectively to market needs.

The forum concluded by reaffirming its role as a unifying national platform for entrepreneurship, where accompanying activities and events provided direct engagement opportunities between entrepreneurs, investors, and experts. 

The forum also highlighted success stories and practical experiences that reflect the scale of entrepreneurial momentum in the Kingdom and the growing role of the Social Development Bank in supporting a national economy driven by innovation and knowledge.