Jeddah Historic District Program sponsors FIFA Club World Cup Saudi Arabia 2023
Updated 24 November 2023
Arab News
JEDDAH: The Jeddah Historic District Program has secured sponsorship rights as the official cultural destination and main supporter of the FIFA Club World Cup Saudi Arabia 2023.
The prestigious tournament, which takes place in Jeddah from Dec. 12-22, is being played in the Kingdom for the first time.
The program’s sponsorship of the tournament is part of its efforts to showcase the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Jeddah, also known as Al-Balad, and to promote the region as a global destination for culture and heritage.
Jeddah Historic District Program is the official Cultural Destination of the FIFA Club World Cup Saudi Arabia 2023™️
It also aims to highlight the region’s unique traditional architecture, ancient historical sites, and spectacular events, including cultural festivals and art exhibitions.
The program aims to promote the region’s economic potential, local identity, and global cultural communication, as millions of football fans worldwide will follow the sporting event.
The Jeddah Historic District Program also has plans to organize several events in Al-Balad during the tournament.
Rare sighting of critically endangered leatherback turtle in Red Sea
Turtles travel thousands of kilometers to Red Sea
Nesting 6,500km away in India’s Andaman Islands
Updated 05 February 2026
Arab News
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s National Center for Wildlife 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 km off the coast of Al-Qunfudhah within the Blue Holes Protected Area, a newly established marine reserve, according to a recent report from the Saudi Press Agency.
The NCW said the presence of a leatherback in these waters was an exceptional event.
Recognized as the largest turtle species on Earth, the leatherback can weigh up to 900 kilograms. It has a unique leathery, black carapace — distinguished by five longitudinal ridges rather than a hard bony shell — and able to dive to depths exceeding 1,000 meters.
Shutterstock image
Noting the species’ migratory nature, the center explained that leatherbacks travel thousands of kilometers foraging for jellyfish. The specimen likely navigated through the Bab Al-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 km away).
The closest known nesting grounds are located in India’s Andaman Islands, approximately 6,500 kilometers away. No nesting activity has been recorded in the Red Sea.
According to the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, 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 expansion in range of such endangered species.
