Guests of King Salman’s Umrah program arrive in Madinah
250 pilgrims from African countries, 22 from Egypt
Program includes 1,000 pilgrims from 66 countries
Updated 23 January 2025
Arab News
MADINAH: The third group of participants in the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ Program for Hajj, Umrah and Visitation began arriving in Madinah on Wednesday.
Their 10-day visit to the Kingdom includes prayers at the Prophet’s Mosque, performing Umrah, touring historical and cultural landmarks, and visiting museums in Madinah and Makkah, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Officials from the Kingdom’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance welcomed the pilgrims at Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah.
Twenty-two Egyptian Umrah pilgrims were the first to arrive in the city.
The current group includes 250 pilgrims from 18 African countries: Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Mali, Senegal, Cameroon, Chad, Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, South Africa, Madagascar, Ethiopia, Mauritius, Guinea, Mozambique and Mauritania.
The program is hosting 1,000 visitors from 66 countries divided into four groups this year, as approved by King Salman.
14 sculptures go on display at public spaces in Riyadh
The works were chosen by Riyadh Art from its international Tuwaiq Sculpture symposium to reflect its ‘vision of weaving beauty and intellect into the city’s fabric’
Initiative aligns with efforts to make art a key part of city’s identity that improves quality of life and promotes the cultural economy, says Royal Commission for Riyadh City’s Khalid Al-Hazani
Updated 11 December 2025
Arab News
RIYADH: Fourteen sculptures selected from the annual international Tuwaiq Sculpture symposium, a Riyadh Art program, went on display on Wednesday at three prominent public spaces across the Saudi capital: ROSHN Front, the SEDRA residential community, and Sports Boulevard.
The project is part of Riyad Art’s efforts to showcase artworks in public spaces, and the addition of more works in other places is expected later.
Khalid Al-Hazani, the executive vice president of the lifestyle sector at the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, said: “This step reflects (Riyadh Art’s) vision of weaving beauty and intellect into the city’s fabric, and creating vibrant and culturally rich public spaces, allowing art to become an integral part of people’s daily lives.”
It is also in line with Riyadh Art’s broader strategy for transforming the city into an open-air art gallery, he added, thereby “turning art into a central element of the city’s identity and a key contributor to improving quality of life and promoting the cultural economy.”
The Riyadh Art Program installed on Wednesday 14 sculptures selected from the Tuwaiq International Sculpture Symposium at prominent locations in Riyadh, including the ROSHN Front, SEDRA Residential Community, and Sports Boulevard. (Supplied)
The three chosen locations were considered perfect places to host the artworks because of their vibrancy, strong community connections and accessibility, Al-Hazani noted.
“This provides residents and visitors with the opportunity to engage with the sculptures in their everyday lives,” he said.
Seven of the sculptures have been installed at ROSHN Front, considered a key urban hub. The artworks on display there form a thought-provoking artistic landscape that encourages interaction, organizers said, and explores a number of themes including the values of urban transformation, community spirit, and creative curiosity.
Three sculptures are on display at the SEDRA residential community. Chosen to complement its serene character and nature-integrated urban planning, they blend in with their surroundings to reflect the values of environmental harmony, contemplation and renewal, organizers explained.
The remaining four sculptures are at Sports Boulevard, known for its open, green spaces. These works reflect several concepts, in particular ideas of nature, balance and public health.
All of the sculptures are part of Riyadh Art’s permanent collection, which includes works created by local and international artists during the Tuwaiq Sculpture symposium.
