Abha hosts first in series of forums

1 / 3
The forum aimed to promote film criticism as part of a strategy to enhance the Kingdom’s cultural identity. (SPA)
2 / 3
The forum aimed to promote film criticism as part of a strategy to enhance the Kingdom’s cultural identity. (SPA)
3 / 3
The forum aimed to promote film criticism as part of a strategy to enhance the Kingdom’s cultural identity. (SPA)
Short Url
Updated 23 August 2025
Follow

Abha hosts first in series of forums

  • Mishari Al-Khayat, general supervisor of the International Film Criticism Conference, said that launching the forum in Abha reflected the city’s cultural and artistic status

ABHA: The Film Commission has hosted the Film Criticism Forum in Al-Muftaha village, Abha. It marks the first in a series of such events the commission is hosting this year, concluding with the International Film Criticism Conference in Riyadh in November.

The forum aimed to promote film criticism as part of a strategy to enhance the Kingdom’s cultural identity.

Mishari Al-Khayat, general supervisor of the International Film Criticism Conference, said that launching the forum in Abha reflected the city’s cultural and artistic status.

He added that a solid national film industry was incomplete without criticism that analyzed the image behind the lens and deconstructed visual meanings.

He said the previous edition of the conference had attracted more than 10,000 visitors and 42 speakers from 30 countries, strengthening the Kingdom’s position as a leading platform for global cinematic dialogue.

 


Coalition marks decade of joint security efforts

Updated 5 sec ago
Follow

Coalition marks decade of joint security efforts

RIYADH: The Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition marked its 10th anniversary on Dec. 15, celebrating a decade of joint institutional efforts to enhance security and counter terrorism and extremism worldwide.

Established in 2015 on the initiative of King Salman and launched under the patronage of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the coalition aims to unify the Muslim world against transnational terrorism.

A key milestone came in 2023 when Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman became chairman of the coalition’s Council of Ministers of Defense, ushering in a new phase of strengthened oversight and strategic momentum.

In February 2024, Prince Khalid reaffirmed this commitment by announcing SR100 million ($27 million) in Saudi funding, along with 46 specialized training scholarships for member states.

Over the past decade, the coalition has implemented an integrated operational model built on four pillars — intellectual, media, countering terrorist financing, and military — benefiting thousands of trainees.

Maj. Gen. Mohammed Al-Moghedi, the coalition’s secretary-general, said that the anniversary marked an opportunity to assess progress and plan for the future.

He added that, with continued support from the Kingdom, the coalition would expand initiatives focused on sustainability, knowledge transfer and deeper partnerships to strengthen security, peace and moderation.