Three Saudi photographers have recently met the standards of the International Federation of Photographic Art (FIAP), which earns them the “World Class Artists” title.
The winning photographers are Nasser Al-Rabaie, Saleh Al-Dogari and Abdullah Mushabab. They received certificates from the FIAP in the “A” category.
Artist Isa Angawi, a representative of the FIAP in Saudi Arabia, said the achievement made by the three Saudis is a matter of pride for all the photographers in the kingdom, where this international recognition came after a great effort by them.
He said joining the FIAP is important on the level of representation of the country in competitions, exhibitions and biennials sponsored by the FIAP.
He also said membership to the FIAP allows to take part in all competitions organized by the FIAP, thus contributing to improve the talent and expand their knowledge on global technical works and the winners in each contest.
A good photographer must carry the noble message through his artistry as a definition of his own culture and its civilization of humanity and religion in international forums of art, Angawi said.
He stated that professional and amateur photographers in the Arab region are suffering from not being classified technically due to the lack of an established entity to assess photographers and give them the title or rank they may deserve.
Angawi said: “In our countries, the practitioner for 20 years and the beginner are the same, and for this reason they tend to seek for other global unions to get the required technical classification.”
He said the Kingdom joined the FIAP in 1995 and 300 Saudi cameramen and photographers are members. He called all the enthusiasts to come under the umbrella of the FIAP and take advantage of the programs offered annually.
The FIAP is an international federation, which affiliates as operational members, the national associations of photography. FIAP counts more than 85 national associations in the five continents and represents the benefits of nearly one million individual photographers. Since September 2004, camera-clubs and regional groups of clubs can join FIAP, under some conditions.
Three Saudi photographers receive FIAP standards
Three Saudi photographers receive FIAP standards
Riyadh emerges as Gulf evacuation hub for wealthy amid regional escalation
- Saudi capital’s King Khalid International Airport is among the few major airports in the region still operating normally after Iranian missile and drone strikes
RIYADH: Riyadh has become a principal evacuation hub for wealthy residents and senior executives seeking to leave the Gulf amid escalating regional tensions, according to a report by Semafor.
The Saudi capital’s King Khalid International Airport is among the few major airports in the region still operating normally after Iranian missile and drone strikes targeted cities including Dubai and Abu Dhabi over the weekend, as well as locations in Qatar and Bahrain.
With airspace closures elsewhere, stranded executives and high-net-worth individuals have been travelling overland to Riyadh, in some cases undertaking a roughly 10-hour journey from Dubai, in order to board private or commercial flights out of the region.
Citing people familiar with the arrangements, Semafor reported that private security firms have been hiring fleets of SUVs to transport clients to the Saudi capital before arranging chartered aircraft departures.
Those being evacuated include senior figures at global financial institutions as well as affluent individuals who had been in the Gulf for business or leisure.
The surge in demand has sharply increased costs.
Ameerh Naran, chief executive of private jet brokerage Vimana Private, told Semafor that Riyadh is currently “the only real option” for those seeking to exit the region, with private jet charters from the Saudi capital to Europe reaching as much as $350,000.
Alternative routes have narrowed. Security providers initially explored using Oman as an exit corridor, but that option became unviable after reported Iranian strikes on the country’s port infrastructure and a tanker, leaving Riyadh as the most accessible transit point, the report said.
Riyadh’s role marks a notable shift in regional risk perception. In previous years, security concerns — including cross-border Houthi attacks during the Yemen conflict and earlier periods of regional instability — had led many expatriates and business leaders to favour other Gulf cities as transit hubs.
However, Saudi Arabia’s more flexible visa regime, which now allows many nationalities to obtain visas on arrival, combined with the kingdom’s ability so far to keep its airspace open, has reinforced its position as a temporary gateway out of the region.
While some schools have moved to remote learning and certain companies have advised staff to work from home, Semafor reported that daily life in Riyadh has largely continued uninterrupted compared with other Gulf cities that have faced direct attacks.
