The Movenpick Beach Resort Alkhobar recently provided children and families in the Eastern Province with an unforgettable experience to meet with popular cartoon characters, Shaun the Sheep.
"Children could never have enough of their favorite cartoon, especially when it comes to the adorable Shaun the Sheep," said Sanjeev Tandon, director of sales and marketing.
It was an evening full of fun, frolic and yummy food. While the children and their parents were waiting for Shaun, they were kept entertained with some games and fun activities. A lavish buffet dinner with live barbecue was laid out at the Azure Restaurant by the seaside at the resort.
The arrival of Shaun the Sheep had everyone on their feet; they joined in the fun instantaneously. The young and old alike enjoyed the brief performance by Shaun and his team and afterward were provided a rare opportunity to be photographed with their favorite character, a moment to cherish forever.
The award-winning Movenpick Beach Resort Alkhobar team laid out the red carpet for its guests and also Shaun the Sheep and his entire team who were the guests of the Resort recently.
Shaun the Sheep wows Movenpick guests
Shaun the Sheep wows Movenpick guests
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.
