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WASHINGTON: Saudi Minister of Education Dr. Hamad Al-Sheikh on Tuesday visited the National Science Foundation in Washington and met its director, Sethuraman Panchanathan, as part of a tour to US universities and scientific research centers and institutions.
The two reviewed cooperation aspects between the ministry and the foundation in the fields of scientific consultations and strategies to support and finance scientific research, supporting scientific projects and enhancing cooperation means in implementing joint projects.
The meeting included a firsthand look at the role of the foundation in enhancing excellence in sciences, offering multiple programs for independent scientific consultation with high credibility for policymakers in the US.
RIYADH: Ignite The Sound concluded its activities on Saturday with the participation of over 9,000 digital audio content creators and 300,000 virtual attendees.
The event, organized by the Digital Content Council, was held with the aim of enabling pioneers of the audio content sector to reach advanced levels of inspiration, influence, growth and change.
In its first edition, the event hosted more than 75 speakers, 35 partners representing local and international companies, 30 panel discussions, and 80 workshops attended by more than 2,400 persons.
Ignite The Sound supports digital audio content and podcast creators and provides them with the necessary skills to grow their businesses and projects, thus contributing to the Kingdom’s leadership in this industry with returns on knowledge and cultural, scientific and economic gains.
Mohammed Al-Rubaian, secretary of the Saudi Digital Content Council, said that the event succeeded in attracting digital content creators and linking them with their global counterparts and other experts in the field.
The event included rich and constructive discussions on innovative ideas, he said, which represent an important step in strengthening the Saudi presence in the world of digital audio content.
One of the panel discussions held on the final day regarded sustainability in podcast-making.
Abdulaziz Al-Hediyan, CEO of MICS, a network for Arabic podcasts, said during the discussion: “The first time I ever made a podcast, I didn’t find the existing environment and atmosphere helpful. I found many people like me who have unique content and want to show it through podcasts.
“Therefore, I decided to build an infrastructure that helps content creators and a business model that can achieve sustainability in this field. We worked with several agencies from the private and government sectors, such as Misk, STC (Saudi Telecom Company), and Aramco, to produce their podcasts,” he added.
At the final ceremony, Al-Rubaian called on digital content creators to engage in continuous dialogue to develop Saudi content in an effort to strengthen the Kingdom’s position as a leading country in digitization and other fields.
JEDDAH: Half Moon Beach in Alkhobar will this week be the tranquil environment for a long-awaited mass yoga gathering that aims to highlight the individual and community benefits of this ancient practice.
The sessions on Friday will be part of the “Goodness Event” organized by a local health club, Salt Gym, in cooperation with the Saudi Yoga Committee, and a local business.
The classes are open to people of all ages. There will be a morning session from 7 a.m. until 11 a.m., and one in the evening from 3 p.m. until 8 p.m.
Nouf Al-Marwaai, president of the Saudi Yoga Committee, said she was happy to have helped organize the event because it promotes community cohesion, and assists in bringing the private sector on board with wellness activities.
“We thank Najah Al-Hassan for organizing this event, and we urge everyone, from lovers, practitioners and professionals of yoga, to participate in such distinguished events.
“In the Saudi Yoga Committee, we hope to see many of these activities held by the private sector in the near future,” she said.
She said her organization remains committed to supporting these events, which would assist in achieving the government’s goals of developing a healthy society.
It is hoped the event would encourage more people to take up the practice as part of a wellness lifestyle to build a “generation of yoga lovers,” said Al-Marwaai.
Meanwhile, Al-Hassan, general manager of Influence of Success Co., said this was the first event of its kind launched by the private sector, which helps to achieve the goals of Vision 2030, particular with regard to the health of girls and women.
Al-Hassan said the event showcases the ability of women to be an integral part of creating awareness and teaching the benefits of yoga. She hoped that this would motivate other companies to become more involved in such wellness activities.
RIYADH: Boulevard Riyadh City and Winter Wonderland welcomed a significant number of visitors on Saturday with much fanfare and fireworks, signifying the launch of the third Riyadh Season.
Boulevard Riyadh City, one of the 15 entertainment zones, is the heart of the season with its diverse events and sub-zones, such as the Dancing Fountain and Square, whose design was inspired by Times Square in New York City, with 30-meter-tall screens, and a large number of international and local shops and restaurants.
Improvements to Boulevard Riyadh City this season include the Alley, which holds 12 fine-dining restaurants and cafes overlooking the zone’s fountain, increasing the total addition to the zone by 30 percent.
Open daily from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m., Boulevard Riyadh City’s activities include weekly music events, 25 Arabic and international plays, and seven Saudi plays — most notably “The Philosopher” by Youssef Al-Thunayan and “The Flaming Arrow” by Majid Abdullah.
The sub-zones of Boulevard Riyadh City include the Garden that has a variety of restaurants, and sections for live music and sports. In addition, there are attractions for art lovers, and the Trocadero section that has more than 500 e-games.
This year, the Winter Wonderland zone returns with a new look and 80 games and rides. This zone is the largest mobile amusement park in the world and contains a skating rink.
Winter Wonderland also has numerous sub-zones including the Snow Forest and Trees of White, and Magical Ambiance and Frozen Sculptures with an outdoor skating rink and various ice sculptures.
Winter Wonderland hosts famous and family friendly rides including Double Loop, Apollo 13, Endeavor, Ferris Wheel and Energizer.
There are also many accompanying events, such as Dead Wood for those who want to have some spooky experiences, and Blippi, Lol Experiments and Science Factory for children to enjoy.
The zone opens daily from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. and to 2 a.m. on weekends.
AMMAN: Saudi Arabia on Sunday donated $27 million to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East to be used in support of the organization’s operations in the Palestinian territories.
The donation came in a memorandum of understanding that was signed by the Kingdom’s Ambassador to Jordan Nayef Al-Sudairi, UNRWA’s Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini and Dr. Ahmad Abu Holie, member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization and head of the Department of Refugee Affairs.
The contribution is part of a larger pledge by the Kingdom, which has been one of the top donors for decades, to help the agency continue to provide critical services to 5.6 million Palestine refugees in the region.
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) has sent a convoy of 96 trucks, carrying food and aid to Yemen from September 19 to October 16, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Sunday.
The relief trucks were loaded with 1,000 tons and 861 kilograms of food baskets, 15 tons and 330 kilograms of shelter materials, and nine tons and 16 kilograms of medical aid, as well as 16,200 cartons of dates, according to SPA.
The trucks delivered the supplies to people in Marib, Hajjah, Hadhramaut, Shabwa, and Taiz.
The aid is part of the Kingdom’s mission to provide humanitarian relief to the Yemeni people through KSRelief, SPA reported.