Riyadh event explores Saudi Arabia’s thriving content creation ecosystem

Sony KSA Demand Creation Manager Hanan Omran. (AN photo by Huda Bashatah)
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Sony KSA Demand Creation Manager Hanan Omran. (AN photo by Huda Bashatah)
An event for Saudi content creators to exchange knowledge and learn skills was hosted by Sony Middle East in Riyadh on Saturday. (AN photo/ Huda Bashatah)
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An event for Saudi content creators to exchange knowledge and learn skills was hosted by Sony Middle East in Riyadh on Saturday. (AN photo/ Huda Bashatah)
An event for Saudi content creators to exchange knowledge and learn skills was hosted by Sony Middle East in Riyadh on Saturday. (AN photo/ Huda Bashatah)
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An event for Saudi content creators to exchange knowledge and learn skills was hosted by Sony Middle East in Riyadh on Saturday. (AN photo/ Huda Bashatah)
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Updated 04 February 2024
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Riyadh event explores Saudi Arabia’s thriving content creation ecosystem

Riyadh event explores Saudi Arabia’s thriving content creation ecosystem
  • The boom in the content creation industry has revolutionized the way Saudis are consuming media
  • With the rise of social media platforms, people from all walks of life are creating and sharing content

RIYADH: An event for Saudi content creators to network, exchange knowledge and learn skills was hosted by Sony Middle East in Riyadh on Saturday.

The boom in the content creation industry has revolutionized the way Saudis are consuming media. With the rise of platforms like YouTube, TikTok and Instagram, people from all walks of life are creating and sharing content.

This has led to increased competition in the industry, driving creators to innovate and produce higher quality content.

Sony Middle East’s Content Creator’s Convention included workshops and panel discussions by experts, who highlighted the need to develop a spirit of collaboration between influencers and define the concept of creativity.

Mini studios were set up across the venue to give visitors a hands-on experience.

Content creation has become a thriving ecosystem where creative expression has opened up new avenues for earning income. As more and more people turn to content creation as a full-time profession, industries have had to adapt to the growing community.

“The money you earn at the beginning of your journey must be reinvested into your content or brand. The most successful influencer is the one who uses the profit from income to create advertising campaigns for his or her content,” said Alan Al-Qahtani during a panel discussion titled “The Power of Collaboration.”

Al-Qahtani founded Ready Games in 2014, providing a community for micro-content creators in the entertainment and gaming sectors.

Mohannad Kattan, founder of Kattan Media, has worked in the field of advertising for 18 years.

“Quality today is essential as the market is saturated with influencers and content creators. Previously, quality was not influential due to the lack of influencers. It was something new in the past, but today, it became a necessity,” Kattan said.

Sony KSA Demand Creation Manager Hanan Omran said: “We were very pleased to hold this event for the first time in Saudi Arabia, as a contribution to the advancement of this industry.”

The Saudi content creation market is one of the largest in the Middle East and North Africa, Omran added.

“As part of our contributions to the field of social responsibility, we took the initiative to pave the way for talented national cadres to enter this renewed world in Saudi Arabia, a land of promising opportunities and a destination for the future.”


Ibex Reserve becomes first Saudi Green List protected area

Ibex Reserve becomes first Saudi Green List protected area
Updated 09 October 2024
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Ibex Reserve becomes first Saudi Green List protected area

Ibex Reserve becomes first Saudi Green List protected area
  • Reserve joins group of 77 global sites added for excellence in conservation management

RIYADH: In a milestone for Saudi Arabia’s conservation efforts, the Ibex Reserve has become the first protected area in the Kingdom to be added to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Green List.

This recognition places it among only 77 protected areas worldwide that meet the union’s strict criteria for effective management and conservation, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

The National Center for Wildlife, which oversees the reserve, emphasized the significance of this recognition, as only a small number of more than 300,000 protected areas globally have earned a place on the Green List.

The Green List program recognizes outstanding areas for effective and equitable management in nature conservation, offering benefits to stakeholders.

For the Ibex Reserve, this listing marks a global endorsement, evaluated by independent experts, of its exemplary management and commitment to preserving ecosystems and biodiversity.

The Green List status highlights the reserve’s contribution to sustainable development and its success in providing valuable services to local communities.

The listing reflects the reserve’s achievement in key criteria, including governance, management, design and planning, along with its understanding of social, economic and environmental challenges.

Mohammed Qurban, CEO of the National Center for Wildlife, said: “This listing reaffirms our commitment to preserving ecosystems and supports our 30x30 goal to protect 30 percent of the Kingdom’s land and marine areas by 2030.”

Qurban added that the center aimed to register all national reserves on the Green List as part of Saudi Vision 2030, aligning with global conservation standards and promoting sustainable resource use.

Established in 1988 in the Riyadh region at the request of local communities, the Ibex Reserve spans 1,840 sq. km within the Tuwaiq Mountain range, featuring diverse landscapes, flora and fauna.

It is home to a healthy population of mountain ibex, as well as gazelles, antelopes, hyraxes, and various birds and reptiles.


Saudi Arabia’s King Salman completes medical tests successfully

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman. (File/SPA)
Saudi Arabia’s King Salman. (File/SPA)
Updated 37 min 45 sec ago
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Saudi Arabia’s King Salman completes medical tests successfully

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman. (File/SPA)

RIYADH: King Salman has recovered after successfully completing medical tests for lung inflammation, Saudi Press Agency said on Wednesday.

The royal court said on Sunday evening that the king would undergo medical tests for a lung inflammation. 

In a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman offered reassurances about the king’s health.

 


Italian ambassador visits archaeological mission at Dumat Al-Jandal

Italian ambassador visits archaeological mission at Dumat Al-Jandal
Updated 09 October 2024
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Italian ambassador visits archaeological mission at Dumat Al-Jandal

Italian ambassador visits archaeological mission at Dumat Al-Jandal
  • Besides archaeological activities, there is a restoration mission and training of Saudi personnel

RIYADH: Italian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Carlo Baldocci recently visited the Italian archaeological mission at the historic oasis of Dumat Al-Jandal, highlighting close cultural ties between Saudi Arabia and Italy.

Dumat Al-Jandal, also known as Al-Jouf, which refers to Wadi Sirhan, is an ancient city of ruins and the historical capital of the Al-Jouf Province in northwestern Saudi Arabia.

The archaeological mission established in 2009 and led by Prof. Romolo Loreto of the University of Naples L’Orientale recently obtained a new five-year concession (2024-2029) for excavations and the study of materials in Dumat Al-Jandal, the ancient Assyrian Adummatu (Nabataean Dumah and Roman Dumata), and for prospecting in the Al-Jouf region to study the Neolithic prehistoric phases (Asfan and Jebel Najma sites) and the Bronze Age (Tamriyat funerary sites).

“Ambassador Baldocci visited the Archaeological Mission at Dumat Al-Jandal. The new five-year concession will enhance excavation, restoration and personnel training. Ambassador Baldocci emphasized close ties between Saudi Arabia and Italy,” the Italian Embassy posted on X.

In addition to archaeological activities, there is a restoration mission and training of Saudi personnel.

During the visit, Baldocci highlighted how “Italy in the archaeological field, also thanks to the fundamental contribution of the Farnesina, succeeds in bringing its knowledge, traditions and skills to many friendly countries, as it does in Saudi Arabia, where it has been present since 2009 on the Dumat Al-Jandal site, in a synergy with the Heritage Commission of the Saudi Ministry of Culture.

“It is our intention to reinforce this commitment with an increasingly structured and profiled partnership in Saudi Arabia: A Winter Archaeological School for Saudi students and an exhibition on the results of the Italian Mission’s excavation campaigns in recent years will be part of a program with the Italian Embassy in Riyadh, for 2025,” he added.


Nordic Week brings Scandinavian culture to Riyadh

Nordic Week brings Scandinavian culture to Riyadh
Updated 09 October 2024
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Nordic Week brings Scandinavian culture to Riyadh

Nordic Week brings Scandinavian culture to Riyadh

RIYADH: Nordic Culture Week 2024 is bringing Scandinavian culture to Riyadh with a weeklong festival.

The celebration aims to strengthen ties between Nordic countries and the Kingdom and includes a host of cultural events, including screenings of films from Norway, Sweden and Finland.

On Monday, the Danish Embassy hosted Nordic Joyfest, featuring a demonstration of how to make Danish pastries. The event was held in cooperation with Aysh Academy at Hayy Jameel, a baking institute in Jeddah founded by Sumaia Showail and known for its expertise in Danish pastry-making.

Students from the Higher Institute for Tourism and Hospitality, a long-standing partner of HTMi Hotel and Tourism Management Institute in Switzerland, were among those taking part.

Liselotte Plesner, the Danish ambassador to Saudi Arabia, said the festival was not only a celebration of Nordic heritage but also a reflection of the strong cooperation among Nordic nations.


Saudi Civil Defense warns of heavy rains, flash floods.

Saudi Civil Defense warns of heavy rains, flash floods.
Updated 09 October 2024
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Saudi Civil Defense warns of heavy rains, flash floods.

Saudi Civil Defense warns of heavy rains, flash floods.
  • Authorities advised avoiding valleys, flood-prone areas and swimming in valley streams

RIYADH: The General Directorate of Civil Defense urged the public to stay cautious and in safe areas during thunderstorms affecting parts of the Kingdom from Wednesday to Sunday.

It advised avoiding valleys, flood-prone areas and swimming in valley streams, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Makkah is expected to face dust-stirring winds, moderate to heavy rainfall and potential hailstorms.

Baha, Asir and Jazan may also see moderate to heavy rain, while the Eastern Province and Madinah are likely to experience light to moderate rainfall.

The Civil Defense emphasized following safety guidelines shared through media and social platforms.

Autumn in Saudi Arabia is typically rainy, with rapid weather changes, offering relief from the heat, according to the National Center for Meteorology.