Saudi center launches pavilion for children during Environment Week

Saudi center launches pavilion for children during Environment Week
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The National Center for Environmental Compliance (NCEC) is hosting an interactive pavilion for children to mark Environment Week 2024. (SPA)
Saudi center launches pavilion for children during Environment Week
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The National Center for Environmental Compliance (NCEC) is hosting an interactive pavilion for children to mark Environment Week 2024. (SPA)
Saudi center launches pavilion for children during Environment Week
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The National Center for Environmental Compliance (NCEC) is hosting an interactive pavilion for children to mark Environment Week 2024. (SPA)
Saudi center launches pavilion for children during Environment Week
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The National Center for Environmental Compliance (NCEC) is hosting an interactive pavilion for children to mark Environment Week 2024. (SPA)
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Updated 02 May 2024
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Saudi center launches pavilion for children during Environment Week

Saudi center launches pavilion for children during Environment Week
  • NCEC’s pavilion, in Riyadh’s Granada Square, carries the slogan Know Your Environment
  • It features activities for children promoting environmental preservation and protecting air, water and soil from pollution

RIYADH: The National Center for Environmental Compliance (NCEC) is hosting an interactive pavilion for children to mark Environment Week 2024, which began last Sunday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The center’s pavilion, in Riyadh’s Granada Square, carries the slogan “Know Your Environment.” It features activities for children promoting environmental preservation and protecting air, water and soil from pollution.

“NCEC’s participation within the environmental system in Riyadh, Jeddah, Alkhobar, and Taif is to provide various events and activities that collectively aim to provide a different experience for visitors, in order to raise the societal contribution to protecting the environment and promoting sustainable development,” said Saad Al-Matrafi, the spokesperson for the National Center for Environmental Compliance.

Young visitors are first met with a moving knowledge wall containing several tips placed on hanging cubes, each decorated with a color and information, or a picture.

Children can then move to the memory board to register as honorary members charged with protecting the environment. A part of the pavilion is dedicated to rest and entertainment, including cube puzzles and other games.

The center offers specialized scientific workshops for adults during Environment Week, addressing topics including land degradation.

The Kingdom is set to host COP16 in December this year, enhancing cooperation between the 197 signatory countries of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, and searching for ways rehabilitate millions of hectares of degraded land.

The center’s presence in Riyadh, Jeddah, Alkhobar and Taif aims to boost community awareness of environmental issues through a range of activities and events.


King Salman academy launches third Arabic program for non-native speakers

The program, which follows an advanced academic methodology, will accept applications until March 15.
The program, which follows an advanced academic methodology, will accept applications until March 15.
Updated 16 February 2025
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King Salman academy launches third Arabic program for non-native speakers

The program, which follows an advanced academic methodology, will accept applications until March 15.
  • Initiative aims to provide students with strong foundations in reading, writing, listening and spoken Arabic

RIYADH: The King Salman Global Academy for the Arabic Language has begun accepting applications for its third study program for non-native speakers at the Abjad Center in Riyadh.

The program, which follows an advanced academic methodology, will accept applications until March 15, with in-person study starting on Sept. 1, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

The center offers a comprehensive educational experience aligned with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

The program has four levels, each lasting two months, for a total of eight months and 160 instructional hours per level, averaging 20 hours per week, the SPA reported.

It focuses on core language skills — reading, writing, listening, and speaking — while incorporating cultural activities to enhance learning and immerse students in the Arabic-speaking environment.

The first edition attracted more than 16,140 applicants from 162 nationalities, with more than 130 students from 34 nationalities accepted.

The second edition received even more interest, with 16,472 applications from 126 nationalities and more than 150 students from about 40 nationalities admitted.


Saudi pupils explore Shamal reserve in sustainability initiative

Saudi pupils explore Shamal reserve in sustainability initiative
Updated 16 February 2025
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Saudi pupils explore Shamal reserve in sustainability initiative

Saudi pupils explore Shamal reserve in sustainability initiative
  • Field visit highlights wildlife conservation and deepens connection with nature

RIYADH: The Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Natural Reserve Development Authority organized a field visit for school pupils to the Shamal Reserve for Sustainable Hunting.

This initiative is part of the authority’s drive to promote ecological awareness and foster community development, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The Shamal reserve, located within the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve, covers 2,000 sq. km. It offers comprehensive services and a unique hunting experience, attracting enthusiasts from the Kingdom and Gulf states.

The visit aimed to introduce students to the reserve’s wildlife, enhancing their ecological awareness and connection with nature, the SPA added.

It also highlighted the authority’s environmental protection efforts, sustainability initiatives, and tourism programs.

During the tour, experts emphasized the importance of ecosystem preservation and biodiversity in supporting sustainability and promoting ecotourism.

This initiative is part of a series of awareness programs designed to engage the local community in environmental conservation. These programs align with Saudi Vision 2030, which prioritizes sustainability and natural area development.

Covering 91,500 sq. km, the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve is the second-largest royal reserve, home to 138 wildlife species and 179 plant species. It is known for its rich ecology, stunning landscapes and heritage sites.

Initiatives over the past four years have significantly increased populations of endangered species such as Arabian oryx, sand gazelle, houbara bustard and red-necked ostrich, while also fostering a resurgence of reptiles and insects.


AlUla empowers youth with social, cultural activities

Joint GCC Youth Work Camp, hosted by Saudi Arabia in AlUla and organized by Ministry of Sport, brought together young people.
Joint GCC Youth Work Camp, hosted by Saudi Arabia in AlUla and organized by Ministry of Sport, brought together young people.
Updated 16 February 2025
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AlUla empowers youth with social, cultural activities

Joint GCC Youth Work Camp, hosted by Saudi Arabia in AlUla and organized by Ministry of Sport, brought together young people.
  • Camp fostered communication, experience exchange, and strengthened youth relations among the participating countries

RIYADH: The Joint GCC Youth Work Camp, hosted by Saudi Arabia in AlUla and organized by the Ministry of Sport, brought together young people from the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Jordan, and Morocco.

The camp fostered communication, experience exchange, and strengthened youth relations among the participating countries, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

Through cultural and social events, sports competitions, workshops, and community initiatives, it empowered participants and developed their skills, the SPA added.

The camp featured activities combining exploration, learning, and other challenges. Participants had the unique opportunity to tour AlUla Old Town, exploring the heritage market, learning about traditional handicrafts, and dining among picturesque mud houses overlooking the palm oasis.

The program also included visits to renowned tourist and natural sites, such as the Sharaan Nature Reserve, Elephant Rock, the Oasis Heritage Trail, and the Hegra area.


Saudi project clears 536 Houthi mines in Yemen

Saudi project clears 536 Houthi mines in Yemen
Updated 16 February 2025
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Saudi project clears 536 Houthi mines in Yemen

Saudi project clears 536 Houthi mines in Yemen

RIYADH: Members of Saudi Arabia’s Project Masam removed 536 explosive devices from various regions of Yemen last week.

The total included nine anti-personnel mines, 48 anti-tank mines, 478 unexploded ordnances and one explosive device, according to a recent report.

Ousama Al-Gosaibi, the initiative’s managing director, said a total of 481,776 mines had been cleared since its inception in 2018.

The explosives were planted indiscriminately and posed a threat to civilians, including children, women and the elderly.

The demining operations took place in Marib, Aden, Jouf, Shabwa, Taiz, Hodeidah, Lahij, Sanaa, Al-Bayda, Al-Dhale and Saada.

The initiative trains local demining engineers and provides them with modern equipment. It also offers support to Yemenis injured by the devices.

Teams are tasked with clearing villages, roads and schools to facilitate safe movement for civilians and the delivery of humanitarian aid.


Russia’s Siluanov visits Saudi Arabia ahead of Russia-US talks

Russia’s Siluanov visits Saudi Arabia ahead of Russia-US talks
Updated 16 February 2025
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Russia’s Siluanov visits Saudi Arabia ahead of Russia-US talks

Russia’s Siluanov visits Saudi Arabia ahead of Russia-US talks
  • Siluanov was speaking at the AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies
  • US and Russian officials will meet in Saudi Arabia in the coming days to start talks aimed at ending the nearly three-year war in Ukraine, a US lawmaker said

MOSCOW: Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov visited Saudi Arabia on Sunday ahead talks between Russia and the United States in the Kingdom scheduled for next week.
Siluanov was speaking at an event called AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies, organized by the Saudi Ministry of Finance and the International Monetary Fund.
US and Russian officials will meet in Saudi Arabia in the coming days to start talks aimed at ending the nearly three-year war in Ukraine, a US lawmaker and a source familiar with the planning said on Saturday.
Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov along with Siluanov and the central bank’s governor Elvira Nabiullina held talks with President of United Arab Emirates Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on February 15.
Speaking at an event, Siluanov highlighted Russia’s willingness to restructure the debt of foreign countries.
“During the last 25 years we restructured debt of 22 countries for the amount of almost $30 billion. A similar amount we had restructured through bilateral agreements,” Siluanov said.