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RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Japan, Ghazi Faisal Binzagr, on Thursday presented his diplomatic credentials to Emperor Naruhito during a reception at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.
The envoy, who took up his post in January, conveyed to the emperor the greetings and appreciation of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and their best wishes to the government of Japan and its people for their continued progress and prosperity, the Kingdom’s foreign ministry said.
RIYADH: The King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language recently celebrated the graduation of the first class from its Abjad Center for Arabic Language Education with a ceremony marking the completion of the program by 132 students from 34 countries.
The educational program began in mid-January at the academy’s headquarters in the Saudi capital, and featured an immersive program that combined Arabic language education with Arab and Saudi cultural experiences.
Four educational levels — A1, A2, B1 and B2 — each spanned two months, totaling 160 instructional hours at a rate of 20 hours per week.
Abdullah Al-Washmi, secretary-general of KSGAAL, said: “The graduation of the first cohort from the Abjad Center aligns with our suite of educational programs designed for non-native Arabic learners. The center offers an engaging curriculum within a stimulating cultural environment, facilitating Arabic language acquisition and enabling graduates to communicate effectively in Arabic.”
Al-Washmi said that the program’s graduates accomplished four crucial objectives: attaining proficiency in Arabic language skills, successfully applying written and oral Arabic techniques across various linguistic challenges, demonstrating effective linguistic and social communication in diverse Arab settings, and gaining insights into key elements of Arab and Saudi cultures.
“Our program’s hallmark was its emphasis on dynamic dialogues, diverse perspectives, and both verbal and written exchanges,” Al-Washmi said.
“Students found opportunities for self-expression and practical language application in a variety of contexts, both within our structured activities and in everyday life outside the program. They also leveraged media and social platforms for effective communication and encountered a wide range of information and viewpoints, all in Arabic.”
The Abjad Center promotes Arabic language and Saudi Arabian culture as part of its core mission. Students took part in a blend of activities and educational excursions, exploring local customs, traditions, and tourist hotspots. This approach not only deepened their cultural understanding, but also honed their Arabic proficiency in speaking, writing, vocabulary, and pronunciation.
Al-Washmi highlighted the center’s approach to Arabic language and exposure to Saudi culture, which exposes learners to Saudi heritage, customs, and traditions, while also introducing the Kingdom’s tourist and archaeological sites.
“Through enrichment activities and educational field trips, students gain a deeper understanding of Saudi culture,” Al-Washmi said.
“This comprehensive approach not only clarifies concepts related to Arabic language structures, vocabulary, phonetics, and spelling, but also allows students to practically apply Arabic language skills in both spoken and written forms.”
Sometimes, a trip to the movie theater can be too loud, too dark and too scary for some children — particularly if they have sensory sensitivity. Now, for the first time in the Kingdom, a brand-new viewing experience is available to those guests who wish to sit back, relax and enjoy the movie with some added support.
Across the Kingdom at Muvi Cinemas, sensory-adapted sessions have been recently introduced to specific family-friendly films on Saturday afternoons.
In association with Tayf Aziz, a Riyadh-based initiative that offers pediatric, dental and rehabilitation support for those on the autism spectrum and those with neurodevelopmental disorders, the viewing experience is meant to help make a trip to the cinema more inclusive and less stressful.
The hope is that movie magic can be experienced by everyone.
Considerations such as keeping the house lights on throughout the film, showcasing fewer trailers before the start of the film and reducing the volume of the film’s audio are huge pluses.
Guests can bring their own snacks, something that is not permitted in other screenings. In addition, the cost of the ticket is SR35 ($9) for a seat that would normally be designated Comfortable Premium, usually a higher fee.
It is a friendlier viewing experience overall.
Children are encouraged to munch on popcorn and are free to rock in their seats and to occasionally talk, albeit in hushed tones. It is not as strict as other viewing experiences, which makes for a more fun environment for the young guests.
“The everyday cinema environment can be stressful for guests with autism, sensory difficulties, or learning impairments so we developed special sensory-friendly screenings to run every Saturday afternoon, at specially selected sites, making cinema in Saudi Arabia more inclusive,” Muvi Cinemas wrote on their website.
“Our hope is that guests with sensory difficulties will be able to enjoy the magic of cinema along with the rest of their family and friends.”
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia will be the focal point for environmental conservation in West Asia when it hosts the 10th Regional Forum of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Scheduled for Sept. 9-11 in Riyadh, the event will be marks a significant milestone in the Kingdom’s growing environmental leadership.
Organized by the National Center for Wildlife Development, the forum will bring together more than 200 experts and specialists.
The list of attendees includes Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli, Saudi minister of environment, water and agriculture, and IUCN President Razan Al Mubarak.
This quadrennial gathering is a platform for IUCN members in West Asia to collaborate, share insights and tackle pressing environmental challenges. It offers an opportunity for participants to exchange ideas, discuss common ecological issues, and craft effective strategies for nature preservation.
AL-AHSA: A workshop on the Saudi winter tourism program took place on Wednesday with the participation of the governor of Al-Ahsa, Prince Saud bin Talal bin Badr.
The event, also attended by Tourism Minister Ahmed bin Aqeel Al-Khateeb, focused on enhancing collaboration between the tourism sector and private and government entities.
Prince Saud emphasized the leadership’s support for tourism development in alignment with Vision 2030 goals.
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia and India recently discussed new avenues to strengthen defense cooperation at the India-Saudi Arabia Joint Committee on Defence Cooperation (JCDC) held in Riyadh.
Indian ambassador Dr. Suhel Ajaz Khan told Arab News that Saudi Arabia and India are seeking to enhance defense cooperation.
Khan said the sixth JCDC meeting was co-chaired by India’s Joint Secretary (Armed Forces) Amitabh Prasad and Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister of Defense for Strategic Affairs Maj. Gen. Salman bin Awadh Al-Harbi.
“During the meeting they reviewed the progress made in defense engagements, including joint exercises, expert exchanges, industry cooperation.
“And the two sides agreed to take defense cooperation between the two countries (to a) strategic level,” added the ambassador.
Khan said that enhancing relations was critical because of the evolving geopolitical landscape of the Middle East and South Asia.
The talks in Riyadh signal a continued commitment from both countries to deepen their military ties.
Notable agreements in the past include the signing of the landmark Riyadh Declaration during the visit of then-Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to Riyadh in 2010 which strengthened relations in trade, defense and politics.
Defense ties were further bolstered following the visit of then-Defense Minister A.K. Antony to Riyadh in February 2012, the first such trip by an official in this position.
The JCDC held meetings in 2012, 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2022 — during which discussions were held on training and capacity building, intelligence exchange, maritime security, and the promotion of defense industries.
