Saudi Green Initiative introduces Namour character to inspire environmental awareness among young people

Saudi Green Initiative introduces Namour character to inspire environmental awareness among young people
Updated 06 June 2024
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Saudi Green Initiative introduces Namour character to inspire environmental awareness among young people

Saudi Green Initiative introduces Namour character to inspire environmental awareness among young people

RIYADH: The Saudi Green Initiative on Wednesday introduced Namour, a character that aims to inspire young people in Saudi Arabia to be environmental heroes, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Named after the Arabic word for Arabian leopard (Nimr), Namour represents strength, power and grace, symbolizing Saudi Arabia’s dedication to environmental conservation and sustainability.

Namour aligns with Saudi Arabia’s inclusive approach to tackling environmental challenges, emphasizing the importance of collaboration among sectors and generations. SGI introduced the character to inspire young people in Saudi Arabia to protect nature and preserve biodiversity.

Namour is supported by the Ministry of Education and the Saudi Green Initiative, which work together to increase environmental awareness and action among children and youth in Saudi Arabia.

Namour will be present in educational environments and online platforms, serving as a helpful ally for parents and educators. This collaborative effort will provide creative resources and inspiration to promote learning and engagement in climate and sustainability.

According to the press release, Namour also aims to raise awareness about the critically endangered status of the Arabian leopard and the importance of conservation efforts, highlighting Saudi Arabia’s robust initiatives, including breeding programs and rewilding efforts, to protect this species.

“In 2023 alone, seven Arabian leopard cubs were born under the conservation breeding program in Taif. The hugely successful program has nearly doubled the number of leopards under its protection since it started,” the release said.

Under the Saudi Green Initiative, more than 1,660 endangered animals such as the Arabian oryx, Arabian sand gazelles and Nubian ibex have been rewilded in Saudi Arabia’s growing nature reserves.

Decoder

Who is Namour?

It's a character introduced recently by the Saudi Green Initiative to inspire young people in the Kingdom to be environmental heroes. It will be present in educational environments and online platforms, serving as a helpful ally for parents and educators.


Saudi woman transforms Arabic learning for children with interactive calligraphy game

Saudi woman transforms Arabic learning for children with interactive calligraphy game
Updated 4 sec ago
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Saudi woman transforms Arabic learning for children with interactive calligraphy game

Saudi woman transforms Arabic learning for children with interactive calligraphy game
  • Lujain Abulfaraj established “Akwan” (universes in Arabic) to enrich language learning for children a

RIYADH: Driven by her passion for the Arabic language, Saudi woman Lujain Abulfaraj has embarked on a mission to make it more engaging for children. After noticing her son’s disinterest in Arabic, she sought a solution.

In 2015, Abulfaraj enrolled in a design program dedicated to exploring the beauty of Arabic calligraphy and its potential as an educational tool, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

Realizing its ability to be both entertaining and instructive, she created a game featuring large Arabic letters that could be arranged into words for play.

This led her to establish a venture aimed at enriching language learning for children. In 2020, she introduced “Akwan” (universes in Arabic), a set of magnetic bricks inspired by Arabic calligraphy, designed to make learning interactive and enjoyable for children.

At the Riyadh International Book Fair, Abulfaraj highlighted the boundless creative possibilities “Akwan” offers children, SPA reported.

She praised the Ministry of Culture for its efforts in revitalizing Saudi culture, particularly the language, and for supporting young talent in the country.

In recognition of her dedication, the Ministry of Culture nominated Abulfaraj for the 2023 Cultural Awards in architecture and design, where she became one of the top three finalists in the Kingdom.

Her work also earned the “Designed in Saudi” seal.


Deal signed to promote falconry on Hawi platform

Deal signed to promote falconry on Hawi platform
Updated 11 min 27 sec ago
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Deal signed to promote falconry on Hawi platform

Deal signed to promote falconry on Hawi platform
  • The deal was signed on the sidelines of the International Saudi Falcons and Hunting Exhibition
  • The agreement will help enthusiasts form falconry clubs and produce supplies via the Hawi platform

RIYADH: Saudi Falcons Club’s CEO Talal Al-Shamaisi, and Khalid Al-Baker, the Quality of Life Program’s CEO, have signed a memorandum of cooperation to support falconry and establish amateur clubs through Hawi, the national hobbies portal.

The deal was signed on the sidelines of the International Saudi Falcons and Hunting Exhibition, which is being held in Malham, Riyadh, until Oct. 12, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

The agreement will help enthusiasts form falconry clubs and produce supplies via the Hawi platform. It will also facilitate knowledge exchange and collaboration to promote falconry and enhance the community’s cultural and recreational life.

Hawi, an initiative of the Quality of Life Program, aims to stimulate the hobbies sector by creating clubs while providing a supportive environment.

The memorandum supports the club’s goals to increase the number of falconry practitioners, preserve cultural heritage, promote environmental awareness, and position Saudi Arabia as a global hub for falconry.

Separately, the Saudi Falcons Club and King Khalid University have signed a memorandum of cooperation to implement awareness initiatives and rehabilitation programs related to falcons and falconry.

The agreement also includes research and training programs in falconry. It aims to attract investors, share data and studies, and collaborate on events, exhibitions, and conferences.


Saudi project clears 1,579 Houthi mines in Yemen

Saudi project clears 1,579 Houthi mines in Yemen
Updated 22 min 19 sec ago
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Saudi project clears 1,579 Houthi mines in Yemen

Saudi project clears 1,579 Houthi mines in Yemen
  • A total of 465,252 mines had been cleared since Masam's inception in 2018

RIYADH: Members of Saudi Arabia’s Project Masam removed 1,579 explosive devices from various regions of Yemen last week.

The total included five anti-personnel mines, 126 anti-tank mines, 1,442 unexploded ordnances and six explosive devices, according to a recent report.

Ousama Al-Gosaibi, the initiative’s managing director, said a total of 465,252 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.

Project Masam is one of several initiatives undertaken by Saudi Arabia on the orders of King Salman to help the Yemeni people, clearing routes for humanitarian aid to reach the country’s citizens.

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.

About 5 million people have been forced to flee their homes since the start of the conflict in Yemen, many of them displaced by the presence of land mines.


Moon-Venus conjunction visible in northern Saudi Arabia

Moon-Venus conjunction visible in northern Saudi Arabia
Updated 06 October 2024
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Moon-Venus conjunction visible in northern Saudi Arabia

Moon-Venus conjunction visible in northern Saudi Arabia
  • Celestial show after sunset over the Northern Border region was visible to the naked eye

RAFHA: A spectacular celestial event occurred over Saudi Arabia’s northern skies on Saturday night, with the moon and Venus in conjunction, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

Known as a conjunction, the phenomenon in the sky after sunset in the Northern Border region was visible to the naked eye, with the moon and the planet separated by just three degrees.

A conjunction occurs when two celestial objects appear close to each other in the sky and share the same celestial longitude, according to astronomer Berjis Al-Fulaih.

Al-Fulaih, an official with the AFAQ Society for Astronomy in Taif, noted that Venus is often referred to as the “Evening Star” or the “Morning Star,” depending on its position in the west or east.

The alignment marks the beginning of the moon’s monthly journey past the bright planets.

The phenomenon occurred in the sky after sunset over the Northern Border region and was visible to the naked eye. (SPA)

In an interview with SPA before the celestial event, Jeddah Astronomy Society chief Majed Abu Zahra said the appearance of the crescent moon and Venus together shortly after sunset, before the sky darkened fully, created the spectacular view.

“As the second and third brightest objects in the night sky, after the sun, they will present a striking view,” he said.

A faint glow, caused by sunlight reflecting off Earth (known as Earthshine), will softly illuminate the unlit part of the moon’s disk, he explained.

Abu Zahra said there will be another astronomical event in mid-October: the arrival of Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, which will appear 20 to 25 degrees northwest of Venus on Oct. 13 and 14. The comet may even be visible to the naked eye, although comets are notoriously unpredictable.

By Oct. 25, Venus will appear three degrees north of the star Antares. Toward the end of the month, Venus will draw closer to Earth, with its disk measuring 14 arcseconds and being 77 percent illuminated, Abu Zahra told SPA.


Saudi Arabia’s PIF considers larger stake in Nintendo 

Saudi Arabia’s PIF considers larger stake in Nintendo 
Updated 05 October 2024
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Saudi Arabia’s PIF considers larger stake in Nintendo 

Saudi Arabia’s PIF considers larger stake in Nintendo 

DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund said on Saturday it was considering raising its stake in Japan’s Nintendo and other Japanese gaming companies, according to reports.

Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud, vice chair of the PIF’s gaming unit, disclosed the plan in an interview with Kyodo News.

He said that the PIF was “not in a rush to increase its stakes” and that the investments would be made in a “friendly way.”

The PIF currently owns 8.58 percent of Nintendo and has stakes in video game companies Capcom, Nexon, and Koei Tecmo.