Conference at Ithra will explore Islamic arts and crafts

Conference at Ithra will explore Islamic arts and crafts
Visitors at the Islamic Art Conference. (Supplied)
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Updated 31 July 2024
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Conference at Ithra will explore Islamic arts and crafts

Conference at Ithra will explore Islamic arts and crafts
  • November’s event boasts lectures, panel discussions, workshops, exhibitions, film screenings, demonstrations

DHAHRAN: The second Islamic Art Conference will be hosted at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture between Nov. 25-30, in partnership with the Abdullatif Al-Fozan Award for Mosque Architecture.

The event, which is titled “In Praise of the Artisan: A Reassessment of Contemporary Islamic Arts & Crafts Practice,” explores Islamic works.

Visitors can expect lectures, panel discussions, workshops, exhibitions, film screenings, and demonstrations.

The event aims to celebrate and showcase the heritage, traditions, and emerging trends of Islamic arts and crafts from the Arab world.

In addition to the conference, Ithra is hosting an exhibition called “In Praise of the Artisan,” in partnership with the Al-Sabah Collection of the Dar Al-Athar Al-Islamiyyah in Kuwait. The exhibition will feature historic and contemporary works, including the largest hand-carved stone screen since the Taj Mahal, and eight commissioned pieces by master craftspeople from Saudi Arabia, Morocco, India, Spain, Egypt, Turkiye, Uzbekistan, and Malaysia.




Artworks on display at the Islamic Art Conference. (Supplied)

Abdullah Al-Rashid, director of Ithra, said: “The Islamic Art Conference is a global platform for shining the light on Islamic arts and crafts, in line with Ithra’s mission to celebrate cultural heritage, enable talent development and support creative expression, all powered by partnerships with renowned institutions.

“The synergies of conducting both events in parallel will provide a uniquely interactive and immersive experience designed to educate visitors about Islamic handicrafts and artisans from the Middle East and beyond.” 

Mashary Al-Naim, the secretary-general of the Abdullatif Al-Fozan Award for Mosque Architecture, said: “This conference and exhibition support our ongoing efforts to unearth new ideas from around the world for designing mosques and encouraging innovative planning, design and technical ideas that can form a new identity for Islamic art.

“Islamic art no longer discusses works of art and architecture as tangible creations, but rather looks at them in the context of work, crafts, and daily practices.”

The event will also address new initiatives to preserve traditional craft skills, help artisans find markets and adapt to global challenges. It will explore the role of relationships in craft production, traditional materials and methods, and the use of crafts for social change in developing Islamic countries.
 


Leaders of Gulf States, Egypt, and Jordan to meet in Riyadh

Leaders of Gulf States, Egypt, and Jordan to meet in Riyadh
Updated 17 min 22 sec ago
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Leaders of Gulf States, Egypt, and Jordan to meet in Riyadh

Leaders of Gulf States, Egypt, and Jordan to meet in Riyadh

DUBAI: A Saudi official source confirmed that leaders from the Gulf states, Egypt, and Jordan will meet tomorrow in Riyadh for an informal and friendly gathering, Al Arabiya TV reported on Thursday.

The meeting, at the invitation of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, aims to enhance cooperation and foster stronger ties between the participating nations.

The leaders are expected to engage in discussions focused on strengthening regional cooperation in a spirit of fraternity. 


Kingdom’s civil aviation authority launches integrated digital platform, new brand identity

Kingdom’s civil aviation authority launches integrated digital platform, new brand identity
Updated 20 February 2025
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Kingdom’s civil aviation authority launches integrated digital platform, new brand identity

Kingdom’s civil aviation authority launches integrated digital platform, new brand identity
  • Aim is to improve operational efficiency, transparency and GACA’s regulatory role

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s civil aviation authority has launched a new integrated digital platform and brand identity.

The General Authority of Civil Aviation’s changes, which includes an updated website, was announced at its headquarters in Riyadh on Wednesday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The new platform, named Ajwaa, provides all civil aviation services, ensuring quick and efficient access for users and creates a fully digital environment for stakeholders, the SPA reported.

The aim is to improve operational efficiency, transparency, and GACA’s regulatory role, the report stated.
 

The event was attended by Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser, Saudi Arabia’s transport minister and chairman of GACA’s board, Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Duailej, president of GACA, vice presidents, CEOs, and other officials.

Al-Duailej said the slogan for the Ajwaa platform is “Together for New Horizons.”


Geological wonders of Riyadh’s King Khalid Royal Reserve

Geological wonders of Riyadh’s King Khalid Royal Reserve
Updated 20 February 2025
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Geological wonders of Riyadh’s King Khalid Royal Reserve

Geological wonders of Riyadh’s King Khalid Royal Reserve
  • Al-Urumah mountains have caves, rock columns, stone bridges
  • Rock formations record past environmental, climatic changes

RIYADH: The King Khalid Royal Reserve is one of the nation’s most captivating areas with rock formations sculpted over thousands of years by natural erosion and fluctuating climatic conditions.

Formerly known as the Al-Thumamah Wildlife Park, the royal reserve is less than an hour’s drive from the city center.

Among the main geological features in the reserve are the Al-Urumah mountains, known for their striking natural caves, rock columns, and stone bridges.
 

With the arrival of winter and cooler temperatures, the reserve becomes a perfect destination for ecotourism and outdoor adventure enthusiasts. (SPA)

Stretching over 700 km, the dramatic landscape provides an ideal destination for photography and adventure enthusiasts, the Saudi Press Agency reported recently.

These landscapes hold a geological record that reveals the environmental and climatic changes the region has experienced over time.

In winter, the reserve becomes a perfect destination for ecotourism, the SPA reported.

 


Trump thanks crown prince for holding Russia-Ukraine peace talks

Trump thanks crown prince for holding Russia-Ukraine peace talks
Updated 20 February 2025
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Trump thanks crown prince for holding Russia-Ukraine peace talks

Trump thanks crown prince for holding Russia-Ukraine peace talks
  • US president praises Kingdom for ‘great job’ in hosting talks
  • War would not have started ‘if I was president,’ Trump says

RIYADH: US President Donald Trump has praised Saudi Arabia for a “great job” in hosting Russia-Ukraine peace talks, and thanked Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for facilitating the discussions in Riyadh.

Trump, speaking on Wednesday at the opening of the Future Investment Initiative Institute Summit in Miami, which runs until Feb. 21, said he hopes that a ceasefire could be achieved soon.

Trump said the conflict, which began three years ago this month, would not have started had he been president.

He said Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky “talked the US into spending $350 billion to go into a war that could not be won, that never had to start and never would have started if I was president.”

Senior US and Russian officials attended the meeting in Riyadh on Tuesday to start working toward ending the war in Ukraine. The meeting was attended by senior Saudi Arabia officials, but no Ukraine representatives.

Trump said that Zelensky could have attended the discussions in Riyadh had he wanted to do so.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the two sides agreed broadly to pursue three goals: to restore staffing at their respective embassies in Washington and Moscow, create a high-level team to support Ukraine peace talks, and to explore closer relations and economic cooperation.

In his wide-ranging speech, Trump touched on efforts to cut government waste and boost energy production, as well as his foreign policy objectives.

Dignitaries included Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the governor of the Saudi Public Investment Fund, and Princess Reema bint Bandar, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the US.

Also in attendance was billionaire Elon Musk, who heads a new US federal entity — the Department of Government Efficiency — meant to cut wasteful expenditure.


Digital Cooperation Organization signs multiple memorandums of understanding as fourth general assembly ends

Digital Cooperation Organization signs multiple memorandums of understanding as fourth general assembly ends
Updated 20 February 2025
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Digital Cooperation Organization signs multiple memorandums of understanding as fourth general assembly ends

Digital Cooperation Organization signs multiple memorandums of understanding as fourth general assembly ends
  • Secretary-general says event marked 4 years of progress

AMMAN: The Digital Cooperation Organization signed numerous memorandums of understanding during its fourth general assembly in Amman, which concluded on Wednesday.

The memorandums were signed between the DCO and the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Foundation, Hewlett-Packard, the Agency for Economic Cooperation and Development, the Sultanate of Oman and 500 Global.

A statement of intent was also signed between the DCO and the UN Office for South-South Cooperation.

The signings came after a delegation from the DCO visited Jordan’s Prime Minister Jaafar Abdel Fattah Hassan.

Sami Smeirat, the Jordanian minister of digital economy and entrepreneurship, and the chairman of the DCO Council, said that Jordan’s presidency of the organization in 2024 had demonstrated the country’s ability to lead global efforts toward building an inclusive digital economy.

He said: “Throughout this year we have launched ambitious initiatives, strengthened public-private partnerships, and laid solid foundations to empower youth and women in the technology sector.”

Smeirat spoke of the 2025 presidency, which was handed to Kuwait.

He said: “We hand over the presidency to our brothers in the State of Kuwait. We reaffirm Jordan’s commitment to remaining an active partner in achieving the organization’s goals. We look forward to continuing our joint efforts to realize our shared vision: a digital world marked by prosperity and fairness for all.”

Deemah Al-Yahya, the secretary-general of the DCO, said that the general assembly marked four years of progress for the organization.

The secretary-general highlighted DCO’s upcoming ambitions, adding: “While we have achieved much over the past four years, there is still important work ahead to drive digital economic growth for all.”

Wednesday’s event featured panels and discussions with leading experts from across the world.

The DCO was founded in November 2020 and currently has 16 nations as members, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Pakistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh and Oman. It also has 39 observer and partner organizations.