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RIYADH: The Culinary Arts Commission will host the Taste of Saudi Culture event in Tokyo, Japan, from Nov. 8-10, showcasing the rich culinary culture of Saudi Arabia and highlighting the diversity of dishes in the Kingdom.
The event will feature booths presenting authentic Saudi dishes and products, live performances and a range of other cultural activities.
It highlights the commission’s efforts to promote Saudi culinary arts internationally and showcase the Kingdom’s culture.
RIYADH: Members of Saudi Arabia’s Filipino expatriate community are celebrating their culture with lively festivities in Suwaidi Park this week.
As part of the Ministry of Media’s Global Harmony initiative, a number of Filipino superstars are visiting the Kingdom’s capital to perform.
One such entertainer is DJ Jimmy Nocon, who energized the crowd with his upbeat set marked by trademark live drumming.
Speaking to Arab News after the show, he described how it felt to play for a crowd of mostly Filipino expatriates.
He said: “It’s very special; it feels amazing. Of course, spinning, performing in front of my fellow Filipinos is very huge for me. It’s my pleasure.”
It was especially important, he said, to put on a show for his compatriots, known as Overseas Filipino Workers back home, who often make significant personal sacrifices in order to work in Saudi Arabia and send remittances to support their families.
He said: “I would like to thank, of course, Saudi Arabia’s government for having us and for having this event. So thank you so much.”
Remittances from OFWs make up a significant proportion of the Asian nation’s gross domestic product: 8.5 percent, according to the official Philippine News Agency.
There are 725,890 Filipinos living in Saudi Arabia, according to the 2022 national census, making them one of the largest expatriate populations in the country.
Many of them are employed in the medical field, with an estimated 130,000 Filipino nurses working in Saudi hospitals and clinics.
Cheysser Pragillata is one of those nurses, and she told Arab News that the Global Harmony event was a good chance to socialize and take a break from a demanding job.
She said: “It can help you to relieve your stress at work, this kind of event. It’s really helping us, for our social life, going out with our friends.”
Pragillata has lived in Saudi Arabia for eight years, and calls it her “second home.”
Describing the benefits of living in the Kingdom, she said: “It really gave me a chance to improve my career and (there are) a lot of great opportunities here for us.”
As well as the rousing performance from DJ Jimmy, a series of performers and dancers also took to the stage at the event, including The Power Duo, the winners of “Pilipinas Got Talent.”
While the show on the main stage got underway, a dynamic marching band with dancers clad in bright colors wended its way through the park’s walkways.
Children from the International Philippines School also got the chance to put on a dance show for proud parents and members of the public.
Kurt Dabalos came to support his daughter for the dance show, but stayed for the atmosphere.
He told Arab News: “We came here for, firstly, to be honest, because my daughter is performing, but if my daughter (was not) performing, I think I would still come here just to appreciate the hospitality of Saudi Arabia in welcoming the Filipinos, having this kind of activity for us all.”
The Global Harmony initiative was launched on Oct. 17 and began with music and dance to celebrate the culture of Indian expatriates.
While this week gives the country’s Filipino community the spotlight, next week will highlight Indonesian culture (Oct. 26-29), followed by Pakistani (Oct. 30-Nov 2), Yemeni (Nov. 3-6), Sudanese (Nov. 7-16), Jordanian, Lebanese and Syrian (Nov. 17-19), Bangladeshi (Nov. 20-23), and Egyptian (Nov. 24-30).
BISHKEK: The Islamic University of Kyrgyzstan in Bishkek awarded an honorary doctorate to Sheikh Dr. Salah bin Mohammed Al-Budair, imam of the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, in recognition of his continuous service to Islam and Muslims.
The announcement was made during an official reception at the university, attended by Saudi Ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic Ibrahim bin Radi Al-Radi, university president and Council of Scholars member Abdulshakur bin Islam Narmatov, along with university officials and students.
Narmatov expressed gratitude to King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for their service to Islam, Muslims, the Two Holy Mosques, and other holy sites. He prayed for Saudi Arabia’s protection and prosperity.
MAKKAH: Saudi Arabia’s Heritage Commission will expand research and excavation efforts at new mustatil sites in the Kingdom, scientists said at a recent meeting of the body.
The commission held an open virtual meeting to discuss the recent findings on mustatils — some of the world’s oldest human-made stone structures — in the Hail region.
During the meeting, scientists stressed the importance of expanding the scope of their studies, and presented some of their preliminary findings.
They plan to focus on the environmental dimensions of mustatils, linking them to climate changes that affected the region during that period.
These studies are expected to provide a deeper understanding of ancient societies and how they adapted to their natural environment.
The researchers emphasized that these structures provide evidence of civilizations that developed in the region thousands of years ago and had played a central role in the lives of these communities.
Studies have been carried out using the latest archaeological technology, including aerial photography and 3D scanning, to analyze the sites more accurately and uncover new information about the structures.
The meeting began with a speech by the Heritage Commission’s CEO Dr. Jasser Al-Harbash who highlighted the importance of mustatils and their role in enhancing archaeological understanding of the Arabian Peninsula’s history.
Al-Harbash said mustatils are among the oldest archaeological structures in the Middle East, dating to between 4200 and 5400 B.C.
He highlighted the commission’s focus on collaboration and partnership with researchers and enthusiasts, to help reveal the cultural and social significance of mustatils.
Al-Harbash said it was vitally important to document and preserve them as an important element of the Kingdom’s cultural heritage.
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture is carrying out extensive studies on the mustatils, which are mostly found in the northwestern part of the country.
Dr. Salma Hawsawi, a professor of ancient history at King Saud University, spoke to Arab News about how Saudi Arabia has a significant number of stone circles, mounds, and other similar structures scattered across the country.
Many have been discovered in the region north of Madinah, particularly in Khaybar, Fadak and AlUla. These are made up of large slabs of stones arranged in triangles, squares, arches, ovals and heaps.
Hawsawi explained that these circles and mounds form geometric shapes, which may be connected or separate.
During the virtual meeting the researchers were asked about construction techniques, the connection between mustatils and climate changes, and the methods being used to preserve these archaeological sites.
DHAHRAN: The Unified Security Operations Center in the Eastern Province is hosting an introductory and awareness exhibition at the Dhahran Complex until Oct. 26.
The exhibition aims to familiarize citizens, residents, and visitors with the security and humanitarian services offered by the center through the unified 911 emergency number.
The center serves 13 governorates, including the city of Dammam, by consolidating the operations of 29 different control rooms under one roof, all accessible through the single emergency number 911.
This initiative is part of the Ministry of Interior’s projects, implemented in collaboration with the Quality of Life Program, a key pillar of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is embarking on a transformative journey to establish itself as a key player in the global renewable energy sector.
With a goal of sourcing 50 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030, the Kingdom is investing heavily in solar energy, capitalizing on its abundant sunlight.
This commitment is part of the broader National Renewable Energy Program strategy, aimed at diversifying its energy portfolio and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
By the end of the decade, Saudi Arabia aims to generate 58.7 gigawatts of renewable energy. This includes 40 GW from solar photovoltaics, alongside 16 GW from wind energy and 2.7 GW from concentrated solar power.
The scale of this initiative underscores the Kingdom’s commitment to a sustainable energy future.
In 2024, Abdulaziz bin Salman, the Saudi minister for energy, announced plans to tender new renewable energy projects with an annual capacity of 20 GW. This could potentially lead to a total capacity of 100-130 GW by 2030.
The pace of these developments will depend on the growth in electricity demand, indicating a proactive approach to meeting future energy needs.
A significant milestone was reached on June 26, 2023, when the Saudi Power Procurement Company signed power purchase agreements for three new solar PV projects totaling 5.5 GW.
These are Haden Solar PV in Makkah Province with 2,000 megawatts, Al-Muwayh Solar PV in Makkah Province with a further 2,000 MW, and Al-Khushaybi PV in Qassim Province with 1,500 MW.
Several solar power plants are already operational. These include the Sakaka Solar PV Park, the first project under the NREP, generating 300 MW in Al-Jawf.
Another is Rabigh Solar PV Park at Rabigh Industrial City in Makkah region, which generates 400 MW, and Jubail 3B IWP Solar PV Park which produces 45.5 MW, powering the Jubail 3A water desalination plant in Eastern Province.
The Haradh Solar PV Park generates 30 MW in Eastern Province, and Al-Kharj Solar PV Park produces 15 MW in Riyadh.
Looking ahead, several major solar projects are in the planning stages, such as Al-Sadawi Independent Power Producer Solar Power Plant, set to have a capacity of 2,000 MW.
Sudair Solar PV Project has a planned capacity of 1,500 MW in Riyadh. Al-Masa’a IPP Solar Power Plant will generate 1,000 MW in Hail, while Ar Rass Solar PV Park is expected to have a capacity of 700 MW in Al-Qassim.
These upcoming projects demonstrate Saudi Arabia’s positive approach to expanding its renewable energy capabilities and its readiness to meet growing energy demands.
Despite these advancements, experts have cautioned against overestimating the impact of current growth.
“Saudi Arabia has a yearly energy demand of about 400 terawatt hours,” Michael Salvador, co-founder and CEO of Mirai Solar and technology lead at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology’s Solar Center, told Arab News.
“To meet this need solely through renewables, approximately 200 GW of installations would be required.”
The recent addition of 2 GWs represents roughly 1 percent of that demand, all while energy consumption is rapidly increasing, he said.
• Saudi Arabia aims to source 50 percent of its electricity from renewable energy sources by 2030.
• The Kingdom plans to generate 58.7 GW of renewable energy by 2030, with 40 GW from solar PV.
• Between 2022 and 2024, it added 2.1 GW of renewable capacity, enough to power more than 520,000 homes.
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Investment has highlighted the need for further investment to optimize these large-scale solar projects that are part of NREP to leverage the Kingdom’s abundant natural resources for renewable energy production.
To do this, the government is also capitalizing on its access to large regional markets, its growing knowledge-driven economy, and an ecosystem designed to attract investors.
Between 2022 and early 2024, Saudi Arabia added 2.1 GW of renewable power capacity — a 300 percent increase from the 700 MW that was created between 2012 and 2022.
Since 2022, some 2,100 MW of renewable energy has been added to the grid, totaling 2,800 MW. This is enough to power more than 520,000 homes.
“While the 300 percent increase sounds impressive, it’s crucial to recognize that it’s just a start,” said Salvador. “If we think of it in terms of absolute energy needs, the challenge remains substantial.”
In December 2023, Saudi officials announced how the Kingdom intended to achieve net zero by 2060. They highlighted more than 80 initiatives, funded by a $188 billion investment, for a greener future.
Founded in 2019 as a spinoff from KAUST, Mirai Solar is pioneering innovative solar panel technology aimed at enhancing PV efficiency. The firm has championed the concept of “PV shading,” which utilizes blocked sunlight to generate electricity.
This technology has promising applications across various sectors, including sustainable agriculture and electric vehicle charging stations.
“To accelerate the energy transition, we need both utility-scale deployment and decentralized renewable energy solutions,” said Salvador.
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While the government has primarily focused on large-scale projects, Salvador said he supports smaller, decentralized systems that can be quickly implemented and have a meaningful impact, provided the right legislative and financial incentives are in place.
The environmental benefits of Saudi Arabia’s push for solar energy are significant. Salvador calculates that generating 4 TWh of energy from solar could potentially avoid 2.8 million tons of CO2 emissions annually, equivalent to the greenhouse gas emissions from approximately 6.5 million barrels of oil.
This reduction aligns with global efforts to combat climate change and highlights the Kingdom’s commitment to a greener future.
Salvador believes a greater focus is needed on educating the public about why renewables are important from an economic and environmental perspective if solar technology development is to succeed in Saudi Arabia.
“Create incentives for everyone to consider and adopt renewable energy solutions,” he said. “Now, this can’t be implemented overnight. Things like grid stability need to be considered first.”
However, he said promoting innovation specific to the country will help accelerate the transformation. “Shading is, for me, a prominent example because it’s everywhere. Shading could power schools, hospitals, universities, office buildings, and food production.”
Salvador said it was also crucial to highlight research in future technologies.
“KAUST is a good example, where the research group of Stefaan de Wolf has established multiple world records of a new and promising technology called silicon-perovskite tandem solar cells, which could revolutionize the manufacturing of solar panels,” he said.
As Saudi Arabia positions itself at the forefront of the renewable energy transition, the combination of government support, technological innovation, and strategic investment will be crucial in realizing its ambitious goals in solar energy.
The Kingdom’s solar power surge is not only vital for local energy security but also plays a significant role in combating climate change and promoting sustainable development in the region.
