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RIYADH: The Cabinet on Tuesday expressed its appreciation for the positive results of the recently held High-Level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution.

The conference, co-chaired by ������Ƶ and France, was held between July 28-30 and aimed to catalyze concrete, time-bound, and coordinated international action toward the implementation of the two-State solution.

The chairs underlined the need to support Palestinian statehood, reinforce regional and international cooperation, and ensure respect for international law.

The Cabinet also welcomed announcements made by several participating countries of their intention to recognize the Palestinian state, Saudi Press Agency reported.

France, the UK, Canada, Portugal, Malta, and other countries have said they may recognize a State of Palestine at the UN in September.

The Cabinet reiterated the Kingdom’s call on all UN member states to support the final declaration issued by the international conference, which constitutes a comprehensive and implementable framework for implementing the two-state solution, that would in turn achieve international peace and security and contribute to building the future of the region and its peoples.

The Cabinet is following up on the Kingdom’s comprehensive support for the State of Palestine and its people, particularly on the humanitarian front, by continuing to send shelter, medical, and food aid to the Gaza Strip through the Saudi air and sea bridges.

It also condemned in the strongest terms provocative practices by Israeli government officials at Al-Aqsa Mosque, and stresses ������Ƶ’s demand that the international community halt these practices, which violate international laws and norms.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman briefed the Cabinet on the contents of letters received by King Salman and himself from the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and his meeting with Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah.

MAKKAH: Craftsman Adel Al-Shehri has created a unique decorative plaque inspired by Saudi heritage and embossed with Braille writing.

His creation honors Saudi culture and embraces the concept of inclusivity, driven by a conviction that the decorative piece should be accessible to all, including the visually impaired.

The plaque, titled “My Heritage in Braille,” is designed in a traditional style that reflects the deep-rooted culture of ������Ƶ.

It features a globe in its center surrounded by artistic motifs reflecting the concepts of universality.

In an interview with Arab News, Al-Shehri spoke about the inspiration behind his selected materials and design choices.

He crafted the plaque from luxurious walnut and mahogany woods, prized for their durability and rich, elegant grain.

It wasn’t easy, but through countless experiments and careful refinements, I achieved a delicate balance between tactile clarity and visual elegance.

Adel Al-Shehri, Saudi craftsman

He added subtle metal inlays to complement the aesthetics and highlight the geometric details with contemporary flair.

The plaque’s base features a stepped circular design, inspired by the shape of ancient terraces found in historical buildings in the Kingdom.

Incorporating Braille into the design proved to be a challenge for the craftsman. The reading system, which features raised dots that are read by touch, is not easy to recreate on materials like wood and metal.

Braille is usually printed on paper, but adding it to a solid surface requires extreme precision.

Al-Shehri devised a special method to achieve this, using engraving tools that enabled him to shape the Braille dots to the appropriate height (between 0.9 mm and 1.4 mm), while maintaining precise geometric spacing between the dots.

This allowed them to be read by touch without losing their meaning or interfering with the other decorative elements on the plaque.

“This step presented both a technical and aesthetic challenge. How could I create a language that is read by touch and integrate it into a plaque meant to be admired visually?

“It wasn’t easy, but through countless experiments and careful refinements, I achieved a delicate balance between tactile clarity and visual elegance,” he said.

Al-Shehri said that the true purpose of his work is to carry a profound humanitarian message: Art should be accessible to all.

He hopes that his pioneering approach will inspire artists across the Arab world to embrace inclusivity in their work.