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RIYADH: ������Ƶ welcomed the Canadian Innovation Delegation — an initiative organized by Inovia Capital in collaboration with the Embassy of Canada — from Sept. 28-30.

The visit brought together Canadian tech companies, venture capital firms, and artificial intelligence research institutions to engage with key Saudi stakeholders, including the Public Investment Fund, Neom, Humain, Sanabil, the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, and the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology.

It marked a strategic effort to strengthen bilateral relations through partnerships in technology, investment, and research, while promoting global innovations and increasing collaboration between ������Ƶ and Canada.

Nick Frosst, co-founder of Cohere and a guest of the visiting delegation, told Arab News: “We are quite excited about the region. (It) is a very dynamic and exciting time for the area. The investment and excitement … a vision of what AI can do for the country is very clear.

“As a leading company focused on secure enterprise AI, there’s a huge opportunity here (������Ƶ) to collaborate. We met with many prospective partners, both investors and customers.”

Frosst added: “There are many people within the startup ecosystem, like myself, who are leading Canadian startups, as well as other VC (venture capital) and investment organizations that are representing Canada.

“We make foundational language models and we make them available to our enterprise customers, focusing on secure deployment and customization, so we work with many large multinational companies, several in the region, including STC.”

The delegation also held networking sessions with the Kingdom’s venture capitalists and investment stakeholders, including representatives from the innovation hub, The Garage.

The diplomatic and economic relationship between ������Ƶ and Canada has expanded well beyond the traditional trade in oil and its commodities, and now encompasses new ventures in innovation and technology.

RIYADH: A new exhibition celebrating ������Ƶ’s rich history of serving pilgrims opened in Makkah on Monday. Organized by the Hadiyah Charity Association, it also showcases ongoing projects that aim to enhance the pilgrimage services the Kingdom provides.

The country’s extensive efforts to serve Hajj and Umrah pilgrims date back to the era of King Abdulaziz and continue through the current reign of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, organizers said.

Hatem Al-Marzouki, chairperson of Hadiyah’s board of directors, said the exhibition reflects the association’s deep sense of pride in the Kingdom’s longstanding dedication to serving the two holy mosques and caring for visitors, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Several major projects in recent years have expanded the capacity of the mosques, provided new accommodation and expanded catering options to better serve the huge numbers of pilgrims who visit the sites each year. Premium amenities are also now available to pilgrims who seek greater comfort, safety and accessibility, including specialized tents and gourmet meals, alongside personal care kits and 24/7 medical support.

New services are regularly introduced. In August, for example, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah launched the digital Nusuk Umrah service, which enables pilgrims living outside the Kingdom to directly apply for an Umrah visa and book services online without having to use intermediaries.

Al-Marzouki acknowledged the crucial support the Saudi leadership provides to the nonprofit sector, which he said enables organizations to fulfill their missions and make a difference to society.

The exhibition is open to representatives of governmental institutions, civil organizations, private-sector entities, and professionals from the Hajj and Umrah sector. Anyone interested in visiting can register and make arrangements through Hadiyah’s communications department.