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Ramadan’s spirit of giving reflected in SR1.4bn donation to Saudi housing campaign

Ramadan’s spirit of giving reflected in SR1.4bn donation to Saudi housing campaign
The Kingdom’s Jood Regions 2 housing campaign has exceeded a total of SR1.4 billion $373 million) in donations and agreements received and made, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday. (AFP/File)
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Updated 20 March 2025

Ramadan’s spirit of giving reflected in SR1.4bn donation to Saudi housing campaign

Ramadan’s spirit of giving reflected in SR1.4bn donation to Saudi housing campaign
  • The program aims to provide adequate housing for families across the country
  • The donations underscore the Saudi leadership’s commitment to supporting national initiatives

RIYADH: The Kingdom’s Jood Regions 2 housing campaign has exceeded a total of SR1.4 billion $373 million) in donations and agreements received and made, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday.
The program aims to provide adequate housing for families across the country and has received support from King Salman in the form of SR100 million donation, and a SR50 million donation from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The donations underscore the Saudi leadership’s commitment to supporting national initiatives aimed at strengthening and providing housing stability for 8,690 families.
Noting that the campaign’s donations reflect the cohesion between the leadership and the community, and all parties’ commitment to support sustainable development efforts, minister of municipalities and housing and chairman of the board of trustees of the Sakani Foundation, Majid bin Abdullah Al-Hogail, expressed his pride in this national achievement.
Sakani Secretary-General Abdulaziz Al-Kraidis, emphasized that this achievement reflects the power of serving the community and its members’ awareness of the value of contributing to improving each other’s lives.
Al-Kraidis explained that the campaign embodies the commitment of various government, private, and civil society sectors to promoting charitable and housing work.
He said the Sakani Foundation’s continued efforts in strengthening partnerships to ensure the sustainability of these initiatives and work toward providing more quality of life-improving programs.
The Wad Al-Iskan platform, another Sakani initiative, which aims to engage all people in supporting and enabling deserving families to obtain adequate housing by submitting contributions online, played a pivotal role in the success of the Jood Regions campaign and enhances social solidarity in Ƶ, according to Al-Kraidis.
The Jood Regions campaign was first launched during Ramadan 2024 to provide more than 10,000 housing units for the most needy families across the Kingdom’s 13 provinces.
The initiative includes events to raise awareness and encourage community participation, bringing together entrepreneurs, leaders and others to ensure citizens can access suitable housing with ease and reliability, fulfilling the goals of developmental housing initiatives.


Riyadh to host International Restoration Week in October

Various organizations, institutions, and companies from at least 12 countries are expected to take part in the event. (SPA)
Various organizations, institutions, and companies from at least 12 countries are expected to take part in the event. (SPA)
Updated 23 September 2025

Riyadh to host International Restoration Week in October

Various organizations, institutions, and companies from at least 12 countries are expected to take part in the event. (SPA)
  • The exhibition is as part of Heritage Commission efforts to protect and develop Ƶ’s urban heritage — there are more than 34,000 heritage assets recorded in the National Urban Heritage Register

RIYADH: The Heritage Commission will organize the International Restoration Week exhibition from Oct.1-5 in the Jax district of Diriyah.

The event will bring together leading local and international institutions specializing in restoration and the preservation of urban heritage, to exchange expertise and strengthen cooperation by demonstrating the latest practices and technologies in conserving historic buildings and sites, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The exhibition is as part of Heritage Commission efforts to protect and develop Ƶ’s urban heritage — there are more than 34,000 heritage assets recorded in the National Urban Heritage Register.

The commission also seeks to raise awareness of restoration as an integrated process that safeguards historic sites and cultural identity while supporting their sustainable development in line with contemporary needs.

Various organizations, institutions, and companies from at least 12 countries are expected to take part in the event.

The Heritage Commission said the International Restoration Week is a specialized platform for cooperation and knowledge exchange in the field of urban heritage conservation.

It further reflects the Kingdom’s commitment to advancing restoration standards in line with global best practices and strengthening its position in cultural heritage preservation.

 


Ƶ to host seventh law conference

Minister of Justice Dr. Walid bin Mohammed Al-Samaani. (SPA)
Minister of Justice Dr. Walid bin Mohammed Al-Samaani. (SPA)
Updated 23 September 2025

Ƶ to host seventh law conference

Minister of Justice Dr. Walid bin Mohammed Al-Samaani. (SPA)
  • Conference organizers have structured the event around specialized discussion panels and workshops featuring government officials, practicing attorneys, technology specialists, and business leaders from domestic and international markets

RIYADH: Experts, legal professionals and academics from across the Kingdom and beyond will converge in Riyadh on Sept. 28-29 for the seventh Saudi Law Conference.

Themed “The Future of Legal Systems in the Age of Technology, Artificial Intelligence, and Sustainability,” the two-day event will examine how AI and digital transformation are reshaping legal systems worldwide, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Minister of Justice Dr. Walid bin Mohammed Al-Samaani will headline the opening ceremony, bringing his dual roles as president of the Supreme Judicial Council and chairman of the Saudi Bar Association board of directors.

His participation signals the government’s recognition that legal frameworks must evolve rapidly to accommodate digital transformations and global changes while strengthening cooperation between legal, academic and professional institutions to support legislative development in the Kingdom.

This gathering represents a cornerstone of Ƶ’s strategy to modernize its legal and regulatory framework as outlined in Vision 2030, providing a forum for examining the profound changes reshaping the legal profession and addressing both the obstacles and possibilities created by emerging technologies and environmental imperatives.

Conference organizers have structured the event around specialized discussion panels and workshops featuring government officials, practicing attorneys, technology specialists, and business leaders from domestic and international markets.

The sessions will tackle pressing questions including how legal systems should adapt to accelerating digital transformation, protecting personal data and privacy rights in digital economies, establishing regulatory frameworks for AI and emerging technologies, defining legal responsibility and ethical boundaries for technological applications, and integrating sustainability principles into national and international legislation.

Princess Hala bint Khalid, as president of the conference organizing committee, positioned the event within Ƶ’s broader ambitions for global legal leadership.

She described the seventh conference as embodying the Kingdom’s determination to establish itself as a premier international platform for legal system development that matches the pace of rapid technological and sustainability-focused changes.

“Our wise leadership embraces a vision extending beyond simply responding to developments,” Princess Hala said. “We are creating practical solutions and innovative perspectives that help design an advanced legislative future supporting Saudi Vision 2030’s aspirations while establishing the Kingdom's regional and international leadership position.”

 


Hackathon launches for tech enthusiasts

Hackathon launches for tech enthusiasts
Updated 23 September 2025

Hackathon launches for tech enthusiasts

Hackathon launches for tech enthusiasts
  • The hackathon’s slogan reflects the ambition to build a digital generation equipped to lead the Kingdom’s technical transformation

RIYADH: The Digital Technical College for Girls in Riyadh has launched the Saudi OpenSource 2025 hackathon under the slogan “One programmer for every 100 Saudis — Towards an Innovative Digital Future.”

The hackathon was launched in collaboration with the Digital Transformation Department at the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation, and the Digital Government Authority, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The hackathon’s slogan reflects the ambition to build a digital generation equipped to lead the Kingdom’s technical transformation.

It offers two tracts for participation: the first focuses on developing alternative open-source products, while the second centers around the development of existing government products.

Each track presents several challenges, with each team selecting only one challenge to address, delivering specialized solutions that advance the government’s digital transformation.

The hackathon is open to a wide range of national talent, targeting students from Saudi public and private universities from various technical disciplines, as well as trainees from technical and vocational training institutes and colleges throughout the Kingdom.

This ensures a rich diversity of ideas and proposed solutions.

The timing of the hackathon’s launch coincided with the 95th National Day and Software Freedom Day, bridging the heritage of the past with the ambitions of the future.

Individuals wishing to join this national technical event can register via the official website at https://saudi-open-source2025.netlify.app/.

 


Saudi aid chief meets Save the Children International CEO

Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah (R) and Inger Ashing in New York. (Supplied)
Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah (R) and Inger Ashing in New York. (Supplied)
Updated 23 September 2025

Saudi aid chief meets Save the Children International CEO

Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah (R) and Inger Ashing in New York. (Supplied)
  • The organizations signed an agreement to establish a strategic partnership that will focus on cooperation in humanitarian aid, relief, and volunteer work

NEW YORK: Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, general supervisor of the Saudi aid agency KSrelief, met with Save the Children International CEO Inger Ashing at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in New York City on Tuesday. 

The organizations signed an agreement to establish a strategic partnership that will focus on cooperation in humanitarian aid, relief, and volunteer work, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The officials also discussed ongoing humanitarian and relief projects focused on supporting children worldwide and providing them with essential aid.

 


Saudi students in London for AI bootcamp

Saudi students in London for AI bootcamp
Updated 23 September 2025

Saudi students in London for AI bootcamp

Saudi students in London for AI bootcamp
  • The course provides advanced skills in computer vision, deep learning, and generative models under the guidance of international experts

RIYADH: Thirty Ƶ university graduates arrived in London on Monday for an Artificial Intelligence Engineering Bootcamp, a collaboration between the Saudi Data and AI Authority and the University of Oxford, running until Oct. 9.

The program targets those with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in AI and computer science, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Participants will gain hands-on experience with frameworks including TensorFlow and PyTorch, and technologies covering YOLO and Hugging Face. (SPA)

The course provides advanced skills in computer vision, deep learning, and generative models under the guidance of international experts.

The first phase of the boot camp was conducted remotely, while the second and final three-week portion is held at Oxford University.

Participants will gain hands-on experience with frameworks including TensorFlow and PyTorch, and technologies covering YOLO and Hugging Face.

This initiative supports the SDAIA’s mission to enhance the skills of citizens, and aligns with the digital transformation objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, ensuring graduates are globally competitive.