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RIYADH: Eastern Province Gov. Prince Saud bin Nayef recently attended the graduation ceremony of 99 students of the ZADK Saudi Culinary Arts Academy’s diploma programs at the Dammam Chamber of Commerce.

All the graduates signed employment contracts as chefs. Their training supports Vision 2030’s goals for youth empowerment in hospitality and tourism.

Rania Moualla, founder and chairwoman of the ZADK, thanked the governor for his support as the academy’s honorary president, highlighting his role in advancing youth training for the job market. 

She also acknowledged the academy’s public and private sector partners for contributing to its educational and social goals. 

Moualla said that all graduates this year secured job offers. Their culinary training prepared them with practical skills needed for the industry. 

Graduates have joined international hotels and restaurants and may pursue further studies or start their own businesses. Some will become teaching assistants at the academy. 

The ZADK is a nonprofit institution focused on preserving and promoting Saudi cuisine while training students to meet global culinary standards.

RIYADH: The skittish gazelle, revered in Bedouin culture, is a defining symbol of wildlife in the Arabian Peninsula. 

The Arabian gazelle is known for its agility, alertness and extreme caution, according to a recent Saudi Press Agency report.

Gazelles are swift, reaching speeds of up to 100 kph in short bursts. 

Beyond its physical traits, the gazelle has become a cultural symbol of beauty and elusive elegance in Arab tradition, the SPA added. 

Poets have long compared their beloveds to the gazelle, immortalizing its qualities in verses from the pre-Islamic era to the present.

In popular heritage, the skittish gazelle represents “the hunter’s pursuit,” highlighting the skill required to track it in sandy terrain, the SPA report stated. 

As a part of ������Ƶ’s biodiversity preservation efforts, the National Center for Wildlife and the Royal Reserves Council have launched initiatives to reintroduce gazelles into their natural habitats, to address their population decline.

These efforts fall within a broader national strategy to restore ecological balance and ensure the sustainability of wildlife, alongside awareness programs that promote the preservation of this vital natural heritage. 

Earlier this month, NEOM reintroduced more than 1,100 animals, representing six species, to its expansive nature reserve, marking a major step in its broader mission to revive the region’s natural balance. 

As NEOM’s regreening program progresses — with 4.7 million trees, shrubs and grasses planted so far — the 530 Arabian Sand Gazelles currently in the reserve are thriving on the returning natural vegetation, aided by the removal of heavy livestock grazing. 

NEOM is also home to 223 Arabian gazelles, which are typically darker in color and more elusive, preferring to reside in foothills and rugged mountain terrain.