Ƶ completes departure of Iranian pilgrims/node/2606642/saudi-arabia
Ƶ completes departure of Iranian pilgrims
1 / 2
Iran’s pilgrims were satisfied with the support they had received and for the excellent organization of the Hajj. (SPA)
2 / 2
Iran’s pilgrims were satisfied with the support they had received and for the excellent organization of the Hajj. (SPA)
Short Url
https://arab.news/vasxj
Updated 16 sec ago
Arab News
Ƶ completes departure of Iranian pilgrims
Updated 16 sec ago
Arab News
RIYADH: The Ministry of Interior has completed departure procedures for Iranian Hajj pilgrims leaving through the Jadidat Arar border crossing in the Northern Borders region.
This was done following directives from King Salman and based on a recommendation from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
The aim was to support Iran’s pilgrims amid the current circumstances in their country and provide necessary services until they can safely return home after completing Hajj.
The ministry, through its sectors and affiliated entities, deployed all human and technical resources to facilitate the pilgrims’ movement, the SPA reported.
It coordinated with relevant authorities to ensure smooth and organized transport to the border within an integrated service and security framework.
Alireza Bayat, head of the Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization in Iran, recently praised Ƶ for assisting the pilgrims, noting the quality organization and services at border crossings and other locations.
He said Iran’s pilgrims were satisfied with the support they had received and for the excellent organization of the Hajj.
Saliha Al-Shahrani, the fashion designer inspired by the landscapes of southern Arabia
Natural landmarks, including the mountains of Asir, inspire fresh take on traditional wear
Designer hopes to open boutique abroad to share Saudi culture with the world
Updated 25 sec ago
Tareq Al-Thaqafi
Makkah: Saudi designer Saliha Al-Shahrani is powerful force in the Kingdom’s fashion world who uses her work to reimagine the rich culture of the country’s south.
Hailing from the mountainous region of Asir, she has forged a unique creative path drawing on local traditions.
Al-Shahrani spoke to Arab News about how her connection to southern Arabia is a natural extension of her identity.
The designer’s deep-rooted bond with Asir led her to reimagine traditional clothing, creating designs that appeal to a wide audience while authentically representing her homeland.
“I merge modernity with authenticity through the use of colors and materials, without ever compromising the spirit of southern attire,” she said.
A cornerstone of her collections is the Asiri dress — known as “al-Muzanad or Al-Mujanab” — a signature piece worn during national celebrations, including Founding Day.
Al-Shahrani particularly enjoys working with velvet, although she uses a range of materials to represent the different climates of Asir.
She said that her designs are inspired by natural landmarks such as Mount Dhirah (the Green Mountain), Jabal Al-Janoub in Asir, and the Sarawat Mountains in Abha.
The designer highlighted her well-known design, Dhirah, inspired by the mountain, which has become a signature piece in her collection.
She said that her participation in international exhibitions has brought positive feedback, with designs garnering widespread acclaim and being embraced by a diverse global audience.
This experience reaffirmed her belief that Saudi heritage has immense artistic value, especially when reimagined with a contemporary perspective and presented with professional finesse.
Al-Shahrani praised Ƶ’s Vision 2030 for removing many obstacles, particularly by empowering women, and highlighted the need for continued support of international exhibitions that promote Saudi cultural identity on a global scale.
In a message to aspiring designers, she urged them to break free from convention, move beyond imitation, and carve their own creative paths, adding that success on a global scale begins with thoughtfully crafted local excellence.
Al-Shahrani’s ambition is to launch a boutique in one of the world’s leading fashion capitals, where she can present the heritage of southern Ƶ to a wider audience.
Ƶ prepares for World Scout Moot in Portugal/node/2606632/saudi-arabia
Saudi scouts recently served Hajj pilgrims in Makkah, Madinah, and other holy sites. (File/SPA)
Updated 02 July 2025
Arab News
Ƶ prepares for World Scout Moot in Portugal
Organized under the theme “Engage,” the event will bring together around 5,000 participants aged 18 to 25 to promote leadership and community impact
Updated 02 July 2025
Arab News
RIYADH: The Ƶn Scouts Association held a virtual preparatory meeting for participants in the 16th World Scout Moot, to be hosted by Portugal from July 25 to Aug. 3.
Abdulrahman Al-Mudaris, the association’s secretary-general, stressed the importance of representing the Kingdom honorably at the global event, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
He emphasized promoting cultural exchange, building international friendships among youth, and enriching participants’ leadership and service skills through scouting experiences.
The meeting included presentations on the World Scout Moot’s key themes. The first phase, called “Paths,” involves international teams taking part in five-day exploratory and community service programs.
Participants will then move to the Main Camp, which features cultural and educational activities and workshops and ends with an official ceremony in Porto.
Organized under the theme “Engage,” the event will bring together around 5,000 participants aged 18 to 25 to promote leadership and community impact.
Held every four years, the Moot rotates among different countries, giving participants the opportunity to explore diverse cultures and environments.
TeamLab Borderless Jeddah marks 1 year of compelling digital art
Part of Culture Ministry’s use of heritage sites as platforms for contemporary art
Updated 01 July 2025
Nada Hameed
JEDDAH: One year after its debut in Historic Jeddah, TeamLab Borderless continues to draw curious visitors into a world where digital art responds to movement, light and season.
As Ƶ’s first permanent digital art museum, it has welcomed visitors from more than 25 countries — especially young people and art enthusiasts.
The interactive artworks at TeamLab Borderless respond to movement and evolve with time, ensuring no two visits are the same. (Supplied)
It is serving as a cultural hub that reflects their aspirations and introduces new ways of engaging with contemporary art.
The museum has an open layout allowing for exploration and engagement. The interactive artworks respond to their movements and evolve with time, ensuring no two visits are the same.
FASTFACT
TeamLab Borderless is a part of Ƶ’s Ministry of Culture’s broader initiative to activate heritage sites as platforms for contemporary art.
In an interview with Arab News at the museum’s launch, Toshiyuki Inoko, TeamLab Borderless’ founder, explained the concept behind the museum, noting that “everything is in a continuous relationship.”
TeamLab Borderless Jeddah marks its one-year anniversary since opening its doors in June 2024. (Supplied)
“Even though each element is independent, there are no boundaries in between, and they even influence each other,” he said.
Many of the installations reflect natural rhythms. In “Proliferating Immense Life,” for example, the flowers change with the months.
The interactive artworks at TeamLab Borderless respond to movement and evolve with time, ensuring no two visits are the same. (Supplied)
The “Forest of Lamps” and “Flowers in Infinite Transparency” installations also shift with the seasons, while “Memory of Topography” presents a static landscape that subtly transforms through movement.
Inoko also revealed that several artworks were developed exclusively for the Jeddah museum.
TeamLab Borderless Jeddah marks its one-year anniversary since opening its doors in June 2024. (Supplied)
“(One) work that is very unique to Jeddah is the work of the staircase, where you see the cascading waterfall of sand,” he said.
“Through that sand falls, you see gigantic flowers persistently trying to grow very powerfully. They keep growing, they keep falling, and they continue that cycle forever.”
The interactive artworks at TeamLab Borderless respond to movement and evolve with time, ensuring no two visits are the same. (Supplied)
TeamLab Borderless is a part of Ƶ’s Ministry of Culture’s broader initiative to activate heritage sites as platforms for contemporary art.
These efforts align with Saudi Vision 2030, which seeks to empower the cultural and creative sectors and elevate the Kingdom’s position as a global hub for art and technology.
TeamLab Borderless Jeddah marks its one-year anniversary since opening its doors in June 2024. (Supplied)
The museum stands as an example of this ambition, a space where art is in constant motion and where every visit becomes a unique, personal journey.
“The message that we wanted to convey to the world and the visitor is that the world itself is in a continuous relationship, and everything affects each other,” Inoko said.
The initiative aims to strengthen funding for environmental efforts and provide incentives for standout projects. (SPA)
Updated 01 July 2025
Arab News
Nationwide drive trains Saudi youth in sustainability
Initiative boosts environmental awareness in 331 schools across 13 regions for a greener future
Updated 01 July 2025
Arab News
RIYADH: Ƶ’s Environment Fund has concluded its “Friends of the Environment” initiative, which benefited 13,552 students from 331 schools across 13 administrative regions.
The program aimed to raise environmental awareness among youth and was carried out in partnership with INJAZ Ƶ, a nonprofit that empowers young Saudis with practical skills for the workforce.
Munir bin Fahd Al-Sahli, acting CEO of the fund, said the initiative aligns with Vision 2030 and the National Environment Strategy, which seek to enhance and sustain the environmental sector and strengthen the Kingdom’s leadership in the field. The fund plays a central role in realizing these goals.
HIGHLIGHT
Munir Al-Sahli, acting CEO of the fund, said that the project is a model of collaboration between environmental, educational, and nonprofit sectors, and reflects the fund’s goal of fostering a generation that values and protects natural resources.
More than 200 student counselors were trained to deliver the program, logging 135,520 training hours — exceeding the initial plan of 125,000 hours. The initiative also surpassed its target of reaching 12,500 students.
Al-Sahli said that while the program has met its objectives, the fund remains committed to supporting similar efforts that raise environmental awareness among youth.
He added that the project is a model of collaboration between environmental, educational, and nonprofit sectors, and reflects the fund’s goal of fostering a generation that values and protects natural resources.
The “Friends of the Environment” initiative is part of the Incentives and Grants Program, an online platform launched by the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture in mid-2024.
The program supports 16 tracks across various environmental fields, and applicants can apply through the Environmental Fund’s website.
Earlier this year, Ƶ introduced a new environmental financing initiative worth SR1 billion ($267 million), backed by Riyad Bank, to boost private sector involvement in sustainable projects. It was announced by Minister Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli, who is also the chairman of the fund.
The initiative aims to strengthen funding for environmental efforts and provide incentives for standout projects. It forms part of a wider national strategy to protect the environment and promote sustainable development.
Abdulrahman Al-Rassi (R) and Sebastian Mitrachi in Riyadh. (Supplied)
Updated 01 July 2025
Arab News
Deputy minister receives Romanian ambassador to Ƶ
All sides discussed bilateral relations and issues of mutual interest
Updated 01 July 2025
Arab News
RIYADH: Saudi Deputy Minister for International Multilateral Affairs Abdulrahman Al-Rassi received Romanian Ambassador to the Kingdom Sebastian Mitrachi in Riyadh on Tuesday.
Separately, Al-Rassi also met Raymond Balatbatto, ambassador of the Philippines to the Kingdom.
During the meetings, all sides discussed bilateral relations and issues of mutual interest, the Foreign Ministry said in a post on X.
