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Author:

Mohammed Al-Sulami

ID:

1545164562334694200

Tue, 2018-12-18 23:22

JEDDAH: The General Authority for Culture is organizing a cultural event titled “Naghmet Watan” at Dar Al-Hekma University in Jeddah on Dec. 20.
It is a traditional Saudi music event that aims to explore the evolution of Saudi folklore and the various facets of the Kingdom’s civilization and its rich culture.
One of the main highlights of the event is the screening of a documentary on the Kingdom’s culture through different generations. The documentary will be shown on an old television screen.
A number of activities have been planned including folk shows. Various events will showcase the step-by-step progress the Kingdom has made in various sectors since its establishment.

One of the main highlights of the event is the screening of a documentary on the Kingdom’s culture through different generations. (Supplied)

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‘Jeddah has left a lasting impact on me,’ says outgoing Italian CG

Author:

Abdulaziz Alaquil

ID:

1545255161082107500

Thu, 2018-12-20 00:30

JEDDAH: It is rare to see Elisabetta Martini without a smile on her face — and with good reason. After four years of diplomatic service as the Italian consul general in Saudi Arabia, she has excelled in her community outreach through organizing business and cultural functions. Her smile is one that Jeddah has come to know well.
She spoke to Arab News about her time in the Kingdom, as well as offering advice to women looking to pursue a career in foreign diplomacy.
“I came here not being a specialist in the Middle East, neither did I study Arabic. The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is very keen on having officials that can work in different environments. We have very few specialized diplomats, as we tend to diversify our roles. I was dealing more with European affairs and diplomatic affairs, and I think this gave me a fresh look on what would be my challenge coming to Saudi Arabia,” she told Arab News. The late King Abdullah died 10 days after Martini was appointed, so her arrival coincided with a critical time for the Kingdom. She described that period as a new reality for the country but, as she was not an expert, she came with no preconceived ideas.
“I was energetic, determined, and serious enough to lead a diplomatic mission in a challenging country, but in a period that we knew was on the edge of a transformation program even before the death of the late King Abdullah. It was evident that Saudi Arabia was a country that would emerge very soon as a very active community player in the region.”
Martini maintained this energy and determination throughout her four-year stint, participating in some of the historic reforms. There were cultural, promotional and commercial events.
“We contributed to promoting the lifting of the ban on women driving by organizing an event with the most luxurious Italian brand vehicles. We were involved with musical events. We organized an exhibition of movie costumes designed by the four-time Oscar winning Milena Canonero. It was another very challenging exhibition.”
Those were some of the cultural events that came to mind, she added. More recent initiatives included a photography catalog, featuring images from Al-Balad and Mada’in Saleh.
She was optimistic about the Kingdom achieving the goals outlined in its Vision 2030 reform plan. Italy had been devoted and dedicated to helping in the journey, she said, and there were encouraging signs of change.
“But these can only go hand in hand socially and politically to give civil society and people more chances to have an impact. This was the marvelous case when, in December 2015, I assisted for the first time in having ladies vote in municipal elections. I think this was maybe even more of an enthusiastic time than when women were allowed to drive. Having these ladies engaging in social and political activities, and campaigning for the chance to become a member of the municipal council was something really remarkable and I think this can be the path that Saudi Arabia will continue on. Together of course with all the social, entertainment, and private sector changes.”
Martini leaves with fond memories of Jeddah and said the city had left a lasting impact.
“As a young, energetic, and dynamic diplomat, I used to be very impatient. Over here, you don’t have to give in to the narrative of ‘Bukra Inshallah’ but at the same time, if you try to mix the ‘Inshallah’ attitude with an active will and determination to do things and create, actually the mixture is very good, and you can learn that achieve, one needs to be patient. So as a takeaway, I would say working and being able to be more patient because only when you analyze patiently, with the ‘shwaya shwaya’ philosophy, this can sometimes be much more effective than only trying to impose something even to oneself. That would be my lasting takeaway. Trying to be more patient, but at the same time maintaining my motivation for the next project.”
When discussing aspects of Saudi culture — its traditions, landmarks, even famous restaurants — Martini holds a special place for Al-Balad in her heart.
“Every time I had an Italian delegation, I brought them to Al-Balad. The minute that you bring a delegation to Al-Balad, the people, at least from my experience, the Europeans, they connect with Saudi culture. Because they see Saudi’s history firsthand. This applies to Riyadh as well, with multiple UNESCO sites such as Ad Diriyah.
“Al-Balad though, really stole my heart some years ago and I keep going back especially during sunset prayer time. It’s one of the most breathtaking places. I was also fortunate enough to go twice to Madain Saleh, and that is another place that in my opinion is even better than much more famous UNESCO sites around the world. As far as food and restaurants are concerned, I love Al-Nakheel, a popular local restaurant where you can enjoy shisha, socialize, and now recently they are featuring live music. The food that I will miss the most though is manakish.”
For Martini, Jeddah is a diverse city and one that is similar to Naples.
“In my opinion, Jeddah is more similar to the southern Italian cities such as Naples. Firstly, because they both have beautiful seas. Also, because both have a beautiful historical and cultural centers that need to be explored more. It’s a popular area not in terms of being popular, but because it consists of lower socio-economic classes. Actually, this fact is what gives it a much higher sense of authenticity and genuineness. Both cities share quite a few similarities, but at the same time both have plenty of untapped potential. They both have a beautiful port and a very lively and genuine historical center.”
Regarding a career in foreign service, Martini had advice for young students, especially women, who aspire to follow in her footsteps.
“I’m honored to have been labeled as a role model for young professional ladies that aspire to start a diplomatic career, but actually what I would like to say is that I myself follow other role models because as ladies, we should never be completely satisfied with what we have achieved. Of course, we need to be proud, and the improvements are great, but we need to keep on dreaming bigger.”
Martini is moving to Moscow and making the transition from consular affairs to political affairs.
“It’s a new challenge in another very interesting country — both politically and commercially. We have strong relations with the Russian Federation and I’m very excited for the challenge. Career-wise, it will be a very important step because as I said before, my real aim as a diplomat is to diversify as much as possible my experience so that in the future, I may have a broader picture of international affairs.”

Elisabetta Martini spent four years of diplomatic service as the Italian consul general in Jeddah. (Photos/Ziyad Alarfaj)

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Muslim World League, UNHCR join hands on refugee management

Author:

Mohammed Al-Sulami

ID:

1545248291151600100

Wed, 2018-12-19 22:36

JEDDAH: The Muslim World League (MWL) conducted a workshop to provide training to its staff in accordance with the best international professional standards.
The workshop was organized in cooperation with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and covers several areas of MWL’s operation such as international refugee assistance and protection, camp management and community awareness.
The event was organized in line with the directives of MWL Secretary-General Sheikh Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa and under the supervision of the International Organization for Relief, Welfare and Development.
The workshop also aimed at improving the performance and work environment at the MWL. Around 45 trainees from various departments and programs took part in the program.
A number of UNHCR international panelists conducted the workshop, which included three conferences on the functions and categories of the MWL’s beneficiaries. It also included conferences on camp management, location, size and design, as well as the required time for the implementation of the programs and the responsibility of local and international nongovernmental institutions or authorities.
The conferences also helped develop a better understanding of international humanitarian laws, human resources assessment, community awareness and resource development, in addition to practical training and rapid interactive training.
The speakers praised the efforts of the MWL in the field of humanitarian work, and expressed their satisfaction over the skills of the organization’s staff.
The UNHCR organized two training sessions last year in coordination with International Organization for Relief, Welfare and Development on the legal protection of refugees.
MWL has implemented an urgent relief campaign distributing food baskets to more than 40,000 refugees from Central Africa who are residing in the refugee camps on Chad’s borders.
It has been providing relief since the beginning of the armed conflict in Central Africa and the displacement of its residents to neighboring countries, including Chad.
It is the only international humanitarian organization that is still providing aid for Central Africans, with the big support of relevant governmental and security bodies in Chad, while all other organizations have stopped their work on the borders for different reasons.
MWL has pledged to continue aiding the displaced Central Africans, no matter how dangerous the conditions get, as it strongly believes in the greatness of its humanitarian mission and the cause of the Islamic religion that is tolerant toward all religions and races.
MWL recently launched a heart surgery program for the elderly, assistance for 14,000 orphans, and implemented a program to fight disease in Sudan’s eastern state of Kassala.
It also inaugurated a project to fight disease in Kassala following a call by the Sudanese Prime Minister Omar Al-Bashir for humanitarian organizations to help combat chikungunya in the area.

Mohammed al-Issa, head of the Muslim World League (MWL) speaks during an interview with Reuters at a hotel in Paris, France, November 23, 2017. (REUTERS)

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Organization of Islamic Cooperation pledges to continue supporting UN

Author:

ARAB NEWS

ID:

1545248467211615600

Wed, 2018-12-19 22:40

JEDDAH: The General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) welcomes the adoption of a resolution on cooperation between the UN and the OIC at the plenary session of the UN General Assembly on Dec. 13.
The resolution urges the UN system to cooperate with the OIC in areas of mutual interest and invites the UN to consider providing increased technical assistance to the OIC and its subsidiary organs.
It further affirms that both organizations share a common goal of promoting and facilitating the Middle East peace process. They also share a common objective of seeking peaceful and political solutions to other conflicts in accordance with the UN Charter.

United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York, US, September 20, 2017. (REUTERS)

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DiplomaticQuarter: Saudi Arabia, South Korea culture of sharing

Author:

ARAB NEWS

ID:

1545248370171606400

Wed, 2018-12-19 22:38

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia was recently treated to a showcase of South Korean culture, including food, music, games and entertainment.
The 2018 Korean Cultural Day, hosted by the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Jeddah in association with the Korean International School, aimed to raise awareness of the country and its culture among people in Saudi Arabia, while strengthening ties between the two countries.
Everything on show at the event was produced by young people in Saudi Arabia, from countries including the Kingdom, Egypt and Syria, with an interest in Korean culture.
In addition, the first K-pop (Korean pop music) and K-drama (television drama from Korea) fan clubs in the Kingdom took part in the event. Together they boast a total of 63 members, reflecting the growing international interest in Korean culture.
“This remarkable gathering has been designed to strengthen the mutual cultural understanding between our nations, and (showcase) Korea’s own traditional games, language, cuisine and music,” said Sang-Kyoun Lee, the consul general of the Republic of Korea.
He thanked all the young people who had contributed to the success of the event. The diplomat said: “Without your tireless, non-ending efforts, the great festival would not have been possible. Because of each and every one of you, we have now reached a remarkable milestone together. None of this could have been done without the commitment of the Saudi people, which has brought this event to fruition today.
“I hope that exposure to Korea’s unique culture will inspire the younger Saudi generations, intrigue them and encourage them to explore our rich culture through such initiatives as K-fan clubs, like the ones here today.
“Based on our history, Korea and Saudi Arabia have shared a strong partnership since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1962. Bound by common values of trust and prosperity, the two countries have become indispensable partners to each other’s future.”
Saudi Arabia and South Korea enjoy friendly ties.
Since the inception of bilateral relations, the two countries have witnessed a qualitative leap and great development in many fields, including politics, economy, education, culture, and health and many other fields.
Korea offers residency programs for Saudi physicians and dentists. Currently, a total of 73 Saudi physicians and dentists have been enrolled in these training programs.

Saudis were recently treated to a showcase of South Korean culture. (AN photo)

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Saudi corruption settlements will net "not significantly less" than $13 bln in 2019 -minister

Author:

Reuters

ID:

1545245644341384100

Wed, 2018-12-19 17:43

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's finance minister said on Wednesday that cash settlements from an anti-corruption campaign would net "not significantly less" in 2019 than the 50 billion Saudi riyals ($13.3 billion) collected in 2018.
Mohammed al-Jadaan also said in a Reuters interview that construction giant Saudi Binladin Group, in which the government took a roughly one third stake under the campaign, would soon have a "normal board" with family members and representatives of government ownership.
He added that the kingdom's sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund, has no role in a ministry-owned company that is managing assets seized through settlements with dozens of Saudi elite detained last year under the corruption purge.

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Saudi heritage chief launches Korean exhibition in Riyadh

Wed, 2018-12-19 03:04

RIYADH: Prince Sultan bin Salman, president of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH), officially opened an exhibition in Riyadh on Tuesday showcasing Korean history and culture.
He was joined at the event by Prof. Bae Kidong, the director general of the National Museum of Korea in Seoul, and Korean Ambassador Jo Byung-wook.
Titled “Korean history and culture: An enchanting journey to the Korean civilization,” the exhibition — which will be at the National Museum until March 7, 2019, and is the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia — features rare artifacts that showcase Korean archaeology, civilization and folklore, as well as a selection of exhibits from the Korean National Museum.
Prince Sultan said that such cooperation in the field of culture and archaeology is very important, especially since Korea has a great and ancient culture, and given its important relationship with Saudi Arabia through the years.
On behalf of the Korean government and people, Prof. Bae expressed his sincere appreciation to the Kingdom for hosting the exhibition.
The exhibition is the continuation of a series of cultural exchanges between the two countries that started with the “Roads of Arabia” exhibition jointly organized by the SCTH and the Korean National Museum in Seoul last year.
The “Roads of Arabia” exhibition was a huge success that attracted tens of thousands of Koreans to Saudi history and culture.
We expect the Korean culture and history exhibition in Riyadh to be equally successful,” the envoy told Arab News in an earlier interview.
“The Korean exposition will promote the mutual understanding and goodwill between Korea and Saudi Arabia,” he said.
He said the total number of Saudis, who visited Korea in 2017 exceeded 11,300, which represents a marked increase over the past years.
“In fact, it is very encouraging to see more and more Saudis choose Korea as their destination for business, tourism, higher education, and health care,” he added.
The top diplomat said more than 440 Saudi students are currently studying in Korea.
Korea, he said, has played a key role in the development of the Kingdom’s infrastructure while Riyadh has been a stable energy supplier to Seoul.

Prince Sultan bin Salman launched exhibition with Korean officials in Riyadh. (SPA)

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Cultural event to explore Saudi heritage, civilization

Author:

Mohammed Al-Sulami

ID:

1545164562334694200

Tue, 2018-12-18 23:22

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