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RIYADH: The Saudi Architecture and Design Commission hosted a virtual meeting on Thursday for people with an interest in interior design, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The event, in which commission CEO Sumaya Suleiman took part, began with a discussion of the commission’s role in regulating the Kingdom’s architecture and design sector. Participants heard that architecture, urban design and planning, and landscape architecture are among the sub-sectors that the work of the organization takes in, along with a number of design fields including interior design, graphic design and industrial design.
The meeting also highlighted the commission’s “Al-Murabba” strategy, the aim of which is to establish a renewed and modernized starting point for the Saudi urban and design scenes that transcends traditional boundaries and serves those involved in the sector through the provision of a range of initiatives and programs. The strategy was named after Murabba Palace, which was built by King Abdulaziz in 1937 outside the walls of Riyadh’s old city.
Officials also outlined the six strategic objectives of the commission: sector development, increased contributions to gross domestic product, global recognition, sustainability, promoting innovation, and nurturing talent. Efforts to achieve these aims have resulted in the launch of 33 initiatives.
The participants were also given an opportunity to share with each other their experiences, projects and aspirations. They talked about the importance of relating each design project they work on to the setting, location and meaning behind it, and about the role of modern technologies in interior design.
JEDDAH: Saudi design companies are increasingly creating products inspired by the Kingdom’s history, heritage and traditions.
One is Samuda that aims to promote local art by designing unique gifts and souvenirs featuring largely undiscovered gems of the country.
The brand is named after a village in Al-Qassim province that has a spectacular landscape carpeted with lavender.
“It is a remote area but in spring it turns into a complete purple scenery of lavender flowers,” a member of the Samuda design team told Arab News. “This area is also famous for white camels, it is also a spot where campers come to enjoy the view, which is captured in the very first pieces of Samuda’s designs.”
The brand, established in 2020, has also incorporated other Saudi landscapes and heritage items into its products, including the rock formations of AlUla, the Arabian art of Al-Qatt Al-Asiri, the historic Diriyah and the ancient architectural wonders of Rijal Alma.
The rose fields of Taif, marine life and coral reefs of the Red Sea, the beauty of the Arabian leopard, Saudi coffee and the ancient doors from the Hijaz are also used for inspiration.
Samuda’s products include ties, shorts, ponchos, caps, scarves, throws, wooden boxes and trays, playing cards and jigsaw puzzles. Prices start at SR150 ($40) and the most expensive is SR25,000 ($6,649). Throws made from 100 percent pure cashmere are among the highest-priced items.
All products are designed in Saudi Arabia and manufactured in Europe.
Saudi jewelry brand, Charmaleena, has pieces also reflecting local culture, Islamic architecture, the emblem of Saudi Arabia, and the two holy mosques.
• Samuda’s products include ties, shorts, ponchos, caps, scarves, throws, wooden boxes and trays, playing cards and jigsaw puzzles.
• Charmaleena has launched over 20 collections comprising many multifunction pieces.
• Desert Design products are 90 percent handmade, including carpets, doors, sofas, engraved tables and cushions.
The Jeddah-based brand was co-founded by two Saudi sisters, Leena and Hala El-Khereiji, designer and creative director, and managing director, respectively.
“All our collections tell a story, and each piece within a collection continues to write and develop that story. Our pieces are handmade and designed with the intent of allowing a woman to showcase her individuality and self-empowerment. Our jewelry evokes a sense of distinction and beauty in a woman,” said Leena.
The company has launched over 20 collections comprising many multifunction pieces.
The Salam collection offers two of the brand’s most iconic necklaces inspired by the holy mosques in Makkah and Madinah.
The necklace inspired by Makkah features a small black cube representing the Kaaba in black onyx and 18 karat gold, and seven moving diamonds; and the second necklace features the green dome representing the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah in green aventurine, white onyx, 18 karat gold and diamonds.
In 2012, Charmaleena won the British Council’s Young Creative Entrepreneur in the Kingdom award.
In 2014, the brand was honored by Forbes Middle East for being one of the top 100 creative entrepreneurs shaping Saudi Arabia’s future.
Another local brand, Desert Design, offers products and services with a Saudi touch.
Based in Alkhobar, it was founded by Qamar and Farid Bukhari in 1990 to promote the beauty of artisanal work in Saudi Arabia through their home interior pieces that are 90 percent handmade, including carpets, doors, sofas, engraved tables and cushions.
The owners stated: “The aspect of our own Saudi heritage built and redesigned in such a way that enhances the piece of furniture into an art object. The brand is a way to revive the forgotten arts by encouraging craftsmen to continue producing such arts, so people can appreciate the uniqueness of such furniture.”
RIYADH: Millennials and Gen Zs can travel back in time to experience snapshots of life in several past decades, including the 1970s and 1980s, by strolling through the lanes of traditional markets, booths, and the recreation of a school at Qariat Zaman, or The Old Village, in Riyadh.
The project manager of the project, Abdullah Al-Farhoud, describes the zone, part of Riyadh Season 2022, as an interactive theater with nine rooms, each presenting a different experience for visitors.
“Oloum Al-Marjala” is a school showcasing activities that used to take place in a classroom around four decades ago.
A “teacher” welcomes visitors in the records room and instructs them to take a pen and a green file to begin their education journey. They are then taken to a library to learn Arabic poems followed by a geography class where they have to draw a map of the Kingdom.
Other rooms feature the preparation and serving of Saudi coffee, sitting on the floor to play a game of cards, and watching TV in a traditional Arab living room.
• ‘Oloum Al-Marjala’ is a school showcasing activities that used to take place in a classroom around four decades ago. A ‘teacher’ welcomes visitors in the records room and instructs them to take a pen and a green file to begin their education journey. They are then taken to a library to learn Arabic poems followed by a geography class where they have to draw a map of the Kingdom.
• Among the items on display were 20-year-old ink cartridges, a telephone, an 80-year-old projector, televisions dating back 70 years, and video and cassette tapes that contain historical events. Other rooms feature the preparation and serving of Saudi coffee, sitting on the floor to play a game of cards, and watching TV in a traditional Arab living room.
“It was one of the best and funniest experiences I’ve had in Riyadh Season, and the details are insane on the inside. I encourage everyone to try it because it feels nostalgic for schooldays. I liked the room with the old TV that showed Majed Abdullah playing for Saudi Arabia in the Asian Cup in 1984,” Sarah Abdullah, one of the visitors, said.
Among the items on display were 20-year-old ink cartridges, a telephone, an 80-year-old projector, televisions dating back 70 years, and video and cassette tapes that contain historical events.
AMMAN: Saudi Arabia stands side by side with Iraq in preserving stability and sovereignty, and is committed to restoring the country’s historical status as a cradle of civilization, science and knowledge, Saudi Foreign Affairs Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said on Tuesday.
His comments came at the Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership in Jordan, which gathered leaders from the Middle East and Europe to focus on bolstering security and stability in Iraq.
Prince Faisal, who led the Kingdom’s delegation at the conference, delivered a speech lauding the political will of Iraq and Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani in facing adversity, Saudi Press Agency reported.
The minister said that the Kingdom “rejects any aggressive measures” on Iraqi territory and is committed to fighting terrorism as well as extremism in the country.
He added that the Kingdom will “spare no effort” in supporting Iraq’s economic and developmental progress, saying that the country’s prosperity is “tied to the prosperity of the entire region.”
Prince Faisal said that the Kingdom is committed to developing a joint action plan under the auspices of the Saudi-Iraqi Coordination Council, as well as collaborating with the Iraqi government to promote investment opportunities in renewable and clean energy, water desalination and agriculture.
The two countries cooperate through OPEC and OPEC+ in an effort to keep global oil markets stable, he added.
Meanwhile, the foreign affairs minister said that the Kingdom’s Saudi and Middle East Green Initiatives, as well as the Green Belt project in Iraq, remain important areas of cooperation in strengthening bilateral ties.
Jordan’s King Abdullah II said that the conference’s second edition is taking place at a time when the region is facing security and political crises, as well as food, water, health and energy security challenges.
The Iraqi prime minister said that strengthening the bonds of partnership among attending countries through infrastructure interdependence, economic integration and mutual investment was a priority.
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said that the third edition of the conference will take place in Egypt next year.
JEDDAH: Talent-scouting programs and out-of-school workshops for students are among a host of initiatives aimed at boosting Saudi Arabia’s creative and cultural sector under a new landmark strategy. The Cultural Talent Development Strategy, introduced recently by the Saudi Ministry of Culture, in coordination with the Ministry of Education, is in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 program to develop talent, expertise and innovation in the cultural sector. In coming years, 14 programs supported by the National Culture Strategy will encourage careers in the arts, with qualified graduates flourishing in the field. Along with talent-scouting programs and out-of-school workshops, competitions and amateur clubs will also play a key role in discovering and developing talent in the country. The strategy will deliver extracurricular cultural activities to more than half the country’s public schools by 2026. Federal entities joining the strategic partnerships are the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation, the Education and Training Evaluation Commission, and the National eLearning Center. Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, the culture minister, said that the Kingdom has always considered education as its first priority, especially in the fields of culture, arts and creativity. “In light of this, we launched the Cultural Talent Development Strategy to develop the cultural and artistic capabilities of our society through a system of policies, standards, academic programs and opportunities that enrich cultural creativity in the Kingdom. The strategy includes linking education outputs with the needs of the labor market and supporting sustainable practices in the cultural sector,” he said. Commenting on the strategy, Yousef Al-Benyan, the education minister, said that integrating culture and arts into education will enhance the teaching process and foster an inspiring learning environment. About 120 arts and culture training institutions will produce more than 20,000 graduates specializing in arts and culture, with 5 percent of graduates being matched with careers in the field. The newly launched program will ensure that half of Saudi schools provide extracurricular cultural activities for students, leading to an increase in the number of students involved in artistic pursuits.
RIYADH: Law enforcement agencies from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s member states have attended their first ministerial meeting, in Jeddah.
Heads of international bodies, such as the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, Interpol and the Financial Intelligence Unit group, also attended the two-day meeting, which was held under the patronage of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and discussed the adoption of the Makkah Agreement, which aims at fighting corruption.
President of the Kingdom’s Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority Mazin bin Ibrahim Al-Kahmous said that Saudi Arabia supported efforts to combat corruption at local and international levels, as it constituted a pillar of Vision 2030.
He said that the meeting was a confirmation of the organization’s charter — which seeks to combat corruption, money laundering and organized crime — and embodied the strong relations between Islamic countries which helped signify a united front toward desired goals.
He added that the adoption of the Makkah Convention by member states would establish a new phase of cooperation in the field of combating corruption to serve common interests.
OIC Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha said that the Makkah Agreement provided the most significant and effective framework for preventing and combating corruption in member states through effective prevention, law enforcement, international cooperation, and asset recovery mechanisms.
Taha called on the OIC states to engage in the fight against corruption by signing and ratifying the Makkah Agreement in order to enforce anti-corruption laws “in accordance with their legal systems and in line with the aspirations and perspectives of member states in the fight against corruption.”
When asked about the importance of fighting corruption in regard to national security, Abdul Majeed Al-Bunyan, director of Naif Arab University for Security Sciences, said: “The breakdown of law and order leads to corruption.
“However, its proliferation contributes significantly to state instability. Law enforcement agencies must be strong and competent to combat corruption in the light of national and international legislation that enables them to do their jobs effectively, and for societies to grow and advance.”
He cautioned that it would need determined efforts from all sides to accomplish the desired international collaboration through a more efficient sharing of information, the restriction of safe havens, and the tracking and recovery of stolen public funds.
According to Saudi political analyst Monif Alsofouqi, corruption is not restricted to theft and misuse of public funds.
He told Arab News it undermined the state’s ability to fulfill its legislative, executive, and supervisory responsibilities, and contributed to widespread unrest.
He added that many nations hoped to improve their standing in the eyes of potential investors by making strides in the battle against corruption.
He also pointed out that the fight against corruption was no longer a domestic issue, but increasingly an international problem affecting the economic performance of states.
International organizations used several methods in order to attract investment, he said, and arrangements evaluating competitiveness and the corruption index were two of the most important indicators determining the direction of foreign cash.
Abduraheem Al-Moghathawi, a former professor of higher studies at Islamic University, said: “Saudi Arabia is a sovereign country with a new vision and sophisticated methods of achieving economic and social growth rates, as well as growing intellectual and cultural awareness to increase care and attention given to civil rights.
He called for engaging in the process of combating corruption, by signing and ratifying the “#Makkah Al-Mukarramah Convention”, in accordance with the Member States’ legal systems, and in line with their aspirations and visions in the area of anti-#corruption.#Makkah_Convention
“Combating corruption and maintaining public integrity in both private and public sectors are among the Kingdom’s domestic and exterior legal procedures.
“To fulfill its duty in the service of Saudi society, Saudi Arabia established the Public Prosecutors’ Office and the National Anti-Corruption Commission.
“The Kingdom is committed to eliminating corruption and promoting integrity in society through its Islamic status, national responsibility, and humanitarian commitments, particularly with the launch of Saudi Vision 2030.
“Participation of Saudi Arabia in international forums and organizations is focused on combating corruption and promoting public integrity in all domains, private and public.”