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Arab News
2 hours ago
- Arab News
Wesal program looks to empower expats with work-based Arabic-language skills
RIYADH: The King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language launched its Wesal program on Thursday. Wesal is an educational initiative intended to help non-native speakers working in Saudi Arabia's public and private sectors. The program aims to provide linguistic training opportunities within institutional training plans, as part of the academy's initiatives to 'empower the Arabic language in professional and organizational contexts,' according to a statement. The three-month program will be held at the academy's headquarters in Riyadh, with a flexible schedule tailored to accommodate participants' work hours and commitments. Abdullah Al-Washmi, secretary-general of the KSGAAL, told Arab News: 'The Wesal program represents a qualitative step in activating the Arabic language and strengthening its presence in professional and practical fields across the public and private sectors, reflecting the academy's role in developing multilingual work environments within the Kingdom. 'Through Wesal we seek to equip a wide segment of non-Arabic-speaking professionals with functional language communication tools, enhancing their performance and deepening their connection to the national culture and identity. This program underscores the academy's commitment to its educational and developmental responsibilities, as well as its role in supporting the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 and the Human Capability Development Program,' he continued. The program covers aspects of the Arabic language focusing on key skills that support the functional use of Arabic in professional settings. It also includes content intended to enhance trainees' ability to perform their tasks efficiently within the context of Saudi culture, Al-Washmi explained. The new program is part of the academy's mission to consolidate the Arabic language and enhance its use across all fields of knowledge and communication, he added. Saad Al-Qahtani, head of the Educational Programs Sector at KSGAAL, told Arab News that the Wesal program offers communicative and functional content relevant to the real world of the workplace. It focuses on teaching Arabic in realistic administrative and professional contexts, away from traditional curricula of a general or academic nature, he said, and is based on a curriculum developed by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, but adapts activities and vocabulary to serve functional communication skills, such as writing official mail, handling administrative forms and participating in and managing meetings, while incorporating local administrative and cultural terminology. According to Al-Qahtani, the program adopts an initial language diagnostic mechanism to determine trainees' levels, in addition to gradually adapting the content to suit different levels. The design of language activities also takes into account the use of visual and contextual methods, employing intermediate language when necessary, and providing examples from diverse work environments to ensure greater inclusiveness and flexibility. Although the program has not yet received official accreditation from the relevant authorities in the Kingdom, its reliance on the CEFR framework aligns it with international best practices and paves the way for its future adoption as a recognized professional standard in the Saudi labor market, Al-Qahtani said. Bandar Al-Jasir, executive partner at public relations firm Syaq, told Arab News that he expects Arabic proficiency to become a seriously considered element in professional assessment, especially for positions that require deeper engagement with the local audience. Al-Jasir said that Saudi Arabia is leading efforts to build 'culturally aware artificial intelligence tools' and that the 'next challenge' is to ensure that these tools enhance the richness of the Arabic language, with human verification remaining a key element. The priority for business solutions, he believes, should be the Arabization of operating systems and user interfaces, the provision of effective language training programs, and the development of smart tools that handle Arabic with contextual awareness. Using Arabic internally naturally enhances corporate identity, according to Al-Jasir, who added that the 'real challenge' facing the Arabic language today is to preserve it in everyday conversation, particularly since English is becoming ever more widely used in 'informal business communication.'
Arab News
a day ago
- Arab News
Over 151m trees planted under Saudi Green Initiative
RIYADH: More than 151 million trees have been planted and 500,000 hectares of land rehabilitated under the Saudi Green Initiative, which aims to plant 10 billion in total, the Kingdom's environment minister said on Wednesday. The Kingdom has made significant progress under the National Environment Strategy, en-route to achieving Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 goals in conservation, water sustainability and food security, said Environment, Water and Agriculture Minister Abdulrahman Al-Fadley. During a press briefing, Al-Fadley also announced the establishment of five specialized environmental centers, including the Middle East's first Regional Center for Climate Change Studies and the world's fourth Regional Center for Sand and Dust Storms. 'The Kingdom has (also) established an environmental fund that is the largest of its kind in the region, reflecting a serious commitment to supporting environmental initiatives,' the minister added. Protected terrestrial areas went from covering 4.5 percent of the Kingdom's territory to 18.1 percent, and the number of national parks has increased from 18 to 500. Since the establishment of the National Center for Environmental Compliance in 2020, more than 40,000 permits have been issued, an increase of 660 percent. Over 8,000 endangered species have been reintroduced into their natural marine habitats since 2016 as protected zones have grown by 260 percent. Monitoring services have expanded in all sectors across the Kingdom. There are now 240 air-quality monitoring stations, a new marine program to detect and respond to oil spills, and advanced meteorological sensing and prediction systems. 'We conducted 711 cloud‑seeding flights across regions and increased strategic (water) storage capacity by 600 percent,' increasing rainfall by 6.4 million cubic meters to encourage vegetation and nourish water resources, he said. New developments have been made in city-level waste management as well, with 21 strategic management plans, and the identification of 330 investment opportunities worth SR450 billion ($119.9 billion). A number of grants, incentives and environmental funds have been created to support academic collaboration and private sector innovation on mechanisms to divert 90 percent of waste from landfills by 2040. Al-Fadley also confirmed that water projects worth over SR230 billion have been completed, which includes public and private sector investments for infrastructure and reuse systems. 'Saudi Arabia was chosen by the UN Water Committee as a global model for water sustainability,' he said. The minister announced that the Kingdom was building 1,000 rainwater-harvesting dams with an annual capacity of 4 million cubic meters. The Kingdom is the world's top producer of desalinated water with production capacity reaching 16.6 million cubic meters per day in late 2024, an increase of nearly 100 percent compared to 2016. And strategic water storage capacity has jumped to 600 percent, with most cities having an average supply coverage of three days rather than one. In addition to being a large producer, Saudi Arabia also delivers water to 22,000 population centers through an 18,000-km pipeline network. Reused water now makes up 32 percent of total usage. The National Center for Water Efficiency and Conservation saves 120,000 cubic meters of water daily, with plans to increase it to 300,000, the minister added. Over 65 percent of those working in the water sector are citizens, and Saudi Arabia engineers make up 97 percent of engineering roles, marking an emphasis on self-reliance. The minister said 25 public–private partnership agreements were signed involving SR100 billion in investments. Energy reduction is also a big focus for the country. Since 2016, the amount of electricity consumed has been cut by half. The agricultural sector now makes up SR118 billion of the nation's gross domestic product, an 8 percent increase from the previous year, and food production increased to 12 million tonnes. Al-Fadley said a major economic and cultural achievement was that the Kingdom was now the world's top date exporter, completely self-sufficient in date production and distribution, as well as in milk and eggs. For key vegetables self-sufficiency was between 70 to 100 percent, and poultry and seafood exports were growing, he added.
Arab News
2 days ago
- Arab News
Traditional weapon fires up celebrations in Asir
RIYADH: In Al-Namas, a governorate in the Asir region known for its historic mud and wooden palaces, tradition lives on through the centuries-old craft of making 'Al-Maqmaa,' a heritage weapon once used for defense and now central to local celebrations. Crafting Al-Maqmaa begins with selecting high-quality wood for the body and forging an iron barrel, Saudi Press Agency reported. Key components include the safha, a compartment for storing gunpowder, and the darrab, used to compact it. The final stage is decoration, with artisans adorning the piece in brass, silver, and intricate engravings. Fahd Al-Shehri continues a legacy inherited from his father, who opened one of the first Al-Maqmaa repair shops in Al-Namas. His father modernized the craft using advanced tools while preserving its authenticity. Today, Fahd adapts the weapon for a younger generation, producing lighter, more compact versions. In Asir, no celebration is complete without Al-Maqmaa and the zahab, a cross-body leather belt studded with metal and used to carry gunpowder cartridges for ceremonial firing. The production of traditional black powder is part of this heritage. It involves mixing salt from specific soils, natural sulfur, and charcoal made from slow-burning branches. The compound once was used not only in weapons but also in blasting rocks and excavating wells. Researcher Saleh Abu Arad noted in his work that Al-Maqmaa remains a powerful symbol of Asir's identity, passed down through generations as a proud expression of the region's culture.
