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Arab News
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Thai festival brings eruption of color and music to Riyadh
RIYADH: The Thai Festival in the Cultural Palace in Riyadh's Diplomatic Quarter celebrates both Thailand's rich culture and its blossoming friendship with Saudi Arabia. Riyadh was chosen as one of six flagship cities around the world to hold the festival, alongside Washington DC, Beijing, New Delhi, Hanoi, and Paris. At a press conference prior to the festival, which is open to the public May 2 and 3, Thailand's Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Darm Boontham said: 'This is a proud moment for us and a great opportunity to share the rich tradition and modern creativity of Thailand with our Saudi friends.' The festival comes at a significant time, three years since the normalization of diplomatic relations between Thailand and Saudi Arabia. • This year's theme is 'The Pulse of Tradition, The Pulse of Tomorrow,' reflecting Thailand's pride in its culture and its commitment to innovation and creativity. • The ministers of culture for Thailand and Saudi Arabia — Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol and Prince Badr bin Abdullah Al-Saud — attended the event. 'This event is a celebration of the strong and growing friendship between our countries and our people,' Boontham continued. This year's theme is 'The Pulse of Tradition, The Pulse of Tomorrow,' reflecting Thailand's pride in its culture and its commitment to innovation and creativity. The festival features several exhibitions of Thai products and services, including handicrafts from local communities in Thailand, live demonstrations, health and wellness products, eco-tourism, and Thai cuisine. It also includes a live cooking show by a celebrity Thai chef, screenings of several beloved Thai movies followed by Q&A sessions, a musical and cultural performance, a Muay Thai boxing demonstration, a fashion show by Thai designers, and a Khon performance. Khon, a traditional masked dramatic art that features music and dance as well as ritual, literary, and handicraft components, is included on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list, Boontham said. 'We invite everyone, Saudi nationals, residents and all friends of Thailand to join us for this unique celebration, to enjoy the science of sound and taste of Thailand and to continue building a warm and lasting friendship between our two great nations.' The festival was organized by the Royal Thai Embassy in Saudi Arabia in partnership with Thailand's private and public sectors, including Thai supply chain company SGC International's Riyadh division, with the support of Saudi and Thai private companies. The ministers of culture for Thailand and Saudi Arabia — Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol and Prince Badr bin Abdullah Al-Saud — attended the event. The objective of the festival goes beyond tourism, the ambassador said, it is intended to promote everything Thailand can offer in terms of creative economy, innovation, and how Thailand can tap into Saudi Vision 2030 and the Kingdom's green initiative. Boontham also confirmed plans to create Thai AirAsia X, a new low-cost airline from Thailand that should operate flights from Riyadh to Bangkok 'very soon,' he said. According to Boontham, the largest developing areas of cooperation between the two nations are economy, trade, and investment. Over the last three years, the volume of trade has increased by an average of 25 percent and the ambassador is confident that 'all the necessary mechanisms' are in place to support further growth. In 2024, trade reached a value of $8.8 billion and the hope is that in two years that number will reach $10 billion, he added. Boontham cited SGC International, a Thai company known for construction materials that is now expanding into petrochemicals, food, and food processing as a sign of promising investment in Saudi Arabia. Technology sharing, in areas including green consumption technology, is 'quite prevalent' and shows promise, he added. Tourism is another large area of cooperation. Last year, around 230,000 Saudi tourists visited Thailand, and 13,000 Thai tourists visited Saudi Arabia; both numbers are expected to grow in coming years, the ambassador noted. According to Boontham, 'many Thai students' are coming to pursue their studies in Saudi as well, and Thailand is working hard to encourage more Saudis to study in Thailand. In hospitality education, especially, 'Thailand has a lot to offer Saudi students,' Boontham said. In 2024, 50 individuals from Saudi Arabia went to train in Thai hotels and institutions.
Arab News
17-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Launch of Cinamaa platform marks push for film studies in Saudi Arabia
RIYADH: The Saudi Film Commission has introduced a new initiative, Cinamaa, to promote film studies and support people entering the industry. A launch event was held on Wednesday at the Cultural Palace in Riyadh, hosted by the commission and National Film Archive. The Cinamaa website, a platform intended to help educate aspiring filmmakers, critics, and film enthusiasts, allowing them to share their work, gives users access to articles, research studies, discussions, workshops, and short films on various topics related to film. Following a panel discussion in which she spoke on the importance of film studies in academia, Salma Tarek, professor of literature at the University of Cairo's French language department, told Arab News: 'We need to distinguish between academic studies, meaning university-level education, and studies at film institutes, which aim to train technicians and filmmakers.' The latter is very important and widely available, she said, but cinema studies at the school and university levels are still lacking. 'Abroad, for example, children in elementary school have reading and literacy programs that include a section on how to 'read' a film. They learn what a shot is, what camera movement means, because these have become part of the basic language of how we interpret the world around us,' Tarek said. 'Cinema is no longer just an art form; it is a form of discourse. We are constantly exposed to it, and it's very important that we learn how to decode its messages.' Tarek said that these are messages that are constantly being sent to viewers, who must receive them in an open and thoughtful way. 'The university is the institution best suited to play this role.' When asked what can be done to push this agenda forward, the professor said that first, there must be conviction in the value of cinema studies, a task she said is 'not simple.' The entry point, however, is in interdisciplinary studies. 'For example, literature departments can offer courses on the relationship between performance art and cinema. In history departments, there can be a course on cinema and history. Gradually, these borders will open up, and we will start to develop a cinematic culture within academic institutions.' These institutions will then have the capabilities and foundation to establish dedicated departments for cinema studies, which Tarek said is the 'ultimate goal.' The panel also discussed the need for more original Arabic content in addition to translations of foreign films. Tareq Al-Khawaji, film critic and cultural adviser at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, said that young Saudis interested in screenplay writing have a great opportunity to develop scripts that can contribute to bolstering the cinematic scene in the Kingdom. The launch of Cinamaa was followed by the signing of two memoranda of understanding between the Saudi Film Commission and its partners, the Saudi Broadcasting Authority and the International Federation of Film Critics. The commission's CEO Abdullah Al-Qahtani took the stage with Mohammed Fahad Al-Harthi, SBA CEO and former editor in chief of Arab News, and Fipresci CEO Ahmad Shawky. The establishment of the Cinema Critics Association was also announced, the first independent professional entity dedicated to film criticism in Saudi. At the end of the night, the doors opened to welcome guests into an exhibition on film history in the Arab world.
Jordan Times
03-03-2025
- Sport
- Jordan Times
Prime minister inspects Al Hussein Youth City, orders sports facility upgrades
Prime Minister Jafar Hassan on Sunday inspects sports facilities and infrastructure at Al Hussein Youth City as part of efforts to upgrade them in line with Royal directives (Petra photo) AMMAN — Prime Minister Jafar Hassan on Sunday inspected sports facilities and infrastructure at Al Hussein Youth City as part of efforts to upgrade them in line with Royal directives. The prime minister instructed the Ministry of Youth to draft a detailed plan, in coordination with relevant ministries and authorities, outlining the necessary priorities for maintaining the city's facilities. Hassan also said that the plan should align with available resources, ensuring that maintenance work is completed as swiftly as possible, he added, according to a Prime Ministry statement. The targeted facilities include the Cultural Palace, Amman International Stadium, Prince Rashid Hall, Prince Hamzah Hall, and the Olympic Swimming Pool, with the goal of completing renovations within the current year and 2026. The prime minister also underscored the need to sustain all facilities to ensure their sustainability and readiness to host local and international sports events in the best possible manner. During the visit, the prime minister, accompanied by the minister of youth, toured the various facilities of Al Hussein Youth City. At the end of January, His Majesty King Abdullah directed the government to establish a new international football stadium to support the sports sector while also enhancing the facilities of Al Hussein Youth City, Jordan's first sports city, alongside continued development of other sports infrastructure across the Kingdom.
Jordan News
02-03-2025
- Sport
- Jordan News
Hassan Directs the Development of a Detailed Maintenance Plan for the Sports Facilities in King Hussein Youth City
The Prime Minister is briefed on the status of the sports facilities in King Hussein Youth City and directs the development of a detailed maintenance and development plan اضافة اعلان On Sunday, Prime Minister Dr. Jaafar Hassan was briefed on the status of the sports facilities and amenities in King Hussein Youth City, as part of preparations for their development in implementation of His Majesty the King's directives. The Prime Minister instructed the Ministry of Youth to prepare a detailed plan, in coordination with the relevant ministries and authorities, which includes the necessary priorities for the maintenance of the facilities in King Hussein Youth City, within the available resources. The maintenance work should be completed as soon as possible and should include the Cultural Palace, Amman International Stadium, Prince Rashid Hall, Prince Hamza Hall, and the Olympic Pool, with the goal of completing these tasks during the current year and 2026. The Prime Minister also emphasized the need to maintain the essential and regular maintenance for all facilities, including sports fields, halls, swimming pools, and recreational areas, ensuring the sustainability of their services to various groups and enabling them to host local and international sports and youth events in the best possible way. The Prime Minister, accompanied by the Minister of Youth, toured the different facilities of King Hussein Youth City. They also listened to a briefing presented by the Director of King Hussein Youth City Administration, in the presence of the Secretary General of the Jordanian Football Association, the Secretary General of the Olympic Committee, and the Acting Secretary General of the Ministry of Youth, regarding the key needs and requirements for developing the city's sports facilities. His Majesty King Abdullah II had directed the government at the end of January to establish a new international football stadium to serve the sports and youth sectors in the Kingdom, in addition to developing the sports facilities in King Hussein Youth City, one of the first sports cities in Jordan, and continuing to develop sports facilities in the capital and other governorates.
Ammon
02-03-2025
- Sport
- Ammon
PM briefed on Al Hussein Youth City sports facilities, orders maintenance, development plan
Ammon News - Prime Minister Jafar Hassan on Sunday reviewed the status of sports facilities in Al Hussein Youth City as part of efforts to develop them in line with royal directives. Hassan instructed the Ministry of Youth to draft a comprehensive plan, in coordination with relevant ministries and authorities, outlining priority maintenance work for the city's facilities. The plan will focus on the Cultural Palace, Amman International Stadium, Prince Rashid Hall, Prince Hamzah Hall, and the Olympic swimming pool, with completion expected by 2026, based on available resources. He emphasized the importance of conducting regular maintenance for all facilities, including playgrounds, gyms, swimming pools, and recreational areas, to ensure their sustainability and readiness to host local and international sports events. During his visit, the Prime Minister, accompanied by the Minister of Youth, toured various facilities and was briefed by the Director of Al Hussein Youth City on the key development needs. The visit was attended by the Secretary-General of the Jordan Football Association, the Secretary-General of the Olympic Committee, and the Acting Secretary-General of the Ministry of Youth. At the end of January, His Majesty King Abdullah II directed the government to establish a new international football stadium to support the sports sector while also enhancing the facilities of Al Hussein Youth City, Jordan's first sports city, alongside continued development of other sports infrastructure across the Kingdom. Petra
