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Al-Ahram Weekly
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Second Islamic Arts Biennale concludes in Jeddah - Visual Art - Arts & Culture
The second edition of the Islamic Arts Biennale, held at the Western Pilgrims Terminal of King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah (25 January - 25 May 2025), has officially closed four months after its inauguration. According to a statement issued by the cultural foundation, this second edition, under the theme And All That Is Between Them, solidified the biennale's status as a leading global platform for showcasing and promoting masterpieces of Islamic art. This year's edition showcased over 500 historic and contemporary artworks across five main galleries and multiple outdoor spaces, spanning over 100,000 square metres. More than 30 cultural and artistic institutions from 21 countries participated, and over 30 contemporary artists presented 29 new works specially commissioned by the Diriyah Biennale Foundation. The list of participating artists included many prominent names, such as Nour Jaouda, Charwei Tsai, and Fatma Abdulhadi. This demonstrates the foundation's commitment to highlighting Saudi artists on the international stage and attracting artists from around the world to the Kingdom so that the local and global public can discover the diverse perspectives of contemporary art. A highlight of the 2025 edition was the first-ever display of the Kiswa (the Kaaba's covering) outside Mecca, exhibited alongside a rare collection of Islamic objects from Mecca and Medina. The award-winning installation Al-Musalla, designed by a consortium led by East Architecture Studio, was central to the exhibition's outdoor space. Constructed using local palm frond remains, the work drew inspiration from traditional textile weaving. Large sections of the award-winning Rooted Transient project were also featured in a namesake exhibition alongside the 19th International Architecture Exhibition - Venice Biennale. The exhibition showcased the architectural piece's adaptability — its ability to be disassembled, reassembled, and reused endlessly. At the closing forum, Deputy Minister of Culture and Vice Chairman of the Board of the Jeddah Biennale Foundation Rakan Al-Touq announced the launch of several initiatives aimed at building on the biennale's strong connections with a broad network of cultural institutions through the Orbit exhibition — one of the biennale's most important sections. These initiatives will include joint research projects, developing a digital platform to archive displayed objects and artworks, and organizing conferences in Saudi Arabia and around the world in collaboration with partner institutions. The goal is to build a knowledge network that strengthens research efforts and fosters the exchange of expertise in various fields of Islamic art. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Scottish Sun
Lorry crashes into PLANE at Heathrow and pierces aircraft's body after ‘laughable mistake' by driver
' It's just so stupid and ridiculous' FINAL APPROACH Lorry crashes into PLANE at Heathrow and pierces aircraft's body after 'laughable mistake' by driver A LORRY has smashed into a grounded plane after a "laughable mistake" made by the driver. The lorry crashed into the body of the Saudia Boeing 787-9 at Heathrow Airport on May 28 - piercing the aircraft and leading to long delays. It came just minutes after passengers on the SVA105 flight from King Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, had departed the plane at Terminal 4 of the London-based airport at around 2:54pm. Baggage handlers at the scene described how the driver mixed up the pedals of the lorry and caused the damage. One said: "The driver must have probably been trying to perform a safety protocol manoeuvre where, when approaching the aircraft, they hit the brakes on multiple occasions. "They have a protocol where they have to fully stop several times when moving towards the aircraft. "I think he confused the accelerator for the brakes - smashing into the plane near stand 414. "The damage doesn't look that big but it pierced right through the body of the aircraft, which makes it a serious incident. "Fire fighters and the police came because even for a small technical error, everyone has to attend the site, so it becomes a major event. "That aircraft won't be able to go anywhere for a long time because they have to replace it and they have to be airtight to fly of course." The following flight from Heathrow to Jeddah was cancelled because of the damage, and passengers on the original flight suffered delays to their baggage reclaim. The baggage handler said: "I don't know what the damage is like within, but I presume ABM will be liable for the damage. "As the lorry was inching closer, instead of doing a brake check, it just accelerated forwards into the plane. "Everyone was shocked because all the work had to be stopped - it's just so stupid and ridiculous, it's almost laughable. "I think it took over an hour to remove the lorry from the airport. They have to take pictures and take down witness reports from everyone involved like the pilot, the driver and the airport staff. "It's very rare that it happened - some of us have more than 15 years experience of baggage handling and between us we've never seen anything like it." ABM and Saudia were contacted for comment.
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- The Irish Sun
Lorry crashes into PLANE at Heathrow and pierces aircraft's body after ‘laughable mistake' by driver
A LORRY has smashed into a grounded plane after a "laughable mistake" made by the driver. The lorry crashed into the body of the Saudia Boeing 787-9 at Heathrow Airport on May 28 - piercing the aircraft and leading to long delays. Advertisement It came just minutes after passengers on the SVA105 flight from King Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, had departed the plane at Terminal 4 of the London-based airport at around 2:54pm. Baggage handlers at the scene described how the driver mixed up the pedals of One said: "The driver must have probably been trying to perform a safety protocol manoeuvre where, when approaching the aircraft, they hit the brakes on multiple occasions. "They have a protocol where they have to fully stop several times when moving towards the aircraft. Advertisement Read more on News "I think he confused the accelerator for the brakes - smashing into the plane near stand 414. "The damage doesn't look that big but it pierced right through the body of the aircraft, which makes it a serious incident. "Fire fighters and the police came because even for a small technical error, everyone has to attend the site, so it becomes a major event. "That aircraft won't be able to go anywhere for a long time because they have to replace it and they have to be airtight to fly of course." Advertisement Most read in The Sun The following flight from Heathrow to Jeddah was cancelled because of the damage, and passengers on the original flight suffered delays to their baggage reclaim. The baggage handler said: "I don't know what the damage is like within, but I presume ABM will be liable for the damage. "As the lorry was inching closer, instead of doing a brake check, it just accelerated forwards into the plane. "Everyone was shocked because all the work had to be stopped - it's just so stupid and ridiculous, it's almost laughable. Advertisement "I think it took over an hour to remove the lorry from the airport. They have to take pictures and take down witness reports from everyone involved like the pilot, the driver and the airport staff. "It's very rare that it happened - some of us have more than 15 years experience of baggage handling and between us we've never seen anything like it." ABM and Saudia were contacted for comment. 1 The lorry crashed into the body of the Saudia Boeing 787-9 at Heathrow Airport Credit: Getty Advertisement
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Lorry smashes into plane on Heathrow tarmac after driver's 'ridiculous' mistake
The vehicle crashed into the body of the Saudia Boeing 787-9 at Heathrow Airport on May 28 at around 2:54pm - piercing a hole in the aircraft and leading to long delays A driver lost control of a lorry which smashed into a grounded plane - after he 'confused the accelerator for the brake'. The vehicle crashed into the body of the Saudia Boeing 787-9 at Heathrow Airport on Wednesday at around 2:54pm, piercing the aircraft and leading to long delays. It came just minutes after passengers on the SVA105 flight from King Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, had departed the plane at Terminal 4 of the London-based airport. Baggage handlers at the scene described how the driver mixed up the pedals of the lorry and caused the damage. One said: "The driver must have probably been trying to perform a safety protocol manoeuvre where, when approaching the aircraft, they hit the brakes on multiple occasions. They have a protocol where they have to fully stop several times when moving towards the aircraft. I think he confused the accelerator for the brakes - smashing into the plane near stand 414. "The damage doesn't look that big but it pierced right through the body of the aircraft, which makes it a serious incident. "Fire fighters and the police came because even for a small technical error, everyone has to attend the site, so it becomes a major event. "That aircraft won't be able to go anywhere for a long time because they have to replace it and they have to be airtight to fly of course." The following flight from Heathrow to Jeddah was cancelled because of the damage, and passengers on the original flight suffered delays to their baggage reclaim. The baggage handler said: "I don't know what the damage is like within, but I presume ABM will be liable for the damage. "As the lorry was inching closer, instead of doing a brake check, it just accelerated forwards into the plane. "Everyone was shocked because all the work had to be stopped - it's just so stupid and ridiculous, it's almost laughable. "I think it took over an hour to remove the lorry from the airport. They have to take pictures and take down witness reports from everyone involved like the pilot, the driver and the airport staff. "It's very rare that it happened - some of us have more than 15 years experience of baggage handling and between us we've never seen anything like it." ABM and Saudia were contacted for comment.
New Straits Times
3 days ago
- New Straits Times
Saudi reforms streamline haj experience for Malaysian pilgrims
JEDDAH: Haj management is becoming more advanced as the Saudi Arabian government rolls out reforms to ensure pilgrims have a smooth and meaningful experience in fulfilling Islam's fifth pillar. Eight Malaysian media personnel, invited by the Saudi Media Ministry, experienced the streamlined haj process from their departure at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) to arrival at King Abdulaziz International Airport. Saudi Media Ministry facilitator Datuk Izelan Basar said the media team observed improvements made by both the Malaysian and Saudi governments. "We can see how smooth and easy the haj journey has become... There is no confusion, everything is organised neatly. This is all thanks to the facilities provided by the Saudi government, which employs advanced technology... who knows, maybe soon facial recognition and other modern technologies will be used here," he said during a briefing for Malaysian media representatives. The Saudi government has introduced the Saudi Visa Bio app for haj visa applications, requiring four steps: email registration, passport information scan, facial scan and a 10-finger biometric fingerprint scan. The app aims to simplify visa processing and reduce entry delays for pilgrims arriving in Jeddah and Madinah. Malaysia is one of eight countries chosen for the pilot, along with Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Kuwait, the United Kingdom, Tunisia and Morocco. Malaysia is once again part of the Makkah Route programme, having been the first country to implement it via a 2017 pilot. The programme allows Malaysian pilgrims to complete Saudi immigration and customs at KLIA, eliminating long waits after their eight-hour flight. Izelan warned Malaysian Muslims to avoid falling for scams involving fake haj visas this season. "I want to remind everyone to be careful and not take lightly the promises made by certain parties because haj visas are strictly regulated. The Saudi government has learned from past seasons, during which there were many deaths among pilgrims, so they are now very strict. Don't be fooled... be cautious when buying (Haj) packages to come here," he said. He also noted Saudi Arabia's advanced media facilities, where global media teams gather in centralised, high-tech studios. "Malaysian media representatives visiting here should consider making some changes upon returning. Here, we not only worship but also learn and build networks. Maybe one day Malaysia will have facilities as advanced as Saudi Arabia's. They are far ahead, especially in terms of AI (artificial intelligence) used during the haj season. I believe in the near future the Saudi government will be able to accurately predict the exact number of resources needed—how many buses, what infrastructure to build and provide—for the comfort of future Hajj pilgrims," he said. The eight Malaysian media representatives, including two from Media Prima Berhad's News and Current Affairs (NCA) unit, will be in Makkah until June 12.
