Latest news with #communitydriveninnovation
Zawya
21-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Sohar International partners as main sponsor for Refill 3, a culinary and cultural festival driving tourism in Khareef Dhofar
Muscat: In line with its commitment to advancing socio-economic growth and supporting community-driven innovation, Sohar International has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to serve as the Main Sponsor – Banking Segment for Refill 3, a leading private-sector initiative taking place during Khareef Dhofar season. Refill 3 stands out as a vibrant festival that blends culinary culture, entertainment, and entrepreneurship, aiming to celebrate Oman's creative spirit while boosting tourism and economic activity with an expected attendance of 150,000 visitors. Sohar International invites the public to engage with Refill 3, an impactful platform that embodies innovation, opportunity, and cultural vibrancy, reinforcing Salalah's position as a key destination during the Khareef season. Commenting on the sponsorship, Mr. Abdul Qadir Al Sumali, Chief Retail & Premier Banking Officer at Sohar International said, "Partnering with Refill 3 aligns with our commitment to fostering community-driven initiatives. This festival is a vibrant celebration of culture and creativity—elements that play a vital role in advancing sustainable socio-economic growth. Through this exclusive sponsorship, we are proud to enhance visitor experiences and contribute to Khareef Dhofar's growing tourism sector. Our collaboration goes beyond sponsorship to deliver meaningful impact, ensuring financial accessibility and digital innovation are integrated throughout the event for the benefit of attendees and merchants alike." This edition, Refill 3 offers a dynamic platform that blends creative expression, enterprise, and immersive entertainment. The curated marketplace features over 100 participants, including niche Omani and GCC brands, along with international FMCG companies entering Oman for the first time. Visitors can explore diverse culinary offerings, interactive activations, and a vibrant performance lineup by regional and local talent—all within a family-friendly environment that includes children's zones. Among the festival's key attractions is the region's only paintball experience during Khareef Dhofar, enhancing its appeal as a unique seasonal destination. Through its exclusive partnership, Sohar International supports the festival's broader impact by promoting youth engagement, enabling SME visibility, and contributing to Salalah's expanding tourism and economic landscape. As part of the ongoing collaboration, Sohar International is actively implementing a series of targeted initiatives to enhance the visitor experience and support financial accessibility. These include exclusive coupon redemptions for the bank's customers across participating food vendors, QR code activations driving digital interaction, and the widespread use of Sohar International and Sohar Islamic POS solutions—ensuring seamless transactions while enabling local merchants to access modern financial infrastructure. A standout feature of the partnership is the Youth Wall, an interactive installation where young attendees are invited to share their aspirations, reaffirming the bank's commitment to nurturing the voices of Oman's youth and contributing to a more inclusive and aspirational national narrative. About Sohar International With the vision to become a world-class Omani services company that helps customers, community and people to prosper and grow, Sohar International operates with a purpose to help people 'win' by delivering responsive banking for their ever-changing world, complementing their growth and prosperity with international standard service delivery. The Bank seeks to redefine banking in Oman through transformational developments centred on the principles of More Velocity, making everything simple and fast; More Value, ensuring relevance and connectivity to customers' world; and More Vision, liberating stakeholders through talented leadership.
Arab News
12-07-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Pakistan eyes Google collaboration for community-driven innovation and AI adoption
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and American multinational corporation and technology giant Google are seeking to collaborate with each other in community-driven innovation and the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in the South Asian country, according to the Pakistani IT ministry. The statement came after IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja's meeting with Google's Regional AI Developer Ecosystem and Communities team to explore strategic collaboration in advancing Pakistan's AI landscape. The Google team provided an overview of their developer ecosystem, contributions of Google Developer Groups (GDGs), community-based AI initiatives, and impactful platforms like Taleemabad. In the wider policy discussion, Khawaja emphasized the government's focus on AI training across three critical domains: mainstream education, workforce development including freelancers, and industrial innovation. 'She stressed the need for inclusive access to tools such as the AI Seekho program, sandbox environments, and cloud credits,' the IT ministry said. 'She called for enhanced collaboration between Google and the Ministry of IT & Telecommunication (MoITT) to accelerate Pakistan's integration into the global AI ecosystem and promote equitable digital empowerment.' During the meeting, Khawaja also had an interactive session with the N+1 team, a group of young Pakistani developers recently selected among the global top 10 in the Google Solution Challenge. The team proudly represented Pakistan at the regional showcase in the Philippines. Khawaja praised their achievement and called it a testament to the country's emerging talent pool and the importance of nurturing such success stories through structured support and mentorship, according to the IT ministry. On Friday, Google said it has expanded access to its advanced video generation model, Veo 3, allowing users in Pakistan and over 150 other countries to create eight-second videos from photos with sound. The move comes amid a global surge in interest in creative AI tools, with content creators using different platforms to generate video stories and bring still images to life. With Pakistan's growing pool of digital creators, the rollout is expected to spur local innovation in short-form content.
