Hiking trail opens in historic Thahlan Mount outside Riyadh
Stretching over 1,200 meters, the trail is one of the longest in the area, and is expected to become a popular destination for outdoor activities
Opening ceremony was attended by various government representatives and regional hiking enthusiasts
Updated 22 April 2024
Arab News
RIYADH: The municipality of Dawadmi, Riyadh province, in collaboration with the Saudi Hiking Trails Association (Darb), has inaugurated the historic Thahlan Mount hiking trail.
Stretching over 1,200 meters, the trail is one of the longest in the area, and is expected to become a popular destination for outdoor activities, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The opening ceremony was attended by various government representatives and regional hiking enthusiasts.
During the event, the area’s history was highlighted, and the new trail, as well as development efforts, were introduced.
Mount Thahlan, located in the town of Al-Shuaraa in Dawadmi province, is a historic landmark in the upper Najd.
The area features elevated flatlands, valleys and mountain passes, making it a popular hiking destination.
Hikers on the trail can enjoy stunning mountain and desert views. The trail was created by the municipality using modern design principles to offer a scenic and enjoyable experience.
The trail aligns with the Riyadh Municipality’s strategy to make the city more attractive and competitive.
The initiative also enhances quality of life and supports the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
Jeddah celebrates global culinary extravaganza at Food Culture Festival
Festival heads west after successful events in Alkhobar and Riyadh
Workshops, musical performances, and global cuisine on offer
Updated 27 sec ago
Afshan Aziz
JEDDAH: After successful events in Alkhobar and Riyadh, the much-anticipated Food Culture Festival is taking place at Jeddah’s Wonder District from Feb. 12 to 16.
Organized by the Culinary Arts Commission in partnership with the Quality of Life Program, the event showcases a rich blend of local and international culinary experiences.
The festival in Jeddah features four zones, each offering a different aspect of the culinary world.
Organized by the Culinary Arts Commission in partnership with the Quality of Life Program. (Supplied)
In the food exhibitors’ area, attendees can savor various cuisines, from traditional Saudi dishes to international delicacies, allowing them to embark on a gastronomic journey around the world without leaving the city.
Leo Wen, CEO and co-founder of Whoa Tea, which offers authentic Chinese drinks and sweets like Tang Hu Lu (candied fruit snack) and coconut cubes, said: “It’s exciting to introduce these unique flavors through this festival, and the response has been overwhelming.
“Our goal is not only to provide a delicious experience but also to share the rich heritage behind these drinks and desserts, showcasing the diversity of Chinese culinary traditions.”
FASTFACTS
• The festival in Jeddah features four zones, each offering a different aspect of the culinary world.
• In the food exhibitors’ area, attendees can savor various cuisines, from traditional Saudi dishes to international delicacies, allowing them to embark on a gastronomic journey around the world without leaving the city.
• The festival’s theater area features live performances, from guitar and vocal acts to Arabic music bands.
Noura Abdullah, founder of Soma, a Saudi brand known for its signature grape leaves, as well as dishes like grape leaves fatteh, musakhan, kibbeh, and fresh juices made from carefully selected ingredients, said: “Everything we serve is homemade, with our signature dish, the grape leaves, being particularly popular.
“I started in Alkhobar, then expanded to Riyadh, and now, by participating in this festival in Jeddah, I’m exploring the possibility of franchising Soma.
“The positive feedback from visitors has been incredible, especially (for) the grape leaves. Their response has been very encouraging and motivates me to bring Soma to even more people.”
Ahmed Imran, owner of My Makan, the only Malaysian restaurant in Jeddah, told Arab News: “Festivals like this bring together diverse cultures, and food is the perfect medium to unite people from all walks of life.
“It’s truly amazing to see such a celebration of global cuisines, and I’m excited to introduce authentic Malaysian dishes to the visitors. It’s also heartwarming to witness the positive response from the community towards Malaysian cuisine.”
The festival also welcomes food truck owners, offering them an opportunity to showcase their food and attract new customers.
Al-Baraa Yahy, who owns Protein Dose, a food truck based in Al-Safa district, said the festival has given her the opportunity to introduce her products to a wider audience.
“I’m grateful for the chance to showcase my offerings through such a fantastic platform,” she said.
For those eager to enhance their culinary skills, the workshops area offers hands-on experiences with activities such as sushi making, food decoration, pasta crafting, and even food photography, with a special focus on the flavors of Singapore.
Live cooking demonstrations will also allow guests to witness the magic of food preparation firsthand.
Sadellah Zakaria, an Italian chef, and Mokhtar Mahdy, an Egyptian chef, teach festivalgoers how to make pasta like fettuccine and ravioli from scratch with their workshop.
“These workshops are a great way for attendees to not only learn valuable culinary skills but also connect with the craft of making fresh pasta. Even children can join and enjoy this immersive experience,” Zakaria said.
The festival’s theater area features live performances, from guitar and vocal acts to Arabic music bands and Indian Bharatanatyam dancers.
Additionally, roaming performances like living statues, an interactive parade, and a Chinese dragon dance add to the event’s festive atmosphere.
The kids’ area offers a chance for children to get involved in cooking workshops and farm activities, participate in friendly competitions, and unleash their creativity in a safe and educational environment.
Mohammed Hussein, who came along with his family said: “It’s great that the workshops let kids get involved and try things out for themselves. Plus, the festival has this cool passport challenge where you get a stamp every time you visit a different zone.”
Ghadeer Abdullah, a visitor from Makkah, said: “The best part of the festival is definitely the weather. It’s so pleasant that we’re enjoying all the zones. The kids’ zone is especially engaging. My children spent almost an hour completing the workshop, and they loved every minute of it.”
Saudi Arabia marks 80th anniversary of historic King Abdulaziz–Roosevelt meeting with special exhibition
Historic encounter took place on Feb. 14, 1945 aboard USS Quincy in Bitter Lakes of the Suez Canal
Laid foundation for long-standing strategic partnership between Saudi Arabia and US
Updated 55 min 52 sec ago
Arab News
RIYADH: A special exhibition commemorating the 80th anniversary of the landmark meeting between King Abdulaziz and US President Franklin D. Roosevelt has opened in Riyadh, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Friday.
The historic encounter, which took place on Feb. 14, 1945 aboard the USS Quincy in the Bitter Lakes of the Suez Canal, laid the foundation for the long-standing strategic partnership between Saudi Arabia and the US.
The exhibition was inaugurated by the King Abdulaziz Foundation, in collaboration with the US Embassy in Riyadh.
The event, hosted at the stone building of the King Abdulaziz Historical Center in Riyadh, will be open to visitors until Feb. 17.
It features a collection of rare documents and archival photographs that detail the meeting’s significance — not merely as a diplomatic exchange but as a turning point in international relations.
The event marked the beginning of formal diplomatic ties between the two nations, leading to the establishment of embassies, diplomatic representation and a bilateral relationship grounded in shared interests.
Over the past eight decades, Saudi-US relations have expanded across various sectors, including politics, economics, culture and technology. This enduring partnership has played a crucial role in regional and global stability.
Through this exhibition, the King Abdulaziz Foundation aims to educate new generations about the impact of the meeting.
Visitors will have the opportunity to engage with an immersive display that explores the diplomatic, political and cultural dimensions of the meeting and how the alliance forged that day continues to shape global affairs and remains a cornerstone of strategic cooperation between the two nations.
Next Hamza Arabic language test to take place on Sunday
It will be administered by the King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language, or KSGAAL
Updated 14 February 2025
Hebshi Alshammari
RIYADH: The second Saudi Arabian Arabic language proficiency test for non-native speakers — Hamza — will be held on Sunday.
It will be administered by the King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language, or KSGAAL, in collaboration with a number of Saudi universities in-person.
The inaugural Hamza test in September was intended as a step toward creating a standardized Arabic proficiency test.
Building on this, the second event is set to broaden its reach both locally and internationally, offering in-person and remote testing in collaboration with the Education and Training Evaluation Commission, or Qiyas.
Dr. Abdullah Al-Washmi, secretary-general of KSGAAL, spoke about how the Hamza test serves as a benchmark assessment accredited by the academy.
“The test evaluates four key language skills — listening comprehension, reading comprehension, writing and speaking — over 155 minutes, comprising 75 questions. Designed to meet the highest international standards, it aligns with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages,” Al-Washmi said.
The test fulfilled the requirements of certain employers that mandate language proficiency assessments for job applicants, he said.
Through the “Hamza” test, KSGAAL aims to strengthen the academic prominence of the Arabic language regionally and globally.
By offering a precise and reliable assessment of linguistic competence, the test enables educational institutions to effectively evaluate Arabic learners and non-native Arabic instructors, ensuring accurate placement and skill development.
The test has now been administered in person to more than 2,000 candidates across Saudi Arabia and multiple other countries, encompassing more than 60 nationalities.
As part of its commitment to advancing the Arabic language, KSGAAL continues to refine and expand the test, leveraging educational and technological resources to enhance accessibility for non-native speakers both within the Kingdom and beyond.
Mansoor Almalki, director of Linguistic Testing at KSGAAL, told Arab News that collaborating with 19 Saudi universities to administer the Hamza test marked a significant step in expanding its adoption and solidifying its status as a trusted benchmark for Arabic language proficiency in academic institutions.
“This partnership ensures the test meets the evolving needs of educational institutions while reinforcing its role as a standardized assessment tool for non-native Arabic speakers,” he said.
“The integration between higher education institutions and KSGAAL, as the primary authority for Arabic language learning, teaching and assessment in the Kingdom, plays a crucial role in developing Arabic language curricula based on rigorous scientific standards.”
Almalki said that partnering with universities expanded the research database on Arabic as a second language assessment, paving the way for more effective educational strategies.
On international expansion, he revealed a strategic plan to strengthen partnerships with global universities and educational institutions, particularly in countries witnessing a growing interest in learning Arabic.
These efforts aimed to enhance the test’s international recognition and ensure its broader adoption worldwide.
“The standardized assessment model plays a crucial role in advancing research on Arabic language education. Test results provide analytical data that drive the development of more effective teaching methods,” Almalki said.
He said that the diverse nationalities of test-takers served as a strong indicator of the global success of Hamza as an international test.
“Such diversity underscores the trust that learners and academic institutions place in KSGAAL, as well as the test’s reliability as a precise standardized measure of linguistic competence,” Almalki said.
Saudi Arabia praises US-Russia call, welcomes possible summit in Kingdom
Foreign ministry statement reaffirmed Kingdom’s commitment to mediating resolution to war in Ukraine
Updated 14 February 2025
Arab News
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Friday welcomed a recent phone call between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as the possibility of hosting a summit between the two leaders in the Kingdom, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia commends the phone call that took place between His Excellency President Donald J. Trump, President of the United States of America, and His Excellency President Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, on February 12, 2025,” the statement read.
It further expressed Saudi Arabia’s readiness to host any potential summit and reaffirmed its commitment to mediating a resolution to the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has reiterated the Kingdom’s support for mediation since the beginning of the war, and during separate calls with both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on March 3, 2022.
“The Kingdom affirms its continued efforts to achieve lasting peace between Russia and Ukraine,” the statement added, underscoring Riyadh’s ongoing diplomatic initiatives over the past three years.
Riyadh Metro records more than 18 million passengers in just over two months
Updated 14 February 2025
Arab News
RIYADH: More than 18 million passengers have used the Riyadh Metro since its launch on Dec. 1, 2024, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Friday.
The metro has now completed more than 162,000 trips across its six-line network, covering about 4.5 million km.
The Royal Commission for Riyadh City revealed that the Blue Line running north-south parallel to Olaya street has been the most popular, serving nearly 10 million passengers in only two months.
This line runs through some of Riyadh’s most commercially active and densely populated areas, making it popular with commuters.
The King Abdullah Financial District station recorded the highest number of users, exceeding three million passengers.
The Riyadh Metro was designed to address the capital’s rapid expansion and increasing traffic congestion.
The system spans 176 km and is equipped with driverless trains, air-conditioned cabins, designated seating for different passenger groups and state-of-the-art automation.
The metro is integrated with the Riyadh Bus network, forming a comprehensive public transport system that can be accessed with wireless card payments or tickets that can be purchased at stations or through the Darb application.
The Riyadh Metro is a key component of the broader King Abdulaziz Project for Riyadh Public Transport and plays a crucial role in Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.
The system is designed to have a maximum capacity of 3.6 million passengers a day.
As well as the north-south Blue Line, the system has an Orange Line that stretches for 41 km, connecting Jeddah Road in the west to the Second Eastern Ring Road in the east, running parallel to Khashm Al-Aan in the east.
The Red Line runs 25.1 km east to west along King Abdullah Road, connecting King Fahd Sports City, King Saud University and the Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Center.
The 13.3 km Green Line runs from King Abdullah Road near the Ministry of Education to the National Museum, serving the Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Finance, and Ministry of Commerce.
The Violet Line runs between Abdurrahman bin Awf Road and Sheikh Hassan bin Hussain bin Ali Road, at a length of 29.7 km, and the Yellow Line connects the KAFD Station with King Khalid International Airport Road.
The project aims to reduce congestion, lower carbon emissions and promote environment-friendly transportation.
With 85 stations spread strategically across the city, the metro contributes significantly to Riyadh’s urban landscape.
Some stations stand out as architectural landmarks, including the King Abdullah Financial District Metro Station, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, and STC Station, designed by Germany’s Gerber Architekten.
The rapid success of the Riyadh Metro, as reported by SPA, highlights a fundamental shift in how residents and visitors move around the city.
