Noura Al Kaabi meets Saudi Minister of Culture in Paris
Both sides discussed areas of cultural cooperation between the UAE and Saudi Arabia…reports Asian Lite News
Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Youth, met with Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al Saud, Saudi Minister of Culture, on the sidelines of the 41st session of the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) held in Paris.
Noura Al Kaabi meets Saudi Minister of Culture in Paris
During the meeting, both sides discussed areas of cultural cooperation between the UAE and Saudi Arabia and ways of unifying their cultural visions and efforts, under the framework of relevant international organisations.
Al Kaabi highlighted the importance of the ongoing cooperation and coordination between the two countries, noting the UAE backed a draft resolution proposed by Saudi Arabia, while Saudi Arabia supported three Emirati resolutions during this year’s UNESCO General Conference.
Al Kaabi, also the UAE pavilion commissioner at Expo 2020 Dubai, highlighted the UAE’s support for Saudi Arabia’s candidacy to host Expo 2030 in Riyadh.
Saudi-led airstrikes hit Houthi-controlled military camps in Sanaa
Warplanes of the Saudi-led coalition launched multiple airstrikes on military camps controlled by the Houthi militia in and around Yemen’s capital Sanaa…reports Asian Lite News
The airstrikes hit the camps of Alsoyanah, Alhafa, and Raymat Hameed early Thursday morning, the television said without providing further details.
Saudi-led airstrikes hit Houthi-controlled military camps in Sanaa
According to the residents, a series of powerful explosions were heard following the airstrikes.
The airstrikes came hours after the Houthis claimed responsibility for launching three ballistic missiles at a Saudi military base in the kingdom’s southern region of Asir. Riyadh alleged all missiles had been intercepted and destroyed, Xinhua news agency reported.
The Iran-backed Houthi militia has recently intensified cross-border missile and drone attacks. In February, the Yemeni rebel group began a major offensive against the Saudi-backed government army to capture the oil-rich province of Marib in central Yemen.
Lebanese President Michel Aoun said that his country is keen to establish the “best ties” with Arab countries, especially Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states…reports Asian Lite News
Aoun’s remarks came during his meeting at Baabda Palace with Arab League (AL) Assistant Secretary-General Hossam Zaki, reports Xinhua news agency.
Aoun insisted that the diplomatic rift between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia must be addressed “through a sincere dialogue based on the foundations of Arab brotherhood, cooperation and coordination between the institutions of the two brotherly countries, given their historical relations which have always been and will remain beneficial for the two peoples”.
Aoun emphasised the importance of differentiating between stances declared by the Lebanese state and those expressed by individuals or parties, assuring that Lebanon has a democratic system that guarantees freedom of opinion.
The President also welcomed any initiative by the AL to restore historical relations between the two countries, noting that “Lebanon wishes the kingdom nothing but goodness, progress and prosperity, considering that a frank dialogue is essential to bring views closer and heal any rift”.
For his part, Zaki said he is visiting Lebanon to understand the situation from Lebanese officials and explore the possibility of finding a solution to the diplomatic row between the two countries.
“Our objective is to preserve the interests of both Lebanon and Saudi Arabia and reach a solution to this situation,” he said.
Lebanese-Saudi relations have deteriorated over the comments made by Lebanese Information Minister George Kordahi criticizing Riyadh’s war in Yemen.
Late last month, Saudi Arabia expelled the Lebanese Ambassador and banned all imports from Lebanon in protest against his remarks.
Kordahi had said in a televised interview that the Houthi militia in Yemen have been defending themselves in the face of external aggression for years.
Royal Saudi Land Forces to hold exercise with UAE forces
Units from the Royal Saudi Land Forces arrived in the UAE to participate in the “One Destiny/1” exercise with the UAE Land Forces, which will be held for three weeks…reports Asian Lite News
The exercise aims to strengthen joint defence and military cooperation and to exchange military expertise and knowledge between the two sides through the various stages of training.
Royal Saudi Land Forces to hold exercise with UAE forces
The exercise also aims to achieve readiness and operational compatibility and integration as well as to consolidate the principles and foundations of coordination and joint action.
The “One Destiny” exercise is part of the joint training plans and programmes of the UAE Land Forces with the Royal Saudi Land Forces.
Last month, thousands of the Expo 2020 Dubai’s visitors got a glimpse of a spectacular air show that zoomed across the sky today as part of the thrilling sights of the world’s greatest show.
The skies over the site’s Jubilee Park were painted in dazzling colours by pilots from the Al Fursan (The Knights), the UAE Air Force aerobatic display team, and the Saudi Falcons, the Hawk-equipped Royal Saudi Air Force aerobatic team, to the enjoyment of a myriad of visitors.
The airshow is organised in collaboration with the pavilion of the Gulf Cooperation Council at Expo.
Royal Saudi Land Forces to hold exercise with UAE forces
Royal Saudi Land Forces to hold exercise with UAE forces
Lebanon assures support for Saudi Arabia in face of any attack
Lebanon’s Foreign Affairs Ministry has condemned a failed attempt to attack Saudi Arabia…reports Asian Lite News
Lebanon’s Foreign Affairs Ministry has condemned a failed attempt to attack Saudi Arabia with two booby-trapped drones, stressing its solidarity with the kingdom facing any attack on its sovereignty, security, and stability, the Lebanese National News Agency reported.
Lebanon assures support for Saudi Arabia in face of any attack
The Ministry’s statement on Thursday came at a time when Lebanese-Saudi relations have worsened over the comments by Lebanese Information Minister George Kordahi criticizing Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen.
Last Friday, Saudi Arabia expelled the Lebanese Ambassador and banned all imports from Lebanon in protest against Kordahi’s statements, Xinhua news agency reported.
The Yemeni Foreign Ministry on Tuesday also recalled its ambassador to Beirut for consultations after handing Lebanese authorities a letter describing Kordahi’s statement as “a deviation from the Arab position in support of the just Yemeni cause facing the Houthi militia.”
Kordahi had said in a televised interview recorded weeks before his appointment as the Minister that the Houthis in Yemen had been defending themselves in the face of external aggression for years.
Golf Saudi Partners With Royal Greens To Introduce Juniors To Golf
Royal Greens Golf & Country Club has partnered with Golf Saudi to use the simplified learning system to introduce juniors to golf…reports Asian Lite News
Before the start of this Thursday’s Aramco Saudi Ladies International presented by PIF, Royal Greens Golf & Country Club took delivery of the latest generation of Starting New At Golf equipment, as part of Golf Saudi’s plans to use the tournament to attract juniors to the game. Better-known as SNAG, the programme includes all the basics of golf, helping to teach beginners and build-up their skills. SNAG has become popular globally, due to the fact that it can be played both indoors and outdoors, ensuring anyone can learn and anyone can play golf.
Golf Saudi Partners With Royal Greens To Introduce Juniors To Golf
In partnership with Golf Saudi, the SNAG equipment will support the club’s “Royal Stars Junior Program”, which will feature a host of new activities to encourage young boys and girls to pick-up a golf club for the first time.
BOUCHAIB EL JADIANI, HEAD OF MASS PARTICIPATION $ NATIONAL TEAMS, GOLF SAUDI: “We have identified SNAG as a successful pathway for youngsters to gain an interest in golf. The priority of our Mass Participation program is to introduce golf at a grassroots level, to non-golfing Saudi Arabian children. We are therefore delighted to support PGA Professional Michiel De Wet and his team of coaches at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club with this equipment. We look forward to announcing a series of new classes through our “Let it Fly” program soon, which provides pupils from government-funded schools and universities the chance to try golf for the very first time.”
SNAG is the brainchild of former US PGA Tour professional Terry Anton and the programme ensures golf is easy to learn, thanks to its colourful, portable and very easy to use equipment, as well as having the game’s rules explained in a simple fashion. There has never been a system dedicated to the development of new players that is both easy to teach and learn, until SNAG. Since its rollout across the Kingdom, the program has become a proven learning and training system and continues to grow under Golf Saudi’s guidance.
Golf Saudi Partners With Royal Greens To Introduce Juniors To Golf
Golf Saudi’s growing SNAG program continues to expand with adults too, who are also eligible to participate with the various initiatives that Golf Saudi is currently overseeing in order to encourage their participation in the game. One such example was the “Ladies First Club” which was inspired by the 2020 debut Aramco Saudi Ladies International presented by PIF – the Kingdom’s first ever professional women’s golf tournament. Scores of women across the country registered to learn golf for the first time, with over 1,000 ladies signing-up in the initiative’s first four days. All active participants have been using SNAG equipment since they signed-up in order to learn more about the game and further their own development. The Ladies First Club has been successful in terms of bringing more Saudi women into golf, aligning with the Kingdom’s wider ambitions under Vision 2030, which aims to get more Saudis regularly active.
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Coaches, golf club staff and physical education teachers are all now involved and working with Golf Saudi in order to create a nationwide network of knowledgeable, skilled grass roots coaches, which is in turn adding and improving Golf Saudi’s Mass Participation program, one of the organisation’s six major pillars.
Ed Edwards, Fawaz Al Ayban & Meshari Al Bahli of Golf Saudi Collect Award
The World Golf Awards, one of the industry’s most prominent and revered accolades, has awarded Golf Saudi with a Sustainable Legacy Award, during their annual ceremony in Dubai…reports Asian Lite News
The awards which brought together market leaders from more than 40 nations across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, North America and Oceania, was a celebration of the best courses and destinations across the golf industry.
Golf Saudi Win Sustainable Legacy Award
The World Golf Awards recognised Golf Saudi with a Sustainable Legacy Award for their efforts to inspire and encourage a nationwide culture of environmental and ecological innovation throughout all of its ongoing pioneering initiatives. This included Golf Saudi signing-up to a United Nations initiative for sporting organisations in the summer of 2021 aimed at achieving ambitious global climate change goals. Meaning that Golf Saudi is now one of the latest members of the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework, a growing community of organisations, leagues, tours and sporting tournaments committed toward the Paris Agreement’s net zero targets.
The World Golf Awards also acknowledged Golf Saudi’s Social Agenda and Mass Participation programme, both of which aim to provide Saudis with education and employment opportunities, providing certified golf specific career paths, as well as encouraging them to take up the game for the first time from a leisure perspective.
MAJED AL SOROUR, DEPUTY CHAIRMAN, SAUDI GOLF FEDERATION, CEO, GULF SAUDI: “To once again be recognised by the World Golf Awards is a huge privilege and underlines the progress, we as an organisation are making towards our Vision 2030 goals in Saudi Arabia. Just this week, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence pledged to reach zero-net emissions by 2060, as part of the Saudi Green Initiative. So, for us to already have joined the UN’s Sports for Climate Action Framework shows that we are playing an active part in sport’s contribution to global climate action. We still have much progress to make but being recognised in this manner gives us belief that our strategy to sustainability will allow us at Golf Saudi to develop a fully formed golfing ecosystem for all our citizens to benefit from in the years ahead.”
The World Golf Awards serves to celebrate and reward excellence in golf tourism, world-class courses and golf destinations. Voted for by professionals working within the golf travel and tourism industry, this accolade further solidifies Golf Saudi’s position as one of the world’s fastest growing golf markets. Golf Saudi was awarded for its commitment to providing a clear path to a low carbon future for golf. By engaging and working together with other sporting federations and organisations, Golf Saudi hopes to encourage wider engagement in terms of tackling environmental issues and to face up to the threat posed by climate change.
Chris Frost, Managing Director, World Golf Awards, said: “It’s great to see the progress of Golf Saudi and the scale of their ambition as they work towards their Vision 2030 goals. This award is in recognition of Golf Saudi’s efforts to establish themselves as a market leader in terms of sustainability and to us it’s clear that the organisation is taking noteworthy steps to meet and exceed international best practise across sport globally.”
Launched in 2014, World Golf Awards aims to improve standards within golf tourism by rewarding the leading destinations in their field. Votes for the 2021 World Golf Awards ceremony were cast by industry professionals and consumers from across the world in a range of categories, including both global and regional awards, with the ceremony itself taking place from the Park Hyatt Dubai on the evening of Thursday 28th October 2021.
Saudi Arabia has announced the launch of an initiative to document the oral history of the Ardah, a folkloric group dance…reports Asian Lite News
The dance involves two rows of men opposite of one another, each of whom may or may not be wielding a sword or cane, and is accompanied by drums and spoken poetry.
Ardah combines poetry, percussion music, and tap dancing to produce an evocation of the formidable respectability of a flag defended with a sword.
Saudi announces to document oral history of Ardah
The Oral History of the Saudi Arda initiative, announced by the Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA) on Sunday, aims to shed light on the traditional celebratory Saudi group dance made famous by the rising popularity of the Kingdom’s culture and heritage in the world over in recent years, Xinhua news agency reported citing an official statement.
The Authority is tasked by the Saudi government to redevelop Diriyah, a historic town located on the outskirts of the capital Riyadh and the original home of the Saudi royal family, into a global tourist destination.
This is part of a series of similar initiatives to preserve the national history, reinvigorate the festive Saudi dance, popularise Ardah songs and their writers, and introduce people to the Saudi art form.
Performed solely by men in a public space, Ardah is a manifestation of their upbeat enthusiasm as they reiterate their loyalty and love to the King and the Kingdom, according to a report by the Saudi Gazette.
Originally, Ardah started as a war dance to instil vigour in the hearts of fighting men right before engaging in a war.
The sword dance was a way to show off weapons and fearlessness to the enemy. Today, it’s a fundamental component of the Kingdom’s popular culture.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels have threatened to ban Saudi Arabia’s products from entering the war-torn nation…reports Asian Lite News
Yemen’s Houthi rebels have threatened to ban Saudi Arabia’s products from entering the war-torn nation in response to the Kingdom’s boycott on Lebanese products in retaliation to the remarks of a Minister in Yemen.
“If Saudi Arabia bans the products of Lebanon for the position taken by the Minister of Information George Kordahi, then I call on the (Houthi) Yemeni government to hold an emergency meeting to take a decision of banning Saudi products,” he Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported on Saturday citing a tweet by Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, the head of the militia’s revolutionary committee.
Houthi rebels threaten to ban Saudi Arabia’s products
Saudi Arabia has recalled its Ambassador to Beirut, asked the Lebanese envoy in the Kingdom to leave within 48 hours and banned Lebanese products as a protest to Kordahi’s remarks that described the Riyadh-led coalition war on the Houthi militia in Yemen as “absurd”.
Other coalition countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait, also adopted similar measures.
The theme proposed by Saudi Arabia for World Expo 2030 is “The era of change: Leading the planet to a foresighted tomorrow”, reports Asian Lite Newsdesk
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Friday announced the capital city of Riyadh’s intention to bid for hosting the World Expo 2030 to the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), World Expo’s organising body, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
In a letter to the BIE, Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, said: “We live in an era of change, and we face an unprecedented need for humanity’s collective action,” adding: “It is clear that the whole world, as a collective, needs to work together to foresee the future and address, with its brightest minds, the challenges and opportunities that emanate from this change.”
Crown Prince highlighted that “the 2030 World Expo in Riyadh will coincide with the culmination of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.” The Saudi Vision 2030 is a strategic framework to reduce Saudi Arabia’s dependence on oil, diversify its economy, and develop public service sectors such as health, education, infrastructure, recreation, and tourism and was launched by HRH Crown Prince in 2016.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman stressed that “this vision represents the Kingdom’s ambitions for the future; a vision that aims to leverage the boundless energy of its youth to create a sustainable tomorrow for the benefit of future generations – in which all citizens advance their dreams, surpass their hopes, and go beyond their ambitions.” HRH the Crown Prince also said that “the World Expo 2030 will represent an extraordinary opportunity to share with the world our lessons from this unprecedented transformation.”
Meanwhile, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai, expressed his support for Saudi Arabia’s bid to host Expo 2030.
تقدمت المملكة اليوم بطلب استضافة إكسبو 2030. نعلن من اليوم دعم طلب المملكة، ونعلن أيضا أن المعارف والخبرات التي اكتسبناها خلال ٧ سنوات من الإعداد لإكسبو 2020 ستكون متاحة للأشقاء. آثار إكسبو ستمتد لسنوات ونجاح المملكة نجاح لكل المنطقة. كل التوفيق لأخي محمد بن سلمان في هذا المشروع
Sheikh Mohammed tweeted his support for the Saudi bid to host the global fair in Riyadh, saying: “We will give our brothers access to the knowledge and experience we gained throughout seven years of preparation for the Expo”.
The letter from Saudi Crown Prince was delivered in Paris to Dimitri Kerkentzes, Secretary General of the BIE, by Fahd Al-Rasheed, Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City. Expo 2030 will take place from October 1, 2030 to April 1, 2031. The theme proposed by Saudi Arabia is “The era of change: Leading the planet to a foresighted tomorrow.”
The Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC), which is the overarching authority responsible for the City of Riyadh and is chaired by HRH Crown Prince, will lead the Saudi bid for the World Expo 2030.
Additional details of the proposal will be submitted to the BIE (the institution in charge of overseeing and regulating World Expos since 1931) in Paris this December.
Sheikh Mohammed Tours Expo Venue on Day 1
World Exhibitions have been held since 1851 and provide the largest global platform for presenting the latest achievements and technologies, while uniting people across cultures and continents.
Meanwhile, Expo 2020 Dubai has recorded over 1.5 million visits since its launch 29 days ago. Continuing to bring Expo 2020 Dubai to a global digital audience, the number of virtual visitors has risen to over 11 million since 1st October, up from 9.3 million last week.
These numbers were boosted by Expo’s Space Week, a stellar programme of music and cultural performances, a public holiday long weekend and the half-term school break.
