Preparations for 11th World Water Forum begin in Riyadh
Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture held a ceremony attended by officials to kick off the preparations
Abdulrahman Abdulmohsen Al-Fadley, Saudi minister of environment, water and agriculture, attended the event, as did Loic Fauchon, president of the World Water Council
Updated 15 April 2025
Haifa Alshammari
RIYADH: Preparations for the 11th World Water Forum, which will be held in 2027, officially began today in Riyadh.
The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture held a ceremony attended by officials to kick off the preparations.
Abdulrahman Abdulmohsen Al-Fadley, Saudi minister of environment, water and agriculture, attended the event, as did Loic Fauchon, president of the World Water Council.
Fauchon revealed how the council and authorities in Saudi Arabia are preparing for the event and stressed the importance of tackling water scarcity.
Saudi Arabia called for international cooperation from governments and private organizations to address water challenges and mitigate the severity of water scarcity.
The Kingdom also emphasized the importance of achieving sustainable development goals by making water and sanitation services accessible for all.
A panel was set up to discuss global water priorities by a group of local and global experts, including Abdulaziz Al-Shaibani, deputy minister for water, and Wu Wenqing, chief planner at the People’s Republic of China’s ministry of water resources.
“Water security is an urgent, global crisis … half of the world faces water scarcity every year,” Al-Shaibani said.
Al-Shaibani during his speech underscored the gap between water demand and water supply and called for an urgent global effort to address this issue.
He also highlighted how rising demand for water creates financial pressure on governments, eventually affecting the economy.
“Water infrastructure is essential. Some say water needs money, but money needs water, meaning the economy needs the water as an enabler for industries.
“Of course, water is a basic human right, as well as an economic enabler,” Al-Shaibani said.
The World Water Forum is organized by the World Water Council and partners with host countries.
The international conference provides a platform for countries to display sustainable practices and promote efforts to secure the management of water resources.
The event previously placed the spotlight on Filipino, Bangladeshi, and Indian cultures
Updated 23 May 2025
SPA
JEDDAH: Passport to the World, which is taking place in Jeddah until May 24, is offering visitors an immersive look at Sudan’s cultural heritage through live folk performances, traditional dances, and interactive workshops that highlight customs, celebrations, and community rituals.
The event also features a food corner serving authentic Sudanese dishes, desserts, and traditional drinks that reflect the country’s hospitality.
Guests are also given an opportunity to wear traditional Sudanese clothing and explore the meanings behind its regional colors and patterns.
Organized by the General Entertainment Authority, the event supports efforts to showcase the cultural diversity of expatriate communities in the Kingdom while promoting values of coexistence through interactive cultural programming.
The event previously placed the spotlight on Filipino, Bangladeshi, and Indian cultures.
The Sudanese showcase is its conclusion and has attracted strong public interest. A previous edition in Alkhobar was also well received.
Saudi minister of municipalities and housing concludes official visit to Kuwait
Guidelines adopted at meeting of GCC’s ministers
Updated 23 May 2025
SPA
KUWAIT CITY: Saudi Minister of Municipalities and Housing Majid bin Abdullah Al-Hogail has concluded his official visit to Kuwait, during which he headed the Kingdom’s delegation at the 23rd meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council’s housing ministers, which included participation from the relevant ministers of member states and was attended by the secretary-general of the GCC.
Several technical guidelines were adopted at the meeting, most notably the Value Engineering Guide for GCC Housing Projects, which was prepared by Riyadh as a step to enhance spending efficiency while improving the quality of outcomes in Gulf housing schemes.
Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee holds talks on Gaza with French foreign minister in Paris
Delegation includes Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and his Jordanian and Egyptian counterparts Ayman Safadi and Badr Abdelatty
Discussions focus on coordinated international efforts to end war in Gaza, ensure the uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid and halt ongoing Israeli violations
Updated 23 May 2025
Arab News
PARIS: Senior members of the Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee held talks with French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot in Paris on Friday about the ongoing crisis in the Gaza Strip and efforts to advance peace in the region.
The delegation that visited the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs was led by the Saudi foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, and included his Jordanian and Egyptian counterparts Ayman Safadi and Badr Abdelatty.
Their discussions with Barrot focused on coordinated international efforts to end the war in Gaza, ensure the uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid, and halt ongoing violations by Israeli occupation forces against the Palestinian people and the occupied territories, breaches that have been described as contraventions of international law and humanitarian norms, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
They also talked about ways in which joint diplomatic action might be intensified to promote a just and lasting peace, with an emphasis on the implementation of a two-state solution in line with international resolutions.
Other topics included the preparations for a high-level international conference on the two-state solution, which is scheduled to take place at the UN headquarters in New York in June and will be jointly chaired by Saudi Arabia and France.
Saudi fund unveils handicraft investment accelerators
Nama’ initiative launched in partnership with Ministry of Culture and Quality of Life Program
Updated 23 May 2025
Hebshi Alshammari
RIYADH: Nama’ Accelerators, a pioneering initiative to foster the growth of cultural enterprises, has been launched by the Saudi Cultural Development Fund in partnership with the Ministry of Culture and the Quality of Life Program.
The project, featuring a comprehensive training and development program, will include several sector-specific tracks. The first of these is the flagship handicrafts track, with the aim of amplifying the economic, social and creative impact of the 2025 — Year of Handicrafts initiative.
It targets micro, small and medium-sized enterprises seeking to expand across 11 diverse fields within the sector, including pottery, textiles and woodworking.
Benefits on offer include specialized training in modern craft techniques, intensive workshops on marketing and business management, and improved market access both locally and internationally. It also provides financial incentives to support sustainable growth and expansion.
Through this inaugural track, Nama’ Accelerators intends to transform the Kingdom’s rich artisanal heritage into sustainable economic ventures that foster community development, encourage innovation within the handicraft industries and enrich the national identity.
The Cultural Development Fund seeks to advance the handicrafts sector by maximizing its economic and social impact, fostering innovation across its diverse fields, and cultivating an entrepreneurial ecosystem that nurtures creativity and growth.
The Cultural Development Fund (CDF), in partnership with the Ministry of Culture and the Quality of Life Program — a key component of Saudi Vision 2030—has unveiled “Nama’ Accelerators.” (Supplied)
Nama’ Accelerators represents a strategic milestone in the fund’s ambition to position itself as the financial center of excellence for the cultural sector. As a key financial enabler for entrepreneurs and enterprises, it fuels the sustainable and profitable growth of their ventures.
The initiative also strengthens the fund’s collaboration with key players across the cultural ecosystem, supporting its continued progress toward fulfilling the objectives of the National Culture Strategy within Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 framework.
Khalid Al-Baker, CEO of the Quality of Life Program, told Arab News: “Promoting and sustaining national culture hinges on transforming the cultural sector into an economically productive industry. This transformation involves expanding cultural offerings — including cultural days, events, and activities — and streamlining the permit issuance process for cultural projects.”
He added that, as part of the Quality of Life Program’s efforts to fulfill Vision 2030’s objectives: “We have implemented programs targeting these key pathways, including the launch of Nama’ Accelerators.”
Nama’ Accelerators will actively elevate the role of handicrafts in society, transforming them from museum artifacts into a vibrant, economically sustainable sector. The initiative promotes creativity and innovation while safeguarding a living cultural heritage for current and future generations, Al-Baker said.
Saudi Signage Expo has grown to meet demands of an evolving market
Sustainability a key pillar as exhibitors unveil products designed with recyclability and circular economy principles in mind
Updated 23 May 2025
Rashid Hassan
RIYADH: The Saudi Signage and Labelling Expo, the Middle East’s leading event for the digital, print, graphic and imaging sectors, has grown significantly to meet the demand of an evolving signage sector in the Kingdom meeting circular economy principles.
Speaking to Arab News on the sidelines of the expo held at Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center from May 20-22, Mutaz Al Mazari, event director at dmg events, organizer of the expo, said: “We are proud to bring the expo to Riyadh as the largest event for signage, labelling, paper and packaging industries in the Middle East.
“Since its launch last year, it has grown significantly to meet the demand of a rapidly evolving signage sector in the Kingdom.”
With a bigger exhibition space and more than 150 exhibitors from more than 15 countries, this year’s expo offered opportunities for buyers to connect directly with suppliers, manufacturers and solution providers in Saudi Arabia’s booming signage, labelling and packaging industries, supporting the country’s Vision 2030 for economic diversification and sustainability regulations, Al Mazari said.
Mutaz Al Mazari, Event Director, dmg events. (AN photo by Rashid Hassan)
The event also supported the region’s broader ambitions by encouraging knowledge exchange, promoting local production capabilities and enabling new commercial partnerships.
Visitors this year discovered a wide range of solutions tailored to the Kingdom’s rapidly growing sectors, including retail, healthcare, entertainment and more.
“With Saudi Arabia’s signage market projected to reach $492 million by 2027, the demand for high-quality, future-ready visual communication tools has never been greater,” Al Mazari said.
From procurement professionals to systems integrators and business owners, the expo provided direct access to the latest digital signage systems, labelling solutions and printing technologies to meet evolving consumer needs.
Attendees gained valuable insights through live demos, engaged with new products and services, as well as know-how of systems and solutions that would help them make informed decisions for upcoming projects and future investments, all aligned with the broader Vision 2030 goals.
This year’s expo was much bigger than the launch year. Building on the positive response from 2024, live demonstrations this year played a major role. Additionally, features such as car wrapping and the debut of Label It, a fast-paced labelling competition offered hands-on experiences and tailored networking opportunities beyond traditional exhibitions.
On supporting Saudi Vision 2030 goals, particularly in economic diversification, local production and sustainable development, Al Mazari said: “Saudi Signage and Labelling Expo and Saudi Paper and Packaging Expo facilitated the growth of the domestic signage and printing sector supporting the Kingdom’s economic diversification strategies under Vision 2030.
“The events connected international solution providers with local manufacturers, distributors and end-users seeking to localize supply chains and expand their services,” he added.
The event spotlighted innovations in sustainable printing, recyclable packaging and energy-efficient signage systems, all aligning with the country’s long-term environmental goals, Al Mazari noted.
As Vision 2030 accelerates investments in smart cities, retail infrastructure and tourism destinations, the technologies on display at the expo will help businesses meet modern design and communication standards while lowering their environmental footprint, he said.
Moreover, sustainability was one of the key pillars of this year’s event. Across both signage and packaging segments, exhibitors unveiled products designed with resource efficiency, recyclability and circular economy principles in mind.
With a key focus on paper recycling and waste equipment, the product sectors highlighted a shift toward greener, smarter production.
“We saw a noticeable shift towards digital signage systems that reduce material usage and extend product lifecycle value, an important step for businesses aiming to move away from traditional print-heavy methods. Exhibitors such as Caravan and Alyanabie Company for Advertising Manufacturing, Gulf Sparrows Trading Company – BlueRhine and National Signage Industrial Company for Energy Efficiency responded to this demand by showcasing technologies that combine sustainability with long-term performance, helping businesses stay aligned with evolving regulations and customer expectations,” Al Mazari said.
