A journey through time: Tahlel Museum’s tribute to Asir’s culture 

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The Tahlel Museum, located in a small traditional house atop Soudah Mountain, was created by an Asiri woman named Halima Asiri. (AN photos by Rahaf Jambi)
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Updated 25 May 2024
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A journey through time: Tahlel Museum’s tribute to Asir’s culture 

  • The museum is home to many heritage pieces, including coins, traditional costumes, wood art, and agricultural tools
  • It also includes the owner's artistic works of Al-Qatt Al-Asiri, geometric shapes, and tribal symbols painted in vibrant colors 

ASIR: Perched atop the Souda Mountains in the Abha region of Asir province in southern Saudi Arabia is a modest museum created by an Asiri woman called Halima Asiri. 

Passionate about old Saudi heritage, Asiri established the Tahlel Museum in a small traditional house. 




Halima Asiri is a woman who is passionate about old Saudi heritage, which led her to establish the Tahlel Museum. The museum is a small house in the shape of old Saudi buildings. (AN photo by Rahaf Jambi)

It includes many heritage pieces, including coins, traditional costumes, wood art, and agricultural tools. It also includes her artistic works of Al-Qatt Al-Asiri, geometric shapes, and tribal symbols painted in vibrant colors. 

“This is my small museum, where I exhibit the work of Al-Qatt Al-Asiri, a kind of natural color painting that have been certified by UNESCO as part of the list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Each pattern has a name and a symbolic meaning. Men do not practice this art, thus women are the only ones who specialize in it,” Asiri told Arab News. 

Asiri is one of the few women who still uses natural materials to create the art of Al-Qatt Al-Asiri. These colors are extracted from coal, rice, turmeric, pomegranate peel, stones and other sources. 

“I take 24 colors from nature, such as clover, coal, stone, and leaves, grind them into a paste, and use that paste to paint canvases and walls,” she said.

Ancient coffee and teapots, clay cups, copper household utensils, and other artifacts are on display in one of the rooms. 




Tahlel Museum owner Halima Asiri is one of the few women who still uses natural materials to create the art of Al-Qatt Al-Asiri. (AN photos by Rahaf Jambi)

“The handcrafted items found here date back to 400-500 years, and the people of the Asir region used them all,” Asiri said. 

She incorporated a model of the old town in which she formerly resided in the museum. The town has since fallen into ruin. 

“The old roads were difficult, and women had to carry wood, walk, and climb mountains to get to their homes. The model that I constructed depicts the hardship and strength of women in Asir,” she explained. 

The museum also features the traditional attire worn by women in the Asir region. 

“I have items of clothing that Asir women wear on their wedding night. I also have regular clothes, like straw hats,” she added. 

Asiri started collecting antiques that date back centuries when she was young, and she made sure to collect antiques and present them in her museum in a unique way. 

There are numerous kinds of swords, weapons, and clothing that the locals used in battle displayed on the walls. 

The location also features a workshop where guests can learn how to paint Al-Qatt Al-Asiri works, in addition to selling her artwork on commission. 

“I teach Al-Qatt Al-Asiri art as a trainer. I frequently get big groups of people, and not so long ago, I trained a group of foreign women,” she said. 

The museum is also linked to a cafe where she serves traditional Asiri dishes like areekah using natural honey. 

“Many foreigners have visited, including ambassadors and ministers,” she said. 

Asiri greets visitors when entering the museum with a famous Asiri phrase, “a thousand welcomes.”

Owing to its natural beauty and rich cultural heritage, the Asir region is highly sought-after by those seeking to explore unspoiled landscapes, wander through charming villages, and explore historic castles. 
 


Saudi minister holds talks with Chinese, EU officials on climate, global issues 

Updated 58 min 33 sec ago
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Saudi minister holds talks with Chinese, EU officials on climate, global issues 

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Climate Envoy Adel Al-Jubeir received China's Special Envoy for Climate Change Liu Zhenmin in Riyadh on Sunday.

During the meeting, they discussed strengthening cooperation in climate action and environmental conservation, along with other topics of mutual interest.

Both officials also reviewed the Kingdom’s ongoing initiatives and achievements in this field, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

In a separate meeting, Al-Jubeir received the deputy secretary-general for political affairs at the European External Action Service, Olof Skoog, and his accompanying delegation.

The meeting reviewed international developments and the efforts being made to address them, in addition to discussing topics of mutual interest.


Sheikh Saleh bin Humaid to deliver Arafah sermon during Hajj 2025

Sheikh Saleh bin Humaid will deliver the Arafah sermon during this year’s Hajj. (@PRAGOVSA)
Updated 25 May 2025
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Sheikh Saleh bin Humaid to deliver Arafah sermon during Hajj 2025

  • The day of Arafah (the 9th of Dhul Hijjah) is widely considered the pinnacle of Hajj, marking the most important day for pilgrims
  • The sermon is delivered from Masjid Al-Nimra on Mount Arafat before Dhuhr and Asr prayers are performed together on Dhul Hijjah 9

RIYADH: Sheikh Saleh bin Humaid will deliver the Arafah sermon during this year’s Hajj, the Presidency of Religious Affairs announced on Sunday.

The day of Arafah (the 9th of Dhul Hijjah) is widely considered the pinnacle of Hajj, marking the most important day for pilgrims. Muslims around the world who are not performing the pilgrimage mark the day by fasting and engaging in worship.

The sermon is delivered from Masjid Al-Nimra on Mount Arafat before Dhuhr and Asr prayers are performed together on Dhul Hijjah 9.

Head of Religious Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque Sheikh Abdulrahman Al-Sudais thanked King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the appointment.

The appointment underscores the Kingdom’s global religious leadership, reflects its continued support for religious institutions, and exemplifies the leadership’s care for the two holy mosques, the presidency said.


Saudi deputy FM receives EU official in Riyadh

Updated 25 May 2025
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Saudi deputy FM receives EU official in Riyadh

  • A meeting was also held as part of the third round of political consultations between Saudi Arabia and the EEAS

RIYADH: Saudi Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Waleed Elkhereiji received Olof Skoog, deputy secretary-general for political affairs at the European External Action Service, and his accompanying delegation, in Riyadh on Sunday.

During the meeting, they discussed bilateral relations between the Kingdom and the EU and other topics of common interest, the Foreign Ministry wrote in a post on X.

A meeting was also held as part of the third round of political consultations between the Kingdom and the EEAS. Senior officials from both sides participated in the session, chaired by Raed bin Khalid Qarmli, director-general of the general directorate of policy planning at the Saudi Foreign Ministry, with Skoog representing the European side.

 


Pakistani ambassador to Saudi Arabia meets with CEO of Diriyah Gate Development Authority

Ahmad Farooq, Pakistan’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, meets with Jerry Inzerillo, CEO of Diriyah Gate Development Authority.
Updated 25 May 2025
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Pakistani ambassador to Saudi Arabia meets with CEO of Diriyah Gate Development Authority

  • The meeting focused on strengthening Saudi-Pakistani ties in the field of heritage and culture

RIYADH: Ahmad Farooq, Pakistan’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, met with Jerry Inzerillo, CEO of Diriyah Gate Development Authority in Riyadh.

The meeting focused on strengthening Saudi-Pakistani ties in the field of heritage and culture, the Pakistani Embassy wrote in a post on X on Sunday.

The ambassador presented Inzerillo with a painting from his own Diriyah-themed series, created to celebrate the Kingdom’s history and heritage.

He also presented him with a made-in-Pakistan FIFA-standard football “symbolizing Pakistan’s craftsmanship and the mutual spirit of friendship.”


Saudi reserve engages pilgrims on biodiversity

Updated 25 May 2025
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Saudi reserve engages pilgrims on biodiversity

  • Pilgrims were welcomed at Al-Shuqaiq in the Jouf region, where more than 4,000 gifts reflecting the reserve’s history and conservation efforts were distributed

RIYADH: Hajj pilgrims arriving in the Kingdom by land were introduced to projects and initiatives of the King Salman bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority.

The initiative aims to enhance biodiversity, restore vegetation and breed endangered species to create a more sustainable natural environment.

The authority also distributed educational brochures to raise awareness about environmental preservation, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Pilgrims were welcomed at Al-Shuqaiq in the Jouf region, where more than 4,000 gifts reflecting the reserve’s history and conservation efforts were distributed.

Visitors were informed about the reserve’s environmental heritage, biodiversity, and commitment to sustainable ecological stewardship, the SPA added.

The authority works to preserve biodiversity by protecting habitats and creating safe environments for wildlife and plants to thrive.

Its achievements include planting more than 2.4 million trees, scattering four tonnes of native seeds and rehabilitating 250,000 hectares of degraded land.

The reserve hosts more than 290 documented bird species — about 58 percent of those recorded in the Kingdom — and includes five internationally recognized important bird areas.

Covering 130,700 sq. kilometers, the King Salman Reserve is the largest natural terrestrial reserve in the Middle East, spanning four administrative regions: Jouf, Hail, Northern Borders, and Tabuk.