‘Woven’ highlights Saudi culture and heritage at London Design Biennale 

This is the first time that the Kingdom has participated in the annual exhibition with a large-scale interactive display. (Supplied)
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Updated 23 June 2023
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‘Woven’ highlights Saudi culture and heritage at London Design Biennale 

  • The Kingdom’s interactive pavilion focuses on the traditional art of sadu 

LONDON: Saudi Arabia is participating in the 4th London Design Biennale with a pavilion entitled “Woven” designed and created by leading designers Ruba Alkhaldi and Lojain Rafaa. 

Over the course of the 25-day biennale, which began June 8, a 50-meter-long tapestry will be woven by visitors to the Saudi Pavilion, based on the traditional Al-Sadu weaving practice historically used by Bedouin women in the Gulf. 

This is the first time that the Kingdom, which is being represented by the Architecture and Design Commission — part of the Ministry of Culture — has participated in the annual exhibition with a large-scale interactive display. 




A traditional sadu weaver in Saudi Arabia. (Supplied)

“We had an invited call for participation to allow many of our designers to have an opportunity to showcase their work,” Dr. Sumayah Al-Solaiman, CEO of the commission, told Arab News, adding that the response “shows how, now, there is a legacy that we are building on.”  

She continued: “The traditional art of weaving is also very forward-looking, in the sense that it’s a collaborative design piece where every thread that is now put into the woven canvas is some sort of a timestamp of what is important in our future. And allowing all the participants who would like to be part of this to have a voice and tell us what is important to them,” she added. 

The installation consists of a large loom and visual displays. Participants can choose to weave one of five different color threads. The five colors, according to the curators, represent innovation, nature, spirituality, knowledge, and wellness. 

Al-Solaiman said one of the commission’s aims was to showcase the richness of Saudi culture. “If we look at the traditional art, traditional architecture and how all of that is influencing our cultural renaissance at this time, it’s an amazing time for us to have this multiplicity of voices coming in and showcasing that.” 




Victoria Broackes, director of London Design Biennale, gives the keynote address at London Design Biennale 2023. (Getty Images)

She said the response to the pavilion has been “resoundingly positive,” and that she is excited to see the outcome, as it will create a legacy that can then be displayed at other venues. 

The theme of this year’s biennale is “The Global Game: Remapping Collaborations” and Al-Solaiman feels that “Woven” fits perfectly within that remit. 

“When you remap collaboration, thinking about the past, the present, but then also the future, I think this work really brings all of those together,” she said. 

The commission’s strategy is aligned with Saudi Vision 2030 and is responsible for “regulating and uplifting” the architecture and design sector, she added. This includes community engagement, talent development, gross domestic product contribution, diversification of the economy, research, and celebrating the products of Saudi architects and designers nationally and internationally. 

Alkhaldi, who is a design innovation strategist, said she focuses on how design can drive future innovation. The collaborative interactive installation is, she said, a platform where the participants’ thoughts and perceptions about the future “will be bonded and connected through what we call the fabric of humanity.” 




Visitors to the London Design Biennale participate in 'Woven.' (Supplied)

Alkhaldi said that they were inspired by Sadu because it was a craft led by powerful nomad women in the desert who had limited resources yet created multiple ways to assemble and create fabric. 

“That fabric, in the end, affected us socially, culturally and even at the level of architecture and art — it’s included in tents, in houses and it’s still part of our culture now,” said the 34-year-old from Dammam. “It was a symbol of revolution and we wanted to recreate that sense of revolution within the experience of the London Design Biennale.” 

Alkhaldi added that she and Rafaa were also inspired by Saudi Vision 2030, which focuses on creating an innovative community in Saudi Arabia and encourages people to share their thoughts and opinions, and the installation was meant to show their country’s welcoming nature. 

“We’re trying to tell people that we are welcoming (others’) opinions and thoughts and (that we want) to shape the future globally, not just locally,” she explained. 

Victoria Broackes, director of the biennale, said the theme of remapping collaboration was about bringing countries, nations and cities together — to showcase different disciplines and ideas and find new ways of working. 

“The exhibits that we have here from Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi and Dubai visibly show how these ideas do not come from one type of discipline — they come from a multitude of different people and types of people working together,” she said. 


Jazan University foreign scholarship scheme thriving as intake hits 2,100

Updated 2 min 42 sec ago
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Jazan University foreign scholarship scheme thriving as intake hits 2,100

  • 344 students from 20 countries enroll in 2025
  • Program provides platform for boosting cultural understanding, intellectual moderation

RIYADH: Jazan University enrolled 344 students into its foreign scholarship program this year, taking the total since its inception to 2,100.

The latest intake represent more than 20 countries, including France, Canada, the Russian Federation and several Arab, African and Asian nations, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

As well as helping the university to increase its global standing, the program provides a platform for enhancing relationships between people from around the world, and nurturing cultural understanding and intellectual moderation, the report said.

Jazan University is regarded as a leading scientific institution within the Kingdom and the wider Arab world. It champions the message of Islam and the teaching of the Arabic language, while promoting the values of moderation, balance and understanding among people.

As well as the educational benefits, students enrolled on the scholarship program have access to a comprehensive healthcare package, which includes their accompanying family members, and various financial support options to cover shipping costs and the purchase of relevant materials and equipment.

The university also provides free flights home at the end of each academic year to ensure its students’ well-being.

A recent beneficiary of the scheme is Obaidur Rahman Abdul Hannan.

“This is an important academic project, which not only helps the meritorious students but also serves the purpose for achieving cultural understanding and intellectual moderation, making it an ambitious project deserving praise and appreciation both locally and internationally,” he told Arab News.

“Saudi Arabia is emerging as a global hub for higher education, offering a plethora of fully funded scholarships to international students across various disciplines.

“These scholarships by Jazan University, with excellent facilities, bearing all expenses, flight tickets, provide an excellent opportunity for non-Saudi students … to pursue various courses in such a prestigious university.”


Indian army says Pakistan targeted three Kashmir military bases, Islamabad denies

Updated 26 min 34 sec ago
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Indian army says Pakistan targeted three Kashmir military bases, Islamabad denies

  • India said threat neutralized “with kinetic and non-kinetic means,” bases targeted in Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur 
  • Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar denied his country’s military had carried out strikes in Jammu on Thursday

SRINAGAR, India: Pakistan on Thursday staged fresh strikes targeting three military stations in Indian-administered Kashmir with missiles and drones but there were no losses, the Indian military said, a charge Islamabad denied.

India said “the threat was neutralized ... with kinetic and non-kinetic means,” adding that the bases targeted were in “Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur in proximity to the international boundary.”

Blackouts were reported from a swathe of cities in Indian-administered Kashmir, including Jammu, as well as cities in the neighboring state of Punjab such as Amritsar and Jalandhar.

“We can hear loud explosions, it feels like bombs are going off everywhere,” said Varinder Jeet Singh, a senior member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the national ruling party, speaking about Jammu.

“There is a complete blackout.”

Jammu resident Liyakat, who only gave one name, said: “I heard many explosions and electricity was cut off.”

Shesh Paul Vaid, a former director general of police for Jammu and Kashmir, also wrote on social media that there were “loud explosions.”

A security source, who was not authorized to speak to the media, confirmed the explosions.

Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar denied that his country’s military had carried out strikes in Jammu on Thursday.

On Wednesday, India launched missiles that it said targeted “terrorist camps,” and Pakistan retaliated by scrambling fighter jets and launching artillery fire. 

A day later, India and Pakistan accused each other of carrying out waves of drone attacks.

At least 48 deaths have been reported on both sides since the escalation, 32 of them in Pakistan including children.

Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said Thursday he had spoken to European Union top diplomat Kaja Kallas, adding: 

“India has been measured in its actions. However, any escalation will get a firm response.”

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged India and Pakistan to take immediate steps to de-escalate and engage in “direct dialogue,” as he pressed Islamabad to end any support for “terrorist groups.”


US secretary of state Rubio urges Islamabad and New Delhi to step back

Updated 08 May 2025
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US secretary of state Rubio urges Islamabad and New Delhi to step back

  • Marco Rubio holds separate phone calls with Pakistani PM and Indian external affairs minister 
  • Urges Pakistan and India to improve communications, engage in “direct dialogue” to de-escalate 

ISLAMABAD: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday held separate telephone calls with Pakistan’s premier and the external affairs minister of India and urged the two nations to engage in “direct dialogue” to de-escalate their ongoing conflict, the state department said. 

India hit Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, called Azad Kashmir, with missiles on Wednesday and Pakistan said it shot down five Indian aircraft in retaliation in their worst clash in over two decades. Pakistan said 31 civilians were killed in the Indian strikes while New Delhi says it targeted “terror camps.”

On Thursday, Pakistan said it had shot down 29 drones launched by India while New Delhi said it had “neutralized” Islamabad’s attempts to target military targets with drones and missiles.

“He expressed US support for direct dialogue between India and Pakistan and encouraged continued efforts to improve communications,” the state department said in two separate statements after Rubio spoke to Pakistani Premier Shehbaz Sharif and Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. 

“The Secretary emphasized the need for immediate de-escalation.”

India is an important US partner for Washington, which aims to counter China’s rising influence, while Pakistan remains an ally, despite its diminished importance after the US withdrawal from neighboring Afghanistan in 2021.

Both India and Pakistan claim Muslim-majority Kashmir in full, with each controlling only part and having fought wars in the past over the region.

The latest standoff was triggered by an April 22 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that New Delhi blamed on Pakistan, which has denied the claims and called for a neutral investigation.


Pakistan’s Chinese-made jet brought down two Indian fighter aircraft — US officials 

Updated 08 May 2025
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Pakistan’s Chinese-made jet brought down two Indian fighter aircraft — US officials 

  • Performance of leading Chinese fighter jet against Western rival is being closely watched in Washington 
  • Episode may offer insights into how Beijing might fare in any showdown over Taiwan or the wider Indo-Pacific

ISLAMABAD/WASHINGTON: A top Chinese-made Pakistani fighter plane shot down at least two Indian military aircraft on Wednesday, two US officials told Reuters, marking a major milestone for Beijing’s advanced fighter jet.
The performance of a leading Chinese fighter jet against a Western rival is being closely watched in Washington for insights into how Beijing might fare in any showdown over Taiwan or the wider Indo-Pacific.
One US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there was high confidence that Pakistan had used the Chinese-made J-10 aircraft to launch air-to-air missiles against Indian fighter jets — bringing down at least two.
Another official said at least one Indian jet that was shot down was a French-made Rafale fighter aircraft.
Both officials said Pakistan’s F-16 aircraft, made by Lockheed Martin, were not used in the shootdown.
Delhi has not acknowledged the loss of any of its planes and instead said it carried out successful strikes against what it said was “terrorist” infrastructure inside Pakistan.
World powers from the US to Russia and China have called for calm in one of the world’s most dangerous, and most populated, nuclear flashpoint regions.
In France, Rafale manufacturer Dassault Aviation and the MBDA consortium, which makes the Meteor air-to-air missile, could not immediately be reached for comment on a public holiday.
While Reuters reported on Wednesday that three Indian planes went down, citing local government officials in India, this marks the first Western confirmation that Pakistan’s Chinese-made jets were used in the shootdowns.
Pakistan’s Defense minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, told Reuters on Thursday that the J-10 was used to shoot down three French-made Rafale planes, which were newly acquired by India. 
Pakistan says it downed five Indian planes in air-to-air combat. 


Indian villagers near Pakistan border call for ceasefire as shelling kills at least 13

Updated 08 May 2025
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Indian villagers near Pakistan border call for ceasefire as shelling kills at least 13

  • The shelling damaged several religious sites, including a temple, a Sikh shrine and a mosque
  • Statement released by India said dead include three women, five children killed in “Pakistani firing”

Poonch, Indian-administered Kashmir: Indian villagers called for a ceasefire on Thursday after at least 13 civilians were killed by what authorities said was Pakistani shelling in Poonch, along the India-Pakistan border, in Jammu and Kashmir.

The shelling damaged several religious sites, including a temple, a Sikh shrine, and a mosque.

“We appeal to the government that there should be a ceasefire as soon as possible. There should be peace and harmony,” said a villager Malkeet Singh.

A statement released by the Indian government on Thursday said 16 lives, including three women and five children, were lost “due to Pakistani firing.”

Pakistan said at least 31 of its civilians were killed and about 50 wounded in Wednesday’s strikes and in cross-border shelling across the frontier in Kashmir.

The nuclear-armed neighbors’ tit-for-tat measures began after gunmen opened fire in the Baisaran Valley, a popular tourist attraction in Indian-administered Kashmir’s Pahalgam area, on the afternoon of April 22, killing 26 people and wounding several others before fleeing into the surrounding pine forests.

Although Pakistan’s federal government has pledged to respond to India’s strikes, Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif told The New York Times on Wednesday Pakistan was ready to de-escalate.

Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said New Delhi did not intend to escalate the situation. 

“However, if there are military attacks on us, there should be no doubt that it will be met with a very, very firm response,” he said at India-Iran Joint Commission Meeting.

“Our livestock and belongings are all gone. Nothing is left. This shelling must stop, and there should be peace. For God’s sake, give us peace. We want peace for everyone,” said a resident of Uri on the Indian side of the border.