Saudi pupils explore Shamal reserve in sustainability initiative

Saudi pupils explore Shamal reserve in sustainability initiative
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The Shamal reserve, located within the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve, covers 2,000 sq. km. (SPA)
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Updated 16 February 2025
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Saudi pupils explore Shamal reserve in sustainability initiative

Saudi pupils explore Shamal reserve in sustainability initiative
  • Field visit highlights wildlife conservation and deepens connection with nature

RIYADH: The Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Natural Reserve Development Authority organized a field visit for school pupils to the Shamal Reserve for Sustainable Hunting.

This initiative is part of the authority’s drive to promote ecological awareness and foster community development, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The Shamal reserve, located within the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve, covers 2,000 sq. km. It offers comprehensive services and a unique hunting experience, attracting enthusiasts from the Kingdom and Gulf states.

The visit aimed to introduce students to the reserve’s wildlife, enhancing their ecological awareness and connection with nature, the SPA added.

It also highlighted the authority’s environmental protection efforts, sustainability initiatives, and tourism programs.

During the tour, experts emphasized the importance of ecosystem preservation and biodiversity in supporting sustainability and promoting ecotourism.

This initiative is part of a series of awareness programs designed to engage the local community in environmental conservation. These programs align with Saudi Vision 2030, which prioritizes sustainability and natural area development.

Covering 91,500 sq. km, the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve is the second-largest royal reserve, home to 138 wildlife species and 179 plant species. It is known for its rich ecology, stunning landscapes and heritage sites.

Initiatives over the past four years have significantly increased populations of endangered species such as Arabian oryx, sand gazelle, houbara bustard and red-necked ostrich, while also fostering a resurgence of reptiles and insects.


Reef Saudi backs Al-Ahsa lime exhibition Lomi Hasawi

Reef Saudi backs Al-Ahsa lime exhibition Lomi Hasawi
Updated 49 sec ago
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Reef Saudi backs Al-Ahsa lime exhibition Lomi Hasawi

Reef Saudi backs Al-Ahsa lime exhibition Lomi Hasawi
  • Lomi Hasawi Exhibition, organized by the Al-Ahsa Chamber, runs until Sept. 6.

RIYADH: Agricultural development program Reef Saudi is backing Lomi Hasawi, an exhibition dedicated to the lime fruit that grows in the Al-Ahsa region of Saudi Arabia.

Reef Saudi, formally known as the Sustainable Agricultural Rural Development Program, which is participating at the event as a gold sponsor, is a government entity supporting agricultural development in the Kingdom.

The lime is widely cultivated in the Eastern Province, particularly in the Al-Ahsa Oasis.

Lomi Hasawi Exhibition, organized by the Al-Ahsa Chamber, runs until Sept. 6. 

Reef Saudi spokesman Majed Al-Buraikan said the program, which helps producers with tools and capabilities, had provided SR342,000 to the lime sector in the province, benefiting 89 farmers. 

And that support has boosted production to over 122,400 tons, he told the Saudi Press Agency. 

The fruit sector is a key focus for the program, which aims to diversify local agricultural production, raise efficiency, and contribute to achieving self-sufficiency, in line with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, according to SPA. 


Saudi FM speaks to Emirati, Qatari, and Bahraini counterparts

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan. (SPA)
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan. (SPA)
Updated 20 August 2025
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Saudi FM speaks to Emirati, Qatari, and Bahraini counterparts

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan. (SPA)

RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan held separate phone calls with his counterparts from the UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain on Wednesday, Saudi Press Agency reported.  

During the phone calls with UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, and Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, Prince Faisal discussed the latest regional and international developments and issues of common interest. 


Mental health center emphasizes importance of psychological support for students

Mental health center emphasizes importance of psychological support for students
Updated 20 August 2025
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Mental health center emphasizes importance of psychological support for students

Mental health center emphasizes importance of psychological support for students
  • Family’s role, school’s institutional responsibility, students’ proactive steps also crucial

RIYADH: Eradah Mental Health Complex has emphasized the critical need for psychological support for students returning to classrooms in the coming weeks, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

Eradah identified several factors crucial to good mental health: the family’s role, the school’s institutional responsibility, and proactive steps from students themselves.

Families must help cultivate reassurance through structured home environments, the center said.

Parents should also involve children in preparations for school and exhibit enthusiasm for learning, while encouraging independence and social connections, it added.

Schools also bear equal responsibility in creating psychologically safe environments in which mistakes are treated as natural learning components rather than grounds for punishment, Eradah added.

The Riyadh-based center said that educators needed to praise effort regardless of outcomes, and deploy interactive teaching methods to reduce academic stress.

Another important responsibility included monitoring behavioral changes for early intervention, it said.

Family partnerships should be established for student support and comparisons that foster negative competition should be rejected and learning differences respected, Eradah added.

Students are urged to approach the academic year as a new opportunity by setting realistic goals, maintaining positive relationships with peers and teachers, and balancing studies with recreation through organized schedules.

Eradah emphasized that schools and teachers now hold unparalleled influence over the mental health of students, describing their role as fundamental and no less important than families in building resilient personalities.


Saudi participation at Expo 2025 greatly contributes to deeper mutual understanding, says Japan’s ambassador

Saudi participation at Expo 2025 greatly contributes to deeper mutual understanding, says Japan’s ambassador
Updated 20 August 2025
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Saudi participation at Expo 2025 greatly contributes to deeper mutual understanding, says Japan’s ambassador

Saudi participation at Expo 2025 greatly contributes to deeper mutual understanding, says Japan’s ambassador
  • Saudi vice minister of culture expresses gratitude for support at Osaka

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Vice Minister of Culture Hamed Fayez has met Japan’s Ambassador to the Kingdom Yasunari Morino at the Ministry of Culture in Riyadh.

Fayez expressed his gratitude to the Japanese for their generous support of the Kingdom during its participation at Expo 2025. The event is being held in Osaka, Japan, and concludes on Oct. 13. It is the second time that Osaka Prefecture has hosted such an event, having previously hosted Expo 1970.

The Saudi minister also voiced his enthusiasm for Japan’s participation at Expo 2030, which will be held in Riyadh.

Japan’s ambassador told Arab News: “I had a very good meeting with the vice minister. We share a positive outlook on Japan-Saudi cultural exchanges, especially on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of Japan-Saudi relations.

“We appreciate the Saudi government’s active participation in the Osaka-Kansai Expo, which greatly contributes to the deepening of mutual understanding between Japan and Saudi Arabia. We look forward to the Riyadh Expo in 2030.”

The two officials also focused on cultural exchanges between the Kingdom and Japan in several fields, including the “Manga Hokusai Manga” exhibition earlier this year at the Saudi Arabia Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Saudi Cultural Week in July in Osaka, which marked 70 years of diplomatic relations between the countries.

Riyadh is to celebrate that milestone with a special Japan Festival which is scheduled for Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. The event will spotlight Japanese culture, with traditional performances, hands-on workshops, tourism experiences, and corporate booths

A special performance featuring a traditional type of Japanese theater will take place at the event, which is to be held at Riyadh’s Cultural Palace.


Shopping festival boosts Asir economy, tourism

Shopping festival boosts Asir economy, tourism
Updated 20 August 2025
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Shopping festival boosts Asir economy, tourism

Shopping festival boosts Asir economy, tourism
  • Wide appeal highlights the festival’s vital role in boosting economic activity and local demand
  • Festival provides targeted training programs for the region’s youth, developing skills, and supplying qualified local talent to the labor market

RIYADH: The 26th Abha Shopping Festival is a key economic pillar of the Asir Summer Season, attracting visitors from near and far with a variety of commercial, cultural, and entertainment attractions.

Its wide appeal highlights the festival’s vital role in boosting economic activity and local demand, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

The festival also provides targeted training programs for the region’s youth, developing skills, and supplying qualified local talent to the labor market.

It features five shopping halls offering a range of products, including household items, clothing, perfumes, sweets, and other essentials.

Beyond commerce, the festival promotes tourism in the Asir region, blending economic activity with rich cultural experiences.

Visitors can enjoy shopping along with artistic and folkloric performances, cultural evenings, entertainment shows, and a lively amusement park.

These attractions enhance the region’s reputation as a tourist destination, encouraging longer stays and increased spending, the SPA reported.

This generates a positive economic cycle benefiting accommodation, restaurants, and transportation, while paving the way for new investments in tourism and commercial infrastructure.

Pavilions representing India, China, the Philippines, Morocco, Pakistan, Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Kuwait, Kenya, and Senegal enrich the visitor experience, adding a global touch to the markets and products on display.