First Saudi female fencer appointed student sports ambassador

First Saudi female fencer appointed student sports ambassador
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Ruba Mohammed Al-Masri has been appointed as the first female fencer to represent Saudi Arabia as a student ambassador for the International University Sport Federation (FISU). (Supplied)
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Updated 20 September 2024
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First Saudi female fencer appointed student sports ambassador

First Saudi female fencer appointed student sports ambassador

JEDDAH: The first female fencer has been appointed as Saudi Arabia’s student sports ambassador to the International University Sport Federation.

The appointment of Ruba Mohammed Al-Masri to the role highlights the Kingdom’s empowerment of female athletes in recent years.

The FISU Student Ambassador program aims to promote the development of university sports and support sporting volunteer programs in ambassadors’ home countries.

Al-Masri told Arab News: “I consider this historic achievement for Saudi sports as a true turning point. It fills me with pride and honor. This success is not just an individual accomplishment; it reflects the tremendous efforts being made by the Kingdom to support women’s sports and empower youth. Seeing a Saudi girl shine on the international stage represents a dream come true, and it opens new doors for young talents.”

Princess Reema bint Bandar, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the US, highlighted Al-Masri’s achievement as an example of the Kingdom’s dedication to advancing women in sports.

She posted on X: “Women’s fencing in Saudi Arabia has made great strides from 2016 when Lubna Al-Omair competed in the Olympic Games in Rio to today with athletes like Ruba.”

https://x.com/rbalsaud/status/1835840617261252823

The acknowledgement from Princess Reema was an emotional milestone for Al-Masri. She said: “It felt like a validation of all the hard work, dedication and sacrifices I had made throughout my journey as a female athlete.

“Her support and recognition not only inspired me but also underscored the importance of empowering women in sports. Knowing that such a prominent figure believes in my potential is a tremendous honor and a powerful encouragement to keep pushing forward.”

Al-Masri’s fencing journey began in April 2018 and was deeply influenced by her father, a former champion in the Arab region.

“Growing up, I was always surrounded by his memorabilia — photos and medals that showcased his accomplishments throughout his athletic career,” she said. “Moreover, with the recent initiatives led by our Crown Prince to empower women in sports, I felt encouraged to follow in his footsteps.”

Support from her family, particularly her parents, was instrumental in shaping her passion and ambition. But there were challenges along the path — Al-Masri faced several obstacles, including finding suitable training facilities and balancing her academic and professional commitments.

“Finding suitable training facilities and the ability to register female athletes in clubs were significant hurdles,” she said. “Despite these challenges, I am proud to say that I have persevered and built a name for myself in various fields. I hold a double major in law and aesthetic specialization, and I have simultaneously worked for three different marketing companies while excelling in my sport.”

As a student-athlete ambassador, Al-Masri intends to make a real impact on future generations.

“I aim to inspire young women to pursue their passions in sports while balancing their educational and personal lives,” she said.

“Having successfully navigated my own journey … I believe my experiences can serve as a powerful testament to what is achievable.”

A defining moment in Al-Masri’s career came with the challenge of establishing her name on the international stage, overcoming issues such as unfair judging.

“Despite these challenges, my determination only grew stronger,” she said. “With the guidance and expertise of my father, I developed a unique training plan which enabled me to achieve significant milestones, including winning the first Saudi bronze medal in the Under-23 European Championships in 2023. This was a groundbreaking accomplishment for Saudi fencers in Europe.”

Looking ahead to the 2024/25 season, Al-Masri is eager to engage with the FISU Student Ambassadors Program.

“I look forward to collaborating on group proposals, participating in educational webinars, celebrating the International Day of University Sport, and presenting our action plans,” she said. “This structured approach will empower me to support female athletes and contribute effectively to the broader student-athlete community.”

The support from her community and mentors has been pivotal.

“The Saudi University Sports Federation, particularly Dr. Professor Khalid Al-Muzaini and Salma Ibrahim, has played a crucial role in my development,” she said. “I am also grateful to my coach, Fawad Al-Nasiri, for selecting me as the first Saudi female athlete to represent our country at the 2023 Summer Universiade in China. Their influence has been profound, motivating me to strive for greater heights.”

And to young girls in Saudi Arabia interested in sports, Al-Masri advised: “Embrace every opportunity that comes your way, and don’t shy away from challenges. Surround yourselves with supportive mentors and friends who believe in you and encourage your growth. Your dreams and aspirations are valid, and you have the potential to achieve greatness in the world of sports.”


Saudi Ardah folk dance sets Guinness World Record in Riyadh

Saudi Ardah folk dance sets Guinness World Record in Riyadh
Updated 59 min 27 sec ago
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Saudi Ardah folk dance sets Guinness World Record in Riyadh

Saudi Ardah folk dance sets Guinness World Record in Riyadh
  • Performed on special occasions, the dance form showcases Kingdom’s heritage
  • It begins with recital of a poem, followed by drummers setting rhythm for dancers

RIYADH: The Founding Day celebrations set a Guinness World Record for the largest Saudi Ardah performance in Riyadh, with 633 participants showcasing this traditional dance.

This achievement underscores the Ardah’s deep-rooted significance as a national tradition, reflecting pride in Saudi identity and a commitment to preserving and promoting cultural heritage globally, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Organized by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City and the Principality of Riyadh Region from Feb. 20 to 23, the Founding Day event attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors from diverse backgrounds.

Performed on special occasions, the performance showcases the Kingdom’s heritage. It begins with the recital of a poem, followed by drummers setting the rhythm for the dancers.

The group leader then takes the stage, wielding a blade and demonstrating precise movements that mirror those of warriors in battle.


Tales of Founding Day come to life at Diriyah celebrations

Tales of Founding Day come to life at Diriyah celebrations
Updated 24 February 2025
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Tales of Founding Day come to life at Diriyah celebrations

Tales of Founding Day come to life at Diriyah celebrations
  • Theatrical performances, music and educational exhibits tell nation’s story
  • Ancient Bedouin dance among highlights of three-day event

RIYADH: A tale as old as time, Diriyah, heart of the Kingdom and the setting of its first chapter, celebrated Founding Day with an array of musical performances, shows and historical exhibits that ended on Sunday.

Families and guests of all ages and nationalities were welcomed at Diriyah to learn all about the establishment of the First Saudi State.

History lessons were available through shadow theater performances, Kahoot quizzes, interactive screens and palace-side projections displaying the Kingdom’s journey.

Guests were tailed by musical groups singing traditional and cultural songs walking around Diriyah, carrying with them the songs of battles fought and won.

Vincent Pomer, a visitor from Boston in the US who is visiting a friend in the Kingdom, told Arab News: “I feel kind of a sense of contentment and peace, seeing how everybody is respectful of their past.

“I will equate it to, as me being American, the Fourth of July. We celebrate Fourth of July not so much as our freedom but it is our short-lived history … Founding Day is the equivalent here for Saudi Arabia.”

One of the highlights of the celebrations was a Samri show, a Bedouin dance and music that originated in Najd. About 300 years old, Samri was traditionally performed when families gathered on desert nights. Two lines of men would kneel, swaying and clapping while singing poetry and beating on a Daf drum.

The celebrations also included workshops for children and families on various skills, such as perfumery, sketching, painting and bracelet making.

Arab News spoke to Umar Sial, a Pakistani national who has lived in Saudi Arabia for the past six months, to ask about the highlights of his visit to Diriyah with his family.

“This is our first time here. We visited Bujairi Terrace and Al-Turaif area and I think it’s very interesting, especially the old heritage they are showcasing” he said.

“Culturally, it’s very enlightening for newcomers.”

Sial’s favorite attraction was seeing what the old houses were like in Salwa Palace and how people used to live, in addition to the singers and dancers presenting throughout the event.

According to Sial, foreign nationals could greatly benefit from attending such events to strengthen their cultural ties to the Kingdom.

“These (events) are very important to understand how things work here, especially if you want to integrate into their culture, you see how they are raised, how they speak, what their songs are like, how they eat, how their family systems work, you see their families are all around them.

“I think these are very important if you want to understand how culture works in Saudi Arabia,” he said.

Saudi Arabia is known for being proud of its food and this was showcased by real Saudi families on every route.

Each of these families had their own booth and had prepared traditional dishes like saleeg, foul and more, given out freely to the wandering guests.

Historical figures such as Imam Mohammed bin Saud, the founding father of the First Saudi State, and his wife Princess Modi bint Khalid Al Saud were given center stage as their stories were told through performances during the Diriyah Remembrance segments of the evening, detailing Imam Mohammed bin Saud’s full journey in solidifying the early days of the Kingdom.

Melissa Sarawi, a guest from the Philippines in Saudi Arabia with her family, told Arab News that the most exciting aspects of Saudi culture for foreign nationals to see were the food and the people.

Sarawi said that as a Muslim it had been fascinating to learn about Islam from its birthplace and its historic associations with Saudi Arabia.

“Coming here and experiencing Founding Day is very good, it’s very new to me. I am a Muslim in nature and by birth, and learning more about these things in Riyadh, like learning about the history of Islam and all these historical places … (it’s) refreshing to know about these things.”

Contestants from the Rawi Al-Diriyah competition, a storytelling competition produced jointly by the Ministry of Education and the Diriyah Gate Development Authority for school students reciting historic Diriyah stories, were also featured during these narratives.

Other activities included a horse show and showcasing the Arabian horse, presenting traditional Najdi dress and live poetry sessions.


New book provides deep dive into Saudi-Japanese business relations

New book provides deep dive into Saudi-Japanese business relations
Updated 24 February 2025
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New book provides deep dive into Saudi-Japanese business relations

New book provides deep dive into Saudi-Japanese business relations
  • Tokyo’s ambassador to Kingdom attends launch of ‘Descendants of the Samurai’
  • Author Khalid Al-Rashoud says it ‘provides insights into cultural differences, communication and negotiation styles’

RIYADH: As the Kingdom celebrates 70 years of diplomatic relations with Japan, dignitaries from the two nations came together in Riyadh recently for the launch of a new book that provides a deep insight into the world of Japanese commerce.

Titled “Descendants of the Samurai,” author Dr. Khalid Al-Rashoud told Arab News his work “provides insights into cultural differences, communication and negotiation styles, and building effective strategies for achieving professional success.”

The book, he said, “navigates business relations with the Japanese counterparts and provides fresh insights into the cultural norms, the stars of communications and successful strategic techniques for negotiations, holding meetings, resolving conflicts.”

Al-Rashoud, who has a doctorate in transformation management and development engineering from the Tokyo Institute of Technology and once worked as an adviser at the Saudi Embassy in Japan, said the book would help people to “understand the unique character of Japanese people and Japanese culture, which is tremendously rich.”

“(Japan) has a long-standing history that is full of knowledge, full of philosophy, full of science that we need to utilize … (but) often the language barriers and also the geographic variety, hinder its reach.”

Al-Rashoud, who is also the author of “Saudi-Japanese Relations,” said his latest work was mostly aimed at business people, but would also benefit government officials and those working at nongovernmental organizations or as researchers or students.

He said he believed it could help bring Japan closer to the Kingdom and the Arab world in general.

Among the guests at the launch was Japan’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Yasunari Morino.

He told Arab News: “Japan and Saudi Arabia enjoy long-standing friendship and great relations in all areas including the economic and cultural. To further deepen the relationship, mutual understanding between the people is extremely important.

“So this work … is a great contribution to further deepening mutual understanding between the two people and deepening friendship between the two countries.”


Saudi Ardah sets Guinness World Record in Riyadh

Founding Day celebrations set a Guinness World Record for the largest Saudi Ardah performance in Riyadh. (SPA)
Founding Day celebrations set a Guinness World Record for the largest Saudi Ardah performance in Riyadh. (SPA)
Updated 24 February 2025
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Saudi Ardah sets Guinness World Record in Riyadh

Founding Day celebrations set a Guinness World Record for the largest Saudi Ardah performance in Riyadh. (SPA)
  • Performed on special occasions, the performance showcases the Kingdom’s heritage
  • It begins with the recital of a poem, followed by drummers setting the rhythm for the dancers

RIYADH: The Founding Day celebrations set a Guinness World Record for the largest Saudi Ardah performance in Riyadh, with 633 participants showcasing this traditional dance.

This achievement underscores the Ardah’s deep-rooted significance as a national tradition, reflecting pride in Saudi identity and a commitment to preserving and promoting cultural heritage globally, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Organized by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City and the Principality of Riyadh Region from Feb. 20 to 23, the Founding Day event attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors from diverse backgrounds.

Performed on special occasions, the performance showcases the Kingdom’s heritage. It begins with the recital of a poem, followed by drummers setting the rhythm for the dancers.

The group leader then takes the stage, wielding a blade and demonstrating precise movements that mirror those of warriors in battle.


Manga Productions wins Saudi Media Forum Award for ‘Future’s Folktales 2’ anime

Manga Productions wins Saudi Media Forum Award for ‘Future’s Folktales 2’ anime
Updated 24 February 2025
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Manga Productions wins Saudi Media Forum Award for ‘Future’s Folktales 2’ anime

Manga Productions wins Saudi Media Forum Award for ‘Future’s Folktales 2’ anime

RIYADH: Manga Productions, a subsidiary of the Mohammed bin Salman Foundation, or Misk, has won the Saudi Media Forum Award for the second season of its anime series “Future’s Folktales.”

According to the Saudi Press Agency, the award, in the media communication activities category, recognizes the company’s dedication to creating Saudi content that strengthens national identity and reaches audiences worldwide.

The recognition follows a large-scale communication and media campaign accompanying the series’ launch, which featured three global premiere screenings — two in Riyadh and one in Tokyo.

The campaign also included a global public relations initiative that generated 477 news articles across the Arab world and Japan, SPA reported.

On social media, a comprehensive digital campaign garnered more than 151 million views, complemented by prominent advertisements in major streets throughout Riyadh, Jeddah and the Eastern Province.

* This article originally appeared on Arab News Japan