Saudi Arabia rich in potential for quantum research, experts say

KACST president Munir Eldesouki honors the winners of the Quantum for Society challenge on World Quantum Day. (@C4IR_KSA)
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Updated 14 April 2025
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Saudi Arabia rich in potential for quantum research, experts say

  • Kingdom’s Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution hosted World Quantum Day for the second time at King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology in Riyadh
  • KACST event hosted numerous industry experts including David E. Keyes, senior associate to the president for strategic projects at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia holds significant potential for quantum research, according to experts.

Celebrating 100 years since the initial development of quantum mechanics, the Kingdom’s Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution hosted World Quantum Day for the second time at King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology in Riyadh.

Ahmed Abdul Majeed, a recent physics graduate originally from Nigeria, told Arab News that Monday’s conference gave him the platform to further explore his passions in quantum science.

“During my third year as an undergraduate I grew this sudden interest in quantum … since then, everything about me revolves around quantum,” he said.

The first World Quantum Day was in 2021 as an effort to promote understanding of quantum science, which deals with miniscule particles smaller than atoms and has the potential to revolutionize computing power.

The KACST event hosted numerous industry experts including David E. Keyes, senior associate to the president for strategic projects at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology.

A longtime admirer of Keyes’ work, Abdul Majeed has been working with him for more than a year at the Quantum Computing Reading Group at KAUST, a group of academics and interested individuals that regularly gathers to discuss the latest developments in quantum computing and often invites companies abroad to join the conversation.

Operating for two years now, the reading group at KAUST is trying to introduce quantum science to more university courses in the Kingdom.

“I know Saudi is working towards (quantum research) and I believe they will achieve more than any other country,” Abdul Majeed said.

Richard Schoebel, regional director at ID Quantique, a Swiss company that develops quantum safe cybersecurity solutions, told Arab News that the Kingdom has made significant strides over the past couple of years in the field.

“We finally see there’s a lot of movement happening in the terms of quantum here in the region. When I look back a couple years ago … it was really very slow, but now you see it’s picking up pace … and it’s getting a lot of traction.”

Schoebel said that it is important to push quantum research forward because it is “the next big thing.”

Quantum computing is going to change the world as we know it, and together with AI it opens new possibilities, he said.

On the other hand, as quantum technology develops it has the potential to bypass traditional cybersecurity methods, making it essential to develop more secure practices.

With such a large number of young people in STEM fields with strong educational backgrounds, there is a lot of space for quantum to reach its full potential here, he said.

Abdul Majeed, having recently been accepted to undertake a graduate degree in quantum technology at the University of Sussex, told Arab News that he has big dreams of taking the education and experiences he gained back home and establishing a school to teach others, as well as creating his own start-up and partnering with other industry leaders.

“I want to do my PhD also; I really want to get to the peak of learning.”

Quoting Nobel Prize in Physics winner Richard Feynman, Abdul Majeed said: “If you think you understand quantum mechanics, you don’t understand quantum mechanics.”

World Quantum Day featured experts from 65 countries who spoke and discussed various topics in quantum science including global strategies for technology development, real-world applications of quantum solutions, bridging academia and industry, Quantum AI, and more.


Sudanese culture in spotlight at Jeddah event

Updated 23 May 2025
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Sudanese culture in spotlight at Jeddah event

  • Passport to the World runs until May 24
  • The event previously placed the spotlight on Filipino, Bangladeshi, and Indian cultures

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

Updated 23 May 2025
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Saudi minister of municipalities and housing concludes official visit to Kuwait

  • Guidelines adopted at meeting of GCC’s ministers

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

Updated 23 May 2025
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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

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

Updated 23 May 2025
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Saudi fund unveils handicraft investment accelerators

  • Nama’ initiative launched in partnership with Ministry of Culture and Quality of Life Program

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 

Updated 23 May 2025
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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

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.