Regions celebrate Eid with cultural diversity and community engagement

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Asir Municipality prepared over 470 parks and squares in preparation for Eid, hosting diverse cultural and recreational events. (SPA)
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Updated 02 April 2025
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Regions celebrate Eid with cultural diversity and community engagement

  • Cities and towns across the Kingdom are hosting Eid Al-Fitr events that blend traditional cultural performances with modern entertainment

RIYADH: Municipalities across Saudi Arabia are hosting Eid Al-Fitr events that blend traditional cultural performances with modern entertainment.

In Hail, the celebrations have attracted visitors of all ages with activities including theatrical performances, the Ardah dance — inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2015 — and popular folklore shows.

Baha Municipality has distributed 3,000 gifts as part of its celebrations and organized 55 community events, including traditional performances, fireworks, family festivals and children’s theater.

Asir Municipality prepared over 470 parks and squares in preparation for Eid, hosting diverse cultural and recreational events, while in Abha, Eid Al-Basta festivities at the Heritage Village have featured traditional performances, boosting tourism and supporting local businesses.

Qassim’s celebrations have included folk arts, with audiences enjoying traditional chants and performances, and Al-Aan Palace in Najran has attracted visitors with its stunning views and unique architecture, offering insights into the region’s history and culture.

The Royal Commission for Makkah City and the Holy Sites organized programs at locations including the Hira Cultural District and Makkah Mall, drawing thousands of families.

Taif’s parks have also hosted a range of events, attracting over 200,000 attendees with cultural performances and spectacular fireworks.

Meanwhile, the Diriyah Gate Development Authority’s Eid celebrations included children’s games, calligraphy and more, bringing cheer to the historic district of At-Turaif and Bujairi Terrace.


KSrelief distributes 3,989 food parcels in Afghanistan and Pakistan

Updated 11 sec ago
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KSrelief distributes 3,989 food parcels in Afghanistan and Pakistan

  • A total of 27,094 vulnerable individuals benefited from the initiative, according to KSrelief

RIYADH: The Kingdom’s aid agency KSrelief recently distributed 3,989 food parcels to vulnerable people in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the Saudi Press Agency reported earlier this week.

In Afghanistan, 115 parcels were distributed in Omari Camp, at the Torkham border crossing in Nangarhar Province, to Afghan returnees from Pakistan.

Meanwhile, in Pakistan, 3,874 food parcels were distributed to flood-affected communities, including in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (Haveli, Muzaffarabad, and Poonch), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Upper Dir and Torghar), and Punjab (Layyah district).

A total of 27,094 vulnerable individuals benefited from the initiative, according to KSrelief.


KSrelief distributes 970 shelter kits in Pakistan and Somalia

The program benefitted 6,672 individuals, according to the Saudi Press Agency. (SPA)
Updated 15 min 9 sec ago
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KSrelief distributes 970 shelter kits in Pakistan and Somalia

  • The program benefitted 6,672 individuals, according to the Saudi Press Agency. (SPA)

RIYADH: The Kingdom’s aid agency KSrelief recently distributed 970 shelter kits to vulnerable communities in Pakistan and Somalia, benefiting 6,672 individuals, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

In Pakistan, KSrelief provided 840 kits to displaced and affected families in the Haveli and Muzaffarabad districts of Jammu and Kashmir province, benefitting 5,232 individuals.

In Somalia, KSrelief distributed 130 shelter kits, along with 100 clothing bags and 10 tents, to families in Baki Camp in the Awdal region, benefitting 1,440 people.
 


Upcoming Riyadh Season to feature more Saudi and Gulf content, says GEA chairman

Updated 24 July 2025
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Upcoming Riyadh Season to feature more Saudi and Gulf content, says GEA chairman

  • The public can look forward to music concerts, football matches, boxing bouts, UFC fights, and a WWE showcase
  • First-ever Riyadh Comedy Festival to feature over 50 of the world's most renowned comedians

RIYADH: Plenty of global attractions are being planned for the upcoming Riyadh Season, with the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) promising that events will be rich in Saudi, Gulf and Syrian content.

GEA Chairman Turki Alalshikh on Wednesday said the Season will feature for the first time the Riyadh Comedy Festival, which will take place at Boulevard City in Riyadh from September 26 to October 9. The event will feature over 50 of the world's most renowned comedians, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

Turki Alalshikh, adviser and chairman of the General Entertainment Authority. (SPA photo)

Following the major success of last year’s season, Riyadh is currently experiencing an unprecedented entertainment movement, such as hosting the Esports World Cup — the largest esports tournament in the world — with a prize pool exceeding $70 million and drawing significant global attention. 

Alalshikh said the season’s activities will continue to accelerate week after week.

Among the global events being lined up are music concerts, football matches, boxing bouts, UFC fights, and a WWE showcase, the GEA chief said.

Wrestling fans can look forward to the “Royal Rumble” taking place in January, the SPA quoted him as saying.

Alalshikh added that more surprises will be announced soon, including events in collaboration with global YouTube star MrBeast and the "Six Kings Slam" tennis tournament, which will bring together the world’s top six players to compete for the largest prize in the sport’s history — following the major success of last year’s edition.

Riyadh Season is an annual entertainment festival held in the Kingdom's capital, a major initiative aimed to boost tourism and diversify the Saudi economy, as part of the country's Vision 2030 initiative. 
 


National Museum summer camp inspires young Saudi creators

Updated 24 July 2025
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National Museum summer camp inspires young Saudi creators

  • Through interactive sessions and hands-on learning across four craft tracks, participants explore Saudi Arabia’s rich cultural heritage

RIYADH: The National Museum’s summer camp is in its first phase, offering children aged 10-12 a range of activities that blend theory and practice.

The camp connects generations by showcasing handicrafts as both a source of national pride and a path to future economic opportunities, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Through interactive sessions and hands-on learning across four craft tracks, participants explore Saudi Arabia’s rich cultural heritage.

Each child designs and creates their own products, building creative and organizational skills while fostering initiative. (SPA)

Each child designs and creates their own products, building creative and organizational skills while fostering initiative, the SPA added.

The camp transforms the National Museum into a vibrant hub, aiming to instill a lifelong love of learning and creativity while developing critical thinking and design skills.

It also introduces children to handicrafts as a core part of Saudi identity and empowers them to manage small craft projects, the SPA reported.

The first phase, running through to July 31, has already attracted strong interest from families and educators. This enriching experience opens new horizons for knowledge and fosters deeper connections with national heritage, the SPA added.
 


Saudi Arabia ramps up coffee production with new initiative

Updated 23 July 2025
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Saudi Arabia ramps up coffee production with new initiative

  • A new project led by Saudi Reef will plant 50,000 seedlings and boost the productivity of coffee trees by 30 percent by the end of 2025
  • Majid Al-Brikan, a spokesperson, said the initiative began with selecting six elite genetic samples from coffee trees in Jazan, Asir and Baha

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia has launched an initiative to increase high-quality coffee seedling production using tissue culture technology as part of the Kingdom’s push to develop its coffee sector and promote sustainable agriculture.

Led by the Sustainable Agricultural Rural Development Program, or Saudi Reef, in cooperation with the National Centre for Research and Development of Sustainable Agriculture, also known as Estidamah, the project will plant 50,000 seedlings and boost the productivity of coffee trees by 30 percent by the end of 2025.

Majid Al-Brikan, spokesperson for Saudi Reef, said the initiative began with selecting six elite genetic samples from coffee trees in Jazan, Asir and Baha.

These were supplied to labs, producing 17,000 somatic embryos and 4,000 plants, now undergoing the rooting phase.

So far, 1,200 plants have been transferred to greenhouse facilities for acclimatisation, and another 400 seedlings are in the hardening stage.

A bioreactor growth accelerator has also been installed to speed up production and reduce reliance on manual labor.

According to Al-Brikan, the project has yielded significant scientific breakthroughs, including the re-evaluation of 82 genetic patterns, now grouped into 12 genetic groups based on morphological similarities.

Seedlings are also being produced through cuttings of selected genotypes, with 1,000 rooted cuttings prepared to yield traceable, high-quality plants.

A key focus of the initiative is the development of disease-resistant and drought-tolerant coffee varieties, supporting the Kingdom’s goals for climate-resilient agriculture.

Fourteen knowledge-based agricultural products have also been developed to promote best practices across coffee farms.

The program includes development of a reference book for local farmers on cultivation and post-harvest practices.

To support knowledge transfer, at least 109 farmers have participated in domestic and international study tours, and more than 200 stakeholders have received training through workshops and seminars.

The program has also engaged with global coffee events to promote Saudi Arabia’s growing presence in the international market.