RIYADH: Visitors to the 10-day Saudi Feast Food Festival have been getting a taste for authentic and diverse flavors from around the Kingdom.
Organized by the Culinary Arts Commission and being staged at King Saud University in Riyadh, the event celebrates the country’s culinary heritage.
Open from 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. until Dec. 2, the festival features 13 zones including culinary art heritage, theater, the Gourmand Awards, Greece, business, and a children’s interactive farm.
The Greek zone highlights the country’s traditional dishes and food culture, while the culinary arts heritage area has been divided into five sections representing different regions of Saudi Arabia and showcasing their history, identity, and food through exhibitions, live cooking shows, artisanal displays, and cultural performances.
The tasting experience begins with the Tabuk region where popular dishes often use ingredients unique to its topography.
Some of the Saudi chefs taking part in the event are rising culinary stars. Habiba Abdullah’s popular Tabuk-inspired offerings are free of hydrogenated oils and Maggi cubes, a lifestyle choice she made after her son was diagnosed with diabetes.
She said: “I have been using olive oil in my cooking, and I made a promise to myself to try and alter the lifestyle of other families to avoid diabetes and other illnesses resulting from unhealthy lifestyle choices.”
Abdullah has worked as an assistant chef at the Ritz-Carlton and is a certified international trainer and consultant in cooking. She teaches Saudi culinary students at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University.
Asir, another featured region, is famous for its honey and coffee. Chef Noura Al-Asiri, from Asir, has been offering visitors the chance to sample arekah, a traditional regional dish made from dough which is grilled on a sheet pan before being plated for ghee and honey to be poured in the middle, and then decorated with dates.
Meanwhile, the smell of fried kingfish topped with regional spices has been drawing festivalgoers to the Eastern Province zone.
Argentine chef Chakall said: “I traveled to over 130 countries, and Saudi Arabia became one of my favorites; the diverse food from its regions, and the people are honest, friendly, and kind.
“I tasted food from different regions in Saudi Arabia, and I was blown away with what I saw, I had no idea what the food and the people were like before coming here.”
Chakall’s TV show in China and Germany is watched by millions of people, and he runs five restaurants in Portugal. And at the Saudi festival, he took part in a Gourmand Award zone discussion about his culinary journey.
The award is an international competition for food culture content, honoring the best cookbooks. In Riyadh, the zone offers local food enthusiasts an opportunity to meet leading industry figures.
Saudi cuisine showcased at food festival
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Saudi cuisine showcased at food festival
- Open from 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. until Dec. 2, the festival features 13 zones
- The Greek zone highlights the country’s traditional dishes and food culture
Jeddah’s newest indoor jungle brings nature to the city this summer
- The 45-day Forest Wonders is a part of the broader Jeddah Season push to offer diverse, family-oriented entertainment
JEDDAH: Families in Jeddah are skipping summertime’s typical indoor mall circuit and heading somewhere … wilder.
The newly opened Forest Wonders indoor jungle is offering a nature-inspired escape in the heart of the coastal city, including turtles to pat, goats to feed and lemurs to meet.
“As far as I know, such animal jungles don’t just offer fun experiences but also educate the public about wildlife conservation,” 36-year-old Abdullah Al-Hashmi told Arab News while waiting in line with his family on opening day.
“It is a new experience for (the kids) and they are excited about it,” he said.
HIGHLIGHTS
• The newly opened Forest Wonders indoor jungle is offering a nature-inspired escape.
• It features more than 200 animals in themed zones such as the Meercat Zone, Raccoon Enclosure, and the Secret Garden.
• Young visitors can color, plant or play skill games between feeding stations and animal encounters.
Located on King Abdulaziz Road, the jungle-like venue opened on July 16 as part of this year’s Jeddah Season.
The air-conditioned space, covering 7,500 sq. m, features more than 200 animals in themed zones such as the Meercat Zone, Raccoon Enclosure, Bird Park and the Secret Garden, where rare animals are hidden among the foliage.
“It was fun and we enjoyed every zone or area,” said Jameel Al-Shikhi, visiting with his wife and two children.
“The kids had fun with the most of the animals and they still want to see more.”
From flamingos and reptiles to cats and birds, the experience blends wildlife interaction with environmental education, including on topics such as sustainability, farming and animal care.
Young visitors can color, plant or play skill games between feeding stations and animal encounters.
“It is really connecting people with animals and the kids enjoyed many activities such playing, feeding, planting, drawing and watching the diverse animals closely,” Al-Shikhi said.
According to officials of the National Events Center, the 45-day Forest Wonders is a part of the broader Jeddah Season push to offer diverse, family-oriented entertainment.
Whether it is snapping a photo with a raccoon, learning about farming or simply watching a lemur, Forest Wonders offers a breath of fresh, leafy air in the middle of Jeddah’s urban summer.
Riyadh welcomes Japanese cultural flair at Esports World Cup
- The streets of Japan Park have been transformed into an interactive world of Tokyo-inspired streets and manga-themed photo zones
RIYADH: Amid the fast-paced tournaments and flashing screens at the Esports World Cup in Boulevard Riyadh City, a quieter kind of immersion — one rooted in culture, not gameplay — is drawing crowds.
At Japan Park, visitors are stepping into “yukatas,” the traditional Japanese summer garment that merges Japanese heritage with the modern world of esports.
The garment, which is worn during festivals and public celebrations in Japan, was redesigned with a contemporary twist inspired by popular characters and iconic elements of Japanese visual culture.
FASTFACTS
• At Japan Park entrance, visitors can register via QR code and receive a yukata to wear for free.
• In the calligraphy corner, visitors learn to write their names in kanji under the guidance of Japanese artists.
The experience offers Saudis and tourists alike the chance to explore Japanese heritage in the heart of Riyadh.
At the park entrance, visitors can register via QR code and receive a yukata to wear for free. Staff help guests to suit up correctly, maintaining respect for the garment’s cultural roots.
The streets of Japan Park have been transformed into an interactive world of Tokyo-inspired streets and manga-themed photo zones. The decor draws from vibrant districts such as Shibuya and other landmarks from Japanese pop culture.
The yukata experience is part of the broader cultural showcase that includes workshops on origami and uchiwa conducted by Japanese professionals.
In the calligraphy corner, visitors learn to write their names in kanji under the guidance of Japanese artists. It is slow, meticulous work in contrast to the speed of the esports tournaments happening just steps away.
The food stalls serve ramen, sushi and traditional desserts such as mochi, adding another sensory layer to the cultural experience.
While much of the Esports World Cup is about international gaming and competition, Japan Park offers a more reflective counterpoint.
It is a reminder that global pop culture — from anime to fashion and food — is inseparable from the traditions that shape it.
Wasl Community trains students in media skills
- Wasl Community’s CEO Mohammed Al-Razqi said the initiative reflected the belief that empowering people was essential to effective communication, and that strong content started with developing talent
RIYADH: The Wasl Community has concluded its Media Skills Week initiative, which was held in Riyadh from July 13-18 at PureMinds Studios. The program targeted university students majoring in communication and media who were aiming to enhance their practical skills to align themselves with job market demands.
The week-long initiative attracted more than 1,000 registrants and offered more than 20 hours of specialized training through professional workshops led by experienced media and communication experts.
The workshops covered key topics, including spokesperson skills and media appearances by Majid Al-Ghamdi; fundamentals of strategic communication by Abdulrahman Al-Sultan; media content creation and management by Waleed Al-Harbi; internal communication by Najla Al-Otaibi; media production from writing to publishing by Saad Moamen; and corporate audio identity by Abdullah Al-Zarzour.
Wasl Community’s CEO Mohammed Al-Razqi said the initiative reflected the belief that empowering people was essential to effective communication, and that strong content started with developing talent.
He said: “Media Skills Week was designed to connect knowledge with practice. We are proud of the strong turnout from ambitious students and graduates, and we look forward to offering even more impactful programs in the future.”
Wasl Community is a nonprofit professional network registered under the Hawi platform and part of the Quality of Life Program under Vision 2030. It brings together professionals in corporate communication, media, and marketing across various sectors.
The community organizes programs, expert meetups, and projects to enhance practitioners’ skills and elevate the media sector’s professional image in Saudi Arabia.
General Court of Audit chief attends Internal Auditors meeting in Riyadh
- Members of the ILA board congratulated Saudi Arabia, represented by SAIA, on its winning bid to host the 2027 IIA International Conference
RIYADH: Hussam Alangari, the president of the General Court of Audit and board member of the Saudi Authority of Internal Auditors, attended the meeting of the Institute of Internal Auditors in Riyadh.
Members of the ILA board congratulated Saudi Arabia, represented by SAIA, on its winning bid to host the 2027 IIA International Conference, Saudi Press Agency reported.
The board said the successful bid was a culmination of the Kingdom’s “tireless efforts to enhance its international presence in the field of internal auditing and consolidate its leadership role in developing the profession regionally and globally.”
Saudi Arabia welcomes peace declaration signed in Doha between Democratic Republic of the Congo, March 23 Movement
- Agreement seen as positive step toward peace, stability
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia welcomed the signing on Saturday of a declaration of principles between the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the March 23 Movement, describing the agreement as a positive step toward peace and stability in the region.
In a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Kingdom expressed its hope that the declaration, which was signed in Qatar’s capital of Doha, would contribute to improving humanitarian and economic conditions in the DRC and bolster regional and international security.
Riyadh also praised the diplomatic efforts of Qatar in facilitating the agreement, highlighting Doha’s constructive role in promoting dialogue and reconciliation between the parties, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The declaration comes amid regional and international calls for a peaceful resolution to the conflict in eastern DRC, where fighting between government forces and armed groups, including the M23, has displaced millions and deepened humanitarian crises.
Both sides have pledged to pursue dialogue, cease hostilities, and work toward a comprehensive political settlement, according to the agreement.
Qatar hosted the talks as part of its growing diplomatic engagement in African conflict resolution efforts.
