‘Made in Saudi’ design bootcamp opened

Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar bin Ibrahim Alkhorayef, left, said that launching the design camp aimed at creating a unified brand identity for the national industry through local expertise. (Supplied)
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Updated 28 November 2020
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‘Made in Saudi’ design bootcamp opened

  • Minister Bandar bin Ibrahim Alkhorayef stresses need for program to reflect Kingdom’s global and regional position

JEDDAH: A design bootcamp to create the visual brand identity for the “Made in Saudi” program has been inaugurated by the Kingdom’s Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar bin Ibrahim Alkhorayef.

Nine Saudi designers are taking part in the bootcamp, after being selected by a panel from more than 400 applicants.
The minister, who is also chairman of the Saudi Export Development Authority (SAUDI EXPORTS), said there was a need for the program to reflect the Kingdom’s global and regional position and for it to “serve the Kingdom’s cultural identity and its substantial industrial capacities.”
He said the national industry capitalized on a heritage that spanned more than four decades and was widely acclaimed across all export markets.
The program was a national project for all Saudis and its identity should be designed by nationals in order to indicate that it was fully homegrown, the minister added.
“Launching the ‘Made in Saudi’ brand identity design camp aims at creating a unified brand identity for the national industry through local expertise, which will contribute to repositioning the Saudi product and advancing it toward new standards of reliability and excellence at all levels.”
He highlighted the role of the nation’s youth in promoting the distinctive position of the national industry domestically and globally, saying that the Kingdom firmly believed in the potential of its renewable resources, represented by its youth, and relied on them to take it to a new stage of innovation and creativity for a better future.




Nine Saudi designers, after being selected  from more than 400 applicants, are taking part in the bootcamp. (Supplied)

“Our young talents are the real wealth, and their efforts and innovations will contribute to the fulfillment of our leadership’s goals in terms of driving the national economy, and enhancing the Kingdom’s position as a global industrial power that contributes to empowering global production capabilities for a more sustainable future.”
Saleh Al-Solami, secretary-general of SAUDI EXPORTS, said that substantial efforts and initiatives had been announced by the Saudi leadership to empower the national industry since the implementation of the Vision 2030 reform plan.
“At the forefront of these endeavors is the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program (NIDLP), in addition to several other initiatives that have been launched to raise local content elements in the national product, under the supervision of the Local Content and Government Procurement Authority (LCGPA).
“In this context, the LCGPA issued the price preference policy for local content and the mandatory list for national products aiming to increase the public sector’s demand for local products in all industries.”


He said that the most prominent results of such initiatives were their contribution to the uninterrupted growth of non-oil gross domestic product and the volume of non-oil exports, which reached about SR318 billion ($84.8 billion) at end 2019.
He said that, despite the decline in the volume of non-oil exports during the first and second quarters of this year as a direct result of the COVID-19 outbreak, this indicator had reclaimed its upward trend in June.
Non-oil exports, driven by the industry and mining sector, recorded their highest rise since Jan. 2020 to reach SR16.6 billion in June, a monthly increase of 32 percent compared to May 2020.
“This sends a strong message on the ability of industrial production to be the safety valve for the national economy and a buffer ready to absorb future shocks and challenges,” he said.
The director of marketing and corporate communications at SAUDI EXPORTS and the head of the “Made in Saudi” program, Mazen Al-Jasser, said the design bootcamp was welcomed by the country’s young creatives and had attracted more applicants than expected.
He hailed the creative capabilities and skills of Saudi youth who, he said, had made achievements in many fields.
“These talents will have the honor to participate in designing an innovative brand identity for the national industry, which will be the unified emblem of the national product and a trusted verification of the excellence of Saudi products worldwide,” he added.
Al-Jasser said that companies wishing to join the program must meet the conditions and standards specified for each sector.
Member companies would benefit from competitive advantages including the promotional benefits of using the unified brand, which would provide their goods and services with easier access into local, regional, and global markets.
SAUDI EXPORTS is set to launch the “Made in Saudi” program during the first quarter of 2021.
The nine Saudi designers have been divided into three teams to create three different designs.
The designs will be put forward for an online public vote, but the final identity design has to be endorsed by the minister of industry and mineral resources and also the minister of culture.


Nearly 11m iftar meals served at Two Holy Mosques during first half of Ramadan

Updated 13 sec ago
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Nearly 11m iftar meals served at Two Holy Mosques during first half of Ramadan

  • Number iftar meals provided during Ramadan to has increased this year due to growth in the number of Umrah pilgrims at Grand Mosque and Prophet’s Mosque, officials say

MAKKAH: Saudi authorities provided almost 11 million iftar meals to Umrah pilgrims and other worshippers at the Two Holy Mosques in Makkah and Madina during the first half of Ramadan.

The General Authority for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque said on Monday, the 17th day of Ramadan, it has provided 10,822,999 iftar meals and 10,290,000 packets of dates so far during the holy month, which is a time of worship for Muslims during which they fast from sunrise to sunset.

The authority said the number of iftar meals it provides during Ramadan to pilgrims performing Umrah, and other visitors to the mosques, has increased this year due to growth in the number of pilgrims, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The food is served in designated iftar areas at the mosques, in adherence with strict health standards to ensure the safety of worshippers, it added.

In the run-up to the holy month, the authority introduced an online service through which individuals, charitable organizations and endowments could submit requests to donate iftar meals at the Grand Mosque, the SPA added.


Palestinian, Egyptian envoys awarded with King Abdulaziz Sash of the Second Class

Palestinian and Egyptian ambassadors to Saudi Arabia are awarded with the King Abdulaziz Sash of the Second Class on Monday. SPA
Updated 32 min 4 sec ago
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Palestinian, Egyptian envoys awarded with King Abdulaziz Sash of the Second Class

  • Basem Al-Agha and Ahmed Farouk Tawfiq were given the awards for their efforts to strengthen relations between their countries and the Kingdom

RIYADH: The Palestinian and Egyptian ambassadors to Saudi Arabia were awarded with the King Abdulaziz Sash of the Second Class on Monday. 

Basem Al-Agha and Ahmed Farouk Tawfiq were given the awards for their efforts to strengthen relations between their countries and the Kingdom, Saudi Press Agency reported.

Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji awarded the sashes on the directive of King Salman, SPA added. 


Saudi Culinary Arts Academy receives full institutional accreditation

Updated 17 March 2025
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Saudi Culinary Arts Academy receives full institutional accreditation

  • The accreditation follows an agreement signed on March 10 between the academy and the Education and Training Evaluation Commission

RIYADH: The Saudi Culinary Arts Academy (ZADC) was awarded a full institutional accreditation certificate on Sunday, with the support of Prince Saud bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Governor of the Eastern Province.

The recognition was granted during the inauguration ceremony of the academy’s new building on March 16.

The accreditation follows an agreement signed on March 10 between the academy and the Education and Training Evaluation Commission to implement institutional accreditation processes.

The achievement underscored ZADC’s commitment to maintaining the highest standards of quality and excellence in culinary education and training.

By equipping national talents with specialized skills, the academy aims to contribute to the growth of Saudi Arabia’s tourism and hospitality sector.

The achievement also aligns with the broader efforts of the Education and Training Evaluation Commission to ensure quality and excellence in education and training institutions across the Kingdom.


Saudi Foreign Ministry hosts Iftar reception for diplomats and international organizations

Updated 52 min 55 sec ago
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Saudi Foreign Ministry hosts Iftar reception for diplomats and international organizations

  • Several senior ministry officials attended

RIYADH: Under the patronage of Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and in the presence of Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji, the Foreign Ministry hosted a gathering of the heads of diplomatic missions, regional offices, and international organizations accredited to the Kingdom to mark the holy month of Ramadan.

The ministry hosted an iftar reception at its headquarters in Riyadh, and those attending, which included several senior ministry officials, exchanged Ramadan greetings and engaged in cordial discussions, enhancing communication with diplomatic missions in the Kingdom, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

 


Restoration for Jouf’s Al-Saidan Mosque in crown prince’s project

Updated 17 March 2025
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Restoration for Jouf’s Al-Saidan Mosque in crown prince’s project

  • Mosque is second oldest in region of northern Saudi Arabia
  • It will be expanded to accommodate 68 worshippers

RIYADH: The Al-Saidan Mosque is undergoing a restoration as part of the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Project for the Development of Historic Mosques.

The site is a significant landmark in Dumat Al-Jandal, the location of several battles in early Islamic history. It is the second oldest mosque in the Jouf region in northern Saudi Arabia, after the Omar bin Al-Khattab Mosque.

It is currently undergoing expansion and restoration as part of the project, which focuses on preserving historic sites in the Jouf region.

Its area is to be extended from 179 to 202 sq. meters to accommodate 68 worshippers, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The mosque was constructed by the Saidan tribe and features the Aba Al-Jibal well and an elaborate staircase leading to the ablution area. It used to be a place for Friday prayers, a courthouse, and a school for Qur’anic studies.