PARIS: Dominican monks from France explored Mada’in Salih more than a century ago.
It has been a fruitful few days for Saudi-French cultural relations, with the official visit of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman heralding the signing of several co-operation agreements ranging from setting up a national opera to developing tourism around archaeological sites.
But France’s links to Al-Ula, in northwest Saudi Arabia, go back much farther than the establishment of the Royal Commission for Al-Ula (RCU) eight months ago. Archaeologist Dr. Laila Nehmé began working with Saudi colleagues in 2002 and is co-director — with Saudi archaeologist Dr. Daisallah Talhi — of the Saudi-French excavation program at Madain Saleh.
Hers was the first foreign team since the 1970s to be allowed to work in the country. “And it was led by a woman! But we never had any problems with the Saudis. They would do anything to help us. They are our friends,” she told Arab News.
But Nehmé explained she is following in the footsteps of Frenchmen Antonin Jaussen and Raphael Savignac, who first explored Madain Saleh more than a century ago, in 1907.
The two men were Dominican monks from the French Biblical School in Jerusalem and both had a passion for archaeology.
Their five-volume “Mission Archaeologique en Arabie” became the standard reference work on Middle Eastern archaeology and was translated into Arabic.
“Those two Dominican fathers really started the relationship,” said Nehmé.
In the late 1990s, a small group of French academics began making contacts with Saudi counterparts through meeting them at international conferences. At the time, Saudi Arabia wanted Madain Saleh to be accorded World Heritage site status by UNESCO and sought help from the French.
“These relationships are built up over time,” said Nehmé, who is also senior research fellow at the French National Center for Scientific Research in Paris and has worked in Petra and on archaeological sites in Syria.
The existing settlements of Al-Ula, Al-Atheeb and Moghairah can already cater for visitors but are ripe for immediate development. They also offer access to only 2,000 square kilometers, a fraction of Al-Ula’s total area.
“There are also some nice hideaway resorts. It is possible to stay in Al-Ula in comfort already, but a hotel is much more than just a bed,” said Al-Madani. “We need better gastronomy and we intend to recruit chefs from all over the world. We need nightlife, performance, art, night walks. We don’t want to simply meet standards, we want to elevate them and set them for others to follow.”
A local airport opened four years ago and there are good roads; but improving public transport is another part of the project, along with linking up with plans for holiday resorts on the Red Sea, so visitors can spend time exploring the historic sites and follow up with a few days on the beach. The potential openings for anyone with the required skills, or the motivation to acquire them, seem almost limitless — a fact not lost on the young people of Al-Ula province. More than 2,100 people out of a local population of 70,000 applied for those 200 traineeships.
The chosen candidates will spend three to six months at college in Riyadh while careers advisers and psychologists assess their abilities and where they might be best applied.
“Then they will be sent out into the world, to improve their languages, to learn how to be independent,” said Al Madani.
Young girls and boys sent out into the world to be independent? It is not the picture most outsiders have of Saudi Arabia. The change in perception, the big plans, the breath-taking ambition of Vision 2030, all emanate from the country’s youthful crown prince.
“This is a new era for Saudi Arabia and it all comes from him,” said Al-Madani. The Al-Ula project, too? “Everything.”
A graduate of Harvard Business School, Al-Madani has 15 years’ experience in discovering and nurturing innovation. He is also a former chief executive of the General Entertainment Authority, the body charged with bringing cinema, live performances and sporting events back to the Kingdom.
But he talks about Al-Ula with such zeal that Amr Al-Madani truly gives the impression that he believes he has the best job in town — any town.
Certainly, re-introducing Al-Ula to the world is a bigger task than introducing the world to Al-Ula.
“Many centuries ago,” Al-Madani says, “Al-Ula was already used to seeing people from all over; Al Ula was global long, long ago.”
Depth of ties: A long history of French archaeology in Saudi Arabia
https://arab.news/yzxgx
Depth of ties: A long history of French archaeology in Saudi Arabia
- Saudi-French excavation program at Madain Saleh started in 2002
- Two Dominican monks were the first French to explore Madain Saleh
EU delegation to Riyadh celebrates Europe Day 2025
- We are privileged to be Saudi Arabia’s strategic partner says EU envoy
- Occasion celebrates day in 1950 when the Schuman Declaration was adopted
RIYADH: The Delegation of the European Union to Saudi Arabia hosted a reception on Thursday night at the ambassador’s residence in Riyadh’s diplomatic quarter to celebrate Europe Day.
Europe Day officially falls on May 9 to mark the adoption of the Schuman Declaration, which in 1950 laid the foundations of what would later become the European Union. The occasion holds special significance this year as it marks 75 years of the signing of the declaration.
Guest of honor was Saudi Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Waleed El Khereiji.
Christophe Farnaud, the EU ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Oman, said May 9, 1950 paved the way for the birth of the EU as a project of peace for the European continent.
What became known as the Schuman Declaration sought to make war “not merely unthinkable, but materially impossible.”
In recognition of this extraordinary achievement, the EU was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2012, he added.
The Schuman Declaration is a powerful reminder that peace is not a given. It must be nurtured, defended, and promoted, he said, adding that after being the battleground for two world wars, Europe learned the hard way that it is only through cooperation and creating interconnected societies that countries can achieve lasting peace, prosperity and progress.
While the world is changing rapidly and becoming more fragmented, the EU continues to promote dialogue, stability, prosperity and mutual understanding.
Against this backdrop, Farnaud said: “We are privileged to be Saudi Arabia’s strategic partner as the Kingdom opens up to the world, having embarked on a spectacular social and economic transformation under the Vision 2030 program.
This partnership grows stronger every day — solid, productive and expanding. We have found common ground across many sectors, including security, economic cooperation, energy, green transition, tourism, education, the arts and sports.”
Over the past year, he said, bilateral relations have achieved significant milestones and an exceptional number of high-level visits and exchanges between the EU and Saudi Arabia further strengthened ties.
In October last year, the first EU-Gulf Cooperation Council Summit was held in Brussels, a historic moment, with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attending.
“We have common geopolitical interests. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the ongoing major crisis in Palestine and Israel frame the challenges of our shared future. The EU welcomed the Saudi role to facilitate a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine,” Farnaud said.
“On the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, we have joined efforts to reinvigorate the political process toward a two-state solution and established the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, co-sponsored by Saudi Arabia, Norway and the EU,” he said.
On the economic front the EU is Saudi Arabia’s second-largest trading partner and its first direct foreign investor.
“But we want to go further, whether through free trade agreements, sectoral collaborations or expanded dialogue,” the ambassador said.
“Last year we launched the European Chamber of Commerce in Saudi Arabia, the first of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa region.
“Another area is security cooperation. Through naval operations Atalanta and Aspides, the EU contributes to freedom of navigation, safeguarding maritime security in this region, from the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean.”
The EU on Feb. 19 last year launched the EU Naval Force Operation Aspides, in response to escalating Houthi attacks on warships and merchant vessels in the Red Sea and northwest Indian Ocean.
Saudi Arabia takes part in Doha International Book Fair 2025
- Saudi delegation is led by the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia, represented by the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission, is participating in the 34th Doha International Book Fair 2025, being held at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center May 8-17.
The Saudi delegation, headed by the commission, includes prominent literary and cultural figures including representatives from the King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives, the King Abdulaziz Public Library, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance, the King Fahd National Library, Nasher Publishing and Distribution Co., and the Publishing Association.
The Saudi pavilion features a rich and diverse array of cultural and literary content that reflects the vibrant creative landscape of the Kingdom.
Dr. Abdullatif Al-Wasel, CEO of the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission, emphasized that the Kingdom’s participation in the Doha International Book Fair stems from the strong cultural ties between the Kingdom and Qatar.
He explained that the commission seeks, through this participation, to enhance joint cooperation in the fields of literature, publishing, and translation, given the flourishing cultural movement and intellectual advancement witnessed in the Kingdom and Qatar.
He noted that the exhibition represents a supportive opportunity for the publishing market, allowing Saudi publishers to connect with their counterparts from around the world.
The book fair serves as an important platform to boost the Kingdom’s presence on the international stage, opening doors for knowledge exchange and fostering engagement with intellectuals and publishing houses from around the world, embodying cultural integration that enriches both parties and enhances intercultural dialogue.
Through its participation in the fair, Saudi Arabia aims to provide visitors from various countries with the opportunity to see the extent of the cultural progress and transformation taking place in the Kingdom under Saudi Vision 2030, particularly in the literature, publishing, and translation sectors.
The Doha International Book Fair launched in 1972, and organized by the Ministry of Information and Culture, was transformed into an international exhibition in 1982.
Saudi science and engineering team heads to US for ISEF 2025 competition
RIYADH: A Saudi science and engineering team left the Kingdom today, heading to Columbus, Ohio to compete at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair 2025, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The event, the world’s largest scientific platform for research and innovative projects for pre-university students, will take place May 10–16, with the participation of more than 1,700 students representing 70 countries.
According to SPA, the Kingdom, represented by Mawhiba and the Ministry of Education, has participated annually in this fair since 2007, winning 160 awards in total — 110 grand prizes and 50 special prizes.
The Saudi team includes 40 students participating in distinguished projects in promising scientific fields, selected from among the top winners of the grand prizes in the National Olympiad for Scientific Creativity, or Ibdaa 2025. These finalists were chosen from a competitive pool of 200 students whose projects qualified for the last round of the Olympiad, which is one of 20 programs that Mawhiba offers annually for gifted students.
In late 2024, the organizing body of ISEF announced an increase in the number of Saudi projects participating in the 2025 fair to 40, up from 35 in previous editions.
Engineer Anas Al-Hunaihan, director of research programs and innovation development at Mawhiba, explained that three key factors contributed to this expanded participation were: “The demonstrated excellence of Saudi projects at past international competitions, significant growth in the National Olympiad for Scientific Creativity registration numbers, and broader student engagement in both regional and central educational exhibitions throughout the Kingdom.”
According to SPA, more than 291,000 students registered for Ibdaa 2025, submitting 23,000 projects across 22 scientific categories. These projects underwent competition and selection through various stages to advance to the Ibdaa Science and Engineering Fair, which was hosted by Imam Mohammed bin Saud Islamic University in Riyadh last February.
Prior to their departure, the team members completed comprehensive training regimens spanning an entire year implemented by Mawhiba, aimed at developing their scientific and research skills and preparing them to represent the Kingdom in global forums.
Gates Foundation ‘appreciates’ Saudi Arabia’s leadership amid global aid funding cuts
- Mark Suzman tells Arab News that regional office in Riyadh will help achieve health, development goals
- Bill Gates announces he will distribute $200 billion by 2045 in effort to give away almost all his wealth
LONDON: Saudi Arabia is playing a “growing global leadership role” as the US and European countries drastically cut foreign aid and development funding, the Gates Foundation CEO told Arab News on Thursday.
Speaking as his organization announced a new strategy to give away $200 billion over the next 20 years, Mark Suzman said a planned regional office in Riyadh would help the foundation achieve its long-term goals.
He said the foundation, which is chaired by the Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, would continue pursuing the eradication of polio, a campaign that Saudi Arabia has pledged hundreds of million of dollars toward.
The Gates Foundation “deeply appreciated” the leadership shown by the Kingdom “as some of the traditional donors are pulling back,” Suzman said.
The foundation’s new timeline was decided long before the Trump administration radically cut foreign aid spending in January, followed by the UK, France and other European countries.
In light of those cuts, the foundation is “very strongly making the case, whether it’s in Washington, D.C., or London, or Paris, or Berlin, that with the resources that are still focused on development, it is imperative that they get applied to the highest impact opportunities,” Suzman said.
Those opportunities include the Gavi Vaccine Alliance and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria — two programs that are estimated to have saved at least 80 million lives in the last 25 years.
Suzman said both programs needed replenishing in the coming months and that he hoped even with the fiscal challenges those governments are facing they would still provide funding.
“At the same time, though, we are really appreciative of the way in which not just Saudi Arabia but other countries in the Gulf have been leaning in and showing a much bigger global leadership role,” he added.
Another key area the foundation will continue to focus on is polio vaccination campaigns. Last year Saudi Arabia pledged $500 million to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, which is heavily supported by Gates.
Suzman said he hopes that within three to five years, polio, which is now only endemic in Afghanistan and Pakistan, will become the second disease after smallpox to be eradicated.
“For us, it’s full steam ahead, and we actually hope that will then free up resources, not just from us, but from growing development partners like the Kingdom or like others in the Gulf, such as the UAE and Qatar.”
He said those resources could then be reallocated to other areas of global health and development, including agricultural and financial inclusion.
During the announcement of the polio campaign funding in April last year, the foundation also said it would open a new Middle East office in Riyadh at the Mohammed Bin Salman Nonprofit City.
Suzman said the decision to open a Saudi office was due to the polio partnership but also other areas of cooperation with the Kingdom.
The office, which is expected to open early next year, would be part of a growing global network that builds partnerships intended to focus on “long-term health and development goals,” he said.
The foundation also partners with Saudi Arabia on the Lives and Livelihoods Fund, which aims to reduce poverty in Islamic countries.
In November, Gates and the Mohammed Bin Salman Foundation, known as Misk, announced the Challenge for Change program to support nonprofits and social enterprises in the Kingdom.
A Gates Foundation announcement on Thursday said Bill Gates would dramatically speed up the disbursement of almost all of his fortune.
The organization aims to distribute $200 billion by 2045 in what it described as the largest philanthropic commitment in modern history. The foundation would then come to an end.
“People will say a lot of things about me when I die, but I am determined that ‘he died rich’ will not be one of them,” Gates said as he marked the foundation’s 25th anniversary.
He also warned that decades of progress in reducing death rates from disease and poverty would be reversed due to the cuts in aid funding by governments in the US and Europe.
“It’s going to be millions more deaths because of the resources,” Gates told Reuters.
Teucrium Oliverianum plant helping to mitigate desertification in Saudi Arabia’s north
- Known locally as Al-Aihlan or Ahneh, it has spread extensively throughout the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve
RIYADH: The perennial herbaceous plant Teucrium Oliverianum has spread extensively throughout Saudi Arabia’s Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve, indicating a balanced ecosystem, the Saudi Press Agency reported recently.
Citing experts, the report noted that the reserve has had a remarkable expansion in healthy and stable vegetation cover, “the best condition since its establishment in 2018.”
This has helped to combat desertification and soil erosion, the SPA reported.
Known locally as Al-Aihlan or Ahneh, the plant has long, thin stems and delicate leaves, coated with fine bristles that help minimize water loss, adding to its adaptability to harsh environments.
Native to the Arabian Peninsula, the plant is highly valued for grazing. It also provides shelter and sustenance for various small desert animals and insects, making it an essential part of the natural food chain.
In an earlier report, SPA quoted wild plant expert Abdullah Al-Barrak as saying Teucrium Oliverianum was also a valuable food source for honeybees.
Renowned for its evergreen or semi-evergreen leaves and striking blue-violet flowers, the plant has become an iconic symbol of the flora of the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve.
The 91,500 sq. km reserve, formerly known as Al-Taysiyah Natural Reserve, is the second-largest of its kind in the Kingdom, spread across regions of Hail, Qassim, Al-Jouf, Northern Borders and the Eastern Province.
The reserve’s vegetation cover has surged from 1.5 percent in 2018 to an impressive 6.7 percent, and now has over 179 plant species, including 113 seasonal and 66 perennial varieties, officials have said.
