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RIYADH: In an effort to improve global food security, Saudi aid agency KSrelief launched an initiative on Wednesday in Riyadh aimed at transforming small rural farm producers from aid recipients into active participants.

Among developing countries, the agency is taking the Bathraa initiative first into Yemen, where almost half of the population struggles with severe food insecurity. KSrelief officials hope to address the urgent needs of Yemenis while building long-term agricultural resilience.

Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, supervisor-general of KSrelief, told Arab News that Bathraa is among various initiatives undertaken by the agency “to empower communities, especially fragile communities globally, in the region and beyond, to ensure that we reach the sustainable development goals of the UN.”

He added: “If we look at Bathraa, it actually converts people, or communities, from being dependent on food to making food for themselves by supporting agriculture, farming, honey production, fishing, and you name it.”

The aim, he said, is to transform Bathraa “from a small initiative to a global initiative that will be supported by the UN, international communities, local governmental agencies, and NGOs.”

While more than 70 percent of Yemen’s population relies on agriculture, the country still imports 90 percent of its food. Initiatives such as Bathraa are therefore highly beneficial for these communities.

The Arabic word bathraa means “seed,” reflecting KSrelief’s goal to reduce dependency through comprehensive agricultural empowerment. Unlike other KSrelief initiatives that typically collaborate with UN agencies, Bathraa takes a different approach by leveraging ��������’s own agricultural strengths.

It partners with the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, the Saudi Reef Academy, the National Research and Development Center for Sustainable Agriculture, and the Cooperative Societies Council for this humanitarian program.

Through these collaborations, local communities will gain access to advanced technologies, sustainable farming methods, and technical expertise.

Bathraa follows a structured process, starting with field assessments, capacity building, provision of agricultural equipment and solar energy solutions, value chain enhancement, and the establishment of model farms.

KSrelief plans to extend its work beyond Yemen to other nations with similar conditions, creating a new model for humanitarian aid aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

RIYADH: Languages and laughter filled the Hyatt Regency Riyadh on Tuesday night as more than 250 guests joined the European Night of Languages, an annual celebration of Europe’s rich linguistic heritage and its growing cultural exchange with ��������.

Now in its fifth year, the event was organized by the delegation of the EU to �������� in partnership with the Language Exchange Club, a Saudi nonprofit that promotes intercultural understanding and multilingualism.

Christophe Farnaud, the EU’s ambassador to ��������, told Arab News: “The EU has always been in favor of the diversity of languages and to promote exchanges … in the context of this new ��������, that is now happening thanks to Vision 2030, culture is a very important element of it.”

The evening offered guests a chance to practice European languages, interact with ambassadors and diplomatic staff from the EU delegation, and see displays from EU member states’ embassies.

Language stations featured mini-lessons in Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Spanish, Ukrainian and Swedish.

As part of the cultural exchange, expats were also invited to try their hand at Arabic in a dedicated learning booth. The event also featured live performances, including an oud recital and a concert by a Portuguese band Almanata.

Farnaud added: “It’s a way to trigger or strengthen an interest for other cultures, other languages, which nowadays are very much needed. We live in a world where globalization makes exchanges bigger, stronger, permanent, but then the risk of misunderstanding is also bigger.

“So, if you speak the language, if you accept to have this kind of intellectual discipline to try and understand other people better, who do not always speak your own language, then you will take this globalization as something very positive, with less risks.”

Guests took part in language-themed games, trivia and quizzes, with free language courses offered as prizes.

Among the evening’s highlights was a talk by Saudi-based British media personality John Bin London, who shared his journey learning Arabic.

Known for his fluent Najdi dialect and social media presence celebrating Arab culture, he spoke about the deeper human connections that language learning fosters.

He told Arab News: “I think by getting people together in one room, for them to be able to speak together, to talk — not just Saudis and English people, but people from Lithuania, Romania, France, Portugal, from wherever — they get that opportunity to sit down with people and really get to know them.

“This may start off as a brief introduction, but what then happens there on, giving them those real life experiences, taking it past the basics of Saudi culture, of Saudi coffee and sadu … people are a bit more nuanced than that, so having events like this is really important.”

The event was supported by Alliance Francaise, Goethe-Institut, Education First, SEK International School Riyadh, Teach Me Arabic Academy and Hyphen.

Inspired by the annual European Day of Languages, celebrated on Sept. 26 and jointly organized by the European Commission and the Council of Europe, the Riyadh event reflected the shared goal of promoting linguistic diversity, strengthening intercultural understanding and encouraging lifelong language learning.