‘Craftsman Bus’ to promote traditional arts across Kingdom
‘Craftsman Bus’ to promote traditional arts across Kingdom/node/2578654/saudi-arabia
‘Craftsman Bus’ to promote traditional arts across Kingdom
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A platform on wheels has been rolled out to celebrate and promote traditional arts through a tour across the Kingdom’s regions. (SPA)
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A platform on wheels has been rolled out to celebrate and promote traditional arts through a tour across the Kingdom’s regions. (SPA)
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A platform on wheels has been rolled out to celebrate and promote traditional arts through a tour across the Kingdom’s regions. (SPA)
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A platform on wheels has been rolled out to celebrate and promote traditional arts through a tour across the Kingdom’s regions. (SPA)
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A platform on wheels has been rolled out to celebrate and promote traditional arts through a tour across the Kingdom’s regions. (SPA)
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A platform on wheels has been rolled out to celebrate and promote traditional arts through a tour across the Kingdom’s regions. (SPA)
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Updated 09 November 2024
Arab News
‘Craftsman Bus’ to promote traditional arts across Kingdom
Updated 09 November 2024
Arab News
RIYADH: A platform on wheels has been rolled out to celebrate and promote traditional arts through a tour across the Kingdom’s regions.
The “Craftsman Bus,” an initiative of the Royal Institute of Traditional Arts, will run until Nov. 23, offering cultural and creative experiences with live performances, interactive activities, parades, creative workshops and community art showcases.
Each weekend, the bus stops at King Faisal Park (Education Park) in Hafr Al-Batin governorate, the historic market in Dumat Al-Jandal governorate, and concludes its journey at the heritage village in Jazan.
The event features live demonstrations by skilled local craftsmen, showcasing traditional arts such as Sadu weaving, hand embroidery, wickerwork, leather tanning, incense making, stone carving and metal crafting to create ornaments and jewelry with a traditional flair.
It offers visitors the opportunity to learn traditional crafts and unleash their creativity through interactive artistic workshops.
The bus travels to selected locations, showcasing performances that highlight the unique cultural heritage of each region.
The journey begins with Samri art in Hafar Al-Batin governorate, continues with Dahha art in Dumat Al-Jandal governorate and concludes with the vibrant Azzawi art in Jazan, bringing traditional performing arts closer to communities.
The Royal Institute of Traditional Arts is a pioneering institution dedicated to showcasing ’s national identity and elevating traditional arts on both the local and global stages.
Its mission is to preserve the heritage of these arts, celebrate living treasures and pioneers, and recognize distinguished individuals in the field.
By supporting national talent and encouraging the mastery and development of traditional crafts, the institute is ensuring that the rich legacy of ’s creative arts remains vibrant, innovative and celebrated for generations to come.
Saudi artists revive ancient palm weaving in Al-Ahsa
Al-Khoos craft returns to redefine what it means to create from the land for the future
Updated 17 sec ago
Waad Hussain
Al-Ahsa: In the heart of Al-Ahsa’s desert oasis, where palm trees stretch endlessly across the horizon, the ancient art of Al-Khoos weaving is being reimagined by a new generation of Saudi creators.
Al-Khoos Residency, held from Oct. 3-14, gathered Saudi artists and designers to explore how the palm-weaving tradition can inspire contemporary design and architecture.
Once a humble craft of necessity, the practice is now finding renewed meaning in architecture, art and design — serving as a bridge between heritage and the future.
For architect and designer Abeer Seikaly, Al-Khoos is more than a craft; it is a dialogue between humanity and nature, a rhythm of giving and gratitude passed down through the palm tree itself.
Artist and Designer Jana Malaikah, who presented her work PalmScapes. (Ithra Studios-Photography)
“Al-Khoos weaving grows from the palm, a tree that defines the natural and cultural landscape of and carries the memory of its land,” Seikaly told Arab News. “Every part of it has a use, every part holds knowledge. The act of weaving is an act of gratitude … it extends the life of the palm into objects that serve and endure.”
To Seikaly, architecture and craft share the same devotion and respect for material. “Architecture is born from the same understanding that guides the hand of the craftsman,” she said. “When I look to traditional crafts, I see a system of thought and a way of relating to the earth and to community. True progress is continuity through understanding.”
Her approach embodies the essence of Al-Khoos: creating harmony between the hand and the land. “The craftsman, the architect, the farmer — all speak the same language through their hands,” she said. “To see this harmony is to rediscover balance between human and earth, between work and worship.”
Through her work, she hopes audiences rediscover the sacred connection between making and meaning.
(Ithra Studios-Photography)
For artist and researcher Maisa Shaldan, the threads of Al-Khoos hold more than beauty — they hold memory. Her project, “Al-Khoos Memory: Silent Civilization,” explores how weaving becomes a form of remembrance.
“Within its strands lies the silence of centuries and the memory of hands that shaped the world through patience and rhythm,” she said. “The act of weaving mirrors the act of remembering, where threads from different times intertwine to form a single fabric that resists disappearance.”
Shaldan sees the craft as a universal language that transcends cultures. “Wherever it is practiced, the palm-leaf weave follows a familiar rhythm, as if the same stories are told anew within its strands,” she said.
To her, memory is both loom and thread, the invisible structure that ties the past to the present: “In traditional practices, memory is not contained in the final product alone but lives in rhythm, in the repetition of movement, and in the knowledge passed down through body and time,” she explained. “Through remembering, whether by practice, storytelling or art, we preserve the spirit of heritage.”
Shaldan believes ’s growing art and design scene offers fertile ground for this preservation.
(Ithra Studios-Photography)
“Art and research together form a bridge between emotion and knowledge,” she said. “In , this union can preserve heritage not as a static memory, but as a living practice that engages with the present.”
For artist and designer Jana Malaikah, who presented “PalmScapes” at the residency, the palm tree represents both personal and cultural identity. “I grew up surrounded by palm trees in Al-Khobar, but it wasn’t until I left for my studies that I began to really notice them,” she said. “PalmScapes was my way of exploring that uniqueness while connecting it back to heritage, culture and the environment.”
Through photography, material experimentation and paper made from palm fibers, Malaikah reinterprets the palm as a symbol of resilience and memory. “Design, for me, is a form of storytelling,” she said. “Each process — from photographing to printing to making paper — brought me closer to understanding the tree and, in a way, myself.”
Her message to younger artists is simple: Slow down. “I hope PalmScapes encourages artists and designers to slow down, to observe, question and connect with what surrounds them,” she said. “There’s so much to learn from what’s already there — from materials and environments we often overlook.”
Malaikah’s philosophy aligns with the broader spirit of the residency; a call to look inward, to learn from what the land offers, and to transform awareness into art. “Every experiment, every trace, teaches something about place, material and self,” she said. “If PalmScapes inspires someone to see beauty in what feels ordinary, then it has achieved its purpose.”
As Al-Ahsa continues to emerge as a cultural hub under ’s Vision 2030, the revival of Al-Khoos weaving stands as a metaphor for the Kingdom’s own evolution — grounded in tradition, yet reaching toward innovation.
RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan arrived in Egypt on Monday to lead the Kingdom’s delegation at the historic Gaza peace summit.
More than 20 world leaders are expected to attend the Sharm El-Sheikh event, which aims to solidify an international commitment to peace following two years of devastating violence in the Gaza Strip.
The high-level meeting is being co-chaired by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and US President Donald Trump.
نيابةً عن سمو ..
سمو وزير الخارجية يصل إلى مصر لترؤس وفد المملكة المشارك في قمة شرم الشيخ للسلام التي ستشهد توقيع اتفاق إنهاء الحرب في قطاع .
— وزارة الخارجية (@KSAMOFA)
In a statement, Egypt said the summit seeks “to end the war in the Gaza Strip, enhance efforts to bring peace and stability to the Middle East, and usher in a new phase of regional security and stability.”
’s participation highlights its diplomatic push for a comprehensive regional peace framework and the protection of civilian lives in Gaza.
Since October 2023, Israeli attacks have killed more than 67,800 Palestinians, mostly women and children.
Riyadh Expo’s CEO bids to learn lessons from Osaka
Talal Al-Marri points to ‘remarkable achievements of Expo 2025’
Updated 13 October 2025
Khaldon Azhari
OSAKA: Talal Al-Marri, the CEO of Expo 2030 Riyadh, has congratulated Japan on “the remarkable achievements of Expo 2025” and its success in attracting more than 25 million visitors.
“It sets a high benchmark for all future hosts,” he told Arab News Japan. “And Expo 2030 Riyadh is certainly taking forward many lessons from Osaka’s success as we prepare to host the next world expo.
“From the outset, the Expo 2030 Riyadh team has been present on the ground in Osaka, learning directly from the organizers, the host city, and participating nations and organizations.”
Among the lessons learned, he said, were the event’s openness and the responsiveness of the organizers and their ability to react quickly to both challenges and opportunities. He also noted a strong business engagement, particularly with private-sector participation, and admired how Osaka inspired a deep sense of national pride across Japan.
Al-Marri added: “Expo became a symbol of unity and creativity for the Japanese people, which is a legacy we deeply admire. In , national pride is equally important, and Expo 2030 Riyadh will be a moment to share that pride with the world.”
He said one of the opportunities of the event was the ability to facilitate business, and added: “As we’ve seen in Osaka, a world expo generates major economic activity and collaboration across sectors, at every stage of preparation and delivery.
“The private sector is a critical component of the journey, from early-stage construction to operations, event management, retail and F&B (food and beverage) during Expo 2030 and beyond to create a lasting legacy.”
He said Japanese companies would be able to leverage their abilities at Riyadh 2030, especially in areas such as architecture and design, engineering, smart mobility, and artificial intelligence and data platforms.
Echoing the words of Saudi Ambassador to Japan Dr. Ghazi Faisal Binzagr, Al-Marri stressed how expos offer something “profoundly human, (and) the opportunity for people to meet in person, share ideas, and experience innovation firsthand. This kind of global dialogue simply cannot be replicated elsewhere, and it underscores the importance of expos as platforms for genuine exchange.”
Al-Marri also said Riyadh’s strategic location was important as it was situated within an eight-hour flight of 60 percent of the world’s population. He said: “The city is a natural hub linking Asia, the Middle East and beyond. With our ambition to have 197 participant countries, we are planning for a diverse and representative expo that truly brings the world together in Riyadh.”
The capital’s themes will include sustainable solutions, prosperity, and transformative technology, which, he said, will create spaces for innovation and inspiration.
He added: “Expo 2030 Riyadh has a responsibility, working with our international partners, to deliver something truly extraordinary in 2030; not just a physical site, but a living vision for the future.
“Expo 2030 Riyadh will tell a story of real transformation. It’s about a country that set a bold vision through Vision 2030 and is now opening its doors to show it in action. Expo 2030 Riyadh will be a living example of how ’s vision became reality. What is important to understand is that the expo is empowered by Vision 2030, not the other way around.
“Expo 2030 Riyadh will embody ’s ongoing transformation. It will not simply present the Kingdom to the world; it will invite the world to experience as it is today: dynamic, confident, collaborative, and ready to lead on the global stage.”
BIE flag officially handed over from Osaka Expo to Expo 2030 Riyadh
Updated 13 October 2025
Arab News Japan
OSAKA: The BIE flag on Monday was officially lowered and handed over from the Expo 2025 Osaka to Expo 2030 Riyadh, represented by Ibrahim Al-Sultan, Saudi minister of state and CEO of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City.
After the flag handover, a video, “A Journey of Foresight,” was shown at the Osaka expo’s closing ceremony, giving those in attendance a glimpse of what is to come at Riyadh’s expo.
Running from Oct. 1, 2030, to March 31, 2031, Expo 2030 Riyadh is set to welcome more than 42 million visits from 197 countries and 29 organizations. Spanning 6 million sq. m and structured around five thematic zones, the event will explore forward-looking solutions for a more sustainable and inclusive future.
Expo 2030 Riyadh will serve as a global platform for innovation and collaboration. Following the six-month event, the site will evolve into a permanent global village, leaving a lasting legacy for Riyadh, the Kingdom, and the wider world.
BIE member states elected in 2023 as host country of World Expo 2030, which will be organized in Riyadh under the theme “The Era of Change: Together for a Foresighted Tomorrow.”
The ceremony was attended by Crown Prince Akishino, Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru, Saudi Ambassador to Japan Dr. Ghazi Faisal Binzagr, Expo Secretary General Ishige Hiroyuki, Osaka Governor Yoshimura Hirofumi and Bureau International des Expositions General Assembly President Alain Berger.
Opening remarks were given by Chairperson of the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition Tokura Masakazu, who said that the Osaka expo would not have been “so successful” without all the countries and regions’ participation.
The Scout Association of Japan, Osaka Sumiyoshi Boys and Girls Choir then raised the Japanese Flag and sang the Japanese national anthem.
Yoshimura Hirofumi, governor of Osaka prefecture, told the audience at the closing ceremony that 28 million visitors passed through the expo gates.
He added that he would like to see Japan host a world expo again someday.
Japan’s Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru also addressed the closing ceremony, saying that he recalled the concerns over the expo before it opened. However, he said all the challenges were faced “one by one.”
Ishiba announced that he had presented the prime minister’s commendation to Expo 2025 Osaka’s mascot Myaku Myaku on Monday morning.
Crown Prince Akishino, honorary president of Expo 2025 Osaka, told the closing ceremony of his “deep respect for all those involved in the contribution to the expo.”
The Osaka-Kansai expo entered its final day on Monday with crowds pouring in to view the final-day ceremonies. The expo opened on April 13 and will be succeeded by expos in Belgrade (2027) and Riyadh (2030).
There was also flag handovers to Belgrade, the venue for the 2027 expo and Yokohama for the International Horticultural Expo 2027.
Saudi leadership offers condolences to Qatari emir after diplomats’ deaths in Egypt/node/2618649/saudi-arabia
Saudi leadership offers condolences to Qatari emir after diplomats’ deaths in Egypt
King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman expressed sympathy with the Qatari people
Qatari embassy in Cairo announced that the injured and the deceased would be repatriated later on Sunday to Doha
Updated 12 October 2025
Arab News
RIYADH: King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman expressed their condolences to the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, following the death of three Qatari diplomats in Egypt.
The leaders of each sent a cable to the emir on Sunday.
“We send to Your Highness, the family of the deceased and the people of Qatar our deepest condolences and sincere sympathy,” King Salman said in a cable, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
In a separate message, the Saudi crown prince and prime minister conveyed his condolences and sympathy to the Qatari emir and the families of the deceased, wishing a speedy recovery to the injured, according to the SPA.
The three Qatari diplomats were killed and two others were injured in a car crash on Saturday while traveling to Egypt’s Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, roughly 50 km (31 miles) from their destination.
The Qatari embassy in Cairo announced that the injured and the deceased would be repatriated later on Sunday to the capital, Doha.