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A world of wonder in store during Riyadh Season 2024

A world of wonder in store during Riyadh Season 2024
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Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA), announced the details of the fifth Riyadh Season in a press conference held in Riyadh. (AN Photo: Huda Bashatah)
A world of wonder in store during Riyadh Season 2024
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Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA), announced the details of the fifth Riyadh Season in a press conference held in Riyadh. (AN Photo: Huda Bashatah)
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Updated 29 August 2024

A world of wonder in store during Riyadh Season 2024

A world of wonder in store during Riyadh Season 2024
  • Full program of events unveiled, including major international sporting events, exhibitions, theatrical performances and live music

RIYADH: Riyadh Season 2024, which begins on Oct. 12, will feature 14 entertainment zones, 11 world championships and 10 exhibitions and festivals.Ìı Ìı

Full details of the attractions and events during the fifth season were revealed on Wednesday at the St. Regis in VIA Riyadh by Turki Alalshikh, chairperson of the General Entertainment Authority.Ìı Ìı

He said they will take place within an area of over 7.2 million square meters, and that “4,200 contracts have been signed with 2,100 local companies that account for 95 percent of all businesses participating in the season.â€Ìı Ìı

Kingdom ArenaÌıÌı

Building on the growth in size and scale of previous seasons, Alalshikh said the Kingdom Arena zone has been expanded by more than 40 percent this year, boosting its capacity to over 27,000 spectators.Ìı Ìı

It will host four world championships, including the Oct. 12, season-opening IV Crown Showdown, a boxing card that includes the light heavyweight world title showdown between Russian boxers Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol.Ìı

Boxing fans can also look forward to a rematch between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk at the arena on Dec. 21, and the venue will also host the 2024 African Super Cup final on Sep. 27 between Egyptian sides Al-Ahly and Zamalek.Ìı Ìı

The Venue Ìı

Ìıâ€The Venue, a new area added to Riyadh Season this year, will host seven events including the Six King Slam, a tennis event in October featuring some of the world’s top players. Ìı

Organized by Riyadh Season and MBC Group, The Venue will also host the fifth Joy Awards, º£½ÇÖ±²¥â€™s largest event recognizing and honoring the Arab world’s leading artists and their achievements.Ìı Ìı

Set to take place in The Venue, the WWE Crown Jewel will be held on Nov. 2, and the Raw show on Nov. 3.Ìı Ìı

Dedicated to honoring marketing effectiveness in the Kingdom, the MENA Effie Awards ceremony will be held on Nov. 21 at The Venue.Ìı Ìı

Renowned fashion designer Elie Saab will launch his Fall 2025 collection inspired by Riyadh Season. Ìı

And for the first time, the Kingdom will welcome a Power Slap event, a competition in which contestants take turns slapping one another.Ìı Ìı

Boulevard WorldÌı Ìı

This season, Boulevard World will have five additional zones devoted to º£½ÇÖ±²¥, Turkiye, Iran, Africa and the French ski resort Courchevel, for a total of 19 zones. It will have 300 restaurants and cafes, and more than 1,400 shops. Ìı

Boulevard CityÌı

Boulevard City will have a busy schedule during Riyadh Season, with 25 restaurants and cafes, 12 plays, and 12 concerts.Ìı Ìı

Alalshikh said the city will also host a stand-up comedy evening featuring the star of the “Bad Boys†movie series, Martin Lawrence.Ìı Ìı

Manga and anime fans can look forward to a “Detective Conan†experience, while younger viewers will enjoy the event “Land of Dreams,†based on the “Bluey†cartoon series.Ìı Ìı

For gamers, there will be events focusing on PUBG Mobile and Five Nights at Freddy’s 2.Ìı Ìı

Aficionados of film scores can watch renowned German composer Hans Zimmer perform some of his most memorable movie themes live on stage.Ìı Ìı

Visitors will also get the chance to travel back in time to an era when dinosaurs roamed the Earth by visiting “Olulu,†a huge dinosaur exhibition featuring a model standing at over 20 meters tall.Ìı Ìı

Premier Padel P1Ìı Ìı

After a successful debut in February and March, Premier Padel P1, a high-level padel tournament, will return to Riyadh Season.Ìı Ìı

Along with the second World Snooker Masters event of the year, the opening of a snooker academy backed by superstar British player Ronnie O’Sullivan is also planned.Ìı Ìı

Padel Rush, a zone dedicated to playing padel in Boulevard City will host the “Cristiano Ronaldo Padel Experience†in partnership with the global superstar. Ìı

ÌıBoulevard RunwayÌı Ìı

This new venue, created in partnership with Saudia, features three Boeing 777 airplanes that have been transformed into retail spaces, restaurants, interactive experiences and games for adults and children.Ìı Ìı

Wonder GardenÌı Ìı

The Wonder Garden has been enhanced to accommodate more visitors. This year, it will offer over 60 theatrical and roaming shows, 65 games and experiences, and more than 40 restaurants.Ìı Ìı

Al-MurabbaÌı Ìı

A Christian Dior Exhibition and Museum will open in the historic Al-Murabba district during Riyadh Season, along with a Dior Cafe and a gift shop featuring 500 dresses, vintage and new. It follows similar exhibitions in New York and Paris.Ìı Ìı

The GrovesÌı Ìı

The Groves area will feature new cafes and restaurants, a theater overlooking a lake, and outdoor lounges. During Riyadh Season, The Groves will host live music, theatrical performances and art installations.Ìı Ìı

Dunes of ArabiaÌı Ìı

The Dunes of Arabia is designed to cater to desert enthusiasts by offering immersive experiences and activities such as sandboarding, desert buggy rides, dune treks, archery and camel riding.Ìı Ìı

Dog FestivalÌı Ìı

Riyadh Season will host its first Dog Festival. Over 350 dogs and their owners from around the world will compete in five championships set to take place at Boulevard Hall from Nov. 1 to Dec. 30.Ìı Ìı

Free areasÌı Ìı

For a third consecutive year, Riyadh Zoo will be one of three areas to offer free entry.Ìı Ìı

The second free area, Swaidi Park, which has been organized this year in association with the Ministry of Media, will for 45 days showcase the cultures of nine countries — Yemen, Sudan, Jordan, Egypt, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia and the Philippines — and the Levant region.Ìı Ìı

Meanwhile, Souq Al-Awwalin will offer an extensive shopping experience featuring traditional markets, handicrafts and clothing designed to appeal to visitors from both within and outside the Kingdom, as well as cultural performances. As part of Riyadh Season’s social responsibility initiatives, special event days for orphans will take place at Boulevard World and the Wonder Garden.


Saudi king, crown prince extend condolences to Indian president after air crash

Rescue officials carry a victim’s body at the site where Air India flight 171 crashed in a residential area near the airport.
Rescue officials carry a victim’s body at the site where Air India flight 171 crashed in a residential area near the airport.
Updated 7 sec ago

Saudi king, crown prince extend condolences to Indian president after air crash

Rescue officials carry a victim’s body at the site where Air India flight 171 crashed in a residential area near the airport.
  • The Air India passenger plane bound for London with more than 240 people on board crashed and exploded after takeoff and there were no known survivors

RIYADH: º£½ÇÖ±²¥â€™s King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman extended their condolences to Indian President Droupadi Murmu after a plane crashed after takeoff in India’s northwestern city of Ahmedabad on Thursday.

The Air India passenger plane bound for London with more than 240 people on board crashed and exploded after takeoff and there were no known survivors, officials said.

Black smoke billowed from the site where the plane crashed into a medical college hostel and burst into flames near the airport in Ahmedabad, a city of more than 5 million and the capital of Gujarat.

In separate cables, the king and crown prince extended their condolences to Murmu, the families of the deceased, and to the Indian people. They also wished the injured a speedy recovery.


Arab storytelling tradition makes region ideal for filmmaking: Katara executive

Arab storytelling tradition makes region ideal for filmmaking: Katara executive
Updated 23 min 16 sec ago

Arab storytelling tradition makes region ideal for filmmaking: Katara executive

Arab storytelling tradition makes region ideal for filmmaking: Katara executive
  • Demand for premium Arabic content that resonates with a global audience is the main driver for production company
  • Authenticity requires cultural integrity — such as maintaining dialect, accents and costumes

Riyadh: The Arab world’s roots in detailed storytelling means that the region is well suited to making movies, according to Hussein Fakhri, chief commercial officer and executive producer for Katara Studios, and the latest guest on The Mayman Show.

Founded in 2018, the Doha-based production powerhouse is behind regionally iconic projects such as the fantasy short film “The Lost Chapter of Kelileh & Demneh†and the ceremonies for the 2022 FIFA Arab Cup.

“Storytelling, I think, is in our DNA, as Arabs generally, right? We come from a long line of storytellers; it is really part of who we are,†Fakhri said. “For me, the sort of career advancement was very much evolutionary, organic, as I come from an advertising and marketing background.†

 

Before entering the world of filmmaking and immersive storytelling, Hussein started out in Dublin, Ireland, pioneering digital advertising in a market far from his cultural roots. Hussein left the marketing agency life and now leads Katara’s mission to produce bold, meaningful stories that resonate with a global audience with an unapologetically Arab perspective.

“I had my own advertising agency, and we had so much work that I had to found a film production company to be able to shoot our TV commercials,†Fakhri said. “I would hire filmmakers, and we started doing short films, more brand films and documentaries, and that just sort of evolved. I just love the craft, although I’m not a filmmaker myself, but I just love the business of it.†

 

Part of the work was instrumental in what eventually evolved into Katara Studios, founded by a group of talented filmmakers, he said. “Watching them work and watching the kind of stuff that they do — just the love for it grew, to be honest.†

The need for premium Arabic content that resonates with a global audience is the main driver for what Katara does creatively, he said.

 

“We have a huge audience. We have 500 million Arabic speakers. And we have very little premium content for them. There was a gap there that was spotted and an opportunity to be able to create premium content for this primary audience.†

The demand for premium Arabic content and the interest in Arabic culture made for a great recipe for success, he said.

 

“We also have a lot of people around the world that are very interested in our culture, are very interested in our part of the world. And I don’t think we’ve given them enough content to engage with us, and that’s what we are trying to do, ultimately.† 

With a culture as rich and layered as the Arab world’s, authenticity is not simply a goal — it is a responsibility for Katara Studios projects, he said, as they aim to bring stories to life with depth, accuracy, and heart, even when they are infused with other styles of filmmaking. 

 

Katara Studios is producing a fantasy Bedouin Western, and according to Fakhri, a balance for this genre experimentation and cultural authenticity is critical to telling a good story and being innovative without losing its Arab essence.

Asked how Bedouin storytelling could be showcased with this approach to experimental filmmaking, Fakhri said: “You know, I’m so glad you brought up that word because authenticity is the foundation for everything that we try to do. Genuinely, it has to be authentic. Because if it is not authentic — if you’re trying to please an audience just by throwing stuff in there — it shows every time.â€

 

Authenticity required cultural integrity — such as maintaining dialect, accents, costumes and other small and important details in the presentation — and this would then reflect very positively to the film, he said.

“You get every element of it right; it really comes through in the final product. So, we’re very careful to try to be as authentic as possible. And I think we’ve done that with this project,†Fakhri said.

 

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Rare kidney operation performed at King Faisal Specialist Hospital

KFSHRC-Riyadh performs ESG on a patient who had previously undergone a kidney transplant. (SPA)
KFSHRC-Riyadh performs ESG on a patient who had previously undergone a kidney transplant. (SPA)
Updated 47 min 41 sec ago

Rare kidney operation performed at King Faisal Specialist Hospital

KFSHRC-Riyadh performs ESG on a patient who had previously undergone a kidney transplant. (SPA)
  • Precise medication management needed for surgery
  • No stomach incisions, with suture done via the mouth

RIYADH: King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Riyadh recently performed a rare Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty on a patient who had previously undergone a kidney transplant.

In a statement, KFSHRC said the operation was considered “the first of its kind in the region.â€

It required “meticulous management of immunosuppressive medications and the prevention of any complications that could jeopardize the transplanted organ.

“This procedure marks a significant advancement in providing safe treatment solutions for transplant recipients, to improve their graft survival and quality of life.â€

The ESG procedure differs from surgical sleeve gastrectomy in that it requires no abdominal incisions, which is important for transplant patients.

Instead, it uses an endoscope inserted through the mouth to suture the stomach internally, effectively reducing its volume and enabling the patient to lose weight and improve overall health.

The procedure was performed by a multidisciplinary team of experts led by Dr. Ehab Abufarhaneh, consultant in adult transplant gastroenterology and hepatology.

Abufarhaneh told Arab News: “Performing endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty on a kidney transplant patient is exceptionally rare and complex due to the need to protect the transplanted organ while carefully managing immunosuppressive therapy.â€

“This procedure provides a safe therapeutic option for transplant recipients, addressing a critical medical challenge and helping preserve graft function through a minimally invasive approach tailored to their condition,†Abufarhaneh added.

The team included gastroenterologists, various transplant surgeons, anesthesiologists, and nursing staff.

In the statement, the hospital said it was “adopting innovative techniques tailored to the unique needs of transplant patients and developing treatment protocols that address post-transplant challenges.â€

The facility “reinforces its position as a regional referral hub for cases beyond the scope of conventional treatment pathways,†and as a leading healthcare provider in the region.

It was fulfilling its vision of being the optimal choice for patients supported by an integrated ecosystem of education, research, and clinical excellence that aligns with Saudi Vision 2030, the hospital stated.

The hospital has been ranked by Brand Financing 2025 as first in the Middle East and North Africa, and 15th globally on the list of the world’s top 250 Academic Medical Centers for the third consecutive year.

Additionally, it was included in the World’s Best Smart Hospitals list for 2025 by Newsweek magazine.


Hadiyah launches program to promote cultural and humanitarian engagement with pilgrims

Hadiyah launches program to promote cultural and humanitarian engagement with pilgrims
Updated 12 June 2025

Hadiyah launches program to promote cultural and humanitarian engagement with pilgrims

Hadiyah launches program to promote cultural and humanitarian engagement with pilgrims

RIYADH: The Hajj and Mutamer’s Gift Charitable Association (Hadiyah), based in Makkah, has launched the “Let Them Witness the Benefits†to offer enriching experiences to pilgrims after completion of the Hajj rituals, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The program aims to build bridges of cultural and humanitarian engagement between pilgrims and Saudi society by hosting pilgrims in Saudi homes, where they experience traditional hospitality and learn about the Kingdom’s values, customs and traditions, fostering a sense of closeness and belonging.

The chairman of Hadiyah, Hatem Al-Marzouki, said that the program is one of several initiatives designed to create a lasting positive effect after Hajj by strengthening cultural and humanitarian ties between pilgrims and Saudi society.

“Hadiyah’s services go beyond hospitality, offering a comprehensive and unforgettable experience that reflects the human values of the Saudi people,†he said.

Al-Marzouki said the program is part of an integrated system of high-quality initiatives aligned with the aspirations of Saudi leadership.

According to SPA, these initiatives aim to enhance the pilgrims’ experience and strengthen the Kingdom’s image as a global center for serving and caring for pilgrims, culturally and humanely.


420,070 workers served during Hajj 2025: Saudi statistics authorityÌı

420,070 workers served during Hajj 2025: Saudi statistics authorityÌı
Updated 12 June 2025

420,070 workers served during Hajj 2025: Saudi statistics authorityÌı

420,070 workers served during Hajj 2025: Saudi statistics authorityÌı
  • Over 1.6m pilgrims undertook Hajj, according to General Authority for Statistics

RIYADH: A total of 420,070 workers from the public and private sectors, including security services, worked to serve 1,673,230 pilgrims during this year’s Hajj, the General Authority for Statistics has reported.

Of the number, 92 percent were male and 8 percent female, GASTAT said in its Hajj Statistics Publication carried by the Saudi Press Agency recently.

The publication said there were 34,540 male and female volunteers at the holy sites, contributing a total of 2,134,398 volunteer hours during the Hajj season.

Elderly, infirm and disabled pilgrims are given assistance in moving around the holy sites. (SPA)

It also stated that 314,337 male and female pilgrims from eight countries benefited from the Makkah Route Initiative this year, representing 20.9 percent of all pilgrims.

This initiative, launched during the 2017 Hajj season, aims to streamline travel procedures for pilgrims.

GASTAT announced earlier that of this year’s 1,673,230 registered pilgrims, 1,506,576 arrived from abroad through various entry points. There were 166,654 citizens and residents who performed Hajj this year.

This year there were 877,841 male and 795,389 female pilgrims, the authority stated.

GASTAT said the statistics are based on records provided by the Ministry of Interior.

Workers spend a lot of effort to keep facilities in the holy sites clean and safe. (SPA)