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Diriyah Season 24/25 launches celebration of history, culture and arts

Diriyah Season 24/25 launches celebration of history, culture and arts
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In the historic At-Turaif district and Bujairi Terrace, visitors will embark on a journey filled with cultural and artistic expression. (Supplied)
Diriyah Season 24/25 launches celebration of history, culture and arts
2 / 2
In the historic At-Turaif district and Bujairi Terrace, visitors will embark on a journey filled with cultural and artistic expression. (Supplied)
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Updated 20 December 2024

Diriyah Season 24/25 launches celebration of history, culture and arts

Diriyah Season 24/25 launches celebration of history, culture and arts
  • Diriyah Season 24/25 will kick off with the Enduring Resilience Exhibition

RIYADH: The Diriyah Company has announced the launch of Diriyah Season 24/25, which begins on Friday, Dec. 20 with a display of Diriyah’s heritage, hospitality, and immersive cultural experiences through various programs.

Jerry Inzerillo, CEO of the Diriyah Company, said: “We anticipate welcoming three million visitors to At-Turaif district, the birthplace of the Kingdom, by Founding Day on Feb. 22, 2025.

“We are breaking records in visitor numbers and forming numerous partnerships for ground and tour operations, with new flights already arriving from countries like China. The international presence in Bujairi is evident every night, making it one of the world’s premier gathering spots.”

Under the theme “Entertain Your Cultural Curiosity,” Diriyah Season 24/25 will kick off with the Enduring Resilience Exhibition, honoring the legacy of Imam Turki bin Abdullah, who founded the Second Saudi State 200 years ago. The much-anticipated Layali Diriyah returns with innovative experiences, while Minzal invites visitors to appreciate the natural beauty and heritage of Diriyah in a winter wonderland.

Guests can engage with the “850” interactive experience, immersing themselves in the narratives of significant historical figures. The Diriyah Storytelling Festival will celebrate literature and promote cultural exchange. Additionally, the Tyn Festival will bring together architects, academics and enthusiasts to celebrate the region’s tradition of mud architecture.

In the historic At-Turaif district and Bujairi Terrace, visitors will embark on a journey filled with cultural and artistic expression. The Souq program combines performing arts with a heritage backdrop enriched by modern elements. Lastly, the Samri Art Activities will offer interactive performances of Samri folk music and dance at various locations in Diriyah throughout the season.


ֱ denounces Israeli incursion into Syrian territories

ֱ denounces Israeli incursion into Syrian territories
Updated 27 min 37 sec ago

ֱ denounces Israeli incursion into Syrian territories

ֱ denounces Israeli incursion into Syrian territories
  • Syria says Israel takes some territory around Mount Hermon despite talks
  • An Israeli military spokesperson said troops carried out a routine operational activity in an area of southern Syria

ֱ strongly condemned Israeli incursions inside the Syrian border, it was announced on Tuesday, calling them “a flagrant violation of the sovereignty” of Syria. 

A statement from the Saudi Foreign Ministry said: “The Kingdom of ֱ expresses its strong condemnation and denunciation of the continuation of Israeli violations, its incursion into Syrian territories, and its interference in its internal affairs.”

It added the act was “a flagrant violation of the sovereignty” of Syria and international law and also violated “the disengagement agreement signed between Syria and Israel in 1974, which comes amid the tension in the situation in the Sweida Governorate.”

 

Syria said on Monday that Israel had sent 60 soldiers to take control of an area inside the border around Mount Hermon. The Syrian government said the operation violated its sovereignty and posed a further threat to regional security.

“This dangerous escalation is considered a direct threat to regional peace and security,” said a statement from Syria’s foreign ministry.

A spokesman for the Israeli military said troops carried out routine operational activity in an area of southern Syria but did not operate in Beit Jinn, an area close to the border with Lebanon and near Mount Hermon.

Monday's incident took place near a strategic hilltop overlooking Beit Jinn, according to the Syrian ministry. It was also reported that Israel arrested six Syrians there.

The incident comes as the two countries engage in US-mediated talks on de-escalating their conflict in southern Syria. Damascus hopes to reach a security arrangement that could eventually pave the way for broader political talks.

 


Global symposium charts future of digital regulation

Global symposium charts future of digital regulation
Updated 26 August 2025

Global symposium charts future of digital regulation

Global symposium charts future of digital regulation
  • GSR25 will close with a resolution outlining regulatory principles for the post-digital era

RIYADH: The Global Symposium for Regulators opens in Riyadh next week, bringing together delegates from more than 190 countries to discuss the future of digital regulation.

With the theme “Regulation for Sustainable Digital Development,” the event is being hosted by ֱ’s Communications, Space and Technology Commission with the UN International Telecommunication Union. It will address topics including artificial intelligence, sixth-generation networks and the integration of terrestrial and non-terrestrial systems. 

Officials say the symposium marks a milestone in shaping global digital governance, stressing the role of regulators in driving innovation, protecting consumers, and closing the digital divide while advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals. 

It comes as ֱ aims to become a global digital leader following its appointment to the UN’s ITU digital regulation network board. Internet use in the Kingdom reached 99 percent in 2024.

GSR25 will close with a resolution outlining regulatory principles for the post-digital era, based on participants’ insights and session recommendations.


Riyadh Metro surpasses 100m passengers in under 9 months

Riyadh Metro surpasses 100m passengers in under 9 months
Updated 26 August 2025

Riyadh Metro surpasses 100m passengers in under 9 months

Riyadh Metro surpasses 100m passengers in under 9 months
  • Metro also has an on-time performance rate of 99.7%

RIYADH: The Riyadh Metro has reached a major milestone by carrying over 100 million passengers since its launch in December 2024.

Operated by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, the metro has also maintained an on-time performance rate of 99.7 percent, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.

One of its routes, the blue line, recorded the highest usage with 46.5 million riders. The red line ranked second with 17 million, followed by the orange line with 12 million.

Among the busiest stations were Qasr Al-Hokm, KAFDA, stc, and the National Museum, which accounted for more than 29 percent of total ridership.

Completed in four years, the metro is the world’s longest driverless network, extending 176 km across the capital. The system aims to enhance mobility, expand choices, and reinforce public transport as a solution for the capital.

The metro aligns with ֱ’s Vision 2030, which aims to modernize the transport sector. There are plans to expand the railway network by more than 50 percent to connect major cities and boost trade.


Saudi-owned Arabic app HUMAIN Chat launches in Kingdom

Saudi-owned Arabic app HUMAIN Chat launches in Kingdom
Updated 26 August 2025

Saudi-owned Arabic app HUMAIN Chat launches in Kingdom

Saudi-owned Arabic app HUMAIN Chat launches in Kingdom
  • AI app is ‘fluent’ in Arab and Islamic culture, values and heritage
  • Built in Kingdom by ‘Saudi talent,’ says HUMAIN CEO Tareq Amin

RIYADH: ֱ launched HUMAIN Chat, an Arabic artificial-intelligence app, in the Kingdom on Monday, which the company says is trained on the world’s largest datasets of the language.

The product is HUMAIN’s first application in its AI suite and is powered by an Arabic model called ALLAM 34B, which was created in ֱ by local developers, the company stated in a press release.

HUMAIN, an AI company wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund, was launched in May by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and aims to develop Arabic large-language models, and position the Kingdom as a global hub for technology innovation.

The app is available on iOS and Android devices as well as through a web browser, and will be rolled out soon to other Arabic-speaking countries, the company stated.

HUMAIN’s CEO Tareq Amin said: “The launch of HUMAIN Chat is a point of pride for ֱ, marking a historic milestone in our mission to build sovereign AI that is both technically advanced and culturally authentic.”

ALLAM, which was built by a team of over 120 AI specialists, including 35 researchers with doctorates, has been designed to serve the 350 million people who speak Arabic across the globe.

The model is culturally mindful, capable of dialect comprehension, and able to understand the different types of Arabic spoken across the region, from classical to more locale-specific forms of the language, the company stated.

The model, which is also available in English, is trained on one of the largest Arabic datasets ever collected, then refined with input from over 600 domain experts and 250 evaluators.

The result is unmatched fluency in Arabic and deep alignment with Islamic, Middle Eastern, and cultural nuance, the company stated.

“We are proving that globally competitive technologies can be rooted in our own language, infrastructure, and values — built in ֱ by Saudi talent,” Amin said.

“This is not the end state, but the beginning of a journey to serve the Kingdom, the Arabic-speaking world, and beyond. The potential is limitless, accelerating innovation and progress across every dimension of commercial and social life.”

If you are in ֱ, you can access HUMAIN Chat at https://chat.humain.ai/.


Initiative to boost AI learning across ֱ

This initiative aims to empower 1 million Saudis in artificial intelligence. (SPA)
This initiative aims to empower 1 million Saudis in artificial intelligence. (SPA)
Updated 25 August 2025

Initiative to boost AI learning across ֱ

This initiative aims to empower 1 million Saudis in artificial intelligence. (SPA)
  • This effort aligns with Vision 2030’s goal of building a knowledge-based society capable of competing globally

RIYADH: The Saudi Data and AI Authority has launched new educational materials for students and teachers to raise awareness of artificial intelligence tools and facilitate their integration into the educational process.

Part of the Ministry of Education’s “Back to School” campaign, and promoted on the authority’s social media platforms, the SAMAI initiative focuses on using AI to develop cognitive and technical skills, supporting modern teaching methods.

This effort aligns with Vision 2030’s goal of building a knowledge-based society capable of competing globally, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.

It also supports the integration of the new AI curriculum across all levels of general education. Developed with the National Centre for Curriculum and other relevant ministries, the curriculum features interactive units tailored to different age groups.

The initiative, a collaboration between SDAIA, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, aims to empower 1 million Saudis in AI. It complements the new curriculum and helps nurture a generation equipped to meet future challenges.