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RIYADH: The third annual Athar Festival, a major gathering for the creative marketing industry in ����ֱ��, will take place at Riyadh’s JAX District from Oct. 21-22.

The two-day event, hosted by communications consultancy TRACCS and UAE-based Motivate Media Group, is expected to attract around 3,000 visitors and feature 150 speakers, concluding with the Athar Awards across more than 30 categories.

Mohamed Al-Ayed, vice chairman of the Athar Festival and CEO of TRACCS, told Arab News: “I believe that (by) today, in the third edition, there has been a very strong maturity of the creative industry of ����ֱ��, as an industry to be recognized and looked at.

“As an event it is the premier and most sought-after creative event in ����ֱ��, and most probably the biggest in the region. We have set our sights high, given how ����ֱ�� is transforming and growing in leaps and bounds. Where impact is the new language, we want to transform Athar Festival into one of the top five creative destinations in the world.”

Al-Ayed said that this year’s festival boasted more speakers and a larger venue, adding: “Last year our venue was 2,000 sq. meters; this year it is more than 6,000. Last year we had 100 speakers; this year 150, of which more than 40 percent are international.”

Ian Fairservice, chairman of Athar Festival and managing partner of Motivate Media Group, told Arab News: “If I’m looking at impact — which is, after all, what athar means — the impact is the spread of knowledge, which means the spread of interest in creativity in ����ֱ�� over a three-year period.”

The festival’s speakers include British perfumer Jo Malone, founder of Jo Loves; Essam Akhonbay, vice president of marketing at Saudia; and Abeer Alessa, co-founder and CEO of The Bold Group.

Running for 12 hours daily, the festival will use five stages. The strategic and spotlight stages will feature panels and keynotes, while the Saudi Gamer Arena will highlight gaming and esports. The community stage hosts sessions, masterclasses, and workshops, and the courtyard stage live music, wellness activities, and comedy.

Fairservice said: “The attendance is not limited to any particular industry. People looking for a career change are most welcome, and I can’t think of a better place for them to meet others and see whether this is the industry they would like to be part of.”

The festival has added new hubs, including the Talent Hub, Ruwad Hub for entrepreneurs, and Saudi Gamer Arena, along with other areas ideal for networking.

Specialized programs at the event will include CEO and CMO roundtables, CMO academies, and the Maheerah Program, a mentorship initiative for women in ����ֱ��’s marketing communications sector.

This year’s lineup includes more than 80 sponsors and partners, including MBC Media Solutions as growth partner and Flynas as official airline partner. Other organizations involved include the Saudi Tourism Authority, Amazon Ads, Bloomberg Media, Omnicom Group, WPP, and the King Salman Park Foundation.

Al-Ayed said: “The prominence of creativity has now become very important in the business sector. But what I’ll say is that maybe creativity needs a home, a platform, and we believe that Athar is the platform, or one of the platforms, for Saudi creativity.”

RIYADH: The General Directorate of Civil Defense took part in the Saudi Drone Exhibition at the Riyadh Front Exhibition and Conference Center.

Under the theme “Drones and the Future of Integrated Transformation,” the three-day event ended on Tuesday, with more than 100 entities from the Kingdom and abroad taking part, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Civil Defense officials showcased the latest emergency response technologies, including drones for detecting hazardous, radioactive and chemical materials, as well as those used in search and rescue operations in rugged terrain and flood zones.

The display also featured the falcon drone, specialized in firefighting in high-altitude and hazardous areas, along with drones for monitoring and exploration, the SPA reported.

The exhibition brought together government officials, industry leaders, experts and investors, alongside major local and international companies specializing in smart transportation, drones, robotics and artificial intelligence.

The Kingdom’s Special Forces for Environmental Security also took part, showcasing technologies and mechanisms for monitoring and protecting the environment.

This included drones and AI-powered thermal cameras, highlighting their role in safeguarding natural resources and promoting environmental sustainability.

The exhibition also showcased technologies and applications across transportation, delivery, agriculture, oil and gas, environmental management and surveillance.

The General Authority of Civil Aviation took part as the exhibition’s strategic sponsor. It was part of the authority’s efforts to position the Kingdom as a global logistics hub, promote sustainability and enhance infrastructure for emerging technologies in air transport, according to the report.