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Environment Week unites Saudis for a sustainable future

Environment Week unites Saudis for a sustainable future
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The King Salman bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority organized a volunteer trip for more than 550 students to plant more than 3,000 seedlings. (SPA)
Environment Week unites Saudis for a sustainable future
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The Islamic Arts Biennale hosted an interactive workshop on Jeddah’s coral reefs, featuring academics from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. (SPA)
Environment Week unites Saudis for a sustainable future
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During Environment Week in Jeddah, government, private, and nonprofit entities showcased initiatives to raise environmental awareness and promote sustainability. (SPA)
Environment Week unites Saudis for a sustainable future
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The King Salman bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority organized a volunteer trip for more than 550 students to plant more than 3,000 seedlings. (SPA)
Environment Week unites Saudis for a sustainable future
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As part of Environment Week, the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture in Umluj organized a seabed cleanup at Duqm Beach. (SPA)
Environment Week unites Saudis for a sustainable future
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At the Environment Week event in Sakaka, the King Salman reserve highlighted its achievements, including habitat restoration, seed dispersal, and wildlife conservation. (SPA)
Environment Week unites Saudis for a sustainable future
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At the Environment Week event in Sakaka, the King Salman reserve highlighted its achievements, including habitat restoration, seed dispersal, and wildlife conservation. (SPA)
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Updated 23 April 2025

Environment Week unites Saudis for a sustainable future

Environment Week unites Saudis for a sustainable future
  • Tree planting, coral reef workshops and coastal cleanups drive the Kingdom’s environmental vision for 2030

Riyadh: The King Salman bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority organized a volunteer trip for more than 550 students to plant more than 3,000 seedlings during Environment Week.

The initiative encourages positive environmental behavior among students, raises early age awareness, and fosters individual and collective responsibility for protecting the environment, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Held annually from April 20 to 26, Environment Week focuses on environmental awareness and sustainable practices. The 2025 theme, ā€œOur Environment is a Treasure,ā€ reflects the Kingdom’s efforts to conserve natural resources.

The reserve supports sustainability and environmental education. It has planted more than 3 million seedlings, dispersed more than 4 tonnes of seeds and restored 700,000 hectares of land.

At the Environment Week event in Sakaka, the authority is highlighting its achievements, including habitat restoration, seed dispersal and wildlife conservation.

These efforts include reintroducing 1,455 animals and recording 177 new births, including endangered species such as the sand gazelle, Arabian oryx and mountain ibex.

The authority’s exhibition pavilion showcases the biodiversity of the reserve, home to more than 350 wildlife and 290 bird species.

It also highlights initiatives to protect ecosystems, support sustainability and engage the community in conservation efforts.

During Environment Week in Jeddah, government, private, and nonprofit entities showcased initiatives to raise environmental awareness and promote sustainability.

The National Center for Environmental Compliance highlighted the public’s role in environmental protection, compliance with regulations and reporting violations.

The Vegetation Cover Development Foundation, established by the Ministry of Environment and the National Center for Vegetation Cover, presented nine initiatives aligned with the Saudi Green Initiative. These focus on environmental protection, energy transition and sustainability.

Separately, the Islamic Arts Biennale hosted an interactive workshop on Jeddah’s coral reefs, featuring academics from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology.

The workshop explored the ecological and historical significance of coral reefs, threats like bleaching, and scientific efforts in reef restoration and biodiversity conservation.

Organized to connect art with environmental issues, the event aimed to foster dialogue between the arts and sciences while promoting awareness of sustainability in line with Vision 2030.

As part of Environment Week, the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture in Umluj, along with partner agencies and volunteer divers, organized a seabed cleanup at Duqm Beach.

The campaign aimed to raise awareness about marine conservation by removing debris to protect coastal wildlife and ecosystems.

Volunteer divers and authorities collaborated in underwater cleanups, highlighting the impact of joint environmental efforts.

The initiative supports Vision 2030 goals of promoting sustainability and encouraging public responsibility for environmental protection.

In Riyadh, the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification took part in the Environment Week exhibition alongside public and private sector entities.

The center launched nationwide awareness campaigns featuring interactive booths, educational activities, volunteer opportunities and greening efforts to promote public engagement in environmental protection.

Its initiatives focus on restoring degraded land, conserving biodiversity, managing rangelands and parks and addressing violations like unregulated firewood collection. These efforts aim to build a resilient vegetation ecosystem and support sustainability goals.

The Saudi Investment Recycling Co., a Public Investment Fund subsidiary, also took part in the event.

Through its subsidiaries, the company showcased its role in supporting a green and circular economy in line with Vision 2030, focusing on waste diversion, emissions reduction and advanced recycling technologies.

The group manages companies specializing in recycling, treating various types of waste and producing soil improvers, contributing to the Kingdom’s broader sustainability efforts.


Four years with a company counts as loyalty in the modern job market, HR summit hears

Four years with a company counts as loyalty in the modern job market, HR summit hears
Updated 11 min 32 sec ago

Four years with a company counts as loyalty in the modern job market, HR summit hears

Four years with a company counts as loyalty in the modern job market, HR summit hears
  • Delegates at Human Resources Summit and Expo in Riyadh hear generational diversity and differing views on career progression are challenges that must be addressed
  • Experts discussed the effects of AI on the job market and explored strategies businesses need to adopt to ā€˜future-proof’ talent and navigate changing work landscapes

RIYADH: An employee who remains in the same role for four years is considered loyal in today’s job market, the audience at a human resources conference in Riyadh heard during a panel discussion on Tuesday.

The comment, at the Human Resources Summit and Expo, came from Syed Azharudin, director of learning and organizational development at logistical services company Ajex, who cited a recent study into workforce trends. Generational diversity is a factor that has to be addressed, he added.

ā€œThe biggest challenge for the HR industry is that you have different generations working together, like Gen X, baby boomers, millennials, Gen Z, and soon Gen Alpha, so you cannot have a blanket approach,ā€ Azharudin said.

People from the most recent generations are more likely to be ā€œjob-hoppers,ā€ he added; a study by global tech consultancy FDM Group found that Generation Z respondents were 13 per cent more likely than their non-Gen Z counterparts to view their current role as a stepping stone to a better career. 

In other sessions, HR experts discussed the effects of artificial intelligence on the job market, and explored the strategies companies need to adopt in their attempts to ā€œfuture-proofā€ talent and navigate ever-changing work landscapes. As the rapidly evolving technology continues to dominate headlines, they considered a hot-button question: What would the future look like if human labor was replaced by AI?

ā€œWe’re not going to lose (our jobs) but we also need to make sure that we go efficiently and with innovative ways to utilize such tools,ā€ said Eid Alkhaldi, succession management director at the Saudi Telcom Company.

During another discussion, Nada Al-Hassan, the Saudi Ministry of Investment’s director of training and development, spoke about ways to advance inclusive leadership in the region. 

ā€œThere are a lot of success stories and a lot of initiatives in all governmental sectors (in ŗ£½ĒÖ±²„),ā€ she said, highlighting in particular the Vision 2030 Human Resources Development Program and the Saudization program Tawteen.

The Human Resources Summit and Expo began on June 15 and continues until June 19.


Saudia Airlines confirms flight from Jeddah diverted after bomb threat has landed safely

Inspections by authorities confirmed the aircraft was secure and the bomb threat was false. (Supplied)
Inspections by authorities confirmed the aircraft was secure and the bomb threat was false. (Supplied)
Updated 18 June 2025

Saudia Airlines confirms flight from Jeddah diverted after bomb threat has landed safely

Inspections by authorities confirmed the aircraft was secure and the bomb threat was false. (Supplied)
  • ⁠Flight SV5276, bound for Jakarta, was rerouted to a different airport in Indonesia after an email claimed there was an explosive device on board
  • The aircraft landed safely at Kualanamu International Airport in Medan, where passengers and crew evacuated the aircraft and nobody was hurt

RIYADH: Saudia Airlines has confirmed that all passengers and crew are safe after a flight from Jeddah to Jakarta made an emergency landing at another airport in Indonesia, Al Arabiya News Channel reported on Tuesday.

The flight was forced to divert after an email threat claimed there was a bomb on board, a Saudia spokesperson said.

Abdullah Al-Shahrani, the airline’s general manager of corporate communications, told Al Arabiya that in response to the security alert, Flight SV5276 was rerouted to Kualanamu International Airport in Medan as a precaution.

The plane landed there safely and all passengers and crew evacuated the aircraft without incident and nobody was hurt, he added. Inspections by authorities confirmed the aircraft was secure and the bomb threat was false. Al-Shahrani said passenger safety remains Saudia’s top priority and the airline was working to help passengers continue their journeys.

In a statement to Arab News, Saudia confirmed: ā€œIn response to a security alert received in flight, Saudia diverted Flight SV5276, operating from Jeddah to Jakarta, to Kualanamu International Airport in Indonesia as a precautionary measure.

ā€œThe aircraft landed safely, and all guests and crew disembarked without incident. Local authorities conducted standard checks shortly after landing, and have cleared the aircraft for continued operation.

ā€œThe safety and well-being of our guests and crew remain Saudia’s highest priority. Full care and support have been provided and onward travel arrangements are being made."


UN two-state conference co-chairs urge renewed push for Palestinian stateĀ amid regional escalation

UN two-state conference co-chairs urge renewed push for Palestinian stateĀ amid regional escalation
Updated 18 June 2025

UN two-state conference co-chairs urge renewed push for Palestinian stateĀ amid regional escalation

UN two-state conference co-chairs urge renewed push for Palestinian stateĀ amid regional escalation
  • The statement said the latest escalation had ā€œnecessitated the suspensionā€ of the high-level conference in New York

RIYADH: ŗ£½ĒÖ±²„ and France, co-chairs of the United Nations Conference on the Peaceful Settlement of the Palestinian Question, joined with the chairs of the conference’s working groups in issuing a joint statement on Tuesday expressing ā€œdeep concernā€ over recent developments in the region, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The statement said the latest escalation had ā€œnecessitated the suspensionā€ of the high-level conference, underscoring ā€œthe validity of warnings about the fragility of the situationā€ and the urgent need to ā€œrestore calm, respect international law, and strengthen diplomatic action.ā€

Despite the setback, the group reaffirmed their ā€œfull commitment to the conference’s objectivesā€ and pledged to ā€œensure the continuity of its work and the achievement of its goals,ā€ SPA added.

They added that ā€œthe co-chairs of the working groups will announce the date of the conference's roundtables soon,ā€ with the aim of generating ā€œclear and coordinated international commitmentsā€ to advance the implementation of a two-state solution.

ā€œIn these critical circumstances,ā€ the statement continued, ā€œwe must redouble our efforts calling for respect for international law and the sovereignty of states, and to promote peace, freedom, and dignity for all peoples of the region.ā€

The group also reiterated its ā€œunwavering support for all efforts aimed at ending the war in Gazaā€ and called for a ā€œjust and sustainable settlement of the Palestinian issue,ā€ affirming that regional stability and security hinge on a lasting peace.


Riyadh event highlights women’s role in diplomacy

Riyadh event highlights women’s role in diplomacy
Updated 17 June 2025

Riyadh event highlights women’s role in diplomacy

Riyadh event highlights women’s role in diplomacy
  • Speech stresses progress made under King Salman, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman

RIYADH: The Prince Saud Al-Faisal Institute for Diplomatic Studies in Riyadh has held a symposium to mark the forthcoming International Day of Women in Diplomacy. It was attended by Vice Foreign Minister Waleed Elkhereiji, female diplomatic leaders, and ambassadors accredited to the Kingdom.

Elkhereiji spoke of the importance of empowering women in diplomacy, citing the progress made under the leadership of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in light of the Vision 2030 reform plan.

He noted that Saudi women now serve as ambassadors, leaders, and negotiators on the global stage, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The symposium discussed efforts to support women’s diplomatic careers, the role of men in advancing change, and the unique contributions women bring to diplomacy.

Topics also included the global rise of women in diplomacy, their impact on foreign and domestic policy, and ways to enhance female participation in multilateral forums to address future challenges.


Saudi theatrical show ā€˜Terhal’ returns to Diriyah

Saudi theatrical show ā€˜Terhal’ returns to Diriyah
Updated 17 June 2025

Saudi theatrical show ā€˜Terhal’ returns to Diriyah

Saudi theatrical show ā€˜Terhal’ returns to Diriyah
  • ā€œTerhalā€ is a pioneering Saudi production which boasts advanced lighting and visual technology

RIYADH: The Ministry of Culture is to present the theatrical performance ā€œTerhalā€ from Aug. 4-25 at Mayadeen Venue in Diriyah.

ā€œTerhalā€ is a pioneering Saudi production which boasts advanced lighting and visual technology, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

It offers a visually captivating experience, telling the story of a young Saudi man who dreams of shaping his country’s future.

His journey across the Kingdom takes him through diverse landscapes and rich traditions, helping him to rediscover ŗ£½ĒÖ±²„’s cultural and natural heritage. He returns to his village at the end with renewed confidence, wisdom, and hope.

The show features stunning scenes inspired by Saudi landscapes, and highlights young Saudi talents alongside renowned international performers.

The second edition of ā€œTerhalā€ builds on the success of its 2023 debut which celebrated Saudi culture, from performing arts to handicrafts, traditional attire and cuisine.