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JEDDAH: Families in Jeddah are skipping summertime’s typical indoor mall circuit and heading somewhere … wilder.

The newly opened Forest Wonders indoor jungle is offering a nature-inspired escape in the heart of the coastal city, including turtles to pat, goats to feed and lemurs to meet.

“As far as I know, such animal jungles don’t just offer fun experiences but also educate the public about wildlife conservation,” 36-year-old Abdullah Al-Hashmi told Arab News while waiting in line with his family on opening day.

“It is a new experience for (the kids) and they are excited about it,” he said.

Located on King Abdulaziz Road, the jungle-like venue opened on July 16 as part of this year’s Jeddah Season.

The air-conditioned space, covering 7,500 sq. m, features more than 200 animals in themed zones such as the Meercat Zone, Raccoon Enclosure, Bird Park and the Secret Garden, where rare animals are hidden among the foliage.

“It was fun and we enjoyed every zone or area,” said Jameel Al-Shikhi, visiting with his wife and two children.

“The kids had fun with the most of the animals and they still want to see more.”

From flamingos and reptiles to cats and birds, the experience blends wildlife interaction with environmental education, including on topics such as sustainability, farming and animal care.

Young visitors can color, plant or play skill games between feeding stations and animal encounters.

“It is really connecting people with animals and the kids enjoyed many activities such playing, feeding, planting, drawing and watching the diverse animals closely,” Al-Shikhi said.

According to officials of the National Events Center, the 45-day Forest Wonders is a part of the broader Jeddah Season push to offer diverse, family-oriented entertainment.

Whether it is snapping a photo with a raccoon, learning about farming or simply watching a lemur, Forest Wonders offers a breath of fresh, leafy air in the middle of Jeddah’s urban summer.

RIYADH: The Wasl Community has concluded its Media Skills Week initiative, which was held in Riyadh from July 13-18 at PureMinds Studios. The program targeted university students majoring in communication and media who were aiming to enhance their practical skills to align themselves with job market demands.

The week-long initiative attracted more than 1,000 registrants and offered more than 20 hours of specialized training through professional workshops led by experienced media and communication experts.

The workshops covered key topics, including spokesperson skills and media appearances by Majid Al-Ghamdi; fundamentals of strategic communication by Abdulrahman Al-Sultan; media content creation and management by Waleed Al-Harbi; internal communication by Najla Al-Otaibi; media production from writing to publishing by Saad Moamen; and corporate audio identity by Abdullah Al-Zarzour.

Wasl Community’s CEO Mohammed Al-Razqi said the initiative reflected the belief that empowering people was essential to effective communication, and that strong content started with developing talent.

He said: “Media Skills Week was designed to connect knowledge with practice. We are proud of the strong turnout from ambitious students and graduates, and we look forward to offering even more impactful programs in the future.”

Wasl Community is a nonprofit professional network registered under the Hawi platform and part of the Quality of Life Program under Vision 2030. It brings together professionals in corporate communication, media, and marketing across various sectors.

The community organizes programs, expert meetups, and projects to enhance practitioners’ skills and elevate the media sector’s professional image in ����ֱ��.