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RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman discussed ties between Riyadh and Seoul during a phone call with South Korea’s President Lee Jae-Myung on Wednesday.
During the call, they discussed “opportunities for cooperation in several fields” to achieve common interests and strengthen ties between the two nations, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
JEDDAH: ֱ’s Visual Arts Commission has launched its “Art Bridges” initiative for 2025–2026, a series of international programs designed to promote cultural exchange.
The programs will be hosted in Scotland, Japan, South Korea and Spain.
The first in Scotland will be held from Sept. 22 to 27, in partnership with the British Council Scotland.
Japan will host an event from Oct. 31 to Nov. 7, followed by South Korea from Nov. 19 to 27, and Spain from March 2 to 9, 2026.
Dina Amin, CEO of the Visual Arts Commission, said in a statement that the initiative offers a unique opportunity for cultural practitioners to share their creative voices with the world.
Each edition of “Art Bridges” will be tailored to the host destination.
There will be meetings with thought leaders, visits to major cultural institutions, museums, galleries and artist studios, as well as workshops, knowledge-exchange sessions, and discussions with prominent local art figures.
The 2025–2026 programs will explore specific themes, with Japan focusing on art and the environment by examining how artists interact with natural, urban and traditional settings.
South Korea’s program will address identity through art and society by studying community cultural movements, independent artist spaces and collaborative platforms.
In Spain, the program will highlight heritage and collaborative practice by showcasing the intersection of shared artistic expression, and social purpose in cultural spaces.
The application window for those wishing to participate opens on Aug. 13. The deadline for Japan is Aug. 21, while South Korea and Spain close on Aug. 31.
Applicants must be over 21, have at least five years of professional experience, submit a strong portfolio, be fluent in English and commit to the full program schedule.
The commission stated that “Art Bridges” forms a cornerstone of its strategy to expand ֱ’s cultural presence globally, build sustainable creative ecosystems, and forge long-term international partnerships.
RIYADH: The women-led music initiative, Hunna, has launched its 2025 mentorship program and workshop series.
Now in its third year, the program connects women across the region with mentors, resources and networks to help them grow professionally. It has more than 120 members from ֱ, Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt and elsewhere.
This year’s program began in July, with six participants paired with professionals from various musical disciplines. They will each receive monthly one-on-one mentorship and tailored development plans as well as access to Hunna’s wider programming.
The culmination of their hard work will be a showcase at this year’s XP Music Futures in December.
Mentorship program manager Nadia Khan, who also founded the nongovernmental organization Women in Ctrl, said: “This year’s mentor-mentee pairings reflect the diversity of talent in the region and the global reach of the women guiding them.
“Having such inspirational and accomplished mentors means our mentees aren’t just receiving guidance, they’re learning directly from women who have carved their own paths in music, broken barriers and proven that it’s possible to thrive while staying true to your vision.”
This year’s pairings are: Tunisia-based Chaima Soudani with Celine Hitti, head of artist services MENA at Believe; singer Nadine Lingawi (Fulana) with Emmy-nominated composer and BBC Radio 3 presenter Hannah Peel; Egyptian multi-instrumentalist and producer Martina Ashraf with Montreal-based experimental electronic artist Liliane Chlela; Saudi composer and pianist Nora Aljebrin with Nadin Al-Khalidi, lead vocalist of Tarabband; DJ and producer Lena Chercaoui with Saudi DJ and producer Cosmicat; and Palestinian-Jordanian vocalist Lina Sleibi with singer-songwriter and visual creative Lina Makoul.
The pairings were chosen through an anonymized selection process led by Hunna committee members and former participants.
“Hunna is about creating a space of solidarity and community where women can grow in every part of the music industry,” Hitti said.
Al-Khalidi said: “I joined the Hunna mentorship program to share my journey and inspire others to tell their own stories through music.”
Workshops are a core part of the program. The first, “Introduction to Music Production,” will be held on Aug. 20 at Beast House in Riyadh.
Monthly sessions through November will cover production, live performance, artist strategy and global positioning. They will be accessible to all members of the Hunna community.
Tanya Awad, head of music and experience at XP Music Futures and MDLBeast Foundation, which leads the Hunna initiative, said: “Our vision is clear: to see MENA women in every facet of the music industry.”
RIYADH: The British Council is celebrating five decades in ֱ by expanding its English language programs to Alkhobar and Jeddah, launching its first full academic year of courses for children and teenagers this September.
The expansion, which builds on established operations in Riyadh, comes in direct response to rising demand from parents and educational communities across the Kingdom.
It also supports Vision 2030’s ambition to equip young Saudis with essential communication skills, global awareness and the confidence to succeed in a competitive world.
“These courses are designed to build life skills, not just language ability,” a British Council spokesperson said.
“Students develop confidence, critical thinking and creativity — all essential for success in school and beyond.”
The program is delivered by qualified teachers using an international curriculum adapted to meet the needs of local learners. It offers:
For 50 years, the British Council has been a trusted partner for Saudi families and schools, recognized globally for its expertise in English language education.
Working in more than 100 countries and reaching 600 million people worldwide between 2021 and 2022, the organization has played a pivotal role in fostering cultural exchange, education, and mutual understanding between the UK and ֱ.
To mark the anniversary, parents who register their children before Aug. 30 will receive a special discount of up to 25 percent on course fees.
Courses begin in September, with enrollment now open. For further details and registration, visit www.britishcouncil.sa.
The British Council is the UK’s international organization for cultural relations and educational opportunities.
It builds connections, understanding and trust through work in arts, culture, education and the English language, contributing to peace, prosperity and skills development across the globe.
LONDON: A new Arabic-language artificial intelligence model called Allam, created and trained in ֱ, is set for launch this month, according to Tareq Amin, the CEO of the developer, tech company Humain.
He said it was built by a team of 40 Ph.D.-level researchers in the Kingdom, and described it as the best Arabic-language model yet developed for the 350 million people worldwide who speak the language, the majority of whom live in Arab countries.
“This is not just another large language model, it’s proof that the Arab world can innovate, train and deploy AI at a world-class level, according to our own standards,” Amin told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper.
Allam was designed to understand classical forms of Arabic and regional dialects, he added. It can converse in the Saudi, Egyptian, Jordanian and Lebanese dialects, and understands cultural and political nuances.
The AI model will initially be available through Humain Chat, a free Arabic-language app similar to ChatGPT. Humain, which is part of ֱ’s Public Investment Fund, said it has been tested for use in sensitive applications.
“ChatGPT will never have the datasets we do (to develop an Arabic AI),” Amin said. “I want the Arab world to start asking: Why don’t we build a coalition to create AI models that reflect our culture and values?”
The PIF established Humain to lead the Kingdom’s AI strategy, harnessing expertise from Aramco Digital and the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority’s National Center for AI.
Amin said he views the launch of Allam as a starting point for ongoing improvement, fueled by user feedback from the Arab world. The company plans to create a marketplace through which developers and businesses can access the AI linguistic model, with a particular focus on government bodies and private-sector organizations in industries such as tourism and healthcare that rely heavily on Arabic for the provision of services.
“(Allam) is the spark that can shift the Middle East’s position in the global digital economy from consumer to creator of original platforms and products,” Amin said.
“We don’t yet have a complete AI ecosystem of developers and companies. We need to believe in our abilities, and the time is now.”
Amin considers AI as “the foundation upon which the entire” Saudi Vision 2023 plan for national development and diversification is being built across various sectors including tourism, healthcare and industry.
He praised Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s approach to AI as “both visionary and pragmatic,” treating the technology “not as an optional tool but as a necessity for economic growth, citizen empowerment and sector-wide adoption.”
Amin added that Allam is Humain’s flagship model and ultimately the success of the tech company will primarily stem from the people who are part of it, in particular the rich pool of Saudi AI talent.
“Some doubted whether we had the capabilities,” he said. “I told them: come and see for yourself.”
RIYADH: ֱ on Wednesday strongly condemned statements made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in support of a so-called “Greater Israel.”
In an interview with i24 News on Tuesday, Netanyahu said he is “very attached” to the vision of a “Greater Israel.”
The term is understood to refer to an expansionist concept of Israeli territory that includes East Jerusalem, the West Bank, Gaza, the Sinai Peninsula, the Golan Heights and parts of other neighboring Arab countries.
The Kingdom’s Foreign Ministry said it completely rejected the “settlement and expansionist ideas and projects” adopted by Israeli authorities.
The ministry also said the Palestinian people had a historical and legal right to establish an independent, sovereign state on their lands, based on relevant international laws.
“The Kingdom warns the international community against the Israeli occupation’s persistence in flagrant violations that undermine the foundations of international legitimacy, blatantly violate the sovereignty of states, and threaten regional and global security and peace,” the ministry said.
The Israeli military said on Wednesday that it had approved the framework for a new offensive in the Gaza Strip.
The approved plan for the expanded offensive comes days after Israel’s security cabinet called for the capture of the Palestinian territory’s largest city.Israel’s 22 month war on Gaza has killed more than 61,000 people and created dire humanitarian conditions.
