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RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam.
They reviewed bilateral relation between the Kingdom and the sultanate and prospects for joint cooperation.
Attending the meeting were Prince Turki bin Mohammed bin Fahd bin Abdulaziz, state minister; Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, sports minister; Prince Abdullah bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, National Guard minister; Musaed bin Mohammed Al-Aiban, state minister; Dr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi, commerce minister; Faisal bin Fadel Alibrahim, minister of economy and planning; Imad Al-Muhanna, Saudi Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam.
From Brunei, Prince Abdul Malik, Prince Abdul Mateen, and Prince Abdul Wakeel were present at the meeting along with other ministers and senior officials from the sultanate.
JEDDAH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan received his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Mohamad Hussein on the sidelines of a ministerial meeting in Jeddah.
They reviewed bilateral relations between the Kingdom and Iraq and ways of developing them and opportunities for cooperation in all fields. They also exchanged views on the latest regional and international developments.
They also discussed efforts by the two countries in support of the joint Arab action that achieves more stability and prosperity for the region’s countries and peoples.
RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received Iraqi Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Al-Halbousi, the Saudi Press Agency reported early on Saturday.
They review relations between their nations in a meeting in Jeddah.
JEDDAH: As one walks through Bab Jadid, one of Jeddah’s old gates and the northernmost entry to the city’s historic downtown area, the muffled sounds of pedestrians and street vendors can be heard, growing louder with each step until you are transported to a time and place in which hospitality, kinship, community and tight bonds characterized the way of life.
The walkway that leads to Al-Hazzazi courtyard, one of the area’s most vibrant hubs, is lined by centuries-old homes. The farther you go, the louder the sounds grow and the brighter the decor becomes, with colorful pennants and banners bearing the greetings “Ramadan Mubarak” or “Ramadan Kareem” hanging overhead.
Children rush through the crowds to get their sugar fix from traditional sweet vendors, and pedestrians line up to eat “dirty potatoes” (the Saudi version) covered in a concoction of sauces. Couples stroll casually as they quench their thirst after a long day of fasting with cold, mixed berry juices sold by a woman clad in a traditional head wrap, and groups of Western tourists make their way through tiny alleyways on their way to the next vibrant courtyard.
In short, the area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the Kingdom’s most unique cultural hubs, is alive with Hijazi flair.
The Saudi Ministry of Culture’s Ramadan Season celebrates the historical legacy of the holy month across more than 38 locations in 14 Saudi cities.
Saudi Arabia’s western Hijaz region takes this a step further. The cobbled stone pathways bear the markings of a city that has withstood the sands of time: The twists and turns of tiny alleyways, grand multistory, white-washed stone homes dotted with exquisite woodwork, the Roshan, and string lights lining the pathway give the site a local and humble feel.
The holy month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, is not only special spiritually — it urges communities to unite and welcome others.
“Growing up, I would always find extra plates on a table at every iftar meal,” Abu Abdul Aziz Diyab, one of the last Saudis still living in the downtown area, told Arab News.
“My mother and our neighbors would exchange plates almost every day, a tradition still practiced till this day. I grew up in these neighborhoods and I can never leave. It’s alive and busy with people from all walks of life. It’s a humble place, always welcoming, and a melting pot of cultures and traditions.”
Within the walls of the homes of Hijazi families, he added, ancient traditions, including food and songs, are kept alive while millions visit the area each year to relive the old days and pass on an appreciation of the beauty of the sights and sounds to younger generations.
Visitors from far and wide come to experience all aspects of an authentic Hijazi Ramadan. Some arrived during the Easter holiday last weekend to explore the city and region.
In the old days, water boys known as al-saga walked around neighborhoods announcing that fresh barrels of water were available. Street vendors chanted catchy jingles as they sold baleela, a dish of boiled chickpeas served with hot sauce, pickled beets and tamarind sauce topped with a dash of cumin or freshly fried spiced liver pieces with a tomato and onion base.
Vegetable and fruit stalls dotted the marketplace, and the drum-beating musaharti awoke sleepy households after the last of the evening prayers so that they could have their last meal before beginning their fast at dawn. Such scenes and activities were common, and some can still be seen today.
Food vendors still offer fresh homemade cheeses, pickles and traditional desserts in preparation for the Eid festivities at the end of Ramadan in Souk Al-Aluwi, Souk Al-Baddu, Souk Gabil and Souk Al-Nada, spread across the four central neighborhoods of Harat Al-Sham, Harat Al-Mazloom, Harrat Al-Yemen and Harat Al-Bahar.
All these things were once common in Jeddah, Makkah, Madinah, though some, such as the al-saga and musaharati, have largely disappeared due to the expansion of cities, modern amenities, the migration of families, and technology such as alarm clocks.
In Jeddah’s historic Al-Balad, spectators smile and take photographs of a passing procession of kids chanting for candy. Others snap photos of craftsmen wrapping black wool around igal megassab, a headpiece for men made of black cord fixed on a goat wool core forming a hoop with thick gold cords that form a pentagon, or making leather belts, knife holders or traditional slippers known as madas sharqi. Others are in search for a quick bite to eat after a long evening of shopping in nearby shops.
Arif Al-Sharif, who refers to himself as “honorary mayor of downtown Jeddah” during Ramadan, wears a black shemagh held on his head by an iqal megassb, and a leather belt from which hangs a gold dagger. Al-Sharif, a fashion designer known for his authentic traditional clothing, told Arab News that the essence of the area is what keeps it full of life.
“Every year, figures such as the mayor play a part in the festivities to tell the story of his prominence and status among the people of the area,” he said.
“A mayor is selected for his wisdom to solve problems without needing to go to a court of law, discretely provide for needy families through the charity of the city’s residents, call for order, and he is a keeper of secrets. This is how Jeddah mayors were. I come every evening to engage with the visitors and passersby, telling the story of the people who once lived here.
“We have to keep the unique and exceptional culture and traditions alive through the art of storytelling and engagement. It’s the Hijazi way.”
So far, more than 700,000 people of an expected one million have visited Al-Balad during Ramadan this year.
Two Hungarian tourists, college student Timea Vincze and her cousin Bea Sipos, a financial analyst from Budapest, told Arab News that they have visited Al-Balad three times during their 10-day stay in the Kingdom.
“I didn’t expect it to look so nice; it’s very authentic and very different from Europe, as we don’t really have these kinds of downtowns … it’s amazing,” said Sipos.
She said her favorite part of Jeddah is “definitely the old town. The vibe here is really unique, so all these buildings (are) amazing. It’s totally empty during the day; I think that’s a good thing in Ramadan for us so we can visit when it’s totally empty, and at night it’s so busy with so many people.”
Vincze said: “It’s really beautiful here and I just can’t get enough. I think the buildings are very interesting, very different from what we have in my country or in Europe. It’s beautiful. It’s part of UNESCO and I hope it will be the same in a few years because it’s very unique and beautiful.
“The people were very nice to us; many would come (over) and just smile at us. I have never seen this kind of kindness in another country, and they’re also helpful, asking us where we’re from and telling us to enjoy our time. That’s very heartwarming.”
Al-Balad’s walls echo to the sounds of celebration and joy, and although the area was once rather rundown as a result of neglect, it has undergone a massive turnaround and is reliving its glory days.
In 2021, the Ministry of Culture launched its Jeddah Historical District Program to revive the downtown area, establish several cultural hubs, and elevate it to the world-class urban center it once was.
As a result, it is once again alive with the sounds of locals and visitors as the ministry continues to work to position the historic district as the nexus of a cultural network, while supporting Jeddah’s traditional role as the gateway to the holy sites of Makkah and Madinah.
MADINAH: Prince Faisal bin Salman, governor of Madinah and chairman of the Alshifa Endowment Supervision Council, launched the Alshifa Health Endowment Fund in Madinah on Friday.
The fund provides health coverage services for residents who are not covered by free health care services and are not eligible for health insurance to be treated in hospitals.
The endowment fund aims to collect assets worth SR200 million ($53.3 million) until 2025, to spend the returns of its investments on endowment banks.
The fund is one of the initiatives launched by the Alshifa Endowment to provide an opportunity for individuals and private-sector institutions to contribute to alleviating the suffering of the targeted patients.
It also stimulates community participation and triggers the social responsibility of private-sector establishments in supporting non-profit development investment programs.
During the ceremony, Prince Faisal handed the health coverage card to the first beneficiary of the Alshifa Health Endowment services.
This service is one of the modern models in charitable work as the insurance card covers the costs of basic health needs for those who are not covered by free health care in hospitals.
Prince Faisal witnessed the signing of nine agreements between the Alshifa Health Endowment and the Health Endowment Fund, the Home Medicine Association, Damy (Blood Banks Friends Charity), Kibadak (Saudi Charity Society for Liver Patients), Hayat Association, Reaya, Bushra, Tahoor, and GlobeMed.
The agreements come within the framework of strengthening cooperation between the council and the signatory parties in supporting the charitable health work system in the region and providing health care to beneficiaries within the endowment services.
Prince Faisal also honored eight endowment entities, national companies and businessmen who are donors for the project to establish the Al-Salam Endowment Hospital, with a total value of SR80 million ($21.3 million). It will be located west of the Prophet’s Mosque and aims to provide services to visitors and pilgrims with a capacity of 61 beds, in partnership between the Madinah Health Cluster and the Ihsan Charitable Platform and Alshifa Health Endowment.
Vice chairman of the Alshifa Endowment Supervision Council and general supervisor of Endowment Investments, Dr. Bandar Hajjjar, expressed his gratitude to the governor of Madinah for his sponsorship of the Alshifa Health Endowment projects.
Hajjjar said that the Alshifa endowment initiatives were qualitative and innovative initiatives funded by the public sector, the private sector, and the non-profit sector.
He said that they were a qualitative addition to the health services provided to beneficiaries in the region and contributed to supporting the directions of the Health Sector Transformation Program aimed at achieving sustainable health development and ensuring the availability of all basic health needs for citizens, residents and visitors with high quality and efficiency.
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister has met his Omani counterpart in Jeddah, Al Ekhbariyah reported early on Saturday.
Prince Faisal bin Farhan met Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi on the sidelines of a ministerial consultative session in the Red Sea city.
They discussed bilateral relations between the Kingdom and Omani and ways to enhance them. They also reviewed ways to boost corporation in various fields, and exchanged views on developments in regional.