https://arab.news/bwf2p
RIYADH: VIA Riyadh is the Saudi capital’s latest luxury destination that includes select restaurants, a cinema, the Kingdom’s first St. Regis Hotel, and elite shopping outlets.
Fireworks lit up the sky as Turki Al-Sheikh, chairman of the General Entertainment Authority, inaugurated VIA Riyadh, which will officially open its doors to the public in mid-February.
VIA Riyadh will offer live performances, as well as exceptional hospitality, accommodation and services to visitors seeking premium experiences.
Construction of the area, which is built in the Salmani style, took 20 months. The Salmani design process is based on six core values outlined by King Salman: authenticity, continuity, human-centricity, livability, innovation and sustainability. Salmani architecture integrates modern lifestyles while evoking the local identity and architectural heritage of the Kingdom.
Located near the Ritz-Carlton, VIA Riyadh holds a significant place in Saudi history as it was the birthplace of the Second Saudi State in the 1820s. Stones from the Tuwaiq mountains were carefully chosen and extracted to create and build the area.
To encourage calm and serenity at VIA Riyadh, water fountains have been installed in the interiors and waterfalls intertwined with the rest of the outdoor landscape. The gentle and soothing sounds of water create an experience that enhances the picturesque natural landscape of the area.
The inauguration ceremony witnessed the presence of a number of ministers, officials and ambassadors accredited to the Kingdom.
Ahmed Al-Khateeb, the Saudi minister of tourism, shared on his official Twitter account: “At the invitation of my brother, His Excellency Counselor Turki Al-Sheikh @Turki_alalshikh, I was pleased to attend the opening of the @ViaRiyadh project, which includes the St. Regis Hotel for the first time in the Kingdom and a number of luxurious restaurants, which contributes to creating a unique experience for visitors and residents of the city of Riyadh, which will remain the most exciting and attractive tourist destination.”
Japanese Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Iwai Fumio said on his official Twitter account: “At the kind invitation of His Excellency the President of the General Entertainment Authority @Turki_alalshikh attended the inauguration ceremony of @ViaRiyadh last night. This site truly embodies a distinct mark in Riyadh where you enjoy a new and unique experience.”
The private ceremony also witnessed the honoring of Khaled Al-Malik, chairman of the Saudi Journalists Association, for his exceptional media career.
It is the Saudi capital’s latest luxury destination. Located near the Ritz-Carlton, VIA Riyadh holds a significant place in Saudi history as it was the birthplace of the Second Saudi State in the 1820s. Stones from the Tuwaiq mountains were carefully chosen and extracted to create and build the area.
RIYADH: The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, also known as Ithra, concluded the activities of the global Hijrah Exhibition this week having welcomed more than 100,000 visitors.
“Hijrah: In the Footsteps of the Prophet” shed light on the Prophet Muhammad’s journey from Makkah to Madinah, which lasted for eight days.
The exhibition traced the course of this journey and examined its social, political, and cultural impact on the world through an immersive multimedia show that continued at the Ithra Center for nine months.
The project reinforces Ithra’s message of enabling local content creation and sharing it with the world.
The exhibition will now embark on a tour to other cities in the Kingdom and the world over a period of several years, starting from The National Museum in Riyadh as its second stop.
Noura Al-Zamil, director of programs at Ithra, explained that the migration exhibition was part of an integrated cultural project, which is the first of its kind to narrate and document the important historical events of the noble Prophet’s migration in an unprecedented and contemporary way.
She added that the project was carried out in cooperation with more than 70 researchers and artists from over 20 countries around the world, who contributed to reviving the migration journey through a multidisciplinary exhibition.
It includes artifacts, manuscripts, contemporary art, film production, a documentary film about the migration path, and a book documenting the historical journey.
Al-Zamil said: “The exhibition is a mobile exhibition that started its activities in the Ithra Center in August with the aim of shedding light on the migration of the Messenger and Prophet Muhammad, may God bless him, through 14 interactive stations.
“Each station is meticulously designed by local and international experts and presented in partnership with several major regional and international organizations and prominent scholars and artists,” she added.
Laila Al-Faddagh, director of the National Museum in Riyadh, said: “We seek in the National Museum to enhance understanding of our culture, our history, and the ancient and diverse civilizations that were established on our land through these exhibitions, which is done in cooperation with other entities such as the Ithra.”
The exhibition opens a door for dialogue and knowledge exchange to create a state of human connection with the content presented and curated.
It also addresses the knowledge gap on the subject of the Prophet’s migration. It addresses the deeply-rooted heritage of the Arabian Peninsula and enhances Saudi Arabia’s local content industry, in addition to providing a rich experience for visitors by making the story of the historical migration of the Prophet Muhammad accessible to the public.
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister called for an end to all forms of military escalation in Sudan during separate phone calls to the head of the country’s army and the Rapid Support Forces group on Sunday.
During calls to the commander of Sudan’s miltitary, Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, and the head of the RSF, Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, Prince Faisal bin Farhan discussed the current situation in the country and stressed the importance of returning to the framework transition agreement which guarantees security and stability for Sudan and its people.
The minister affirmed the Kingdom’s call for calm and prioritizing national interests in a way that preserves the gains of Sudan and its people.
Sudan’s military and the RSF battled fiercely Saturday in the capital and other areas, dealing a new blow to hopes for a transition to democracy and raising fears of a wider conflict.
The clashes capped months of heightened tensions between the military and the RSF. Those tensions had delayed a deal with political parties to get the country back to its short-lived transition to democracy, which was derailed by an October 2021 military coup.
Clashes continued on Sunday and the death toll stands at 56.
RIYADH: Saudis are being urged to take part in a host of activities and events being lined up to mark World Heritage Day on April 18.
Celebrations will take place throughout the Kingdom with the Saudi Heritage Commission having announced events including craft markets, sound and light shows at historic buildings, traditional dance performances, Al-Qatt Al-Asiri painting, and Arabic calligraphy.
In Riyadh, the King Abdulaziz Historical Center will host events between April 18 and 23, from 9 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. during Ramadan, and from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. during Eid, and other activities will be staged in Al-Ahsa, Hail, and Jeddah’s historic Al-Balad district.
World Heritage Day is celebrated annually with festivals, performances, and social gatherings aimed at raising awareness about significant cultural sites and monuments and how to protect them.
Saudi Arabia has a rich history of civilizations — including the Nabataens and Thamud — and diversity due to its geographic location as a bridge between Asia and Africa.
Individuals came to the Arabian Peninsula as a part of their migration from Africa into Eurasia, and Stone Age settlers used tools made from stone, bone, and wood for hunting, fishing, and collecting plants.
Many such items discovered in the region are now exhibited at The National Museum in Riyadh.
Ali Ibrahim Alhammad, a tourist guide consultant at The National Museum, said: “Five or six Arab kingdoms survived in Saudi Arabia around 4,000 B.C.”
He noted the kingdoms of Dilmun in the east, Tayma, and Lihyanite in the northwest, and pointed out that the Arabian Peninsula had been home to a variety of religions before the rise of Islam.
Alhammad, who gained a master’s degree in archaeology and has spent 23 years working at The National Museum, also highlighted the Bedouin nomadic Arab tribes that had left their cultural imprint, and the importance of landmarks such as the At-Turaif UNESCO World Heritage Site.
JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met in Jeddah with the head of Iraqi National Wisdom Movement, Ammar Al-Hakim.
Both officials reviewed bilateral relations during the meeting on Sunday.
Earlier on Saturday, the crown prince received Iraqi Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Al-Halbousi in Jeddah where both reviewed relations.
RIYADH: On the first day of Ramadan, Manal Alshakhs, a Saudi studying in Collierville, Tennessee, opened her door to find her neighbors singing “Happy Ramadan to you,” and offering flowers, fruit and gifts.
“I teared up, you know, how we are used to spending the first day of Ramadan at my parent’s house. I felt so happy, loved and between family. They made my year,” Alshakhs told Arab News.
Surprised and touched by the visit, Alshakhs’ daughter Hadeel recorded the occasion in a video that soon went viral, with over 4.9 million views in just two weeks.
“There are no words to express my gratitude to Susan Mascari, her mom Marge, her sister Jean, her niece Merit, and our neighbor Penny for their lovely surprise,” Alshakhs said.
Alshakhs, who is originally from the village of Al-Qara in Al-Ahsa, was raised in Alkhobar. She moved to Tennessee with her children in August 2017 to complete her Ph.D. studies after receiving a scholarship from Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University in Dammam, where she worked as a lecturer.
She lives in a small community filled with neighbors who celebrate and embrace each other’s beliefs.
Our religion has taught us that our neighbors always come first. I never knew how important that is until I had to live here away from family and friends.
Manal Alshaks, Saudi student in the US
Mascari, who helped plan the Ramadan celebration, said that as a Catholic she shared a lot of beliefs and moral values with Muslims.
“Being kind to our neighbors and having faith in something good is important to both of us,” she said.
The story behind the video began when Alshakhs’ daughter showed up at Mascari’s house with some food. The visit reminded Mascari that it was Ramadan and she had not seen Alshakhs since earlier that week and wanted to congratulate her on a dissertation.
“I texted a couple of the neighbor ladies — my sister and mother both live in our neighborhood — and asked if they wanted to go see Manal in 30 minutes,” Mascari said. “I told them to just bring whatever they wanted. My mom was at the store and said they had some pretty roses, sister Jean had a bunch of fruit, nurse Penny made a card and had some nuts.
“When we walked up, I said it would be funny if we started singing when they opened the door.”
When Mascari shared the video of the greeting to her TikTok account, it quickly gained wide support, especially from the Muslim community.
Alshakhs posted the video on Snapchat and Facebook to share with her friends and family, who were also forwarding her the viral video they saw on TikTok.
“After less than a day from posting it on my Snapchat, my friends and relatives in Saudi Arabia started to send me the TikTok link and how it became famous,” Alshakhs said.
“All the feedback I got was positive. People were saying how cute my neighbors are and that I live among good people. They also commented on how my neighbors respect and accept me as I am.”
She stressed the importance of building a sense of community and familiarity with those living nearby.
“Our religion has taught us that our neighbors always come first. I never knew how important that is until I had to live here away from family and friends,” she said.
“Having a community is like having a support system. A haven. Eventually, they become family. Our mental and emotional health thrive through having a community.
“I believe that we are ambassadors to our country and religion. Having an interfaith/inter-culture community, allows us to know the ‘real us.’ From my experience, we are pretty much the same.”
Alshakhs and Mascari have been neighbors for almost six years now, and their youngest children frquently play together.
“Manal and I had a casual friendship where we would wave and say hi,” Mascari said. “When the quarantine happened in March 2020, we were asked to stay home in our part of the state. The neighbors all started to get together and go for walks around the block every night. We just started to spend more time together.”
Alshakhs said: “When COVID struck, Susan suggested a neighborhood walk and she called it ‘Sip and stroll at six, six feet apart.’ That is when we started to get to know each other better. Then we became friends and life became much easier here.”
Mascari said it was important to her to celebrate with her neighbor, and make her feel as welcome as she could in her community and family.
“Manal is visiting our country and will eventually go back to Saudi Arabia. I want her to go home with happy memories from her time here,” she said.
“I think it was so brave of her to leave behind her family and friends to pursue her education. I think to have a friend you have to be a friend.”
Alshakhs told Arab News that she feels blessed to be a part of an accepting neighborhood.
She described Mascari’s family as the “neighborhood mayors” because of their efforts to unite everyone. “They love bringing people together in a creative, simple and fun way.”
This will be Alshakhs’ final year in Tennessee with their newly created family and community, and she is overwhelmed. “I am graduating in May and it breaks my heart to leave.”