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The International Monetary Fund has opened its first office the Middle East and North Africa region in Riyadh.
The office was launched during the Joint Regional Conference on Industrial Policy for Diversification, jointly organized by the IMF and the Ministry of Finance, on April 24.
The new office aims to strengthen capacity building, regional surveillance, and outreach to foster stability, growth, and regional integration, thereby promoting partnerships in the Middle East and beyond, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
Additionally, the office will facilitate closer collaboration between the IMF and regional institutions, governments, and other stakeholders, the SPA report noted, adding that the IMF expressed its appreciation to Saudi Arabia for its financial contribution aimed at enhancing capacity development in its member countries, including fragile states.
Abdoul Aziz Wane, a seasoned IMF director with an extensive understanding of the institution and a broad network of policymakers and academics worldwide, will serve as the first director of the Riyadh office.
source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)
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The office will facilitate closer collaboration between the IMF and regional institutions. Shutterstock
Moroccan reciters performed well at the competition and demonstrated exceptional talent and proficiency in Quranic recitation.
Moroccan Ilyas Hajri has clinched the title of World Quran Reader in the Hafiz category at the fourth edition of the Bahrain Online Quran Recitation Competition.
The Moroccan Quran reciter won the prize for his exceptional proficiency in reciting the Holy Quran.
This win adds to a string of previous successes, as Hajri has consistently shown excellence in Quranic recitation competitions. Last year, he won first place in the International Quran memorization competition in Astana, Kazakhstan.
In addition to Hajri, Moroccan Yassine El Kazzini secured the second position in the same category.
Meanwhile, Moroccans Abdelbasset Ourach and Mustapha Zahid claimed third places in the categories of memorized recitation (Tajweed) and melodious recitation (Murattal) respectively.
The finals of the competition were conducted in-person in Bahrain’s capital city Manama, where the top performers competed to secure their positions in various categories of Quranic recitation.
The competition brought together over 5,000 participants from 74 countries.
Meanwhile, Mohamed Sameer Mohamed Mujahid from Bahrain was crowned the World Quran Reciter in the Tajweed category, while Ahmed Mohamed Saleh Ahmed from Yemen secured the same title in the category of junior reciters.
Organizers of the competition highlighted its mission to promote and celebrate the recitation and memorization of the Holy Quran.
It also aims to serve the Quranic tradition by providing a platform for individuals of all ages and nationalities to showcase their skills and proficiency in reciting the Quran.
Moroccans have built a strong reputation for their excellence in Quran recitation competitions, consistently shining on the global stage.
Last month, Moroccan Elias Al-Mahiawi won first place at the 20th International Quran Competition in Tanzania.
Two Saudi students distinguished themselves at the European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad, which took place in Georgia from April 11 to 17. The Olympiad stands as a prestigious international platform tailored for high school girls with a profound enthusiasm for mathematics that extends beyond conventional academic boundaries. This year’s event witnessed the participation of 212 students hailing from 54 different nations.
A bronze medal and certificates of appreciation, respectively, were awarded to Fatimah Hassan Buali from Al-Ahsa and Retaj Al-Saleh from the Eastern Province, who represented Saudi Arabia, the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba), and the Ministry of Education. This marks the Kingdom’s 12th engagement in the Mathematical Olympiad, showcasing a consistent presence on this global stage. Over the years, Saudi students have amassed a commendable collection of accolades, including two gold, six silver, and 13 bronze medals, alongside seven certificates of appreciation.
Amal bint Abdullah Al-Hazzaa, the Secretary-General of Mawhiba, underscored the significance of the students’ triumphs, emphasizing the cooperation between Saudi institutions and their dedication to nurturing young talents through education and training, aligning with international benchmarks. She commended Mawhiba and the Ministry of Education’s collaboration, noting that both institutions have as their common objective the development of Saudi human resources in accordance with Saudi Vision 2030 and the National Transformation Program.
Mawhiba, in close partnership with the Ministry of Education, administers the Mawhiba Program for International Olympiads, meticulously preparing Saudi teams for such competitive arenas. This comprehensive initiative encompasses advanced training modules and curriculum updates that are carefully timed to coincide with Saudi scientific teams’ yearly participation in international contests. The Saudi female participants in the Mathematical Olympiad underwent rigorous training regimes designed to sharpen their scientific acumen, their selection for participation being predicated on their performance in the training sessions convened by Mawhiba.
The third annual Hollywood Arab Film Festival began this week, bringing the best of 2024’s Arab cinema to Los Angeles and giving fans a chance to see the films in theaters as well as introducing a new audience to the Arab world’s top talent.
The event, which runs until April 21, was attended by a number of celebrity guests including Egyptian producer and screenwriter Mohamed Hefzy, Tunisian actor Dhaffer L’Abidine, renowned Egyptian star Elham Shahin and Egyptian producer Tarek El-Ganainy.
At the event, Hefty said: “Arab cinema really needs a platform to tell our stories and to show who we are, our identity, our hopes and dreams, our pains, and all the different social topics that are tackled in some of the films that are being presented are maybe more relevant today than ever. So I think it’s a great opportunity to have this dialogue.”
Hefzy’s film “Hajjan” was showing at the event. It is a Saudi Arabia-based film directed by Egyptian filmmaker Abu Bakr Shawky.
“Hajjan is a film about a young boy who got a very special connection to his camel, who has a brother who was a camel jockey and races,” Hefzy said. “And, one day when something really unexpected happens to his brother, and shatters his world, it forces him to step into his brother’s shoes and become a camel jockey, and so starts racing himself.”
The movie is a co-production between the Kingdom’s King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, or Ithra, and Hefzy’s Film Clinic.
“It was a film made in Saudi Arabia with Saudi talents and actors with an Egyptian director, but with the Saudi co-writer and Saudi actors and shot mostly in Saudi Arabia,” Hefzy said. “So I think it’s, it was a great experience, and learned a lot about Saudi Arabia, learned a lot about the culture.”
The festival featured cinema from various Arab countries, presenting films from 16 different nations. Marlin Soliman, strategic planning director of HAFF, highlighted the inclusion of six feature films, ten short films and six student films.
Spanning five days, HAFF offered its audience a vibrant experience, including a red-carpet affair, panel discussions on filmmaking and diversity in Hollywood, and, of course, screenings of high-profile films.
The festival also saw several filmmakers singing the praises of Saudi Arabia’s expanding film industry.
L’Abidine, the writer and director of “To My Son,” said: “I’m thrilled to be back again with my second feature film ‘To My Son,’ a Saudi film… I think there is a great evolution of Saudi cinema that’s been happening in the last few years.”
Delegated by His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, Shaikh Abdulmalik bin Abdullah al Khalili, Chairman of the State Council handed over the 9th version of Sultan Qaboos Awards for Culture, Arts and Literature to the winners at Al Wahat Club.
This edition is allocated for Omanis in areas of Omani heritage (culture category), theatre teams (arts category), and article (literature category).
The Award’s handing over ceremony included a speech for the Sultan Qaboos Higher Centre for Culture and Science delivered by Habib bin Mohammed al Riyami, chairman of the centre during which he reviewed the march of the awards since its inception. He also congratulated the winners.
Harith bin Mohammed al Batashi won the first place in the culture category for his investigation conducted on the book of Sheikh Said bin Khalfan Al Khalili. Al Dann Theatre Team won the first place in the theatre teams category whereas the writer Dr Muna Hibras al Sulaimi won the the first place in the literature category.
During the event, fields of the 10th edition of the awards which will be dedicated for Omanis, as well as Arabs were unveiled. They include media and communication (culture category), cinema production (arts category), and novel (literature category).
Far from being a forgotten tradition, Al Sadu is a centuries-old practice that is perpetuated and reinvented in Arabia.
Historically, Al Sadu met the needs of nomadic life. Women used available resources – sheep’s wool, goat’s and camel’s hair – to create robust textiles, essential for survival in arid environments. Their method, based on rudimentary floor looms, produced tight, durable fabrics characterized by geometric patterns that reflected the environment and culture of their creators.
Al Sadu production begins with shearing the wool and collecting the hair, followed by thorough cleaning to remove impurities. The yarns are then dyed with bright colors derived from local plants and spices, such as henna, turmeric, saffron, aloe and indigo. Weaving is done on traditional looms made from palm or jujube wood.
It also has significant cultural importance, recognised by UNESCO. Kuwaiti Sadu was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2020, in collaboration with Saudi Arabia.
Keeping the art alive
Once the preserve of nomadic tribes, this time-honored art is now being revitalized by young designers. In Kuwait , for example, with the aim of perpetuating this heritage, designers are collaborating with Bayt Al-Sadu and specialist researchers. The aim of this collaboration is to develop unique art exhibitions that showcase this nationally recognised culture.
Bayt Al Sadu, or the House of Sadu, is a museum dedicated to the traditional textiles of Kuwait. It is dedicated to the preservation, documentation and promotion of Bedouin textile heritage, ranging from nomadic weaving to urban weaving styles.
A study conducted by Manal Alkhazi at the University of Southampton among 120 young Kuwaiti women aged between 15 and 21 from the six districts of Kuwait revealed that 48.3% of young Kuwaitis interviewed in an electronic survey had Sadu garments at home. In addition, 69.2% of those questioned said they knew the basic Sadu colors.
The ‘Limbo’ star will be acting alongside Pierce Brosnan as they follow the story of famed boxer Prince Naseem.
Egyptian actor Amir El Masry is set to star in a biopic of legendary British Yemeni boxer Naseem Hamed, titled ‘Giant’. The movie will tell the story of Hamed’s humble beginnings in the English city of Sheffield, and his meteoric rise to becoming a world champion. Throughout his career, he is coached by former steel worker Brendan Ingle, who is played by Irish actor and ‘James Bond’ star Pierce Brosnan.
Also known as Prince Naseem or ‘Naz’, Hamed also became an icon of showmanship, with his inimitable southpaw boxing style and quick feet, his high rate of knock-out victories, and his elaborate ring entries, arriving on a ‘flying carpet’ suspended from the ceiling and often somersaulting over the ropes.
The casting of El Masry to play Hamed marks his first starring role in a major film production, though he has already landed several major parts in acclaimed series such as ‘The Night Manager’, BAFTA-nominated ‘The State’, and the fifth season of ‘The Crown’, in which he played a young Mohamed Al Fayed. He is also known for his award-winning role in ‘Limbo’, as well as his appearances in ‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’ and Egyptian series ‘El-Brinseesa Beesa’.
The activities of the seventh session of the International Festival of Arabic Language and Culture were concluded in the Italian city of Milan, which was held under the auspices of the Sharjah Book Authority and organized by the College of Linguistic Sciences and Foreign Literatures and the Arabic Language Research Center at the Catholic University, under the title “Language and Artificial Intelligence: A Limit to the Past or a Horizon for the Future.”
“In a step that reflects the spirit of the global cultural mission of the Emirate of Sharjah and confirms the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, in highlighting the role of the Arabic language as a bridge for civilizational and cultural communication between peoples.
The events were attended by His Excellency Ahmed bin Rakad Al Ameri, CEO of the Sharjah Book Authority, Mario Cristina Gatti, Director of the Arabic Language Research Center at the University, His Excellency Muhammad Hassan Khalaf, Director General of the Sharjah Radio and Television Authority, and Dr. Amhamed Safi Al Mosteghanemi, Secretary General of the Arabic Language Academy in Sharjah, while participating in The festival sessions included 35 researchers from 18 countries, including 9 Arab countries: the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Iraq, Morocco, Lebanon, Syria, Algeria, Yemen and Palestine, in addition to Turkey’s presence for the first time. The festival also hosted 12 academics and university professors from the Catholic University in Italy.
The seventh session of the festival sought to explore the intersections of artificial intelligence with Arabic language and culture, highlighting key topics that include “ethics and legislation of artificial intelligence” and its role as a translator who crosses linguistic borders, as a poet who organizes poems, and as a novelist who weaves stories.
The festival also focused on the impact of artificial intelligence on language teaching and its applications in the language of social communication. It discussed “the role of artificial intelligence in the scientific research and philosophy sector” and its potential in “restructuring the Arab heritage” with a focus on “its impact on language and the arts” in a way that enhances the status of Arabic as a living language. Interact with modern technologies.
His Excellency Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri had stressed in a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the festival that pride in one’s own language is pride in all languages, as the diversity of languages is a necessity for the diversity of cultures, and it is not possible to imagine the world in one language because this means that cultures lose much of the beauty and incentives for learning and discovery, highlighting Shedding light on the major project led by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, which is the historical dictionary of the Arabic language, of which 67 volumes have been published to date covering 15 of the 28 letters of the Arabic language.
For his part, Dr. Wael Farouk, director of the festival, said: “The participants in this year’s session presented ideas on the topic of ‘Language and artificial intelligence: a limitation of the past or a horizon for the future.’
The opening session presented by Mario Cristina Gatti, director of the Arabic Language Research Center at the university, also witnessed the launch of The first Italian translation of the poetry of Al-Mu’allaqat, which is considered one of the most famous classical texts in the history of Arabic poetry. It is a translation presented by Jolanda Guardi, and it presents a poetic reading by the Iraqi poet and translator Kazem Jihad on the occasion of the publication of his collection of poems in the Italian language.
The festival devoted sessions on the digitization of the Arabic language, artificial intelligence, imagination, artificial intelligence, and translation, with the participation of Dr. Emhamed Safi Mosteghanemi, Secretary General of the Arabic Language Academy in Sharjah, who reviewed the emirate’s experience in collecting and publishing the largest historical dictionary of the Arabic language as a successful example of digitization.
The translators, Muhammad Haqqi Sushin, Samir Greiss, and Naglaa Wali, raised questions about the capabilities of artificial intelligence as a translator of literary texts, the role of literary translators in the era of artificial intelligence, and the ways in which literary translation can benefit from artificial intelligence.
Winner of the Best Music Award (for the Under the Figs film) in the 2023 “Critic Awards” section (on the fringes of the 76th Cannes Film Feestival) , French-Tunisian film music composer Amine Bouhafa was chosen as a member of the “Competition Jury” for season 7 of the Cannes International Festival of Series (CANNESERIES), held on April 5-10.
The Competition Jury is also made up of Sophie Grabol, Olivier Abbou, Alice Braga, Macarena Gracia and Alix Poisson.
CANNESERIES has been celebrating series from all over the world for 7 years and brings together those who make and love them in the mythical setting of the city of Cannes and its magical Palais des Festivals. Carried by a team of enthusiasts, the festival acts as a platform, and is completely free and open to all.
Sheikh Mohammed felicitates Lebanese professor Fadel Adib for his research and innovations in wireless communication.
Professor Fadel Adib had his studies in a tumultuous period, while assassinations and car bombings were daily news in Beirut. Undeterred, he pursued his studies. And on Monday, he became the youngest winner of the first ever Great Arab Minds (GAM) award, earning a sum of Dh1 million to continue his work.
Felicitated by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, at a glamorous event held at the Museum of The Future, Fadel said he was humbled by the recognition.
“I feel honoured to be chosen among giants and big names in the field and to sit next to them,” he said. “I feel doubly honoured because this happened in the Arab world.” He also expressed his commitment to giving back to the Arab world and hoped to inspire and encourage more innovation within the region.
Currently an associate professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), it was Fadel’s research and innovations in wireless communication, particularly in identifying objects and vibrations hidden behind walls and under rubble, that earned him the recognition. According to the judging committee, his discoveries have opened up new possibilities for various industries.
Alongside Fadel, other winners included Algerian novelist Prof Waciny Laredj, Egyptian economist Dr Mohamed El-Erian and Lebanese scientist Prof Niveen Khashab. Each award winner will receive Dh1 million to fund their research and development.
Honouring of Arab minds
In her winning speech, Prof Niveen recalled how she was asked by her colleagues if she was “crazy” for wanting to move back to the Arab World. “In 2008, when I was at Northwestern University in Chicago, I received a call from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) and was offered to be part of the founding academic staff of the university,” she said. “All the colleagues and professors told me: ‘Are you crazy, you cannot launch a scientific career in an Arab country.’ But I accepted this challenge and began my academic career at KAUST. Now, after fifteen years, I am pleased to share with you that the Chemistry Department at my university is not ranked 40th in the world.”
The GAM — the largest scientific movement in the Arab world with a budget of Dh100 million — was designed to seek and identify great minds in the region and reward them for their achievements. The initiative seeks to halt the brain drain trend in Arab nations by incentivising talented individuals to remain in their home countries and utilise available resources. Recognising individuals in six categories — namely natural sciences, architecture and design, engineering and technology, economics, literature and arts and medicine — the award was first announced in 2022.
After a year-long rigorous process, the winners were selected and announced by Sheikh Mohammed on social media platform X in late 2023.
Other winners recognised for their exceptional contributions were:
Dr Hani Najm from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, head of the department of adult and paediatric cardiac surgery at Cleveland Clinic Hospital in the United States. Dr Najm was acknowledged in the field of medicine for his groundbreaking work in cardiac surgery.
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, president of Queen’s College, University of Cambridge, received the award in the Economics category. His remarkable insights and contributions have reshaped the understanding of global economic trends.
Professor Niveen Khashab, whose groundbreaking research in the natural sciences earned her the Arab Geniuses Award. Her work has pushed the boundaries of scientific knowledge, particularly in her field of expertise.
Prof Lina Ghotmeh was recognised for her exceptional achievements in the Architecture and Design category. Her innovative designs have reimagined urban landscapes and inspired future generations of architects.
Prof Waciny Laredj was celebrated for his remarkable contributions to the Literature and Arts category. His literary prowess and artistic vision have captivated audiences and enriched cultural heritage.
