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Azimuth 2023: Saudi Arabia marks National Day, weekend party in AlUla’s oasis valleys


AlUla Moments, an annual series of festivals in the oasis valley of the Saudi Arabian heritage site, kicked off with the Azimuth music event on Thursday.

With headline performers including South Korean DJ Peggy Gou and British singer-songwriter Jorja Smith, the mountain region north-west of the capital city Riyadh is welcoming international and local artists to raise the metaphorical roof.

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“…We cannot wait for guests to experience everything we have in store for them this year,” Rami Almoallim, Vice President of Destination Management and marketing at the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) said.

“AlUla Moments is all about people enjoying incredible experiences,” he said in a statement to the media.

Coinciding with the Kingdom’s 93rd National Day, the experience is being organized by Saudi-based MDLBEAST, who has promised to “transform stunning and historical AlUla into an exceptional gathering of art, sound, and music for an unmissable weekend extravaganza,” in a statement.

The entertainment firm is best known for hosting the flagship three-day SOUNDSTORM festival in Riyadh, which saw over 600,000 attendees in 2022.

On the ground

Mohammed Sal, a Saudi national promoting the Kingdom through his travel videos, and visiting the AlUla concert for the second time Thursday, told Al Arabiya English that he is not “expecting anything this time because every time I go there, it [AlUla] surprises me with a new thing.”

“I was planning to go to Tomorrowland in Belgium, but I don’t need that anymore. It’s happening in Saudi Arabia,” he added.

In addition to his role as a TV presenter, Sal is also an aspiring producer who corelates his newfound passion to Saudi Arabia’s “open doors” to art and entertainment.

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A post shared by Mohammed Sal | محمد سال (@moasalem)

“I was a traveler around the world and I used to make content for people to see the world. But now I make content in Saudi for people to see Saudi,” he said, adding that he is excited to experience the varied entertainment options available in the Kingdom.

Saudi Arabia began a liberalization drive after Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman launched the ambitious Vision 2030 reform plan. Part of it included opening up the country’s previously strict policies on entertainment, including music and cinema.

Saudi-based pop artist Molham, who has previously performed at a MDLBEAST-organized event, said Azimuth was a “bridge” between local and global music and musicians.

“Saudi is very much changing and so is the sound of music, integrating our local sound with international sound,” he told Al Arabiya English on the sidelines of the festival.

“…We want to introduce Saudi music and Saudi instrumentation and Saudi lyrics on a global stage, and that’s what we’re trying to do.”

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A post shared by MOLHAM (@molham)

Molham is not performing at the AlUla event, but is in town to experience the party, he said. He also said the landscape “inspires” him.

“Being in an iconic place, it really inspires me and a lot of other artists to create in a way that we hadn’t created before… I am excited to be here, excited to take part in a lot of what the country is building towards,” the Jeddah-based artist said.

“I’m very proud of my country. I’m very proud of a lot of the progress that we’ve shown in the last couple of years, and I’m excited to take part in that and be a leader within this movement and very much believe in the vision and what we’re building towards,” he added.

“I’m very excited for the future.”

The lineup

Festival goers can hear from dozens of artists from techno to house and R&B to Soul.

Day 1, September 21: UK indie band The Kooks, South Korean DJ Peggy Gou, Australian singer and record producer RY X, Egyptian rock band Cairokee, electronic music duo Thievery Corporation, Saudi-born DJ Nooriyah, Saudi DJ and producer BluePaper, Arabs Got Talent star Daneel, female singer-songwriter Cosmicat, Saudi DJ JEME, and regional stars Dorar, Nomad, Amro, and Sokkary.

Day 2, September 22: English singer and songwriter Jorja Smith, indie artist Dope Lemon, Australian singer Chet Faker, northern Mali’s Tinariwen, Gaza-raised Saint Levant, Shkoon Live, Ame & Dixon, and regional legends Vinyl Mode, Husa & Zeyada, Dish Dash, Majid, Kayan, Zone+, Baloo, Anmarz, and Narkbeat.

Both weekend and single day passes are available through the official AlUla website starting from $215 (SAR 808).

The organizers have also set up a festival playlist, now streaming on Spotify.

Read more:

AlUla Moments features exciting calendar of events with concerts, festivals, sports

Saudi archeologists make ‘significant’ discovery at al-Abla archeological site

Inaugural AlUla Desert Blaze all set to challenge endurance racers

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Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi meets with CEOs of leading Norwegian companies

H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has met with a group of CEOs from leading Norwegian companies, as part of their participation in the UAE-Norway Investment Forum, held alongside his official visit to the Kingdom of Norway.

During the meeting, H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed underscored the UAE leadership’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation with its international partners.

He highlighted that investment in innovation and knowledge is a cornerstone for achieving sustainable development, noting that enhancing collaboration with Norwegian companies across key sectors will open new avenues for mutual economic growth between the two countries.

The UAE-Norway Investment Forum, taking place in Oslo, aimed to highlight available investment opportunities and strengthen trade relations between the UAE and Norway, fostering shared interests and supporting innovation and knowledge-based economic visions.

-wam

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At the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS inaugurates 10th global office, releases four books

As part of its Asian research tour, partnership with Aletihad News Center, and
primary sponsorship of the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS
Research & Advisory inaugurated its office in Jakarta, marking its 10th location
worldwide. It also released four books in Indonesian.
The inauguration event was attended by ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, and
Jordan to Indonesia, chairpersons of the UAE and Indonesian Publishers’
Associations, the Director of TRENDS’ Jakarta office, and a group of researchers
and academics.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS
Research & Advisory, stated that TRENDS’ international offices—set to reach 15
by the end of 2024—aim to enhance the Center’s research efforts and deepen its
role in disseminating knowledge, thus serving as a global knowledge bridge.
He emphasized, “At TRENDS, we believe in the importance of cooperation
between think tanks and prioritize this endeavor. We believe the TRENDS office in
Jakarta will enhance the exchange of knowledge and ideas between think tanks in
Asia and the Middle East, opening new horizons for collaboration in various
fields.”

Four books in Indonesian
As part of the Jakarta office’s inaugural activities, four books were released in
Indonesian, including the 11th and 12th books of the Muslim Brotherhood
Encyclopedia and Global Trends in AI and Automation and the Future of
Competition between Man and Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision.

Hostility to Arab states
The 11th book of the Muslim Brotherhood Encyclopedia, The Concept of the State
According to the Muslim Brotherhood, highlights its hostile stance toward Arab
states since its inception. The group views them as an obstacle to its ascent to
power. It opposed the modern principles upon which these states were built,
considering them incompatible with the group’s unique interpretation of Islam,
which it claimed to embody exclusively.

Exclusion of nonconformists
The 12th book, The Muslim Brotherhood: Rejection of Tolerance and Exclusion of
Nonconformists, examines the Muslim Brotherhood’s stance towards
nonconformists, individuals, and entities. The book reveals the group’s binary view
of the world, categorizing others as allies or adversaries. It ties these relationships
to the Brotherhood’s internal power struggles and self-serving interests.

Global Trends in AI
The third book, Global Trends in AI, explores significant developments in AI and
its impact on various aspects of life, including the economy, society, and
governance. It also offers a comprehensive analysis of technological advancements
in AI, its applications across sectors, the ethical and social challenges it presents,
and its future trajectory.

Automation

The fourth book, Automation and the Future of Competition between Man and
Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision, addresses the growing challenges
faced by the human workforce in the face of widespread automation and AI
applications. The book concludes that while automation presents a significant
challenge to the labor market, it simultaneously creates new opportunities. It
emphasizes the importance of preparing for this shift through skills development,
continuous education, and adopting economic and social policies that support the
workforce.

Prominent pavilion and active presence
The TRENDS’ pavilion at the Indonesia International Book Fair has attracted
numerous visitors, including academic researchers and officials, such as the
ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, and Turkey. Additionally,
chairpersons of Arab and Indonesian publishers’ associations, authors, publishers,
and students visited the pavilion. All were impressed with and praised TRENDS’ diverse, valuable publications. They also commended TRENDS’ active
international presence and ability to address global developments with rigorous
analytical research.
Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali honored the esteemed guests, including
ambassadors of the UAE and Bahrain to Indonesia, Wedha Startesti Yudha,
Chairperson of the Indonesia International Book Fair Committee, Arys Hilman
Nugraha, Chairman of the Indonesian Publishers Association, and others,
presenting them with TRENDS’ publications and commemorative shields.
Additionally, he awarded TRENDS’ Research Medal to Ni Made Ayu Martini
Indonesian Deputy Minister of Marketing, Tourism and Creative Economy
It is worth noting that during its current Asian research tour, TRENDS announced
the launch of the TRENDS Research Medal, awarded to individuals who make
significant contributions to the development of scientific research and promote collaboration with TRENDS in strengthening a culture of research across various fields.

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US determined to prevent full-scale war in Middle East, Joe Biden tells UNGA79

US President Joe Biden highlighted the US Administration’s determination to prevent a wider war that engulfs the entire Middle East region, noting that a diplomatic solution “remains the only path to lasting security to allow the residents from both countries to return to their homes on the border safely”.

In remarks he made today before the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79), the US President said, “Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest,” adding that a diplomatic solution is still possible.

He also touched on “the rise of violence against innocent Palestinians on the West Bank”, and the need to “set the conditions for a better future”, which he said featured “a two-state solution, where the world — where Israel enjoys security and peace and full recognition and normalised relations with all its neighbours, where Palestinians live in security, dignity, and self-determination in a state of their own”.

President Biden underscored the ceasefire and hostage deal put forth by Qatar and Egypt, which the UN Security Council endorsed. He said, “Now is the time for the parties to finalise its terms, bring the hostages home,” adding that this would help ease the suffering in Gaza, and end the war.

-WAM

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