Latest news with #SaudiNationalDay
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Why family of 'Sleeping Prince' Al-Waleed refused doctors' advice before tragic death
Saudi Prince Al Waleed bin Khaled bin Talal Al Saud has died after spending 20 years living in a coma following a tragic car accident. His family never gave up hope that he would one day wake up A Saudi prince who spent 20 years living in a coma after a tragic car accident in London has sadly died, but his family never gave up on him. Prince Al Waleed bin Khaled bin Talal Al Saud, the eldest son of Prince Khaled bin Talal Al Saud, passed away on Saturday at the age of 36. He was tragically nicknamed the "Sleeping Prince" after spending more than two decades in a coma, following a terrible accident at the age of 15, when he was studying as a military cadet in London. He suffered severe brain injuries and internal bleeding in the accident, and despite urgent medical care, he never regained full consciousness. He was hospitalised at King Abdulaziz Medical City and was kept on a ventilator until his death. Announcing the devastating news of his passing, his father, Prince Khaled bin Talal Al Saud, said: "With hearts believing in Allah will and decree, and with deep sorrow and sadness, we mourn our beloved son: Prince Al-Waleed bin Khaled bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, may Allah have mercy on him, who passed away today." Prince Al Waleed's family never gave up hope that he would one day recover, so they ignored doctors' advice and kept him alive on life support. Their decision was rooted in their religious beliefs, as Prince Khaled previously explained, according to the Economic Times: "If God had wanted him to die in the accident, he would have been in his grave now." His mother also said that she still sensed her son's spirit while he was in a coma for two decades. The prince's family found fresh hope in 2019 when he moved his fingers and head. According to Roya News, Prince Al-Waleed "showed signs of limited awareness through small gestures, such as lifting a finger or slightly moving his head—though these moments did not indicate a return to full consciousness". This was said to be his last known movement. The young royal needed continuous mechanical breathing assistance during his time in hospital and never regained complete awareness or consciousness. He remained in ciritical condition until he died. Although Prince Al-Waleed was locked in a deep coma, his family made sure his hospital room was decorated for important events like Ramadan, Eid or Saudi National Day. During a hospital visit alongside his sons Saud and Mohammed, Prince Al-Waleed's younger brothers, Prince Khaled asked for prayers that he might recover and wake up from his coma. His hospital room was often frequented by visitors offering prayers and support. Funeral prayers for the prince will be held on Sunday at Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh. After Prince Khaled's announcement on X, many people shared their condolences.
Mid East Info
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Mid East Info
AlUla Moments Reveals 2025-2026 Calendar: A Year of Culture, Music, and Discovery in Arabia's Timeless Oasis
AlUla Moments has unveiled its eagerly awaited 2025-2026 calendar, inviting visitors from across the Kingdom and around the world to experience a year of extraordinary festivals and events. Celebrating AlUla's timeless landscapes, deep heritage, and flourishing creative scene, the calendar offers a thoughtfully curated blend of heritage, music, art, wellness, sport, gastronomy, and community experiences, reinforcing AlUla's emergence as one of the region's most inspiring year-round destinations. Rami AlMoallim, Vice President of Destination Management and Marketing at the Royal Commission for AlUla, said: 'Each year, AlUla Moments evolves to offer an even more diverse and enriching array of experiences. The 2025-2026 calendar is a testament to our commitment to creating unique and authentic events that resonate with visitors from around the world. Whether it's through heritage, music, art, adventure, or wellness, AlUla continues to inspire and captivate.' The AlUla Moments 2025-2026 launches in September with the return of AZIMUTH the annual music event to mark the Saudi National Day weekend, uniting global and regional music talent with immersive performances, and cutting-edge visuals in a celebration of culture and creativity beneath AlUla's vast open skies. October brings a renewed focus on wellness, movement, and heritage with the return of AlUla Wellness Festival, a week-long celebration of balance and transformation. Alongside daily yoga sessions, guided meditations, and live performances, the programme introduces for the first time high-energy challenges including the AlUla Half Marathon Road Race, AlUla 24-Hour Endurance Race, AlUla Duathlon, and Ashar Valley Triathlon, alongside iconic fitness sessions with Les Mills, all inviting participants to push their limits amid breathtaking desert landscapes. Launching in November, The Ancient Kingdoms Festival invites visitors to 'journey through time' and experience AlUla's spectacular ancient sites and stories, brought to life in exciting new ways. From day-time discoveries to after-dark encounters, visitors can step into the world's largest living museum to explore the extraordinary landscapes shaped by nature, history, and human legacy at the heart of the Incense Road. Highlights include Hegra After Dark , The Incense Road Experience, the epic Hegra Drone Show 'Stories from the Sky', Ikmah After Dark and Hegra Candlelit Classics concerts, featuring world-renowned international artists. An unmissable opportunity for visitors to enjoy close encounters on the sites where history was made, celebrating AlUla's cultural legacy. In December, Winter at Tantora returns with its beloved blend of music, gastronomy, and heritage celebration. Opening with a tribute to the Saudi Year of Handicrafts and a performance by acclaimed artist Ahlam, this year's edition features highlights including Shorofat Tantora, Old Town Culinary Voyage, Tantora Old Town Nights, and exclusive fine dining restaurants with the return of Ducasse and Annabel's, all set against the enchanting backdrop of AlUla's historic oasis. The start of 2026 is marked by world-class sporting events that spotlight equestrian excellence and endurance racing. In January, AlUla Desert Polo returns to the purpose-built sand track near AlUla's sandstone cliffs, drawing elite players and international attention. Later that month, the AlUla Tour brings top international cyclists to the region for a multi-stage UCI Asia Tour race, showcasing AlUla's dramatic landscapes and rising status in global sport. In February, AlFursan Endurance AlUla challenges the world's top riders in one of the sport's most prestigious competitions, while the AlUla Trail Race welcomes athletes from around the globe to tackle one of the region's most scenic—and demanding—trail courses. Returning for its fifth edition in January, AlUla Arts Festival celebrates creative expression across disciplines, transforming the landscape into a living gallery. The festival features the fourth edition of Desert X AlUla, a landmark open-air exhibition placing visionary contemporary artworks by Saudi and international artists in the dramatic desert landscape, and a major new exhibition curated by AlUla's contemporary art museum in collaboration with the renowned Pompidou Centre, Paris. AlJadidah Arts District will again be animated by performances and programming and will feature an exhibition of contemporary AlUla-inspired design. The AlUla Moments 2025-2026 calendar reflects the destination's evolution into a global stage for creative expression, human connection, and extraordinary experiences. It celebrates what makes AlUla truly unique – its culture, nature, and community – and extends a bold invitation for the world to be part of its revitalizing story.
Campaign ME
07-07-2025
- Business
- Campaign ME
Why algorithms need cultural intelligence
As AI transforms media planning across global markets, the MENA region presents a compelling paradox. On one hand, the region is witnessing a surge in artificial intelligence (AI) and automation, driven by a mobile-first population and governments investing heavily in digital transformation. On the other, its cultural complexity – spanning diverse languages, dialects, traditions and sociopolitical sensitivities – demands more cultural intelligence and a human-centric approach to media strategy. The promise and the paradox AI's potential in MENA is already materialising in meaningful ways. Leading telecom companies in Saudi Arabia, for example, are dynamically adapting media investments around cultural tentpoles such as Riyadh Season and Saudi National Day, using AI to optimise placement, content and timing. These are not 'one-size-fits-all' campaigns. They are highly responsive, tailored initiatives made possible by machine-driven data processing and prediction. Similarly, UAE banks and telecom operators are leveraging AI to deliver highly personalised, multilingual campaigns that track and adjust performance in real time. These organisations are not just reducing media wastage; they are achieving cultural relevance and responsiveness at scale. But here's where the paradox emerges: the very complexity that makes AI useful in MENA – scale, multilingualism, platform fragmentation – also exposes its limitations. Algorithmic models, regardless of sophistication, lack cultural fluency. For example, they can process data about Ramadan, but they can't understand the emotional weight of family gathering moments. They can optimise for Arabic keywords, but they miss the cultural subtext that determines whether a message resonates or offends. This tension between technological capability and cultural complexity isn't a problem to be solved – it's the new operational reality for media planning in MENA. Agencies that recognise this paradox early are positioning themselves to leverage AI's strengths whilst maintaining the human insight essential for meaningful audience connection. Beyond the human versus machine debate The next evolution of media planning in MENA is about architecting integrated systems where cultural intelligence guides algorithmic precision. The most successful media strategies emerging across the region share a common characteristic: they're built on structured partnerships between human intelligence and AI capabilities, with machines excelling at processing vast datasets, automating performance reporting, and enabling real-time optimisation, whilst humans focus on strategic thinking, cultural interpretation, ethical decision-making, and long-term brand stewardship. Consider the practical reality of programmatic media buying during cultural moments such as Eid or National Day celebrations. AI systems can instantly analyse millions of bid opportunities, optimise spending across platforms, and adjust creative rotation based on performance metrics. But determining whether a particular creative approach respects cultural values, resonates with family dynamics, or aligns with local celebration traditions requires human judgement informed by deep cultural understanding. The cultural intelligence imperative Media planners in the region aren't simply trafficking impressions or optimising cost-per-acquisition metrics. They're navigating an intricate cultural ecosystem that demands localised storytelling, ethical consideration, and nuanced audience understanding. Success requires knowing not just who the audience is, but what they value, how they interpret messaging, and why cultural context shapes every interaction. This cultural complexity creates a significant competitive advantage for agencies that understand it. Brands treating AI purely as a cost-saving tool inevitably lose ground to those leveraging it as a capability multiplier. The winning combination pairs AI's speed, precision, and scalability with human cultural depth, ethical accountability, and strategic vision. The integrated approach in practice Winning agencies across MENA are those simultaneously investing in both advanced AI tools and exceptional talent. Rather than deploying AI to replace planners, they're developing intelligent systems that eliminate routine tasks, empowering their teams to concentrate on strategic thinking and cultural insight. This integration manifests in several ways: Hybrid team structures: Data scientists work directly alongside strategists and media planners, ensuring technical capabilities align with cultural insights from project inception. Cultural training datasets: AI systems are trained not just on performance metrics, but on cultural relevance indicators, consumer behaviour patterns and local market nuances that influence campaign effectiveness. Human-guided machine learning: Feedback loops enable experienced planners to shape algorithmic learning, ensuring AI systems evolve with both cultural sensitivity and performance efficiency. Holistic success metrics: Campaign evaluation extends beyond clicks and conversions to include cultural impact, brand relevance and audience connection. The bottom line AI, on its own, cannot build meaningful relationships with audiences. It can help deliver messages, but it cannot shape them. That remains the domain of planners, creatives, and strategists. And in a region as evolving and culturally rich as MENA, that human element isn't optional – it's essential. Ultimately, this is not about choosing between human or machine; it's about designing an integrated system where each elevates the other. A future where AI drives scale and efficiency, whilst human intelligence ensures it lands meaningfully, ethically, and effectively. By Yasmine Hussein, General Manager, Initiative UAE
Trade Arabia
07-04-2025
- Business
- Trade Arabia
Roshn facility grooms students on environmental responsibility
Roshn Group, a leading Saudi multi-asset class developer powered by the kingdom's sovereign wealth fund PIF, has announced that its Green Initiative Centre welcomed more than 350 students from a variety of schools and educational institutions. The students were at the key facility to take part in interactive educational experiences and awareness-focused programmes aimed at fostering environmental responsibility in them and highlighting the role of everyday practices in advancing sustainability and improving quality of life. The visits also featured hands-on activities that enabled participants, both children and adults, to actively engage in planting seedlings, offering an experience that underscored the vital role individuals play in contributing to a greener future, said Roshn in a statement. Established by Roshn Group in September at Sedra community in North Riyadh, the centre forms an integral part of the Group's ongoing efforts to contribute to the goals of the Saudi Green Initiative. It serves as a key platform for promoting environmental awareness and reinforcing the kingdom's leadership in sustainability through inclusive educational and interactive programming, it stated. The Center offers a comprehensive educational experience that sheds light on the life cycle of native plants and the interconnection between environmental conservation, public health, and national development. Equipped with advanced technology, the Roshn Green Initiative Centre features an innovative nursery that produces over 100,000 seedlings and 5,000 native trees annually. Visitors are taken on an educational journey that traces the stages of plant growth, from seed planting to germination, it stated. The Roshn facility is considered one of the group's most prominent initiatives in the field of sustainability, reflecting its commitment to supporting Saudi Arabia's ambition to become a global leader in shaping a greener future. These efforts are driven by raising environmental awareness, embedding sustainable practices, and advancing initiatives that improve quality of life across the Kingdom The Green Initiative was launched on the 93rd Saudi National Day as part of Roshn Group's social responsibility programme - Yuhyeek.
Leaders
06-04-2025
- General
- Leaders
ROSHN Green Initiative Center: Inspiring Future Environmental Leaders
The ROSHN Green Initiative Center has welcomed over 350 students from various schools and educational institutions to participate in interactive educational experiences. These programs aim to foster environmental responsibility and highlight the role of everyday practices in advancing sustainability and improving quality of life. The visits featured hands-on activities, enabling both children and adults to plant seedlings. This experience underscored the vital role individuals play in contributing to a greener future. Center's Role in Saudi Green Initiative ROSHN Group founded the Center in September in the SEDRA community of North Riyadh. The Center supports the Saudi Green Initiative by promoting environmental awareness and sustainability through educational programs. Furthermore, the Center offers a comprehensive educational experience. It sheds light on the life cycle of native plants and the interconnection between environmental conservation, public health, and national development. Equipped with advanced technology, the Center features an innovative nursery. It produces over 100,000 seedlings and 5,000 native trees annually. The educational journey traces the stages of plant growth, from seed planting to germination, for visitors. Commitment to a Greener Future The ROSHN Green Initiative Center is one of the Group's most prominent initiatives in sustainability. It reflects the commitment to supporting Saudi Arabia's ambition to become a global leader in shaping a greener future. Raising environmental awareness, embedding sustainable practices, and advancing initiatives that improve quality of life across the Kingdom drive these efforts. The ROSHN Green Initiative was launched on the 93rd Saudi National Day as part of YUHYEEK, ROSHN Group's social responsibility program. The initiative plays a central role in the Group's broader contribution to advancing national sustainability efforts. Short link : Post Views: 7
