Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud became the kingdom's de facto ruler after his appointment as crown prince in 2017 and has driven the Vision 2030 agenda to transform Saudi Arabia's economy and society.

Vision 2030 seeks to reduce dependence on oil and diversify the economy by developing sectors such as tourism, entertainment, technology and industry.

The crown prince has expanded the entertainment and cultural sectors, and sports events, movie screenings, art exhibitions and music concerts have become increasingly common across the kingdom.

Vision 2030 envisages expansion of the entertainment market to around SR30 billion.

The government has promoted cultural industries including a push into fashion, exemplified by Saudi designers appearing at Paris Fashion Week and plans for a national fashion week.

Economic reforms include strengthening public finances, increasing government spending on infrastructure and public services, and leveraging the Public Investment Fund to attract investment and diversify revenue.

The Crown Prince has set specific targets such as raising tourism to 150 million visitors by 2030 and expanding industrial output to boost non-oil exports.

The government emphasizes public-private partnerships and measures to make the investment environment more attractive for domestic and foreign investors.

Mohammed bin Salman is the founder of the MiSK Foundation and he announced the creation of a Non Profit City in Riyadh to incubate youth, innovation and non-profit institutions.

Documents describe a deliberate effort by the crown prince to reduce the dominance of conservative Wahhabi clerical influence and to convince clergy to follow his modernization agenda.

None of the provided documents explicitly describe formal legal restrictions placed on the religious police.

The documents record advances in women’s participation in public life, leadership, diplomacy, technology and space programs as part of Vision 2030 priorities.

Saudi Arabia sent its first Saudi female astronaut, Rayyanah Barnawi, to the International Space Station in 2023.

Women have been appointed to high-profile diplomatic roles, including Princess Reema bint Bandar as ambassador to the United States.

Reforms have allowed more social freedoms, including relaxed public dress norms and increased public entertainment, which have supported the growth of industries such as fashion.

The documents also note continued concerns about repression of opposition and mention the Khashoggi factor in strained relations with some Western actors.

Foreign visitors and observers cited in the documents describe a visible and profound transformation in the country since the launch of Vision 2030.

The documents cite economic indicators such as an increase in the number of Saudis in the labor market to about 2.3 million.

The state is investing in flagship projects including Neom, Green Riyadh and large cultural and sports initiatives to drive tourism and diversification.

Finally, the documents present the transformation as a top-down, well-planned reform agenda led by the crown prince and backed by state institutions.

In summary, since his appointment as crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman has driven Vision 2030 to liberalize social life, expand entertainment and culture, diversify the economy, reduce clerical influence and advance women’s roles, while the provided documents do not explicitly describe formal legal restrictions on the religious police.

Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud became the kingdom's de facto ruler after his appointment as crown prince in 2017 and has driven the Vision 2030 agenda to transform Saudi Arabia's economy and society.

Title:

Content: The great Islamic scientists of the past were interested in various fields of science, including planets, stars, comets and space in general.
Medieval caliphs, like the wise Harun al-Rashid, highly valued astronomers, kept them at court.
And now, a thousand years after the end of the “golden age of Islam ”, Saudi Arabia, on whose territory there are two shrines of Islam, sends its astronauts into orbit, and does it effectively – Ryan Barnawi and Maryam Fardus, the first female astronauts in the history of the kingdom, will fly to the ISS.
Details - in the material NEWS.ru.
Infinity waits
Two flights of Saudi cosmonauts to the ISS are already planned, in each of them the team will consist of one man and one woman.
The first flight is scheduled for the second quarter of 2023, in which Rayna Barnawi will go into orbit with his partner Ali al-Karni.
Together with the Saudis will fly two American astronauts: Peggy Whitson and John Schöffner.
The entire mission is expected to take 12 days.
Since the kingdom does not yet have its own space rockets and cosmodromes, the launch will take place from the US cosmodrome on the SpaceX rocket of Elon Musk.
Given that Saudi Arabia has no experience in organizing flights, the coordination will be carried out by the American space company Axiom Space.
She also trained Saudi astronauts.
Photo by Nasa / Joel Kowsky
This initiative will expand Saudi Arabia ’ s capabilities in the field of manned space flight.
It will also contribute to the kingdom ’ s scientific research in the field of health and space technologies that serve the benefit of humanity, the Saudi Space Agency said in a statement.
Not much is known about the Saudi space conquerors themselves.
The first in the history of Saudi Arabia astronaut Ryan for the past 13 years has been engaged in genetics, biomedicine, the study of the causes of breast cancer and stem cells.
Her colleague al-Karni is closer to the space industry.
He is an experienced military pilot with more than two thousand hours of flying experience.
It is expected that in the near future the kingdom will acquaint the world with the biographies of cosmonauts in more detail, but so far many details of the project are kept secret.
On the pages of astronauts in social networks there is almost no information about them.
Photo: ssc.gov.saRyan Barnavi
Saudi Arabia has also trained two more astronauts - a woman Mariam Fardous and a man Ali al-Ghamdi.
Fardous is a scuba diving instructor who previously worked in medical organizations in various positions, such as a database specialist.
Also on her LinkedIn page it is written that she is the first Arab woman to conquer the North Pole.
Ali al-Ghamdi is a military pilot who has 11 years of flying experience and more than two thousand flight hours.
The head of the Saudi space commission has already stated that in the foreseeable future, Saudi Arabia would like to learn how to conduct launches and space research independently.
He did not name any exact dates or plans, as Muslims say, these are plans from the category of "InshaAllah" (if and when Allah wills).
Photo: ssc.gov.saAli al-Ghamdi
Why space, build a skyscraper
Meanwhile, the news that Saudi Arabia will send its citizens into space, caused a big furor in the Arab world.
The fact is that the Saudi space program (or rather, its absence) until recently was an eternal reason for jokes in the Arab world.
Like, here, despite all the petrodollars, the Saudis have not contributed anything to this area and spend money on some nonsense.
Although the search for knowledge, and therefore travel into space, is not prohibited in Islam, but even encouraged, Saudi imams, ulema, sheikhs and mullahs have always come up with excuses for why it is worth spending money not on an incomprehensible space, but on something more “pleasing ” and useful.
Islam does not forbid the exploration of the wonders of the cosmos created by Allah.
But, first, you need to compare the time, effort and money spent on this goal with the benefits that can be obtained from somewhere else — sounds one such excuse. — Moreover, humanity should live and behave Godly on Earth before going into space.
About the Saudis and space in Arab social networks from time to time you can even find a meme in which the Arab news anchor indignates that Iran, living under heavy sanctions, was able to launch into space a male macaque named Fargam, and all that was able to give the world a rich Saudi Arabia is “only a handful of monkeys like King Abdullah (the former ruler of the kingdom – NEWS.ru) ”..
However, if you dig deeper into the history of Saudi Arabia, it becomes clear that in vain many Arabs are so disrespectful of Saudi merit in space.
After all, the “homeland of monkeys ” was a space pioneer not only among Arab countries, but also the entire Islamic world.
The first Arab and Muslim to go into space was a member of the royal dynasty of the country - Sultan bin Salman Al Saud, the half-brother of the current Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
In 1985, he joined the NASA mission team and spent seven days in space.
Photo: Sergey Karpukhin / TASS Sultan bin Salman Al Saud
The Saudis themselves remember and appreciate this continuity.
A new trailer for the Saudi space program, luring the future generation of the country into space, emphasizes that the fascination with space is not something new for Saudi Arabia, but something that the country has sought before.
Raise your head.
Look at the stars.
Find their coordinates.
Visit them and name them.
Let space be your new passion.
Realize your connection with him, – says in the Saudi trailer. – Stars will always be a part of you.
Your ancestors from the past have already realized this.
Now it's time for you to launch your ambitions into space.
Mecca of feminism
However, the flight into space from Saudi Arabia, many expected, given that recently between the countries of the Persian Gulf (or, as the Arabs say, the Arab Gulf) intensified the struggle for the title of the main space power of the region.
That's just to accept that together with the brave son of the Arab Ummah (community) a woman will fly into space, many Arabs of the old school still can not.
After all, until recently, many considered Saudi Arabia one of the most conservative countries on Earth, and at the same time almost the worst place to be born a woman.
Because of Islamic restrictions, simply seeing a woman somewhere on the street was already a rarity.
As a rule, they appeared in public only on special occasions, wrapped in Islamic robes, and must be accompanied by a husband, brother or father.
Not all Arabs and not all Saudis have yet accepted this abrupt transition from “manual ” wives and sisters to free women who take part in politics, drive high-speed trains between shrines, ride camels in deserts, and now fly into space.
But despite criticism from conservatives, bin Salman — chief conductor of the transformation of conservative Saudi Arabia into a country of “space feminism ” — is more confident than ever in his decisions and reforms of the“ Vision 2030 ” initiative, designed to make desert Saudi Arabia the state of the future.
Photo by neom.com
Recall, having come to power in 2017, the crown prince and the actual ruler of the kingdom decided to arrange a total “rebranding ” and a change of image for the country.
The heir to the throne realized that Saudi Arabia will not be able to live forever on oil sales.
Therefore, he began to turn the state from a closed country into a regional and world center of culture, tourism, economy and everything possible.
To do this, he builds the city of the future Neom, buys the best football players in the world like Cristiano Ronaldo, consults with the Japanese and Koreans on how best to adapt the pop culture of East Asia, develops e-sports, invests in medicine, education and tourism.
Thanks to his reforms, bearded imams, who only insisted that everything in this life is a continuous “haram ” (a sin in Islam), gradually came physicists, chemists, biologists, and now women astronauts.
Photo by Khalid Abdulfaattah / XinHua / Global Look PressCristiano Ronaldo
Given the resources of Saudi Arabia and its boundless desire to hit the world in all spheres, it is difficult to imagine what space goals the kingdom will set for itself.
So far, the Saudis are limited only by the Islamic ban on visiting Mars (it is believed that flying there is tantamount to suicide), and otherwise they have a complete “tawuid mutlaq ” (carte blanche).
Therefore, there is no doubt that the crown prince will still find something to surprise the world, if not on Earth, then among the stars and planets, which, by the way, are mentioned in the Koran.
He is the One who created the night and the day, the sun and the moon.
All of them are in their own orbit, according to the Holy Scriptures of the Muslims.

Title:

Content: RIYADH — Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman highlighted the remarkable achievements made by Saudi Arabia ever since the launch of its Vision 2030 and the government’s relentless efforts to implement structural reforms in the financial and economic sectors. The Crown Prince, who is also chairman of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs, said this in a statement issued on the occasion of the approval of the state’s general budget for the fiscal year 2024 by the Council of Ministers on Wednesday.

Prince Mohammed bin Salman underscored that the Kingdom is witnessing sustainable economic growth in light of the great development capabilities and opportunities that the Kingdom enjoys within the framework of the Vision 2030 to enable it to move forward towards a better future worthy of its status in accordance with the directives of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman. “This produced a clear and prominent impact on the growth of the gross domestic product (GDP) of non-oil sectors.”

The Crown Prince affirmed the commitment made by the government in the budget for the fiscal year 2024 so as to enhance economic growth through the expansion of government spending. “The budget figures announced by King Salman come supportive and enabling many programs and initiatives. These include investments to strengthen infrastructure, raise the quality of services provided to citizens, expatriates and visitors, in addition to developing promising economic sectors, enhancing investment attraction, stimulating industries, and raising the proportion of local content and non-oil Saudi exports,” he said while praising the effective and important role of the Public Investment Fund (PIF) and the National Development Fund.

The Crown Prince emphasized that work would continue to develop the Kingdom’s public financial performance, by increasing financial capacity and building government reserves, in a way that enhances the capacity of the Kingdom’s economy, maintains sustainable levels of public debt, and enables it to confront any developments or crises that may arise in the future. “The increase in spending is mainly due to the government’s keenness to continue developing the level of public services provided to citizens, expatriates and visitors, as well as to implement many projects and expand spending on sectoral and regional development strategies that would achieve positive structural changes, leading to expanding and diversifying the economic base,” he said.

The Crown Prince stressed the government’s keenness on developing and strengthening partnership with the private sector so as to enable and motivate it to play its major role in achieving economic diversification, as far as to enable the labor market to absorb more of the Saudi workforce, create job opportunities in the labor market and reduce unemployment rates among Saudis. “The total number of Saudis in the labor market this year jumped to 2.3 million, in addition to improving the investment environment to be an attractive environment that contributes to raising the proportion of domestic and foreign investment, developing non-oil exports and improving the non-oil trade balance of payments,” he said.

The Crown Prince emphasized that the journey of economic diversification continues through supporting promising sectors, as the Kingdom works to raise tourism targets to 150 million visitors internally and externally by 2030 in addition to building an effective sports sector through the “Investment and Privatization Project for Sports Clubs,” in order to achieve the goals of the Vision 2030 in the sports sector, as these sectors are witnessing rapid growth and providing diverse opportunities.

Prince Mohammed bin Salman reiterated the Kingdom’s determination to develop its industrial sector, as it is one of the most important vital sectors in the Saudi economy, by diversifying the industrial base and value chains through the “National Strategy for Industry'', which focuses on 12 sub-sectors to diversify the industrial economy and raise the industrial domestic product by around three times compared to the year 2020, reaching SR895 billion in 2030 to be a major contributor to the development of non-oil exports. This is in integration with the important role of the PIF as it is the investment arm that contributes and complements the efforts undertaken by the government in diversifying the economy, and the pivotal role of the National Development Fund and its affiliated funds in providing concessional financing to the private sector, he pointed out.

Speaking about the pivotal and leadership role of the Kingdom, the Crown Prince stressed the Kingdom’s role regionally and internationally, and its endeavor to ensure that the countries of the world enjoy security and stability, as they are the main factors for development and prosperity, and its keenness to develop and stabilize supply and value chains in a way that serves the development and economic prosperity of all countries of the world.

The Crown Prince stressed the Kingdom’s determination to continue the development momentum during the coming year and in the medium and long term with boosting the attractiveness of the Kingdom’s economy as a base for local and foreign investments besides diversifying the economy through the development of all economic sectors.

© Copyright 2022 The Saudi Gazette. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

What are the main goals of the 2016- launched Vision 2030?

To diversify Saudi Arabia's economy
To lessen reliance on oil.

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

What are the main goals of the 2016- launched Vision 2030?

To diversify Saudi Arabia's economy
To lessen reliance on oil.

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

Vision 2030 seeks to reduce dependence on oil and diversify the economy by developing sectors such as tourism, entertainment, technology and industry.

Title:

Content: Paris Fashion Week: Mohammed Ashi brings CHANGE in Saudi Arabia's culture to the ramp

The Saudi fashion industry is just one facet of a broader strategy pursued by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to diversify the country's economy and foster social changes.

First Published Jul 6, 2023, 2:10 PM IST

In a remarkable milestone for Saudi Arabia's cultural evolution, Mohammed Ashi, a Saudi designer, made his debut at Paris Fashion Week, marking a significant moment in the kingdom's push into the global fashion scene. Ashi, known for dressing top celebrities, described this achievement as the pinnacle of his career. The event coincided with Saudi Arabia's announcement of its own fashion week scheduled for October, as the country aims to tap into new retail opportunities valued at $32 billion annually.

Also read: Saudi documenting Hadith to stop misuse by Islamic radicals, terrorists

The Saudi fashion industry is just one facet of a broader strategy pursued by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to diversify the country's economy and foster social changes. This approach involves redirecting the nation's oil wealth towards investments in movies, sports, video games, tourism, and other cultural endeavors. While skeptics initially viewed these initiatives as mere smokescreens to deflect attention from human rights concerns, the reforms have surpassed expectations by introducing substantial and transformative changes.

A post shared by Ashi Studio (@ashistudio)

Yousef Akbar, a fashion designer who established his brand in Australia and has dressed renowned celebrities like Nicole Kidman and Rita Ora, expressed his astonishment at the magnitude of the transformation. He never anticipated such progress while growing up, and starting his fashion label in Australia seemed to determine the course of his career. However, he now operates his business from Jeddah, highlighting the growing opportunities within Saudi Arabia's burgeoning fashion scene.

"For the first two years, I almost didn't believe it was real, but then I realised, wow, it IS real," said 37-year-old Yousef Akbar, who began his eponymous fashion label in Australia in 2017.

"I really never thought when I was growing up that this would happen. When I started my brand in Australia, I thought my whole life would be there since I'm a fashion designer," Akbar added.

Also read: Why Saudi Arabia's oil production cuts are a risky gamble

The Saudi Fashion Commission aims to capitalize on newfound freedoms regarding public dress and the flourishing private sector, projecting a remarkable 48 percent surge in retail sales to $32 billion between 2021 and 2025. In line with this vision, the commission has launched the Saudi 100 brands program, fostering local designers and nurturing a homegrown industry.

Burak Cakmak, the CEO of the Saudi Fashion Commission, believes that the country's rich heritage and existing brand presence lay the groundwork for a thriving fashion industry, dispelling the notion that Saudi Arabia is starting from scratch.

"Just because the country wasn't exposed to the rest of the world doesn't mean they are starting now," he told AFP in Paris. "I had an event for a brand this week that's been running since the 70s."

A post shared by Ashi Studio (@ashistudio)

It is important to acknowledge that LGBTQ individuals face severe repression in Saudi Arabia, as the country criminalizes same-sex relations. Despite this, the authorities are apparently turning a blind eye to the influence of queer designers and couturiers within the fashion industry.

Susanne Koelbl, author of "Behind the Kingdom's Veil," suggests that as long as individuals maintain loyalty to the ruler and their families approve, the authorities are choosing to overlook these aspects.

"Maybe you can't dance naked on the table, but almost anything else is possible now, as long as your family is OK with it and you are loyal to the ruler," Koelbl told AFP.

With opposition largely repressed and religious leaders stripped of power, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman faces few obstacles in implementing his well-planned and long-scheduled reform agenda, which is dramatically reshaping Saudi society. This process of change brings new and significant opportunities, particularly for women, who are experiencing a shift in societal roles and expectations.

"It's a well-planned, long-scheduled reform process which is about to change the society completely," said Koelbl. "The Saudi people don't tend to be revolutionary and for the vast majority there are indeed new and big opportunities now, especially for women."

For those benefiting from these reforms, the excitement is palpable and inspiring. Witnessing the realization of what was once deemed impossible serves as a powerful motivation for individuals like Yousef Akbar, who see tremendous potential for their own businesses.

"It sounds cliched, but seeing something happen that we all thought was impossible is very inspiring for my own business," said Akbar.

Also read: Arab youth sees India as stronger ally than the US: New survey

Saudi Arabia's presence at Paris Fashion Week and its broader efforts to embrace cultural transformation are indicative of a nation striving to redefine itself on the global stage. As the kingdom continues to invest in various aspects of global culture, it signals a desire to not only diversify its economy but also to foster social progress and create opportunities for its people.

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How has Saudi Arabia diversified its economy under Vision 2030?

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

What are the main goals of the 2016- launched Vision 2030?

To diversify Saudi Arabia's economy
To lessen reliance on oil.

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

How has Saudi Arabia diversified its economy under Vision 2030?

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

What are the main goals of the 2016- launched Vision 2030?

To diversify Saudi Arabia's economy
To lessen reliance on oil.

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

The crown prince has expanded the entertainment and cultural sectors, and sports events, movie screenings, art exhibitions and music concerts have become increasingly common across the kingdom.

Title:

Content: Moderate ideology: The silent Saudi revolution

Sports events, movie screenings, art exhibitions and music concerts are becoming increasingly common in the kingdom, and Saudi citizens are lapping them all up.

Published: 25th July 2023 12:34 AM  |   Last Updated: 25th July 2023 12:45 AM   |  A+A-

It has been ‘work in progress’ for some time now. Saudi Arabia is changing the tone and texture of its ideology from what has always been considered obscurantist to something that keeps with the times. Sports events, movie screenings, art exhibitions and music concerts are becoming increasingly common in the kingdom, and Saudi citizens are lapping them all up.

The kingdom has rapidly secured its position as a centre for cultural events, art exhibitions and film screenings. The nation’s Vision 2030 envisages and fully supports the expansion of the entertainment market to SR30 billion. Almost every domain of entertainment for which Saudi citizens earlier travelled far and wide is now available at home. This is thanks to a break from the past that the de facto ruler, Mohammad bin Salman (MbS), the Crown Prince, has initiated. It makes eminent sense in a nation seeking to develop itself beyond the energy sector with three visionary themes: a vibrant society, a thriving economy and continuity in terms of ambition in comprehensive development.

All this translates into a modern civilisational outlook with technology, intellectualism, private investment, trade, tourism, academics and more, all becoming the prime domains of functioning. The traditional worldwide perception of Saudi Arabia as the centre of the obscurantist ideology of Islam and a nation with an anti-reformist outlook has persisted, and not without reason. A brief understanding of this is important to appreciate the degree of change that Prince MbS has been able to generate.

As the custodian of the Holy Shrines of Mecca and Medina and the land where Islam’s first message was delivered, the Saudi rulers and clergy have always been all-powerful, even more so after adopting the core ideology expounded by Saudi thinker Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab. There is a long history behind this.

A virtual pact between the powerful clergy and the Royal Family has existed to promote the Wahhabi ideology in return for the powers that the Royals enjoyed. The pact saw enhanced clergy power after 1979 when the Shia Revolution occurred in Iran, the Saudi Ikhwan attempted a takeover of the Holy Shrine at Mecca, and the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. Wahhabi ideology was about going back to the basics and making the faith much less tolerant by supporting ‘Takfir’, or the power of declaration of a believer as an apostate if Wahhabi tenets are not adhered to. The militant part of the ideology started to come to the fore after 1979. From segments of the Arab world to Afghanistan, Pakistan, parts of India, Indonesia, Philippines and other Southeast Asian nations, militancy promoting the Saudi brand flourished, giving rise to the notion of a clash of civilisations.

Saudi Arabia’s energy resources always dictated US policy. A grey zone existed here with simultaneous US support to Israel and Saudi Arabia, stacked primarily against Iran and the collective Arab will against Israel. A couple of factors brought the trigger for change. Among them were the discovery of shale gas in the US and the progressive decline in US dependency on Saudi energy resources. Second was the dwindling Saudi economy and the realisation that in an energy-based economy, without expansion into other domains of economic development, such as trade, technology, tourism, investments, entertainment and intellectual research, Saudi Arabia would waste its opportunities and resources. The tremendous advantage of being the centre of the Islamic world could give it enduring leadership status if it could neutralise the rising militancy within Islam. Nations all around, such as the UAE, had fully utilised their possessions and drawn major economic attraction due to pragmatism followed in all domains, including faith issues. The position of women in Saudi society, in particular, had a damning effect on the nation.

Nothing changes without a leader and a vision. Saudi Arabia was fortunate to get MbS, although his personal equation with the US has remained strained for various reasons, not the least being the Khashoggi factor. However, none of that has affected his intent of modernising the nation and for that, a more moderate form of Islam within the kingdom is necessary. To his credit, he has convinced the clergy of the need to follow his vision, which will also project Islam differently to many others who follow the Saudi guidelines on faith.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa, from Saudi Arabia, who recently visited New Delhi for six days, is the Secretary General of the Muslim World League. The organisation was once at the forefront of promoting obscurantist ideology but is now transformed, as is evident from Sheikh al Issa’s message in New Delhi. The Sheikh’s belief which he transparently shared is that a whole generation of Muslims has grown up with an ideology that has given them a negative view of other faiths and an intolerantly sectarian understanding of their own.

In his several meetings with intellectuals, leaders and clergy from diverse faiths in India, he emphasised the role of the clergy in any faith. He admitted that Islam had earned a bad name for itself due to the acts of a few and the refusal of the followers to condemn those acts. He spoke of the role of family and education and decried religious teachers’ unsupervised education of young Muslim children. He mentioned that when intolerance and militancy were rising, people feared confronting them. His most poignant argument was that such obscurantism and militancy cannot be eliminated in the typical military way; they have to be removed from the roots by narratives stronger than the ones expounded.

Sheikh Al-Issa’s visit to India was symbolic of what appears to be the fading of the intolerant and militant element of Islam, but we cannot read too much into this. That change is taking place at the ideological centre is positive, but there is no guarantee of permanency. It is also not necessary that the message from Saudi Arabia is gelling with the vast Muslim populations worldwide. These populations are enmeshed with their local cultures and unlikely to follow examples. What is true is that a message supporting reformation has emanated from the nation considered the custodian of the shrines and, by many, of the faith. Nurturing this and taking it beyond is now the challenge.

Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd)

Former Commander, Srinagar-based 15 Corps. Now Chancellor, Central University of Kashmir

(atahasnain@gmail.com)

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What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

allow recreational activities; Saudi women benefit from relaxed restrictions

What are the main goals of the 2016- launched Vision 2030?

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

Vision 2030 envisages expansion of the entertainment market to around SR30 billion.

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

What are the main goals of the 2016- launched Vision 2030?

The government has promoted cultural industries including a push into fashion, exemplified by Saudi designers appearing at Paris Fashion Week and plans for a national fashion week.

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

What are the main goals of the 2016- launched Vision 2030?

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

Economic reforms include strengthening public finances, increasing government spending on infrastructure and public services, and leveraging the Public Investment Fund to attract investment and diversify revenue.

How does Vision 2030 aim to foster new industries and employment?

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

modernize infrastructure
Diversify the economy from oil

What are the main goals of the 2016- launched Vision 2030?

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

The Crown Prince has set specific targets such as raising tourism to 150 million visitors by 2030 and expanding industrial output to boost non-oil exports.

How has Saudi Arabia diversified its economy under Vision 2030?

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

What are the main goals of the 2016- launched Vision 2030?

To diversify Saudi Arabia's economy
To lessen reliance on oil.

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

The government emphasizes public-private partnerships and measures to make the investment environment more attractive for domestic and foreign investors.

What are the main goals of the 2016- launched Vision 2030?

To diversify Saudi Arabia's economy
To attract foreign investment

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

Mohammed bin Salman is the founder of the MiSK Foundation and he announced the creation of a Non Profit City in Riyadh to incubate youth, innovation and non-profit institutions.

Title:

Content: Saudi crown prince announces world’s first non-profit city

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. (File/SPA)
Short Url
Updated 9 sec ago

Saudi crown prince announces world’s first non-profit city

  • The city will be located in the Irqah neighborhood of Riyadh
  • More than 44 percent of the total area will be allocated to green open spaces to promote sustainable development

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s crown prince announced on Sunday the establishment of the first non-profit city in the world.

The city will be a model for the development of the non-profit sector globally and an incubator for youth and volunteer groups as well as local and international non-profit institutions.

“This will be the first non-profit city of its kind which will contribute to achieving the goals of Mohammed bin Salman Misk Foundation in supporting innovation, entrepreneurship and qualifying future leaders by defining non-profit work in its internal operational concept and in terms of opportunities and youth training programs it will provide,” Prince Mohammed bin Salman said.

“The project will provide services that contribute to creating an attractive environment for all beneficiaries of the city’s offerings,” the crown prince added.

Non Profit City will be located on land dedicated to the project by the crown prince in the Irqah neighborhood of Riyadh, adjacent to Wadi Hanifa, on an area of around 3.4 square kilometers.

The city's masterplan embodies a human-centered, advanced digital metropolis designed to be sustainable and pedestrian-friendly, and more than 44 percent of the total area will be allocated to green open spaces to promote sustainable development.

The crown prince is the founder of the Mohammed bin Salman Foundation (MiSK Foundation) and the new city “will host academies, colleges, “Misk Schools,” a conference center, a science museum, and a creative centre offering a space to support the ambitions of innovators in sciences and new generation technology such as AI, IoT and robotics.”

“It will also feature an arts academy and arts gallery, performing arts theatre, play area, cooking academy and integrated residential complex. In addition, the city will host venture capital firms and investors to support and incubate innovative enterprises to drive community contributions from around the world,” the prince said.

 The city is part of efforts to create a vibrant Saudi youth talent system to shape the future of the Kingdom and the world by encouraging learning and developing leadership skills among youth.

Trick and treat as ‘Champions of Magic’ enchant Riyadh Boulevard crowds

The five magicians each specialize in a particular area of magic. (Supplied)
Updated 14 November 2021

Trick and treat as ‘Champions of Magic’ enchant Riyadh Boulevard crowds

  • Leading magicians deliver ‘family fun and an element of danger’ in a magic show with a difference

RIYADH: Five professional magicians from around the world are thrilling crowds in the Riyadh Boulevard with a show that features illusions, sleight of hand and high-risk stunts.

Performer Josephine Lee described “Champions of Magic” as a “family show with something for everybody.”

“We have close up, card tricks, illusions; we have something to make you laugh, cry and be astounded. It’s an incredible show that is packed with amazement,” she told Arab News.

Lee, Darcy Oake, Harry De Cruz, Patrick Kun and Young-Min Kim make up the cast of “Champions of Magic” and will perform during Riyadh Season.

“The five magicians each specialize in a particular area of magic, and we have come up with our best material and brought it to Saudi Arabia for the first time,” Oake said.

Crowds chanted in anticipation between each of the shows as the performers took center stage. Unlike most magic shows, “Champions of Magic” features a group of talented individuals coming together to display their skills in the most effective way.

“It’s an amazing group of magicians working together which is rare because usually you are working solo as a magician. It’s amazing to be here with everyone else from the cast,” Oake said.

“Young-Min specializes in sleight of hand, manipulation and performance art. Patrick does close-up magic with cards like you’ve never seen before; Josephine and I are doing illusions; and Harry brings the quirky audience participation, fun and the element of danger,” Oake added.

De Cruz delivers an interactive show that involves the audience at every step, from the introduction to the execution of the tricks.

“I think what is so special about any magic show is that it brings the audience together. After the year we have had, connection is more important than ever,” De Cruz said.

“A show like ‘Champions of Magic’ unites everyone and brings us all together,” he added.

Kun, a master of sleight-of-hand card tricks, invites audience members on stage to join the performance.

“All of our magic is pretty universal; we don’t have to rely so much on a language and the audience can enjoy the show,” he said. “The audience here has been amazing, and we are having a good time.”

When Arab News sat down with the magicians after the show, they said that it was their first visit to the Kingdom. For many in the audience it was also their first experience of a live magic show.

“Magic is relatively new here in Saudi Arabia and the crowds have been amazing. The audience has been eating it up; it’s amazing to get that response,” Oake said.

“Magic isn’t something that people in Saudi Arabia are used to, but we have been doing it for our entire lives and maybe take it for granted. But when you put it in front of a new audience that isn’t familiar with the craft and get the response that the show has been getting, it’s amazing.”

“Champions of Magic” is staged twice a day in Riyadh Boulevard as part of a global tour that includes the Kingdom.

Saudi Foreign Minister meets with US Mideast official

Updated 14 November 2021

Saudi Foreign Minister meets with US Mideast official

  • They discussed regional and international issues of common interest and strengthening security and stability in the Middle East

DUBAI: Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah met Saturday with US Assistant Secretary of State for Middle Eastern Affairs Yael Lambert to review strategic ties linking both countries, state agency SPA reported.

They discussed regional and international issues of common interest, with strengthening security and stability in the Middle East and efforts to lay the foundations for peace a top priority.

During the meeting in Paris, they also reviewed historical relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States of America and ways to enhance them in all areas of cooperation and joint coordination.

INTERVIEW: Saudi pavilion at Expo 2020 is a glimpse into KSA’s future, says French politician

Olivier Cadic French politician. (Supplied)
Updated 14 November 2021

INTERVIEW: Saudi pavilion at Expo 2020 is a glimpse into KSA’s future, says French politician

  • Senator Olivier Cadic, who represents French expatriates, said Saudi Vision 2030 transformed the country in the past 5 years

RIYADH: French politician Olivier Cadic no longer recognizes Saudi Arabia. During a trip to the Kingdom to prepare for a visit by the France-Gulf countries friendship group he chairs in the Senate, he said he is enthusiastic about the “profound evolution”  of the country since the launch of Saudi Vision 2030.

The senator, who represents French expatriates and has visited 99 countries during 410 official trips, said he was touched by the welcome he received in the Kingdom.
“This is the first time that a parliamentarian from the host country has been there to welcome me as soon as I get off the plane,” he said. “This fact has a unique meaning and indicates that the level of friendship between Saudi Arabia and France is at its optimum.
“I am grateful to the Shoura (Council) for its welcome, and the manner in which a French parliamentarian is treated. I will never forget them and I will never forget Saudi Arabia.”

We have two countries looking to reform. President (Emmanuel) Macron is also seeking to fundamentally reform France. Reforming a country is not easy.

Olivier Cadic, French politician

During an interview with Arab News en Francais at the Alliance Francaise school in Riyadh, the French parliamentarian discussed the cooperation between the countries in the cultural, economic and military fields.

Q Since your election in 2014, and as president of the France-Gulf countries group in the Senate, you have seen the launch in 2016 of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and its implementation.
Five years later, what are your conclusions?
A Five years after launching this vision, I do not think we can reach any conclusions. We can only have observations. We can tell that this is a growing process and a dynamic has kicked in.
I noticed the difference because the first time I came to Saudi Arabia was in 2015, and when I returned in 2019, I did not recognize the country. This is my first observation.

I am returning in 2021 to prepare for the friendship group visit. I would have liked to come back sooner, but the COVID-19 pandemic made it impossible to travel. What I perceive is an ongoing dynamic, a real internal revolution that takes into account the population of the Kingdom, which is a young population, and therefore I see a political will to be in agreement with its population, and that this energy will positively drive the country to new heights.

Q You have visited Saudi Arabia several times. What changes do you see?
A The first thing that stood out between 2015 and 2019 was that people’s demeanor has changed; I felt they were smiling more. It really surprised me.
Besides, I wanted my partner to come with me because the country has changed a lot since 2015 and I wanted to see this country through her eyes also, not just through mine. The change is really profound and when we had a first look we were surprised, as it was not very positive for her in 2015 and it was really important that she was by my side so that we can watch, together, this country change.

Q You are visiting the Alliance Francaise school in Riyadh. What developments you perceive in Franco-Saudi cultural relations?
A I come, for that matter, to observe certain programs in which France is invested. Obviously, the Alliance Francaise supports the Francophonie, the learning of French, which is the language of the Enlightenment, of Voltaire, of Rousseau, that carries the values of our country. It is of utmost importance that we can share our language and our culture.
With the friendship group, we also plan to go to AlUla because there is really a collective, common work on the site, where France is deeply engaged. We want to see in which way the work was done, and how the alliance of France and Saudi Arabia can help enhance this exceptional archaeological heritage. This is one of the many angles and it would be difficult to summarize them, since there are many projects that go in this direction. It shows the attachment of our two countries, these cultures that blend together so well.
There is, once again, a real evolution in Saudi Arabia to bring out this local culture, which I believe will shine. And if France can help in spreading your culture, then it would be a very beautiful gift of confidence that you are giving us, in allowing us to work with you on this marriage of our cultures.

Q What are the new forms of cooperation between France and Saudi Arabia taking place now?
A There is a lot of mixed cooperation. Some is of economic nature, at the corporate level, with significant investments by French companies in Saudi Arabia. An example that comes to mind is the investments in the energy sector that EDF (Electricite de France), which is investing an € 800 million in Saudi Arabia, can make. These are companies that are investing massively to help develop Saudi Arabia’s economy, to support the Vision 2030 project that truly carries the country.

Q What about military cooperation between the two countries?
A The first thing I would like to say is how affected France is to see these recurring attacks that Saudi Arabia is subjected to on a regular basis. I would like to say that our country stands alongside yours to fight against the aggressions it is suffering. That is really fundamental to me.
After that, obviously, we have a common work and collective issues in front of us.
We will certainly talk about the situation in Lebanon, which despairs us, as well as the Saudi government, I believe. However, we will have to find solutions. We cannot let down the Lebanese people who are suffering from this situation. We are now in extensive discussions.
We admire the announcements made by the crown prince at COP 26, such as Green Riyadh, for example, with this tree-planting project. There is here a vision of the future that emerges.
It has been five years now since (Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman) announced Vision 2030, whereas it has only been five weeks since the president of the Republic announced France 2030. So somewhere, (the crown prince) might have inspired us, too, in looking ahead to reform your country.

We have two countries looking to reform. President (Emmanuel) Macron is also seeking to fundamentally reform France. Reforming a country is not easy. This brings us together in all areas and that applies for diplomatic decisions as well as defense decisions. There are proximities. We think together. We work together. We are never very far from each other to make the decisions.

Q How is Saudi Arabia perceived in France today?
A My role is to allow the French to go beyond the cliches. There is an intellectual laziness in thinking that Saudi Arabia looks like this or that. It is a view inherited from the past. In fact, we are talking about a country without knowing it.
My wish is that the French realize that the changes in the country are profound. We cannot judge. You have to come and see this country, meet its people … (I) invite the French to come along with me to meet this country and to help it, to stand by its side, because I believe that Saudi Arabia may need France to help it succeed in its goals.
But France also needs the Saudis so it can move forward and, therefore, we must put all the cliches behind us, look at each other and work together. I think, given what Saudi Arabia is doing, the French will be in awe of the projects here in Riyadh, but also across the country.
What I wish is for the French to come here and discover this country.

Q Where will Saudi Arabia be in 10 years?
A It all depends on how this pandemic will be defeated in order to be able to say where the country will be in 10 years. I think the country will surprise very much for a good and simple reason: I visited Saudi Arabia’s pavilion at Dubai Expo 2020 and I saw that it was the most visited of the 190 pavilions in the expo. This shows that there is an interest in your country.
In this pavilion are precisely displayed the vision, the projects on which the Kingdom is working. So if you want to know what Saudi Arabia will be like 10 years from now, let me give you a tip: Go visit the pavilion at Dubai Expo.

Saudi Arabia allows overseas pilgrims to apply for Two Holy Mosques permits

Worshippers perform the farewell tawaf (circumambulation) around the Kaaba, Islam's holiest shrine, at the Grand mosque in the holy Saudi city of Makkah. (AFP)
Updated 14 November 2021

Saudi Arabia allows overseas pilgrims to apply for Two Holy Mosques permits

  • The ministry said the service will be effective via the Eatmarna and Tawakkalna apps after registering on the Quddum platform

RIYADH: In cooperation with the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah announced the launch of a service that allows overseas pilgrims to apply for Umrah and prayer permits in the Grand Mosque, and for prayer at Rawdah at the Prophet’s Mosque.
The ministry said the service will be effective via the Eatmarna and Tawakkalna apps after registering on the Quddum platform. The ministry and the authority urged all users to update the apps.
On Oct. 16, the Ministry of Interior announced the easing of restrictions across the Kingdom, including those affecting the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, allowing a full return to operations and capacity.

15k residency, labor, border violators arrested in Saudi Arabia

15k residency, labor, border violators arrested. (SPA)
Updated 14 November 2021

15k residency, labor, border violators arrested in Saudi Arabia

  • The report’s findings showed that among 353 arrested while trying to cross the border into Saudi Arabia

RIYADH: Saudi authorities arrested almost 15,000 people in one week for breaching residency, work, and border security regulations, an official report has revealed.

During the period Nov. 4 to 10, a total of 7,511 arrests were made for violations of residency rules, while 5,872 people were held over illegal border crossing attempts, and a further 1,549 on labor-related issues.

The report’s findings showed that among 353 arrested while trying to cross the border into the Kingdom, 66 percent were Yemeni citizens, 32 percent Ethiopians, and 2 percent other nationalities.

A further 34 people were caught trying to cross into neighboring countries, and 12 were held for involvement in transporting and harboring violators.

The Ministry of Interior pointed out that anyone found to be helping people gain illegal entry to the Kingdom, and transporting, or providing shelter for them could face imprisonment for a maximum of 15 years, a fine of up to SR1 million ($260,000), or confiscation of vehicles and property.

Suspected violations can be reported on the toll-free number 911 in the Makkah and Riyadh regions, and 999 or 996 in other regions of the Kingdom.

Documents describe a deliberate effort by the crown prince to reduce the dominance of conservative Wahhabi clerical influence and to convince clergy to follow his modernization agenda.

How has the role of the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice changed under Muhammad bin Salman?

No longer acts as the de facto religious police.

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

What is one of the first priorities of Vision 2030 regarding ideological extremism?

Combating extremist and ideological thinking

How has the role of the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice changed under Muhammad bin Salman?

No longer acts as the de facto religious police.

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

What is one of the first priorities of Vision 2030 regarding ideological extremism?

Combating extremist and ideological thinking

None of the provided documents explicitly describe formal legal restrictions placed on the religious police.

The documents record advances in women’s participation in public life, leadership, diplomacy, technology and space programs as part of Vision 2030 priorities.

Title:

Content: Saudi National Day: Kingdom's women and young people shaping the future

UN official Jood Alharthi tells The National that young people in the kingdom are becoming 'change-makers'

Powered by automated translation

Saudi women are taking charge of representing the kingdom across different sectors and positions regionally and globally, some of its most well-known women told The National.

Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, champions women empowerment, which is a key component of reforms in the kingdom.

Jood Al Harthi, the first woman to be appointed as political affairs officer at the Executive Office of the Secretary General of the UN in New York, spoke to The National ahead of Saudi National Day on Saturday.

She said “today more than ever”, the kingdom is making an impact in the space of international co-operation, development, multilateralism and diplomacy.

She said the King Salman Relief Centre had “unarguably expanded” its global reach and scale, with its top projects the previous year focusing on emergency relief co-ordination, food security and early recovery.

“It’s worthy to note that more and more young Saudis have rushed to become volunteers and change-makers for such causes,” she said.

The empowerment of women and youth engagement are top priorities within the kingdom's Vision 2030 initiative.

It is through such initiatives that the kingdom can create a platform for the next generation of Saudi women to “thrive”, said Princess Reema bint Bandar, the kingdom's ambassador to the US.

“We can contribute to break down the barriers in the biases that hold women back and we can foster a world where the next generation of women can thrive,” she said.

“And when we do that, we’ll not only create a more equal and inclusive society but also a more prosperous one. We need more women in leadership roles paving the way.”

Princess Reema, who was appointed ambassador to the US by the Saudi Crown Prince in 2019, said the kingdom needs more female business leaders to reach its potential.

“We need more women in middle management positions continuing the work,” she said.

“We need more women business owners, more mentorship programmes focused on female success, and more people investing in women-led start-ups.”

In 2023, Saudi Arabia sent its first Saudi female astronaut, Rayyanah Barnawi, to the International Space Station.

And Saudi women are rising to top positions across the world, from astrophysics, politics, technology and other industries.

The kingdom has hosted high-level summits over the past year, including the Arab League Summit.

It has allowed the kingdom to further empower its women to take leading roles in its international vision, Ms Alharthi said.

“We’ve seen an increase of women ambassadors, youth representatives and recruitment,” she said.

“As the kingdom marks its National Day, we must recall the huge contributions that make headlines, but most importantly, let us also celebrate the unheard successes and the many transformative plans and dreams in progress.”

She said Saudi Arabia continues to support the voices of the Muslim community globally, and speak against cases of Islamophobia and hate speech to boost peaceful coexistence.

Updated: September 23, 2023, 3:00 AM

How has Saudi Arabia diversified its economy under Vision 2030?

How has Vision 2030 affected women's rights and workforce participation?

Strengthened women's rights
gender equality

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

What leadership roles have Saudi women achieved under Vision 2030?

Women have been appointed to municipal councils

How has Saudi Arabia diversified its economy under Vision 2030?

How has Vision 2030 affected women's rights and workforce participation?

Strengthened women's rights
gender equality

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

What leadership roles have Saudi women achieved under Vision 2030?

Women have been appointed to municipal councils

Saudi Arabia sent its first Saudi female astronaut, Rayyanah Barnawi, to the International Space Station in 2023.

Women have been appointed to high-profile diplomatic roles, including Princess Reema bint Bandar as ambassador to the United States.

How has Vision 2030 affected women's rights and workforce participation?

Strengthened women's rights
gender equality

What leadership roles have Saudi women achieved under Vision 2030?

and represented Saudi Arabia internationally; industrial employment increased from 7000 to 17,000 in 2020

Reforms have allowed more social freedoms, including relaxed public dress norms and increased public entertainment, which have supported the growth of industries such as fashion.

How has Vision 2030 affected women's rights and workforce participation?

How has the role of the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice changed under Muhammad bin Salman?

No longer acts as the de facto religious police.

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

allow recreational activities; Saudi women benefit from relaxed restrictions

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

How has Vision 2030 affected women's rights and workforce participation?

How has the role of the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice changed under Muhammad bin Salman?

No longer acts as the de facto religious police.

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

allow recreational activities; Saudi women benefit from relaxed restrictions

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

The documents also note continued concerns about repression of opposition and mention the Khashoggi factor in strained relations with some Western actors.

What internal changes has MBS implemented in Saudi Arabia?

Suppressed dissent--especially Islamist opposition

What internal changes has MBS implemented in Saudi Arabia?

Suppressed dissent--especially Islamist opposition

Foreign visitors and observers cited in the documents describe a visible and profound transformation in the country since the launch of Vision 2030.

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

The documents cite economic indicators such as an increase in the number of Saudis in the labor market to about 2.3 million.

The state is investing in flagship projects including Neom, Green Riyadh and large cultural and sports initiatives to drive tourism and diversification.

How has Saudi Arabia diversified its economy under Vision 2030?

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

What are the main goals of the 2016- launched Vision 2030?

To diversify Saudi Arabia's economy
To lessen reliance on oil.

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

How has Saudi Arabia diversified its economy under Vision 2030?

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

What are the main goals of the 2016- launched Vision 2030?

To diversify Saudi Arabia's economy
To lessen reliance on oil.

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

How has Saudi Arabia diversified its economy under Vision 2030?

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

What are the main goals of the 2016- launched Vision 2030?

To diversify Saudi Arabia's economy
To lessen reliance on oil.

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

Finally, the documents present the transformation as a top-down, well-planned reform agenda led by the crown prince and backed by state institutions.

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

Has consolidated his power and removed potential rivals

What internal changes has MBS implemented in Saudi Arabia?

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

Has consolidated his power and removed potential rivals

What internal changes has MBS implemented in Saudi Arabia?

In summary, since his appointment as crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman has driven Vision 2030 to liberalize social life, expand entertainment and culture, diversify the economy, reduce clerical influence and advance women’s roles, while the provided documents do not explicitly describe formal legal restrictions on the religious police.


Slow Food began in Italy in the late 1980s as a grassroots reaction to the arrival of McDonald's in Rome.

Carlo Petrini and activists led the founding to defend regional food traditions and traditional preparation methods.

Core tenets are seasonality, locality, culinary tradition and conscious consumerism opposing industrial, large-scale food systems.

The organization grew into an international movement with about 100,000 members in over 150 countries.

The slow idea expanded beyond food into slow living and slow travel, championed by thinkers such as Carl Honoré.

Current proponents include national Slow Food chapters and local networks like Slow Food Northern Ireland and Taste Causeway.

Places to sample slow food include Slow Food‑accredited destinations, local farmers' markets, producer events, and Slow Food festivals.

The movement also encourages foraging, growing your own produce, and engaging directly with local producers and venues.

In short, Slow Food started in Italy under Carlo Petrini in the late 1980s; its tenets are seasonality, locality and tradition, and you can best sample it at Slow Food‑accredited destinations, local markets and producer events worldwide.

Slow Food began in Italy in the late 1980s as a grassroots reaction to the arrival of McDonald's in Rome.

Title:

Content: Breaking The Industrial Cycle With Slow Food

Where do you go to get your groceries? If your first thought was your local supermarket, you are not alone. Shopping in large grocery stores became the norm for many of us, and we rely on these outlets more than we realise. They are convenient, filled to the brim with seemingly every product you could imagine and have a price point that fits most pockets.

From afar it seems like the perfect solution, but we all witnessed what happened in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic turned life on its head and among many others, highlighted the fragility of our food economy and the part supermarkets play in it.

The University of Oxford describes our food system as “a complex set of interconnected practices and relationships that ultimately deliver food from farms, processing facilities, factories, warehouses, and retailers, to the dinner table.”

Slow Food

The industrial food system is built for scale and efficiency with an aim to maximise production, reduce cost, and function much like factories.

Although many supermarkets and producers are taking steps to include the origins of their products on their labels, there is still not enough transparency around where our food actually comes from. This industrialised structure offers customers accessibility to a wider range of products at more affordable prices but has economic and environmental impacts that many are not aware of.

Industrial agriculture is notorious for using a range of fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides in their processes to maximise output, some of which stays present in the soil long after the crops are harvested. The products are then processed in factories, stabilised with preservatives and packaged in plastic, all occurring before they are loaded onto long haul freights, planes, lorries to arrive in distribution centres and eventually to supermarket shelves.

BBC Good Food reported that “DEFRA estimates that moving food is responsible for 25 per cent of all miles covered by heavy goods traffic in the UK. Transporting food within, to and around the UK produces 19 million tonnes of CO2 annually – equivalent to around 5.5 million typical cars.”

The length of the supply chains involved in industrial food systems result in a fragile structure as any slight disruption throughout the intricate process can halt the supply chain at any time.

However, this industrial food system is not the only one available to our economy. While our modern supermarkets heavily rely on large-scale agriculture, large scale production and precise, uninterrupted international food trade and fast turnaround times, the alternative slow food system focuses on a more resilient structure.

As the resilient alternative to this industrial cycle that many in the industry are championing, Slow Food is focused on returning to the traditional methods and celebrating all things local.

The not for profit grassroots organisation, Slow Food was set up in Italy in the late 1980s in a bid to promote traditional food preparation methods and locally sourced ingredients, going against the arrival of the American fast-food chain McDonald’s in Rome. The eco-gastronomic organisation now has around 100,000 members in over 150 countries.

Recognising and raising awareness of the negative impact the industrial food system had on society, the economy and the environment, the organisation ignited a Slow Food movement: a new way of conscious consumerism that takes seasonality, locality and tradition into account.

A slow, or resilient food system can take on many forms, starting with us as individuals making a conscious effort to engage with producers, venues and outlets that are aligned with the slow food values, to foraging, growing our own produce and going to local farmers’ markets.

Any involvement in the movement can make a significant difference in local communities and build a more sustainable, resilient and eco-friendly food system.

As the first accredited Slow Food destination in Northern Ireland, the Causeway Coast and Glens have been spearheading the move toward this resilient system and together with Taste Causeway, the collaborative network of local food and drink businesses.

From exciting slow food events to highlighting producers and awarding them with Slow Food accreditation, Taste Causeway and Slow Food NI are putting local suppliers and venues at the forefront of consumers’ minds, one business at a time.

To find out more about how you can support the Slow Food movement, the businesses involved and the upcoming events on the Causeway Coast, go to https://slowfood.tastecauseway.com/

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Title:

Content: Slow travel.
How do you enjoy your vacation in 2023 in a completely different way?
Tourism and travel have recently become another way to keep up with popular trends or “trends ”, and to capture impressive images that bring in more followers.
While planning vacations, some no longer think only of the places they themselves wish to visit, as much as they observe the experiences of others on social media and think of all those wonderful places they go.
In the meantime, we seem to be surrounded by a flood of travel and tourism social media accounts, which post only minute-long "flutes" where influencers navigate between various fascinating tourist destinations.
Photos and leaflets tell you that you can travel to 10 places in seven days, and that there are 100 destinations you shouldn ’ t miss.
All of this makes us feel like we are in a race to go to as many destinations as possible in as little time as possible, and creates hunger for more experiences, drives us to jump like rabbits from one destination to another and from one experience to another, so we plan vacations filled with experiences, destinations and landmarks instead of focusing our time and budgets on what really interests us.
So, perhaps it ’ s time to rethink the way we travel from a different perspective that gives us more opportunity to relax and delve deeper into the travel experience, through “slow travel. ”
From food to travel.
In praise of slow and slow
In the 1980s, in 1986, McDonald ’ s opened a new branch in Piazza di Spagna, one of Rome ’ s most famous tourist attractions.
Italian sociologist and activist Carlo Petrini published a statement announcing the launch of the Slow Food movement as a reaction to fast food that has become permeating food cultures from one country to another, leaving its negative impact on food cultures and local cooking and turning it into a similar and unified “monster. ”
The statement sparked interest around the world, and quickly led to the emergence of a global movement and organization supported by more than 100,000 members, a movement that over time evolved into sub-ideas in other domains such as slow living, slow design, and slow travel.
Hence the term Slow Tourism, an approach to travel that offers different possibilities and ways to support sustainable tourism and low-carbon tourism, based on reducing mobility by plane and car, and relying more on bicycles or walking.
It also relies on communicating with local people and cultures and eating local folk food, with an interest in preserving the environment (2).
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, global tourism had reached a record high of 671 million international tourists.
Despite the positive effects of the boom in tourism, it has a negative aspect that cannot be ignored.
In a study published in the Journal of Sustainable Tourism, researchers focused on the potential of slow travel in the face of climate change challenges, with travel at the time of publication accounting for 50-97.5% of the amount of heat emission of most tourist trips.
The emerging concept of slow travel at the time was a reaction to high-carbon travel practices, so that slow travel becomes an integral part of the tourism experience and not just a difference in mode of transportation.
The negative impact of the tourism boom was not only on the increasing carbon footprint, but also on other environmental impacts of no less importance, for example, the Philippine government was forced to temporarily close the Boracay tourist area in 2018 to tourists, after it was transformed from a picturesque island to a sewage and waste sink for tourists, which affected the aquatic life there.
All these and other effects have led to the embrace of a new way of tourism, while embracing greater responsibility towards the environment and local communities, and opening up another horizon for individual enjoyment and exploration of the self and the world.
Here are a selection of slow travel mechanisms that will help you enjoy this exciting experience.
Take the least traveled routes.
Off The Beaten Path (or The Road Less Traveled) is one of the terms associated with slow travel, and is adapted from verses by the American poet Robert Frost, which means choosing unusual areas and different routes than the familiar, crowded routes, and is highly associated with the search for hidden local gems and avoiding the pattern of consumer tourism.
We advise you to stay away from peak tourist seasons, so you will be able to avoid the crowds, as well as get cheaper accommodation and transfers.
You will also be able to explore your destination slowly and quietly away from the crowds and crowds of tourists.
Nobody sees everything.
Many tourists fall into the sin of trying to see and discover everything, and you find lists such as “places not to miss if you go to such a country ” containing dozens of places that it is impossible for an ordinary person to visit all of them on a short vacation.
Take the Louvre as an example, one of the most famous and important museums in the world, with an area of   about 13 square kilometers, and its complex map makes you wonder will you be able to visit all these halls?
And see over a million pieces of art and history in one day?
Or even a few days?
Here you will have to choose between jumping from hall to hall and planning your visit so that you can see as many pieces as possible and take dozens of photos, or choose the pieces that really interest you, and look at each piece, and reflect on its meanings.
You can gasp from hall to hall, or you can settle for a few paintings, and if you go in the opposite direction, you can visit the same painting for several days and spend hours in front of it.
And what about the pictures?
The images are already on search sites, and believe me if you ’ re not an exceptional professional artist, the image you take in the Louvre has been taken by thousands of people before you.
Choose what matters to you, and build your own list based on your priorities.
If you don ’ t enjoy art, and you love outdoor adventure, why spend hours in a museum and see paintings you won ’ t be able to communicate with instead of climbing a mountain, for example.
The opposite is also true.
Think about what really interests your heart, are you a lover of architecture, nature or art and history?
And what are your priorities?
Let coincidence lead you.
Despite the importance of planning, planning every minute of your trip deprives you of a lot of coincidences that may give you irreplaceable opportunities.
Leave room for a bit of randomness, an empty space for chance, free tours in which your feet and intuition lead you towards the unknown and the adventure it carries.
You might want to skip the usual tourist attractions to enjoy other things, such as living like the locals and exploring the side streets away from the city center.
Knowing people is a treasure.
Speaking of side streets instead of renting a car, walking and using public transport will enable you to get to know the country better, as well as the chance to get to know the local population.
It is said that "the people of Mecca know its people", and so in every city, away from the popular tourist destinations, the people of the city know the best and cheapest places, restaurants and shops, and from them you can explore the city in the best possible ways.
Not only that, in movies we often see heroes change their lives after having an inspiring conversation with a passing person on the way.
Perhaps we wonder why we do not meet such inspirations, and why our lives do not change.
You may not be able to take inspiration if the ones you ’ re talking to are the hurried tourists or the tour guide.
But what about people from different cultures?
Shopkeepers and old people who sit in cafes, those who belong to a land other than your land and a time other than your time, is it not possible that if you open your heart and speak without concern, you can draw inspiration from them?
There is a hidden pleasure in talking to strangers you may never meet again.
The conversation may not turn your life upside down like in the movies, but if you allow your soul to open up enough, it could be an opportunity to explore a new aspect of yourself or the world.
Find out about local markets and food.
Instead of buying souvenirs from tourist bazaars or airports, you can try buying from local markets, where you will find unique handmade goods.
You can learn about the many handicrafts of each city, from which you explore its history, and support it in the face of counterfeit products that do not carry a soul.
Be sure to try local food as it is one of the most important experiences not to be missed when traveling.
Look for local dishes and try what works for you, visit local markets, and taste vegetables and fruits that may be unfamiliar in your country.
If you ’ re a foodie, you might want to take lessons in cooking local dishes, learn how to prepare them and understand more about the culture and history of the place.
Instead of searching for branches of international chains of cafes and restaurants drink your coffee in a small local cafe, meet the waiters and pioneers and pick up the tales scattered from their mouths, this is your real wealth from the journey, not the bright photographic image that resembles the hundreds of photos taken by tourists before you.
Get rid of travel stress
When you rush from one place to another with a full list of activities you do every minute, you usually come back from vacation with a deep sense of stress, which is called travel fatigue.
In the slow travel experience you will enjoy relaxing, walking through forests and gardens, or lying in the desert in a star-studded sky.
Ignore your phone and your desire to take pictures.
Relax a bit and enjoy your experience. (6)
You don ’ t need any more time or money.
Some may say I can ’ t travel slowly, my vacation is only 7 days.
Slow travel doesn ’ t mean long travel, it doesn ’ t have to do with time frame as much as the way you travel and your way of thinking.
So slow travel brings us back to the real and root causes of travel, why do we move from one place to another?
And what are we looking for?
Are we looking for more photos of our social media accounts, are we looking for relaxation, are we looking for more cultures and history, or do we want to dig deeper and connect with ourselves?
In terms of budget, I ’ m happy.
There are many ways to reduce your travel budget, it is possible to try work while traveling, you can work in one of the farms or small hotels in exchange for accommodation, which many places offer, especially if you decide to settle in one place for long enough.
Also, instead of looking for luxury hotels, you can opt for shared homes, live with a local resident, or look for shared accommodations and cheap local hotels.
And within your city, too.
If you don ’ t have a chance to vacation outside your city, you can apply these ideas in your city as well, instead of meeting your friends in repeated places behind glass walls, go on a tour to explore the city, the unknown areas of it, the unfamiliar streets.
Turn to the old cafes, to the trees you pass every day on your way to work without seeing or noticing its presence, to people and stones.
Remember that slow travel is not just a way to travel, but a different view of the world and a way to live and think.
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Sources:
Carlo Petrini and the History of Slow Food
2. Slow Travel and Tourism
Slow travel: issues for tourism and climate
Philippines to shutdown tourist island boracay for six months
The Tourist ’ s Perception about Slow Travel – A Romanian Perspective
In light of the Krona pandemic, slow travel is the latest tourism trends
Source: The Island

What happened after the opening of McDonald's restaurants in Rome opened?

When did Carlo Petrini launch the Slow Food Movement?

What happened after the opening of McDonald's restaurants in Rome opened?

When did Carlo Petrini launch the Slow Food Movement?

Carlo Petrini and activists led the founding to defend regional food traditions and traditional preparation methods.

On returning to traditional food methods

What happened after the opening of McDonald's restaurants in Rome opened?

Who is founder of the Slow Food Movement?

An Italian sociologist and activist
Carlo Petrini

On returning to traditional food methods

What happened after the opening of McDonald's restaurants in Rome opened?

Who is founder of the Slow Food Movement?

An Italian sociologist and activist
Carlo Petrini

Core tenets are seasonality, locality, culinary tradition and conscious consumerism opposing industrial, large-scale food systems.

Title:

Content: Praise the slow pace of life.
Explore the fun of the world calmly
The idea of slow living negates the belief that a successful person should be busy or fast, and encourages the person to be present consciously at every moment.
Once the society is saturated with the new, it returns to the past, and this is what happens in art, decoration, fashion, and social trends.
From here, too, the slow pace of life can be seen as a return to the old calm in some way, after the rhythm of life has become too fast to keep up with.
The idea of a slow life can be a convenient orientation for those who are looking for a calm state of mind, trying to take a long-term view of life and the world away from constant stress, anxiety and gasping.
Slow living helps us live more consciously and clearly with what we value and need in life, where we do everything at the right speed, rather than constantly striving for speed.
The idea of slow living negates the belief that a successful person must be busy or fast, and encourages the person to be present consciously at every moment.
Life is better, not faster.
The idea of slow living is part of the broader slow movement that began in the 1980s in Italy.
After opening McDonald ’ s restaurants in the heart of Rome, Carlo Petrini and a group of activists formed a movement defending regional food traditions called Slow Food.
Over time, the movement has gained supporters in more than 150 countries, trying to encourage the enjoyment of good food and conscious consumption that encourages respect for seasonality, and to minimize the negative impact on the environment of food production.
Carlo Petrini ’ s idea began to take shape when he noticed the disconnect between farmer and consumer, due to the huge boutiques and fast food restaurants that fed central Rome and dramatically eroded local food traditions.
Carl Honoré, one of the most famous theorists of the idea of slow living, helped bring the idea to areas other than food when he published a book in Praise of Slow in 2004.
Awareness is growing about slow travel, slow thinking and slow action, all of which are examples of the different branches of the slow living movement.
Not all slowness is negative.
As more people were forced to slow down their lifestyle, interest in slow living increased during the epidemic period.
The search for the term slow life has increased by 4 times in Google and YouTube.
Although some of these images and videos depict a romantic rural life far from reality, for most people, the increase in research related to this content shows the desire to return to nature and seek hobbies closer to it, especially as a large number of people turned to remote work, which gave the opportunity to connect more with the self and search for what is truly pleasing, which is forgotten in the midst of a fast and breathless life.
The slow life movement gets rid of the negative connotations of the word "slow", which some may associate with laziness and non-productivity.
Carl Honoré explains the difference between good slowness and negative slowness, as good slowness is the deliberate slowness to do things at the right speed to achieve the best result.
On the other side, there is also good speed and bad speed.
Speed can be exciting and exhilarating in the right circumstances while the rush to finish things from just above the surface without going deep is just the opposite, because it causes distraction and is difficult to prioritize.
Essential elements of slow living
Slow living doesn ’ t mean we give up technology and fall back into old times, but it does help us give up distracting activities, make us reclaim our own time to become more present and aware of every moment in life, and help build stronger relationships and spend quality time with friends and children.
It also helps us build our own values, design the lifestyle that suits us, and dedicate time to what we ’ re really looking for, not what the fast-paced lifestyle of the planet forces us to do.
A slow life entails taking a break and redefining our relationship with things like a phone, tablet, or other gadgets like them, and then making room for screen-free time.
Honoré says, “The cornerstone of slow living is to form balanced and more humane relationships with modern technologies.
“We have to somehow learn when to go ahead with technology and when to slow down and stop moving between social media, the Netflix screen or even aimlessly surfing the internet. ”
Honoré also emphasizes the need to let go of the fear of rejection or being lost, and instead of trying to do everything, we should choose only what matters to us and touches us, without the worry of saying the word “no ”.
We must say no to everything that does not concern us and not increase the burden we place on ourselves.
We have to prioritize carefully and let everything else go, having grown tired of the speed with which we feel we are racing rather than actually living our lives.
We always wait for a moment other than the moment we live, which makes us feel that our lives are vanishing in vain.
Slow life solidifies deep pleasures and strong emotions, away from entertainment and shallow pleasures that fade away shortly and leave us burdened with feelings of frustration and loneliness.
Source: Websites

What are the supporters of slow food movement advocating?

On returning to traditional food methods

What are the supporters of slow food movement advocating?

On returning to traditional food methods

The organization grew into an international movement with about 100,000 members in over 150 countries.

How many countries have members of Slow Food organization?

How many members does the Slow Food Movement have globally?

How many countries have members of Slow Food organization?

How many members does the Slow Food Movement have globally?

The slow idea expanded beyond food into slow living and slow travel, championed by thinkers such as Carl Honoré.

Current proponents include national Slow Food chapters and local networks like Slow Food Northern Ireland and Taste Causeway.

Places to sample slow food include Slow Food‑accredited destinations, local farmers' markets, producer events, and Slow Food festivals.

What are the supporters of slow food movement advocating?

The movement also encourages foraging, growing your own produce, and engaging directly with local producers and venues.

What are the supporters of slow food movement advocating?

On returning to traditional food methods

What is the purpose of Taiwan's Taitung County Government ito hold the "SLOW SUPER Taitung Slow Farmer Market"?

To promote sustainable agricultural development

In short, Slow Food started in Italy under Carlo Petrini in the late 1980s; its tenets are seasonality, locality and tradition, and you can best sample it at Slow Food‑accredited destinations, local markets and producer events worldwide.