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‘Historic Jeddah’ Development Project Proceeding According to Int'l Sustainable Standards

A view shows the carved wood panels decorating the facades of traditional buildings of the Old City in the center of the Saudi Arabian Red Sea port city of Jeddah, 2 August 2007. (Getty Images/AFP)
A view shows the carved wood panels decorating the facades of traditional buildings of the Old City in the center of the Saudi Arabian Red Sea port city of Jeddah, 2 August 2007. (Getty Images/AFP)
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‘Historic Jeddah’ Development Project Proceeding According to Int'l Sustainable Standards

A view shows the carved wood panels decorating the facades of traditional buildings of the Old City in the center of the Saudi Arabian Red Sea port city of Jeddah, 2 August 2007. (Getty Images/AFP)
A view shows the carved wood panels decorating the facades of traditional buildings of the Old City in the center of the Saudi Arabian Red Sea port city of Jeddah, 2 August 2007. (Getty Images/AFP)

The implementation of the “Historic Jeddah” Development Project is progressing steadily according to international sustainability standards, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Saturday.

The project is part of the plan to transform the ancient town into a hub for business, culture, and innovation and a destination for entrepreneurship, and to upgrade the living standards of its residents and visitors.

The first phase of the “Historical Jeddah Rejuvenation” Project calls for carving out the waterfront that had previously been filled to accommodate the city’s urban expansion.

During the second phase, Lake Al-Arbaeen’s water will be treated and purified, and infrastructure will be built for a new urban area and waterfront.

The third phase includes building a marina for luxury yachts, open green spaces, pedestrian overpasses, and public utilities to create a sustainable urban environment for Jeddah’s Al-Balad (downtown) area.

The project is part of the Kingdom leadership’s keenness on preserving and rehabilitating the country’s historic sites as part of the objectives of the Saudi Vision 2030 to reflect the Kingdom's Arab and Islamic heritage.

The Historic Jeddah (Al-Balad) is home to more than 600 heritage buildings, 36 historical mosques, five major historical markets, ancient alleys and squares, and sites of prime historic significance, including the old waterfront, which was a major route for pilgrims since the dawn of Islam.

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Colombia's President Signs Bill to Ban Bullfighting

People dressed as bulls attend a presentation of a law that bans bullfighting by President Gustavo Petro in La Plaza Santa Maria, in Bogota, Colombia, Monday, July 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Ivan Valencia)
People dressed as bulls attend a presentation of a law that bans bullfighting by President Gustavo Petro in La Plaza Santa Maria, in Bogota, Colombia, Monday, July 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Ivan Valencia)
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Colombia's President Signs Bill to Ban Bullfighting

People dressed as bulls attend a presentation of a law that bans bullfighting by President Gustavo Petro in La Plaza Santa Maria, in Bogota, Colombia, Monday, July 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Ivan Valencia)
People dressed as bulls attend a presentation of a law that bans bullfighting by President Gustavo Petro in La Plaza Santa Maria, in Bogota, Colombia, Monday, July 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Ivan Valencia)

Colombian President Gustavo Petro on Monday signed a bill that bans bullfights in the South American country, further reducing the short list of nations around the world where the centuries-old tradition is still legal.

Petro signed it in front of hundreds of animal rights activists during a ceremony held in Bogota’s bullring, after a supporter in a bull costume handed him a copy of the legislation, The Associated Press reported.

“We cannot tell the world that killing living and sentient beings for entertainment is culture,” Petro said in a speech after signing the bill. “That kind of culture of killing an animal for entertainment would also lead us to killing human beings for entertainment, because we are also animals.”

The bullfighting ban was approved by Colombia’s Congress in May, after months of heated debates.

The bill calls on the government to completely ban bullfights across the nation by 2027, and orders the government to turn more than a dozen bullrings into cultural and sporting venues.

Bullfights have been held in Colombia since Spanish colonial times. But the popularity of the sport has declined in recent years as views on animal rights changed.

Bullfighting aficionados in Colombia argue the ban violates the rights of minorities to express their cultural heritage. They add that it also jeopardizes the livelihoods of those who make a living from bullfighting, such as matadors, event promoters, merchants and ranchers who specialize in breeding the aggressive and muscular animals used in bullfights.

On Monday, pro bullfighting groups launched a social media campaign in support of the tradition, saying the bill was approved without the support of Colombia’s labor ministry. Supporters have also said they will challenge the law in Colombia’s Constitutional Court.

Only seven countries now allow bullfights: Spain, France, Portugal, Mexico, Venezuela, Ecuador and Peru. However, some municipal and regional governments within those countries have imposed local bans.