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Cultural Development Fund Participates in the Red Sea Film Festival

Photo by SPA
Photo by SPA
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Cultural Development Fund Participates in the Red Sea Film Festival

Photo by SPA
Photo by SPA

The Saudi Cultural Development Fund (CDF) participated as an official sponsor of the third edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival (RSIFF), from November 30 to December 9, as part of its strategy to establish partnerships, with the non-profit sector, that contribute to the sustainable development of the Saudi film sector, according to a CDF press release.

According to the report, the interest in the fund-presented initiatives created "an atmosphere of dynamic cultural exchange", highlighting "the positive impact of the fund in enabling the sector and contributing to its development".

CDF hosted a "FilmFunding Lunch" at the Wasl Art Space, on December 3, on the sidelines of the festival. The event aligned with the fund's vision, enabled those working in the sector by opening lines of direct communication in a setting designed specifically for top local and international companies, giving them the opportunity to engage in private consultations, become aware of challenges and promote the Film Sector Financing Program, SPA reported.

Saudi Cultural Development Fund Chief Investment and Credit Officer Abdullah Alkhaldi, in a panel discussion titled "Unlocking Co-Production Opportunities with the Arab World", shed light on the government’s role in facilitating investments in the film sector.

Alkhaldi also talked about the fund's endeavor to offer comprehensive financial support for the sector’s full value chain, with a focus on de-risking investments to facilitate market entry for local and international businesses.

CDF concluded its participation at the festival by celebrating the first world premiere of “Ahlam Alasr”, by the Godus brothers “Sohayb Godus and Faris Godus”. The tickets for the film premiere were sold out within five days of the festival; the film garnered wide acclaim from both audience and critics. It was funded by CDF through its Cultural Projects Incentive Program.

Launched two years ago in partnership with the Quality of Life Program, the fund allocated a budget of SAR181 million to provide non-recoupable financing for projects in the cultural sectors, including filmmaking, to meet the needs of the cultural sector and contribute to its development.

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'Urgent' for Australia to Protect Great Barrier Reef, Says UNESCO 

This underwater photo taken on April 5, 2024, shows bleached and dead coral around Lizard Island on the Great Barrier Reef, located 270 kilometers (167 miles) north of the city of Cairns. (AFP)
This underwater photo taken on April 5, 2024, shows bleached and dead coral around Lizard Island on the Great Barrier Reef, located 270 kilometers (167 miles) north of the city of Cairns. (AFP)
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'Urgent' for Australia to Protect Great Barrier Reef, Says UNESCO 

This underwater photo taken on April 5, 2024, shows bleached and dead coral around Lizard Island on the Great Barrier Reef, located 270 kilometers (167 miles) north of the city of Cairns. (AFP)
This underwater photo taken on April 5, 2024, shows bleached and dead coral around Lizard Island on the Great Barrier Reef, located 270 kilometers (167 miles) north of the city of Cairns. (AFP)

Australia must take "urgent" action to protect the Great Barrier Reef, including setting more ambitious climate targets, the UN's cultural organization has warned.

In a draft decision, UNESCO also asked Australia to submit an update on protection efforts early next year, but stopped short of recommending the reef be placed on its list of endangered heritage sites.

The decision, released late Monday, was welcomed by Australia's Minister for the Environment and Water Tanya Plibersek as a "huge win".

"We are acting on climate change, improving local water quality, protecting our marine life, dealing with invasive species, and investing a record amount of money into reef programs," she said in a statement Tuesday.

But the UNESCO decision, which will guide a meeting of the World Heritage Committee in New Delhi next month, warns the world's largest coral system "remains under serious threat."

"Urgent and sustained action is of utmost priority," it added.

The fate of the reef has been a recurrent source of tension between UNESCO and Australian authorities, with the World Heritage Committee threatening to put the world's largest coral system on its list of "in danger" global heritage sites.

Behind-the-scenes diplomacy and lobbying from Australia have avoided such a move and commitments from the Labor government of Anthony Albanese have drawn praise from the Paris-based organization.

The draft decision welcomed some of the steps taken by Australia, including on water quality around the reef and restrictions on gill-net fishing.

But it expressed "high concern" about land clearing threatening water quality, and said Australia should "set more ambitious emission reduction targets."

Citing the ongoing mass bleaching of the reef, it asked for an update by next February, rebuffing Australia's request to wait until 2026.

It also urged Australia to make public "as soon as possible" details on reef mortality rates in the latest round of bleaching.

Plibersek said the agency had recognized Australian efforts to protect the reef.

"Today's draft decision is a huge win for Queensland, a huge win for the thousands of people who rely on the reef for work, and a huge win for all the plants and animals that call it home," she said.

Environmental groups, however, said the UNESCO decision should be a "wake-up call".

"UNESCO has asked Australia to set more ambitious climate targets, and given us a February 2025 deadline to submit a progress report -- the clock is ticking," said Greenpeace Australia Pacific CEO David Ritter.

The World Wide Fund for Nature-Australia also released new images on Tuesday showing bleached and dead coral on the reef.

The group urged Australia to commit to a federal emissions reduction target of at least 90 percent below 2005 levels by 2035 and to stop approving new fossil fuel projects.

Australia currently targets reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 43 percent from 2005 levels by 2030 and achieving net zero by 2050.