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Saudi Arabia to Launch Compass Program to Boost Knowledge, Cultural Content in Red Sea Fields

The program will run for five days at the Red Sea and West of Saudi Arabia History Center in the Jeddah Governorate.
The program will run for five days at the Red Sea and West of Saudi Arabia History Center in the Jeddah Governorate.
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Saudi Arabia to Launch Compass Program to Boost Knowledge, Cultural Content in Red Sea Fields

The program will run for five days at the Red Sea and West of Saudi Arabia History Center in the Jeddah Governorate.
The program will run for five days at the Red Sea and West of Saudi Arabia History Center in the Jeddah Governorate.

The Red Sea and West of Saudi Arabia History Center, affiliated with the King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives (Darah), is set to launch the "Compass" program on July 22.

The program aims to document the region's history and offers interactive summer programs. It boasts a competition to simplify and produce content using innovative means to enrich the knowledge and cultural content of the Red Sea fields.

The program will collaborate with the College of Communication and Media at King Abdulaziz University, the Volunteering and Community Partnership Program "Lenobadir" in the Jeddah Governorate, the Jeddah Historic District Program, and the Saudi Committee for Traditional Games.

The program will run for five days, with daily activities from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM at the Red Sea and West of Saudi Arabia History Center in the Jeddah Governorate.

Winners will receive financial prizes, and participants will be awarded certificates of attendance. Experts and specialists will present specialized guidance sessions in the program. There will also be accompanying activities, such as a folk games competition and a visit to the historic Jeddah area.

The "Compass" program comprises three main tracks. The first focuses on digital production, which includes producing short films, photography, infographic design, and motion graphics. The second focuses on culture and arts, covering folk games, artwork, literary works, souvenirs, handicrafts, and performing arts. The third focuses on emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, augmented reality, educational technologies, and information technology.

The program covers a wide range of fields such as history, geography, environmental sciences, language and literature, social and human sciences, marine sciences, communication and media, earth sciences, tourism, natural sciences, architecture and planning, architectural engineering, health, energy and industry, logistics and transportation, supply chains, emerging technologies, intangible heritage, submerged heritage, textiles and fashion, interior design, sports, and many others.

Registration for the program is open.

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A Rare Peek at the Hidden Waterworks behind Rome’s Trevi Fountain

A view of Rome's Trevi fountain is seen through a window of its old water flow control room, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP)
A view of Rome's Trevi fountain is seen through a window of its old water flow control room, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP)
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A Rare Peek at the Hidden Waterworks behind Rome’s Trevi Fountain

A view of Rome's Trevi fountain is seen through a window of its old water flow control room, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP)
A view of Rome's Trevi fountain is seen through a window of its old water flow control room, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP)

The Trevi Fountain, arguably the world’s most famous, has graced screens for decades, from Fellini’s “La Dolce Vita” to Netflix’s “Emily in Paris.” Each year, millions of visitors push through Rome's narrow streets to gaze at the towering Titan god flanked by falls cascading into a turquoise pool.

Yet, they never get to venture behind Oceanus’ back to see what produces the sublime play of water in the baroque masterpiece.

Wooden doors on an adjacent street lead to the maneuvering chambers that control the fountain's water supply, coming from the Aqua Virgo — an ancient Roman aqueduct 16 kilometers (10 miles) away. Two electric pumps recycle 126 liters (33 gallons) of water per second while Rome’s water management company, ACEA, carefully monitors the flow around the clock.

This precise amount is crucial for the movement of water through the statues; a little more or less, and it wouldn’t work, said Davide D’Alonzo, ACEA’s manager for the area.

The modern maneuvering chamber features metal tanks and lighted panels. In the original, arched chamber, water audibly rushes through a thick pipe and there is a functional, 18th-century hydrometer to gauge the fountain’s water level.

A large, rudimentary spreadsheet on the wall displays the names of rich Roman families whose homes received water from the chamber long ago; when they fell behind on their payments, their supply was cut off.

The chamber's grated windows grant views out over the fountain and its many visitors — all of whom are oblivious to its hidden waterworks. They toss coins over their shoulders into the water, a hopeful gesture based on a legend that it guarantees their return to the eternal city.