Saudi Heritage Commission Organizes 2nd Edition of Saudi Int’l Handicrafts Week

The event will take place at the Roshn Front in Riyadh from November 23 to 29. SPA
The event will take place at the Roshn Front in Riyadh from November 23 to 29. SPA
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Saudi Heritage Commission Organizes 2nd Edition of Saudi Int’l Handicrafts Week

The event will take place at the Roshn Front in Riyadh from November 23 to 29. SPA
The event will take place at the Roshn Front in Riyadh from November 23 to 29. SPA

The Saudi Heritage Commission is organizing the second edition of the Saudi International Handicrafts Week, "Banan," under the patronage of Culture Minister and Chairman of the Heritage Commission Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al Saud.

The event will take place at the Roshn Front in Riyadh from November 23 to 29, highlighting authentic handicrafts and traditional industries. It aims to support artisans from within and outside the Kingdom by showcasing their creations and enhancing their capabilities.

The exhibition includes various pavilions and activities that enrich visitors' experiences, such as a Handicraft Arts Village, a Live Craft Demonstration Pavilion, a Craft Exhibition, a Handicraft Workshop Pavilion, an Interactive Experience Zone, and an Entrepreneurs and Artisan Institutions Platform. There is also a Children's Pavilion featuring a range of activities designed for kids. More than 20 countries will participate, with over 500 local and international artisans showcasing their work.

"Banan" serves as a dynamic platform to celebrate traditional handicrafts. Its role extends beyond promoting these authentic arts; it also contributes to economically supporting artisans by enabling them to market their work to a broader audience of local and international visitors. Recognizing handicrafts as part of the Kingdom's intangible cultural heritage, the exhibition aims to raise awareness and develop them to ensure their continuity for future generations.
Following the successes of its first edition, "Banan" received several international awards, recognizing its excellence in utilizing the aesthetics of handicrafts through innovative artistic design. These awards reflect the Kingdom's progress in supporting designers and artisans on the international stage, highlighting the cultural and creative value of handicrafts. This also affirms the Commission’s commitment to the highest standards of artistic design in organizing heritage events, enhancing the Kingdom’s reputation as a leading destination in creative design related to heritage.
The exhibition aims to provide visitors with a rich and comprehensive cultural experience, allowing them to interact directly with artisans and observe the production processes of handmade artistic pieces. Through this experience, visitors will learn about the cultural diversity that the Kingdom embraces, enriching their knowledge of Saudi heritage and deepening their understanding of the country's customs and traditions. Additionally, the exhibition offers a unique opportunity to connect visitors with the national cultural identity and transmit it to future generations.
The Saudi Heritage Commission emphasizes that "Banan" represents a vision to support and empower the handicraft cultural sector, making it an important contributor to the Kingdom’s economy. This aligns with the objectives of the National Culture Strategy derived from Saudi Vision 2030. Through this event, the Commission reiterates its commitment to providing an encouraging environment for artisans and creatives to enhance their sustainable development. The Commission aims for "Banan" to become one of the prominent cultural exhibitions both locally and internationally, attracting a wide audience interested in heritage and handicrafts.



Teams from 17 Countries in Riyadh for Final Stage of ‘ALLaM Challenge’ to Support Arabic

The challenge will provide competitors with opportunities for training and workshops led by AI experts and specialists in Arabic language fields. SPA
The challenge will provide competitors with opportunities for training and workshops led by AI experts and specialists in Arabic language fields. SPA
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Teams from 17 Countries in Riyadh for Final Stage of ‘ALLaM Challenge’ to Support Arabic

The challenge will provide competitors with opportunities for training and workshops led by AI experts and specialists in Arabic language fields. SPA
The challenge will provide competitors with opportunities for training and workshops led by AI experts and specialists in Arabic language fields. SPA

Teams from 17 countries began arriving at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, preparing for the final stage of the "ALLaM Challenge."
The competition will take place from Thursday, November 7, to Saturday, November 9 at the Crowne Plaza Riyadh, with over 600 male and female competitors representing 200 teams. The event will also feature more than 50 guides and 40 judges, with total prizes valued at SAR 1 million.
The ALLaM Challenge -- organized by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) in collaboration with the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming, and Drones -- is part of SDAIA’s efforts to support the Kingdom's initiatives to serve the Arabic language regionally and globally.
The challenge aims to enhance the language's status and raise global awareness of it, in alignment with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, which emphasizes the importance of the Arabic language as a key element of Saudi national identity.
The ALLaM Challenge aims to develop AI models capable of writing and understanding Arabic poetry, accurately parsing sentences, and teaching children the Arabic language in an engaging way.
This initiative continues the Kingdom's efforts to serve the Arabic language, particularly in technical fields, by providing high-quality Arabic data and developing AI models that efficiently handle the language.
The international competition is held in partnership with IBM and the National Technology Development Program (NTDP).
Participants in the challenge aim to showcase their abilities and potential by developing and improving large language models (LLMs). The challenge will provide competitors with opportunities for training and workshops led by AI experts and specialists in Arabic language fields.
It will support the teams and evaluate their projects based on judging criteria that ensure the sustainability of the solutions and their transformation into real AI-driven projects that serve the Arabic language across various sectors and fields.