Saudi KSGAAL Concludes Arabic Language Program in France

Saudi Arabia's King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language (KSGAAL) concluded its Arabic Language Month program in France on Friday. (SPA)
Saudi Arabia's King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language (KSGAAL) concluded its Arabic Language Month program in France on Friday. (SPA)
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Saudi KSGAAL Concludes Arabic Language Program in France

Saudi Arabia's King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language (KSGAAL) concluded its Arabic Language Month program in France on Friday. (SPA)
Saudi Arabia's King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language (KSGAAL) concluded its Arabic Language Month program in France on Friday. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia's King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language (KSGAAL) concluded its Arabic Language Month program in France on Friday. The program began October 7 and was held in Paris, Lyon, and Tourcoing. It included a series of educational activities aimed at developing Arabic language curricula, enhancing teacher performance, and strengthening the presence of the Arabic language in educational institutions.

KSGAAL Secretary-General Dr. Abdullah bin Saleh Al-Washmi said the academy is honored by the ongoing support it receives from Minister of Culture and KSGAAL Chairman of the Board of Trustees Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, whose support boosts all of KSGAAL's programs and activities, aligning with the objectives of the Human Capability Development Program, which is part of the initiatives for realizing Saudi Vision 2030.

The program included a series of visits and meetings with several French educational institutions that offer academic programs in Arabic and associations and centers focused on teaching and promoting the Arabic language. Additionally, there was a visit to the Saudi embassy and the Saudi cultural attaché in France.

Several scientific activities were carried out in collaboration with the Arab World Institute. These included a discussion session addressing key topics such as the most important tests used in evaluating Arabic teachers for non-native speakers, integrating technology in teaching Arabic, and identifying the best available tools and applications.

Furthermore, a comprehensive scientific symposium was conducted on Saudi Arabia's efforts to teach Arabic to non-native speakers, and discussions took place on the reality of teaching Arabic and its curricula in France, including the opportunities and challenges of bilingualism.

The program featured two scientific papers. The first was titled "Hamza Test to Measure Arabic Language Proficiency," which discussed the criteria for creating the Hamza test, its application mechanisms, and plans for its development. The second paper was titled "The Works of the King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language in Supporting the Arabic Language through Digital Platforms," which introduced the academy's platforms dedicated to serving the Arabic language.

Various training courses were offered for both teachers and learners. The teachers' courses aimed to bolster the skills of Arabic teachers for non-native speakers, focusing on active learning strategies in teaching Arabic as a second language. In contrast, the learners' courses were centered on developing listening skills for Arabic learners and non-native speakers. The program also facilitated collaboration between the KSGAAL and King Abdulaziz University, which sent two specialist professors in Arabic to present a training course in Lyon.



Saudi Culture Minister Meets with Scholarship Students in Manga Production Program in Japan

The Saudi Minister of Culture met with Saudi scholarship students in the Manga Production Foundations Program at his residence in Tokyo on Saturday. SPA
The Saudi Minister of Culture met with Saudi scholarship students in the Manga Production Foundations Program at his residence in Tokyo on Saturday. SPA
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Saudi Culture Minister Meets with Scholarship Students in Manga Production Program in Japan

The Saudi Minister of Culture met with Saudi scholarship students in the Manga Production Foundations Program at his residence in Tokyo on Saturday. SPA
The Saudi Minister of Culture met with Saudi scholarship students in the Manga Production Foundations Program at his residence in Tokyo on Saturday. SPA

Saudi Minister of Culture, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission (LPTC) Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, met with Saudi scholarship students in the Manga Production Foundations Program at his residence in Tokyo on Saturday.

This specialized training program, organized in collaboration between the commission and Manga Productions, a subsidiary of the Mohammed bin Salman Foundation (Misk), aims to nurture talented manga artists through professional training rooted in Japanese techniques, the birthplace of this art form.

During the meeting, Prince Badr emphasized the Saudi leadership's unwavering support for developing human capabilities across all fields, highlighting the importance of academic and professional training in cultural disciplines.

The meeting was attended by CEO of LPTC Dr. Mohammed Hasan Alwan, CEO of Manga Productions Essam Amanullah Bukhari, and students studying manga art at Kadokawa Contents Academy (KCA), one of Japan’s leading institutions for training and recruiting talent in manga creation.

The program includes virtual workshops, an intensive training course, and overseas training in Japan. It has also launched competitions blending manga with Saudi cultural themes, such as "Munjanha," which transforms Arabic proverbs into manga stories; "Manga Al-Qaseed," which adapts Arabic poems into manga; and "Manga Al-Ibil," which celebrates the cultural symbolism of camels in Saudi Arabia.

The program has benefited over 1,850 participants through virtual workshops, with 115 advancing to the intensive training phase, resulting in the creation of 115 manga stories. Among these, 21 students were sent to Japan for advanced training. The competitions garnered significant engagement, receiving 133 submissions for "Munjanha," over 70 for "Manga Al-Qaseed," and more than 50 for "Manga Al-Ibil."