Saudi Pavilion at UNESCO Showcases Camel Culture

The Saudi pavilion joined 22 other Arab countries in Arab Week at UNESCO, an initiative led by Saudi Arabia. SPA
The Saudi pavilion joined 22 other Arab countries in Arab Week at UNESCO, an initiative led by Saudi Arabia. SPA
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Saudi Pavilion at UNESCO Showcases Camel Culture

The Saudi pavilion joined 22 other Arab countries in Arab Week at UNESCO, an initiative led by Saudi Arabia. SPA
The Saudi pavilion joined 22 other Arab countries in Arab Week at UNESCO, an initiative led by Saudi Arabia. SPA

The Saudi pavilion at Arab Week at UNESCO in Paris has attracted visitors with exhibits highlighting the camel's enduring significance and showcasing its role as an authentic cultural heritage deeply rooted in Saudi civilization.

Visitors engaged with the pavilion's displays, which established the camel as a cultural icon for Saudi Arabia in Paris, reflecting the nation’s identity and authentic values in history, culture, and civilization.

Over two days, UNESCO visitors from around the globe learned about the close relationship between camels and Saudi culture. Camels have been integral to the community's customs, traditions, and literature, including poetry, prose, and proverbs. They witnessed how the camel evolved from a means of transport and a source of goods to a cultural icon and heritage symbol, while retaining its role as a source of food and medicine, as well as a tool for sustainability.

The camel was chosen for the Saudi pavilion due to its unique cultural value, prompting the Ministry of Culture to declare 2024 the "Year of the Camel."

This highlights the Arabian Peninsula's long-standing appreciation for camels, which have aided in travel and nomadic life and are woven into the region's heritage through stories, poems, and narratives.

The camel has become a cultural symbol, a testament to authenticity, and a prominent element of Saudi identity.

Camels are a tangible reality in Saudi culture, depicted in ancient petroglyphs and celebrated today through races, festivals, clubs, and research centers. This rich history brought the camel to Paris as a symbol of Saudi culture participating in "Arab Week at UNESCO."

The Saudi pavilion joined 22 other Arab countries in Arab Week at UNESCO, an initiative led by Saudi Arabia. This event reflected the trust and respect among Arab nations and their desire to see such cultural initiatives flourish.



200 Teams from 17 Nations Seek Innovative Solutions for Arabic Language in Saudi Arabia

The ALLaM Challenge aims to develop AI models capable of writing and understanding Arabic poetry, accurately analyzing grammar, and teaching Arabic to children in an engaging manner. SPA
The ALLaM Challenge aims to develop AI models capable of writing and understanding Arabic poetry, accurately analyzing grammar, and teaching Arabic to children in an engaging manner. SPA
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200 Teams from 17 Nations Seek Innovative Solutions for Arabic Language in Saudi Arabia

The ALLaM Challenge aims to develop AI models capable of writing and understanding Arabic poetry, accurately analyzing grammar, and teaching Arabic to children in an engaging manner. SPA
The ALLaM Challenge aims to develop AI models capable of writing and understanding Arabic poetry, accurately analyzing grammar, and teaching Arabic to children in an engaging manner. SPA

The competition in the ALLaM Challenge has intensified for the second consecutive day, with 200 teams from 17 countries, including Saudi Arabia, showcasing their capabilities in developing innovative solutions, the Saudi Press Agency reported Friday.

The focus is on enhancing large language models (LLMs) and transforming them into real-world AI projects that serve the Arabic language across various sectors.

Overseeing this significant competition, organized by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) in collaboration with the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming, and Drones, are more than 50 mentors and 40 judges—experts in AI and the Arabic language. They are providing support to participating teams and evaluating projects based on criteria that ensure the sustainability of the proposed solutions.

The ALLaM Challenge aims to develop AI models capable of writing and understanding Arabic poetry, accurately analyzing grammar, and teaching Arabic to children in an engaging manner. This aligns with the Kingdom’s ongoing efforts to support the Arabic language, especially in technological fields, by providing high-quality Arabic data and creating AI models that can effectively handle the language.

This international competition is supported by a technical partnership with IBM and the National Technology Development Program (NTDP), with a total prize pool of SAR 1 million.