Largest Cultural Park Opens in Saudi Arabia

Governor of the Makkah Region Prince Khalid Al Faisal inaugurates the largest cultural park in Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
Governor of the Makkah Region Prince Khalid Al Faisal inaugurates the largest cultural park in Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
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Largest Cultural Park Opens in Saudi Arabia

Governor of the Makkah Region Prince Khalid Al Faisal inaugurates the largest cultural park in Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
Governor of the Makkah Region Prince Khalid Al Faisal inaugurates the largest cultural park in Saudi Arabia. (SPA)

Prince Khalid Al Faisal, advisor to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, Governor of the Makkah Region, inaugurated on Thursday the largest cultural park in the west of Saudi Arabia. The opening was part of the Makkah Cultural Forum in its second edition, entitled "How to be a role model?"

The Cultural Park is located at Al-Nawras Square, on the waterfront of the coastal city of Jeddah, covering an area of ​​about 42,000 square meters.

It is one of the " Makkah Cultural Forum" programs and aims to make culture among of the most attractive options in tourism promotion campaigns and offer interactive knowledge and cultural ambiances for all the society’s segments.

It also aims to develop and promote the concepts of the “role model” and its applications, and introduce many events in the cultural, social, scientific, technical, technical and artistic areas.

The park includes a package of cultural activities, such as: electronic applications, interactive education, scientific innovations, skill festival, role model hall, robot world, exhibition of life on wheels and the role model in practicing marine sports. It also offers specialized workshops on the filming industry, as well as many accompanying shows organized by the Entertainment Authority.

As part of the cultural park event, which runs over 10 days (during the mid-year vacation), cultural competitions will be organized within a special pavilion, hosting and nominating cultural personalities who will be present at the forum.

As part of the cultural park initiative, the Ministry of Education is conducting a competitive scientific competition for all general education students to compete in design, programming and robot control.

The competition aims to spread robot culture among students and to link theoretical information with practical application, as well as rooting the idea of mass work and cooperative education among students from all categories.

The King Abdul Aziz University is participating through a corner on promoting the definition of talent, creativity and invention, and presenting real models of local and international award-winning students' innovations, as well as developing the skills of the visitors through interactive intelligence games.

The cultural garden initiatives offer a variety of activities related to the art of painting. The Ministry of Education offers an educational and recreational program that includes many activities such as free drawing, wood burning writing, water painting, etc., targeting all groups.

King Abdul Aziz University offers interactive activities for visitors and those interested in libraries and reading. These activities include the presentation of manuscripts and cultural books, participation in the recording of audio books, learning about the audio book program and teaching children how to make such books.



Drought Has Dried Major Amazon River Tributary to Lowest Level in over 122 Years

 A part of the Negro River is dry at the port in Manaus, Amazonas state, Brazil, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, amid severe drought. (AP)
A part of the Negro River is dry at the port in Manaus, Amazonas state, Brazil, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, amid severe drought. (AP)
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Drought Has Dried Major Amazon River Tributary to Lowest Level in over 122 Years

 A part of the Negro River is dry at the port in Manaus, Amazonas state, Brazil, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, amid severe drought. (AP)
A part of the Negro River is dry at the port in Manaus, Amazonas state, Brazil, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, amid severe drought. (AP)

One of the Amazon River's main tributaries has dropped to its lowest level ever recorded, Brazil's geological service said Friday, reflecting a severe drought that has devastated the Amazon rainforest and other parts of the country.

The level of the Negro River at the port of Manaus was at 12.66 meters on Friday, as compared with a normal level of about 21 meters. It is the lowest since measurements started 122 years ago.

The previous record low level was recorded last year, but toward the end of October.

The Negro River's water level might drop even more in coming weeks based on forecasts for low rainfall in upstream regions, according to the geological service's predictions.

Andre Martinelli, the agency's hydrology manager in Manaus, was quoted as saying the river was expected to continue receding until the end of the month.

Water levels in Brazil's Amazon always rise and fall with its rainy and dry seasons, but the dry portion of this year has been much worse than usual.

All of the major rivers in the Amazon basin are at critical levels, including the Madeira River, the Amazon River's longest tributary.

The Negro River drains about 10% of the Amazon basin and is the world's sixth-largest by water volume. Manaus, the biggest city in the rainforest, is where the Negro joins the Amazon River.

For locals, the drought has made basic daily activities impossible. Gracita Barbosa, 28, works as a cashier on a floating shop on the Negro River.

She's out of work because boats that once stopped there can no longer navigate the river due to the low water levels.

Barbosa can no longer bathe in the river and now has to travel longer distances to collect drinking water.