THE LINE Exhibition Comes to Riyadh to Showcase Revolutionary Designs

Unlike traditional cities, THE LINE will run on 100% renewable energy
Unlike traditional cities, THE LINE will run on 100% renewable energy
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THE LINE Exhibition Comes to Riyadh to Showcase Revolutionary Designs

Unlike traditional cities, THE LINE will run on 100% renewable energy
Unlike traditional cities, THE LINE will run on 100% renewable energy

NEOM has announced the launch of THE LINE Experience, the third edition of the exhibition that will showcase NEOM’s futuristic city’s innovative urban designs in the Kingdom’s capital.

Set to be hosted at the Diriyah Biennale Foundation for Contemporary Art at Diriyah’s JAX district, the exhibition will welcome guests over a period of six months between November 6 and April 29.

This unique edition of THE LINE designs exhibition will offer a far more enriching and engaging experience that takes visitors on an unparalleled journey, enabling them to learn first-hand about the urban planning and architectural features that will redefine livability in THE LINE, as well as receive an in-depth view of NEOM’s sectors and its surrounding natural landscapes where people and technology will come together in harmony with nature.

The exhibition will be open from Sunday to Wednesday: 9:00 am to 11:00 pm; Thursday and Saturday: 9:00 am to 12:00 midnight and Friday: 3:00 pm to 12:00 midnight. Attendees have the option to avail guided tours that will be delivered in both Arabic and English to allow them to explore THE LINE’s spectacular designs in detail.

Unlike traditional cities, THE LINE will run on 100% renewable energy and prioritize health and well-being over transportation and infrastructure. The designs provide the most important characteristics of the city, which is 200 meters wide, 170 kilometers long and rises 500 meters above sea level. Covering an area of 34 square kilometers, THE LINE’s small footprint will contribute to conserving 95% of NEOM’s land and supporting environmental sustainability. The linear city will ultimately be home to nine million residents.

THE LINE design is based on a new concept of ‘Zero Gravity Urbanism’ which is the idea of layering city functions vertically while enabling inhabitants to move seamlessly in the city in three directions – up, down and across. This concept facilitates mobility throughout the city, offering quick access to offices, schools, parks and residential facilities. THE LINE’s unique modular design ensures that all facilities and amenities can be accessed within a five-minute walk.

THE LINE Experience introduces the citizens and visitors like never before to the concept of THE LINE and the project’s unprecedented designs, which were first announced by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz in July earlier this year.



Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Survivor, Who Devoted His Life for Peace, Dies at 93

Shigemi Fukahori is interviewed at the Urakami Cathedral in Nagasaki, southern Japan, on July 29, 2020. (Kyodo News via AP, File)
Shigemi Fukahori is interviewed at the Urakami Cathedral in Nagasaki, southern Japan, on July 29, 2020. (Kyodo News via AP, File)
TT

Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Survivor, Who Devoted His Life for Peace, Dies at 93

Shigemi Fukahori is interviewed at the Urakami Cathedral in Nagasaki, southern Japan, on July 29, 2020. (Kyodo News via AP, File)
Shigemi Fukahori is interviewed at the Urakami Cathedral in Nagasaki, southern Japan, on July 29, 2020. (Kyodo News via AP, File)

Shigemi Fukahori, a survivor of the 1945 Nagasaki atomic bombing, who devoted his life to advocating for peace has died. He was 93.

Fukahori died at a hospital in Nagasaki, southwestern Japan, on Jan. 3, the Urakami Catholic Church, where he prayed almost daily until last year, said on Sunday. Local media reported he died of old age.

The church, located about 500 meters from ground zero and near the Nagasaki Peace Park, is widely seen as a symbol of hope and peace, as its bell tower and some statues and survived the nuclear bombing.

Fukahori was only 14 when the US dropped the bomb on Nagasaki on Aug. 9, 1945, killing tens of thousands of people, including his family. That came three days after the nuclear attack on Hiroshima, which killed 140,000 people. Japan surrendered days later, ending World War II and the country's nearly half-century of aggression across Asia.

Fukahori, who worked at a shipyard about 3 kilometers (2 miles) from where the bomb dropped, couldn’t talk about what happened for years, not only because of the painful memories but also how powerless he felt then.

About 15 years ago, he became more outspoken after encountering, during a visit to Spain, a man who experienced the bombing of Guernica in 1937 during the Spanish Civil War when he was also 14 years old. The shared experience helped Fukahori open up.

“On the day the bomb dropped, I heard a voice asking for help. When I walked over and held out my hand, the person’s skin melted. I still remember how that felt,” Fukahori told Japan’s national broadcaster NHK in 2019.

He often addressed students, hoping they take on what he called “the baton of peace,” in reference to his advocacy.

When Pope Francis visited Nagasaki in 2019, Fukahori was the one who handed him a wreath of white flowers. The following year, Fukahori represented the bomb victims at a ceremony, making his “pledge for peace,” saying: “I am determined to send our message to make Nagasaki the final place where an atomic bomb is ever dropped.”

A wake is scheduled for Sunday, and funeral services on Monday at Urakami Church, where his daughter will represent the family.