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Google Launches Short Videos Promoting Tourism in Saudi Arabia

Google has launched the first episode of a new series of short videos dubbed “Saraina m3 Google”
Google has launched the first episode of a new series of short videos dubbed “Saraina m3 Google”
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Google Launches Short Videos Promoting Tourism in Saudi Arabia

Google has launched the first episode of a new series of short videos dubbed “Saraina m3 Google”
Google has launched the first episode of a new series of short videos dubbed “Saraina m3 Google”

Google has launched the first episode of a new series of short videos dubbed “Saraina m3 Google” aimed at promoting tourism in Saudi Arabia with the help of Saudi content creators. The series includes three tours in Jeddah, during which the content creators use Google to explore special historic, artistic, and natural destinations. The series is produced in Arabic, and subtitled in English to connect with a wide audience that speaks both languages around the world.

Featuring content creators Sultan al-Badran and Mosab al-Maliki, the first episode covers the artistic and cultural aspects of the city. They tour in the Islamic Arts Biennale and Hayy Jameel, considered the creativity hub in the city center. The second episode highlights the historic “Al Balad” area in Jeddah, while the third episode celebrates the natural aspect of the city with a boat trip in the heart of the Red Sea.

During their tours, Badran and Maliki used google tools including search, maps, and lens to find the local related information.

Dina Al Samhan, head of Google Advertising Partnerships in Saudi Arabia, said: “This series is our first collaboration with Saudi talents to promote the Kingdom in new and creative ways. Google looks forward to collaborate with more local creators to help explore and promote tourism across the kingdom.”

The series features other Saudi content creators including Yazeed al-Dereni and Maram Beeko, as well as Abrar, a Saudi local guide on Google Maps, who shed lights on the importance of supporting local businesses by adding credible reviews on Google Maps.

According to Google's internal data, global searches on Google for Saudi Arabia as a travel destination increased by 160 percent in 2022 year over year. Jeddah was the second most searched travel destination by residents in the Kingdom last year. “Saraina m3 Google” will be posted on Google’s social media channels, and on Google’s official blog in Arabic.

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Egypt, Greece Agree to Protect Status of Mount Sinai Monastery

A general view of St. Catherine's Monastery in South Sinai, Egypt, March 7, 2019. Picture taken March 7, 2019. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany/File Photo
A general view of St. Catherine's Monastery in South Sinai, Egypt, March 7, 2019. Picture taken March 7, 2019. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany/File Photo
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Egypt, Greece Agree to Protect Status of Mount Sinai Monastery

A general view of St. Catherine's Monastery in South Sinai, Egypt, March 7, 2019. Picture taken March 7, 2019. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany/File Photo
A general view of St. Catherine's Monastery in South Sinai, Egypt, March 7, 2019. Picture taken March 7, 2019. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany/File Photo

Greece and Egypt have agreed to safeguard the status of one of the world's oldest sites of Christian worship, foreign ministers of both countries said late on Wednesday, after an Egyptian court ruling last week cast uncertainty over its future.

The St Catherine's Monastery, at the foot of Egypt's Mount Sinai, was founded in the 6th century and is the oldest Christian monastery still in use for its original function, says UNESCO, which has listed the area as a World Heritage site, Reuters reported.

Revered by Christians, Muslims and Jews, the monastery is at the site where by Biblical tradition Moses received the Ten Commandments.

But last week, an Egyptian court ruling seen by Reuters ordered Orthodox monks to vacate several plots of land that the monks have used for years, including vineyards and gardens adjacent to the monastery compound, on the grounds that they were illegally sequestered, prompting a diplomatic flurry between Cairo and Athens over the site's status.

"We agreed in the immediate future to work towards safeguarding the rights of the monastery, as well as its legal status," Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis said after meeting his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty in Cairo.

"Both Egypt and Greece intend to move forward based on the long-standing tradition and the already established status of an emblematic monastery for its Greek Orthodox character of worship".

Abdelatty said that the ruling preserves the monastery’s profound spiritual value and religious standing, and confirmed that the monks would continue to have access to and use of the monastery and its religious and historical sites, according to a foreign ministry statement. With a long history of diplomatic ties, Greece and Egypt have deepened cooperation in recent years.

St Catherine's is a sprawling complex, and according to tradition it was built around a burning bush where God was said to have spoken to Moses as described in the Book of Exodus. Its library is one of the most extensive worldwide, containing some of the world's earliest Christian manuscripts.