‘Imagine the Future’ Conference: Saudi Arabia Receives Int’l Praise for Education during Pandemic

Officials attend the inauguration of the Global Conference for Giftedness and Creativity ... Imagine the Future 2020 in Riyadh. (SPA)
Officials attend the inauguration of the Global Conference for Giftedness and Creativity ... Imagine the Future 2020 in Riyadh. (SPA)
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‘Imagine the Future’ Conference: Saudi Arabia Receives Int’l Praise for Education during Pandemic

Officials attend the inauguration of the Global Conference for Giftedness and Creativity ... Imagine the Future 2020 in Riyadh. (SPA)
Officials attend the inauguration of the Global Conference for Giftedness and Creativity ... Imagine the Future 2020 in Riyadh. (SPA)

The inaugural Global Conference for Giftedness and Creativity ... Imagine the Future 2020 kicked off in Riyadh on Sunday with panelists and keynote speakers from across the globe.

The two-day event is co-organized by the King Abdulaziz and his Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba) and the G20 Saudi Secretariat General.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz sponsored the event and he was represented at the conference by Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Riyadh Region.

Executive Director of UNICEF Henrietta H. Fore was among the panelists. She underscored Saudi Arabia’s success in maintaining education amid the pandemic, saying it has set a global example.

Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman stressed that the Kingdom was seeking to implement educational plans and ideas on the ground, and was not sufficing with just making proposals.

Vision 2030 has provided the necessary support for the ambitious plans of the education sector and it is now bearing fruit, he remarked.

Vision 2030 boasts several programs dedicated to developing the education sector, he added. This has helped empower the youth and invest in their abilities to serve the nation.

Minister of Education Dr. Hamad Al-AlSheikh said that the education sector clearly succeeded in overcoming the challenges posed by the pandemic.

He stressed that distance learning will continue according to the best standards, highlighting the solid electronic infrastructure that was already in place that helped contribute to this success.

This success can help the education sector on the global scale, he stated.

The conference will attract international, regional and national speakers from scientists, future advisors and decision makers to provide keynotes, and discussion sessions. The conference also includes “Mawhiba Virtual World” science exhibition. Aramco and SABIC are the conference strategic knowledge partners, who have a long history of supporting and nurturing the gifted and creative youth.



Kuwait Includes 8 Lebanese Hospitals on 'Terror' List

Kuwait indicated that it had listed eight hospitals in Lebanon as part of regulations related to "combating terrorism.” KUNA
Kuwait indicated that it had listed eight hospitals in Lebanon as part of regulations related to "combating terrorism.” KUNA
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Kuwait Includes 8 Lebanese Hospitals on 'Terror' List

Kuwait indicated that it had listed eight hospitals in Lebanon as part of regulations related to "combating terrorism.” KUNA
Kuwait indicated that it had listed eight hospitals in Lebanon as part of regulations related to "combating terrorism.” KUNA

Kuwait's foreign ministry issued on Sunday a circular indicating that it had listed eight hospitals in Lebanon as part of regulations related to "combating terrorism.”

Lebanon's health ministry expressed surprise and said it would seek clarification.

It said it received the Kuwaiti statement "with great surprise", adding it had not been provided with "any information or notification from any Kuwaiti entity about this matter.”

"The hospitals mentioned in the statement are registered with the syndicate of private hospitals in Lebanon and carry out their role in providing treatment and health services to all Lebanese without exception," the ministry statement said.

It called the facilities "an essential part of the Lebanese health system,” and said it would contact the relevant authorities to request clarification and "protect Lebanon's health system.”

It noted that "Kuwait has numerous joint projects with the ministry... and has been among the most prominent countries that have stood by the health system during the successive crises that Lebanon has faced.”

The latest move was "unprecedented and inconsistent" with the Gulf country's usual approach, it added.


Saudi and Guatemalan FMs Discuss Bilateral Ties

The Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs met on Sunday with his Guatemalan counterpart in Riyadh. SPA
The Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs met on Sunday with his Guatemalan counterpart in Riyadh. SPA
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Saudi and Guatemalan FMs Discuss Bilateral Ties

The Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs met on Sunday with his Guatemalan counterpart in Riyadh. SPA
The Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs met on Sunday with his Guatemalan counterpart in Riyadh. SPA

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah met on Sunday with his Guatemalan counterpart Carlos Ramiro Martínez in Riyadh.

During the meeting, they reviewed bilateral relations and discussed developments of mutual interest.


Faisal bin Farhan, Barrack Discuss Developments in Syria

The Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince met on Sunday with the US Special Envoy for Syria in Riyadh.(SPA)
The Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince met on Sunday with the US Special Envoy for Syria in Riyadh.(SPA)
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Faisal bin Farhan, Barrack Discuss Developments in Syria

The Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince met on Sunday with the US Special Envoy for Syria in Riyadh.(SPA)
The Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince met on Sunday with the US Special Envoy for Syria in Riyadh.(SPA)

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah met on Sunday with US Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack in Riyadh.

During the meeting, they reviewed developments in Syria.