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Riyadh Season 2023: Fresh Identity, Global Entertainment Experiences

Riyadh Season 2023: Fresh Identity, Global Entertainment Experiences
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Riyadh Season 2023: Fresh Identity, Global Entertainment Experiences

Riyadh Season 2023: Fresh Identity, Global Entertainment Experiences

Turki Al-Sheikh, the head of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority (GEA), revealed an innovative and fresh identity for the fourth edition of “Riyadh Season,” set to launch on October 28 under the banner of “BigTime.”

Al-Sheikh expressed deep appreciation for the boundless support that the entertainment sector has received from King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

“This year’s season opening ceremony will be organized by the world’s finest event planners, featuring renowned celebrities and will be accompanied by the ‘Riyadh Season Championship Belt Fight,’ which is the first and largest event of its kind, marking one of the heavyweight boxing’s biggest showdowns,” said Al-Sheikh on Sunday.

Riyadh Season, in its fourth edition, aims to create more than 200,000 direct and indirect jobs and enable nearly 2,000 local and international companies covering an area of more than 7 million square meters of entertainment experiences around the world.

Al-Sheikh announced a new zone, called ‘Boulevard Hall,’ which was built, within 60 days by adopting international artistic and technical standards, on an area spreading over 200,000 square meters, and can accommodate more than 40,000 visitors at a time.

“The ‘Boulevard City’ has completely changed from what it was in the past seasons, as it will embrace global experiences, of which 60% are new,” revealed the GEA head.

The most prominent of which are the centenary celebrations of Disney through “Disney Castle”, which will be presented in the season for the first time and ‘House of Hype,’ which is the largest experience linking the real world and virtual reality.

Moreover, around 30 different interactive experiences, and many other activities will be featured this season.

The GEA chief also announced the establishment of the Legend Museum, the first and largest museum for football legends, as it showcases more than 30,000 rare artifacts and various interactive experiences.

It is considered as the second branch in the world after the Madrid branch. It will feature the CR7 Experience, an exclusive museum designed around Cristiano Ronaldo, featuring his experiences and showcasing Ronaldo’s signature and life story.

It will display all his trophies, personal memorabilia as well as interactive experiences.

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NEOM Nature Reserve Reintroduces Six Animal Species

NEOM is working to rebuild self-sustaining ecosystems through habitat rehabilitation, species recovery, and cutting-edge ecological monitoring - SPA
NEOM is working to rebuild self-sustaining ecosystems through habitat rehabilitation, species recovery, and cutting-edge ecological monitoring - SPA
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NEOM Nature Reserve Reintroduces Six Animal Species

NEOM is working to rebuild self-sustaining ecosystems through habitat rehabilitation, species recovery, and cutting-edge ecological monitoring - SPA
NEOM is working to rebuild self-sustaining ecosystems through habitat rehabilitation, species recovery, and cutting-edge ecological monitoring - SPA

As part of its bold rewilding strategy, NEOM has reintroduced more than 1,100 animals across six species to its expansive Nature Reserve—an important milestone in its broader mission to restore the region’s natural balance. With 95% of the region’s land preserved for nature, NEOM is working to rebuild self-sustaining ecosystems through habitat rehabilitation, species recovery, and cutting-edge ecological monitoring.

According to NEOM, when the Arabian Oryx was first reintroduced into the Nature Reserve in December 2022, it marked a milestone occasion, signifying the first time the animal had walked the sands of north-western Saudi Arabia for nearly 100 years, SPA reported.

In the early 1970s, the Oryx was extinct in the wild due to hunting and poaching, but conservation efforts across the region have seen its numbers swell in recent years, with more than 208 now calling NEOM home. Perfectly adapted to the region’s desert conditions, its white coat reflects the sun, while its complex nasal system cools the air it breathes and conserves water by recycling moisture as it exhales.

Another member of the Bovidae family, Arabian Sand Gazelles are petite, graceful animals that typically reside in sand dunes and coastal flats across the Arabian Peninsula. Gazelles are swift creatures, clocking speeds of up to 100 kilometers per hour in short bursts.

They are herbivores, and while NEOM’s regreening initiative continues to develop – with 4.7 million trees, shrubs, and grasses planted to date – the 530 Arabian Sand Gazelles currently residing in the reserve benefit from the natural vegetation that has returned to the area, following the removal of heavy livestock grazing. NEOM is also home to 223 Arabian Gazelles, which are typically darker in color and harder to find, preferring to reside in foothills and rugged mountain terrain.

Desert-dwelling wild goats can be found in NEOM’s rocky, mountainous terrain, and are typically recognized by their impressive arched horns. Males have backward-arched horns that can reach up to one meter in length, while females have much shorter horns and are lighter in color.

They are incredible climbers and have hooves with rubbery soles to act as suction cups on hard surfaces, aiding them in navigating steep cliffs to avoid predators, including wolves. NEOM has successfully reintroduced 53 Nubian Ibex to the reserve, adding to the population of several wild Ibex who have naturally returned to the area and are often caught on camera as part of NEOM’s monitoring program.

The red-necked ostrich, the largest and fastest living bird on earth, can stand up to 2.7 meters tall and weigh more than 150 kilograms. Their eggs are the largest of any living animal, measuring up to 15 centimeters long and up to 1.4 kilograms in weight. The bird gets its namesake from the fact that males have a reddish hue on their neck, especially in breeding season, when they perform an elaborate courtship display to attract females.

Currently, 27 chicks have been raised in NEOM Nature Reserve, which are well adapted to the region’s climate and feed on seeds, grass, leaves, and occasionally small insects or animals. Their strong legs allow them to run up to 70 kilometers per hour and, despite their size, red-necked ostriches are flightless.

Furthermore, the Lanner Falcon, last spotted in the wild in Saudi Arabia more than four decades ago, was reintroduced to NEOM Nature Reserve earlier this year in a momentous occasion. Known for its speed and agility, the Lanner Falcon can dive at speeds of more than 320 kilometers per hour. It has a striking appearance, with dark markings on its chest and belly, and a distinctive black moustache mark across its white face.

The release of Lanner Falcons into Bajdah at NEOM Nature Reserve forms part of a rewilding partnership between NEOM and the Saudi Falcon Club (SFC), which aims to reintroduce native falcon species within the Kingdom.