Diriyah-SRMG Partnership to Expand Saudi Cultural Identity

Jerry Inzerillo, Group CEO of Diriyah Company, and Jomana Alrashid, CEO of SRMG sign the MoU on Sunday (Asharq Al-Awsat) 
Jerry Inzerillo, Group CEO of Diriyah Company, and Jomana Alrashid, CEO of SRMG sign the MoU on Sunday (Asharq Al-Awsat) 
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Diriyah-SRMG Partnership to Expand Saudi Cultural Identity

Jerry Inzerillo, Group CEO of Diriyah Company, and Jomana Alrashid, CEO of SRMG sign the MoU on Sunday (Asharq Al-Awsat) 
Jerry Inzerillo, Group CEO of Diriyah Company, and Jomana Alrashid, CEO of SRMG sign the MoU on Sunday (Asharq Al-Awsat) 

Diriyah Company on Sunday signed a strategic memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Saudi Research and Media Group (SRMG) to expand collaboration in the media sector and deliver innovative projects and initiatives that further solidify the company’s standing as a global destination of historical and cultural significance.

The MoU also aims to amplify cultural and national narratives, reaching audiences both within the Kingdom and across international markets, Diriyah said in a statement.

The agreement was signed by Jerry Inzerillo, Group CEO of Diriyah Company, and Jomana Alrashid, CEO of SRMG.

It sets the stage for closer cooperation in media, marketing, and cultural content, with a dedicated joint team to be established to develop initiatives that reflect the shared vision and ambitions of both organizations.

The collaboration between Diriyah Company and SRMG spans four key areas: corporate and media communications; events, exhibitions, conferences, and visits; data and expertise exchange and knowledge transfer; as well as joint training programs, activities, and initiatives.

It also outlines enhanced collaboration across SRMG media platforms, the organization of visits for international media delegations to experience Diriyah, and exploring opportunities to host exhibitions, events, and joint cultural and social activities.

“The signing of this MoU between Diriyah Company and SRMG aligns with our vision to be active enablers in these industries through the Media and Innovation District, currently under development within the Diriyah project, which will become a vibrant hub for media and technological creativity in the region,” Inzerillo said.

For her part, Alrashid said the MoU reinforces SRMG’s approach of building strategic alliances.

“We believe in our pivotal role in delivering content that reflects the identity and aspirations of Saudi Arabia,” she said. “Through this agreement, we will support Diriyah’s vision with our integrated media solutions, combining broad reach, digital capabilities, and advanced editorial insight, to deliver high-quality content that deeply and effectively engages both local and international audiences.”

The cooperation is part of a series of strategic agreements that Diriyah Company has signed with various government and private entities to support the company’s efforts in cultural and economic development and to strengthen its global presence in line with Saudi Vision 2030.

The collaboration also underscores Diriyah’s commitment to developing the “Media and Innovation District,” a 250,000-square-meter hub set to become a dynamic center for media talent and projects.

The district will include commercial and office spaces, residential units, and a luxury hotel, further reinforcing Diriyah’s position as a leading destination for culture, creativity, and media.

 

 



US Astronaut to Take her 3-year-old's Cuddly Rabbit Into Space

FILE PHOTO: An evening launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying 20 Starlink V2 Mini satellites, from Space Launch Complex at Vandenberg Space Force Base is seen over the Pacific Ocean from Encinitas, California, US, June 23, 2024. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: An evening launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying 20 Starlink V2 Mini satellites, from Space Launch Complex at Vandenberg Space Force Base is seen over the Pacific Ocean from Encinitas, California, US, June 23, 2024. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo
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US Astronaut to Take her 3-year-old's Cuddly Rabbit Into Space

FILE PHOTO: An evening launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying 20 Starlink V2 Mini satellites, from Space Launch Complex at Vandenberg Space Force Base is seen over the Pacific Ocean from Encinitas, California, US, June 23, 2024. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: An evening launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying 20 Starlink V2 Mini satellites, from Space Launch Complex at Vandenberg Space Force Base is seen over the Pacific Ocean from Encinitas, California, US, June 23, 2024. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo

When the next mission to the International Space Station blasts off from Florida next week, a special keepsake will be hitching a ride: a small stuffed rabbit.

American astronaut and mother, Jessica Meir, one of the four-member crew, revealed Sunday that she'll take with her the cuddly toy that belongs to her three-year-old daughter.

It's customary for astronauts to go to the ISS, which orbits 250 miles (400 kilometers) above Earth, to take small personal items to keep close during their months-long stint in space.

"I do have a small stuffed rabbit that belongs to my three-year-old daughter, and she actually has two of these because one was given as a gift," Meir, 48, told an online news conference.

"So one will stay down here with her, and one will be there with us, having adventures all the time, so that we'll keep sending those photos back and forth to my family," AFP quoted her as saying.

US space agency NASA says SpaceX Crew-12 will lift off on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral in Florida to the orbiting scientific laboratory early Wednesday.

The mission will be replacing Crew-11, which returned to Earth in January, a month earlier than planned, during the first medical evacuation in the space station's history.

Meir, a marine biologist and physiologist, served as flight engineer on a 2019-2020 expedition to the space station and participated in the first all-female spacewalks.

Since then, she's given birth to her daughter. She reflected Sunday on the challenges of being a parent and what is due to be an eight-month separation from her child.

"It does make it a lot difficult in preparing to leave and thinking about being away from her for that long, especially when she's so young, it's really a large chunk of her life," Meir said.

"But I hope that one day, she will really realize that this absence was a meaningful one, because it was an adventure that she got to share into and that she'll have memories about, and hopefully it will inspire her and other people around the world," Meir added.

When the astronauts finally get on board the ISS, they will be one of the last crews to live on board the football field-sized space station.

Continuously inhabited for the last quarter century, the aging ISS is scheduled to be pushed into Earth's orbit before crashing into an isolated spot in the Pacific Ocean in 2030.

The other Crew-12 astronauts are Jack Hathaway of NASA, European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Russian cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev.


iRead Marathon Records over 6.5 Million Pages Read

Participants agreed that the number of pages read was not merely a numerical milestone - SPA
Participants agreed that the number of pages read was not merely a numerical milestone - SPA
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iRead Marathon Records over 6.5 Million Pages Read

Participants agreed that the number of pages read was not merely a numerical milestone - SPA
Participants agreed that the number of pages read was not merely a numerical milestone - SPA

The fifth edition of the iRead Marathon achieved a remarkable milestone, surpassing 6.5 million pages read over three consecutive days, in a cultural setting that reaffirmed reading as a collective practice with impact beyond the moment.

Hosted at the Library of the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) and held in parallel with 52 libraries across 13 Arab countries, including digital libraries participating for the first time, the marathon reflected the transformation of libraries into open, inclusive spaces that transcend physical boundaries and accommodate diverse readers and formats.

Participants agreed that the number of pages read was not merely a numerical milestone, but a reflection of growing engagement and a deepening belief in reading as a daily, shared activity accessible to all, free from elitism or narrow specialization.

Pages were read in multiple languages and formats, united by a common conviction that reading remains a powerful way to build genuine connections and foster knowledge-based bonds across geographically distant yet intellectually aligned communities, SPA reported.

The marathon also underscored its humanitarian and environmental dimension, as every 100 pages read is linked to the planting of one tree, translating this edition’s outcome into a pledge of more than 65,000 trees. This simple equation connects knowledge with sustainability, turning reading into a tangible, real-world contribution.

The involvement of digital libraries marked a notable development, expanding access, strengthening engagement, and reinforcing the library’s ability to adapt to technological change without compromising its cultural role. Integrating print and digital reading added a contemporary dimension to the marathon while preserving its core spirit of gathering around the book.

With the conclusion of the iRead Marathon, the experience proved to be more than a temporary event, becoming a cultural moment that raised fundamental questions about reading’s role in shaping awareness and the capacity of cultural initiatives to create lasting impact. Three days confirmed that reading, when practiced collectively, can serve as a meeting point and the start of a longer cultural journey.


Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve Launches Fifth Beekeeping Season

Jazan’s Annual Honey Festival - File Photo/SPA
Jazan’s Annual Honey Festival - File Photo/SPA
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Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve Launches Fifth Beekeeping Season

Jazan’s Annual Honey Festival - File Photo/SPA
Jazan’s Annual Honey Festival - File Photo/SPA

The Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Nature Reserve Development Authority launched the fifth annual beekeeping season for 2026 as part of its programs to empower the local community and regulate beekeeping activities within the reserve.

The launch aligns with the authority's objectives of biodiversity conservation, the promotion of sustainable environmental practices, and the generation of economic returns for beekeepers, SPA reported.

The authority explained that this year’s beekeeping season comprises three main periods associated with spring flowers, acacia, and Sidr, with the start date of each period serving as the official deadline for submitting participation applications.

The authority encouraged all interested beekeepers to review the season details and attend the scheduled virtual meetings to ensure organized participation in accordance with the approved regulations and the specified dates for each season.