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Saudi Arabia’s Al-Khwaiter Receives Award for 'Young Woman Achiever of the Year'

The (Shiptek) conference is one of the leading maritime conferences in the maritime transport sector. SPA
The (Shiptek) conference is one of the leading maritime conferences in the maritime transport sector. SPA
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Saudi Arabia’s Al-Khwaiter Receives Award for 'Young Woman Achiever of the Year'

The (Shiptek) conference is one of the leading maritime conferences in the maritime transport sector. SPA
The (Shiptek) conference is one of the leading maritime conferences in the maritime transport sector. SPA

Reem Al-Khwaiter, a Saudi marine mechanical engineer, has been honored with the 'Young Achieved Women' award during the ShipTek International Awards 2024 conference in Dubai.
The (Shiptek) conference is one of the leading maritime conferences in the maritime transport sector, which was held this year in Dubai on January 24-25.

The "Young Achievers" award is one of the leading international annual awards in the maritime sector, sought by many interested in the maritime transport sector, and is nominated according to certain criteria determined by experts specialized in the sector.
Al-Khwaiter is the first Saudi mechanical engineer in the maritime sector, as she continues her career with (Bahri), the national shipping company of the Kingdom and is the largest owner and operator of giant crude oil tankers (VLCC) and chemical tankers in the Middle East.
The employment and enrollment rate of Saudi women in the maritime transport sector is on the rise, as part of the quest to empower women cadres in the maritime transport sector, reflecting the continuous efforts to achieve the objectives of the National Transport and Logistics Strategy (NTLS).

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Nepal Hosts Hot Air Balloon Festival

Hot air balloons rise in sky during the international festival at Pokhara in Nepal on December 25, 2024. (Photo by PRAKASH MATHEMA / AFP)
Hot air balloons rise in sky during the international festival at Pokhara in Nepal on December 25, 2024. (Photo by PRAKASH MATHEMA / AFP)
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Nepal Hosts Hot Air Balloon Festival

Hot air balloons rise in sky during the international festival at Pokhara in Nepal on December 25, 2024. (Photo by PRAKASH MATHEMA / AFP)
Hot air balloons rise in sky during the international festival at Pokhara in Nepal on December 25, 2024. (Photo by PRAKASH MATHEMA / AFP)

With Nepal's snowy Himalayan peaks as a backdrop, the sky above Pokhara transformed into a vibrant canvas of colors for the country's first hot-air balloon festival.

Tourism is a major earner for Nepal, which saw over a million foreign visitors this year after a post-pandemic bounceback, and investments are being made in hotels and airports to cater to travelers.

"We felt that we must bring a balloon festival like this to Nepal," Sabin Maharjan, an organizer of the event, told AFP.

Hot-air balloons from more than 10 countries participated in the festival.

"A ride here can be very exciting as you can see mountains, hills and lakes," Maharjan added.

"All passengers tell us that they are very happy -- such a festival will boost our tourism."

The balloons created a mesmerizing display against a stunning sight of the snow-capped Annapurna range.

"It is spectacular," American balloon pilot Derek Hamcock, 67, said.

"As soon as you go above the small range here you see all the Himalayas. Unbelievable, every time you see them it is unbelievable."

Balloons shaped as a rat and a frog from were among those joining in the fun, slowly drifting with the breeze.

"You never know where you are going," said Diego Criado del Rey, 29, a balloon pilot from Spain.

"So it is pretty much you and the nature -- not fighting, but being together. You go where the nature tells you."

Nepal's Civil Aviation Authority issued a notice for the skies over Pokhara for a duration of nine days to allow balloon flights.

Although more than two centuries have passed since France's Montgolfier brothers made the first manned flight, ballooning can still capture the imagination.