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Fourth Edition of Noor Riyadh to Start on November 28

Fourth Edition of Noor Riyadh to Start on November 28
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Fourth Edition of Noor Riyadh to Start on November 28

Fourth Edition of Noor Riyadh to Start on November 28

The fourth edition of Noor Riyadh, the annual citywide festival celebrating light and art, will take place from November 28 to December 14, 2024, and will transform Riyadh into a luminous gallery with over 60 light-based artworks by leading Saudi and international artists, SPA reported.
Under the theme "Light Years Apart", this 17-day festival will illuminate key locations across the city, showcasing public art displays alongside workshops, seminars and community-driven events.
Noor Riyadh is part of the Riyadh Art Program, one of the four Grand Projects launched by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, in line with Saudi Vision 2030.
The program, managed by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, aims to establish the Saudi capital as a gallery without walls, blending tradition with modernity, and improving the quality of life of its residents and visitors.
Minister of Culture, member of the Board of Directors of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, and Chairman of the Riyadh Art Program’s Steering Committee Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al Saud said: "Noor Riyadh is an annual creative platform that showcases inspiring light artworks by leading artists from around the world. As part of Saudi Vision 2030, this festival enhances Riyadh’s cultural landscape and continues to build the city’s reputation as a global hub for creativity and the arts."
Prince Badr also highlighted the support and patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince, Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, which continue to drive the success of Noor Riyadh, and are part of a broader commitment to cultural and artistic programs across the Kingdom, to position Saudi Arabia at the forefront of the global art scene.
Noor Riyadh will be directed by a reputable team of local and international art curators experienced in some of the world’s most prestigious art festivals and exhibitions.
Leading this year's curatorial efforts are renowned international curator Dr. Alfredo Cramerotti, and prominent Saudi curator Dr. Effat Abdullah Faddag.
This year's edition will once again illuminate Riyadh’s skyline with a broad range of artistic light displays, creating an inspiring atmosphere for art and culture enthusiasts from all segments of society.

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Kashmir’s Saffron Growers Experiment with Indoor Farming as Climate Pressures Mount

Kashmiri villagers collect stigma from saffron flowers in Pampore, 19 km (12 miles) south of Srinagar.(Reuters)
Kashmiri villagers collect stigma from saffron flowers in Pampore, 19 km (12 miles) south of Srinagar.(Reuters)
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Kashmir’s Saffron Growers Experiment with Indoor Farming as Climate Pressures Mount

Kashmiri villagers collect stigma from saffron flowers in Pampore, 19 km (12 miles) south of Srinagar.(Reuters)
Kashmiri villagers collect stigma from saffron flowers in Pampore, 19 km (12 miles) south of Srinagar.(Reuters)

Tucked in a valley beneath the snow-capped Himalayas of the Indian Kashmir region is the town of Pampore, famed for its farms that grow the world's most expensive spice - the red-hued saffron.

This is where most of saffron is farmed in India, the world's second-largest producer behind Iran of the spice, which costs up to 325,000 rupees ($3,800) a kg (2.2 pounds) because it is so labor-intensive to harvest.

Come October, the crocus plants begin to bloom, covering the fields with bright purple flowers from which strands of fragrant red saffron are picked by hand, to be used in foods such as paella, and in fragrances and cloth dyes.

"I am proud to cultivate this crop," said Nisar Ahmad Malik, as he gathered flowers from his ancestral field.

But, while Malik has stuck to traditional farming, citing the "rich color, fragrance and aroma" of his produce through the years, some agrarian experts have been experimenting with indoor cultivation of the crop as global warming fears increase.

About 90% of India's saffron is produced in Kashmir, of which a majority is grown in Pampore, but the small town is under threat of rapid urbanization, according to the Indian Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR).

Experts say rising temperatures and erratic rainfall pose a risk to saffron production, which has dropped from 8 metric tons in the financial year 2010-11 to 2.6 metric tons in 2023-24, the federal government told parliament in February, adding that efforts were being made to boost production.

One such program is a project to help grow the plant indoors in a controlled environment in tubes containing moisture and vital nutrients, which Dr. Bashir Ilahi at state-run Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences said has shown good results.

"Growing saffron in a controlled environment demonstrates temperature resistance and significantly reduces the risk of crop failure," said Ilahi, standing in his laboratory between stacks of crates containing tubes of the purple flower.

Ilahi and other local experts have been helping farmers with demonstrations on how to grow the crocus plant indoors.

"It is an amazing innovation," said Abdul Majeed, president of Kashmir's Saffron Growers Association, some of whose members, including Majeed, have been cultivating the crop indoors for a few years.

Manzoor Ahmad Mir, a saffron grower, urged more state support.

"The government should promote indoor saffron cultivation on a much larger scale as climate change is affecting the entire world, and Kashmir is no exception," Mir said.