Tanwaeen, the creativity conference at the King Abdulaziz Centre for World Culture (Ithra) runs until Saturday, October 31.
Tanwaeen, the creativity conference at the King Abdulaziz Centre for World Culture (Ithra) runs until Saturday, October 31.
Tanwaeen, the creativity conference at the King Abdulaziz Centre for World Culture (Ithra) runs until Saturday, October 31.
Tanwaeen, the creativity conference at the King Abdulaziz Centre for World Culture (Ithra) runs until Saturday, October 31.

Tanween conference kicks off at Ithra aiming to shape the future of Saudi Arabia's creative scene


Melissa Gronlund
  • English
  • Arabic

The King Abdulaziz Centre for World Culture (Ithra), the extensive art centre in Dhahran, has kicked off four days of talks, workshops, classes and exhibitions around design and new creative industries in Saudi Arabia.

It’s the third year for creativity conference Tanween, which will take place both online and in person at the Snohetta-designed building in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province. Last year, the event brought in 100,000 people to its lectures and masterclasses.

Subjects include fashion, branding, advertising and architecture, as well as newer disciplines such as data visualisation. Tanween also includes the participation of key figures from the knowledge and tech economies.

The keynote address, taking place at 6pm KSA time on Thursday, October 29, will be given by Joanna Pena-Bickley, head of Research and Design for Alexa Devices at Amazon. Other speakers include Duncan Wardle, the former head of innovation at Disney; Alan Yau, who created restaurants Wagamama and Hakkasan; and Patrik Schumacher from Zaha Hadid Architects. Specialists will be available for three-minute pitch sessions.

Tanween also sees the participation of Saudi artists and designers, such as artist Mohammed Alfaraj and filmmaker and actor Hakeem Jomah. The programme is intended to nurture creativity among the young Saudi population.

“Ithra was built to prepare us all for the future by empowering the next generation to turn the ideas of today into the reality of tomorrow,” said Abdullah Alrashid, Ithra’s programmes director. “Through developing creativity and innovation, we can bridge the gap to find ‘The New Next’.”

The programme is curated by Robert Frith, the creative director of Ithra, who worked in exhibition design for Christie’s and the British Museum before joining the Saudi Aramco centre five years ago.

Frith stresses the importance of design and creative thinking during the current changes brought about by Covid-19. “Now is the time to use our passion and skills to envision and create our futures,” he said in a statement.

Tanween's full schedule is available here.

The biog

Name: Atheja Ali Busaibah

Date of birth: 15 November, 1951

Favourite books: Ihsan Abdel Quddous books, such as “The Sun will Never Set”

Hobbies: Reading and writing poetry

Specs

Engine: 51.5kW electric motor

Range: 400km

Power: 134bhp

Torque: 175Nm

Price: From Dh98,800

Available: Now

Ain Issa camp:
  • Established in 2016
  • Houses 13,309 people, 2,092 families, 62 per cent children
  • Of the adult population, 49 per cent men, 51 per cent women (not including foreigners annexe)
  • Most from Deir Ezzor and Raqqa
  • 950 foreigners linked to ISIS and their families
  • NGO Blumont runs camp management for the UN
  • One of the nine official (UN recognised) camps in the region
COMPANY PROFILE

Company: Bidzi

● Started: 2024

● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid

● Based: Dubai, UAE

● Industry: M&A

● Funding size: Bootstrapped

● No of employees: Nine

How to apply for a drone permit
  • Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
  • Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
  • Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
  • Submit their request
What are the regulations?
  • Fly it within visual line of sight
  • Never over populated areas
  • Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
  • Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
  • Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
  • Should have a live feed of the drone flight
  • Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
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Sreesanth's India bowling career

Tests 27, Wickets 87, Average 37.59, Best 5-40

ODIs 53, Wickets 75, Average 33.44, Best 6-55

T20Is 10, Wickets 7, Average 41.14, Best 2-12

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If you go...

Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.

Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50

How being social media savvy can improve your well being

Next time when procastinating online remember that you can save thousands on paying for a personal trainer and a gym membership simply by watching YouTube videos and keeping up with the latest health tips and trends.

As social media apps are becoming more and more consumed by health experts and nutritionists who are using it to awareness and encourage patients to engage in physical activity.

Elizabeth Watson, a personal trainer from Stay Fit gym in Abu Dhabi suggests that “individuals can use social media as a means of keeping fit, there are a lot of great exercises you can do and train from experts at home just by watching videos on YouTube”.

Norlyn Torrena, a clinical nutritionist from Burjeel Hospital advises her clients to be more technologically active “most of my clients are so engaged with their phones that I advise them to download applications that offer health related services”.

Torrena said that “most people believe that dieting and keeping fit is boring”.

However, by using social media apps keeping fit means that people are “modern and are kept up to date with the latest heath tips and trends”.

“It can be a guide to a healthy lifestyle and exercise if used in the correct way, so I really encourage my clients to download health applications” said Mrs Torrena.

People can also connect with each other and exchange “tips and notes, it’s extremely healthy and fun”.

Why it pays to compare

A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.

Route 1: bank transfer

The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.

Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount

Total received: €4,670.30 

Route 2: online platform

The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.

Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction

Total received: €4,756

The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.

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Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut

Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”

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