RIYADH: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will host the international exhibition of organic products Biofach and its accompanying international conference, which will be held for the first time in Riyadh.

The three-day exhibition will be held from Nov. 7-9 at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center.

The official announcement was made by Assistant Undersecretary for Agricultural Affairs at the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture Sulaiman Al-Khateeb, who, along with a Saudi delegation, is taking part in the current Biofach exhibition in Nuremberg, Germany, from July 26-29.

“The exhibition attracts qualitative participation from organic production input companies, organic farms, commercial centers, specialized organic stores, service companies and agencies, specialized associations, local and international organizations concerned with organic agriculture, and import and export companies,” said Al-Khateeb.

Through the event, the Kingdom aims to establish a leading position in the field of organic agriculture, promote the role of the ministry globally, support the local organic production sector and empower start-up companies. It is the world’s largest trade fair for organic food and agriculture and a magnet for major investors, distributors, suppliers and solution providers in the organic products industry.

The exhibition aims to attract major international companies and experts specializing in organic agriculture from all over the world, raise awareness of the importance of organic agriculture and a sustainable lifestyle and exchange knowledge on the most prominent issues concerning the organic community.

Biofach has previously been held in seven countries: the US, Brazil, Thailand, India, China, Japan and Germany.

The next edition in November will be accompanied by a conference featuring the participation of 50 speakers, over 2,000 local and international representatives of the most prominent global companies, entrepreneurs, international investors and academics.

The event will also highlight innovations in the field of organic products and feature lectures, workshops, franchise competitions and the participation of Saudi families involved in organic production.

Those who would like to participate or reserve a space to display their products at Biofach Saudi Arabia can register at the following link: https://www.biofach-saudiarabia.com/.

RIYADH: Fans will be able to see their favorite Disney tales performed live on ice at Boulevard Arena in Riyadh until Sept. 21.

They will be able to join their favorite characters during the performance of “Disney on Ice presents Mickey and Friends.”

The show is a collaboration between Feld Entertainment, which produces the show, and the General Entertainment Authority, which seeks to diversify entertainment options in the Kingdom.

At the opening ceremony, children showed up in Disney character costumes and danced and sang along with the show.

Throughout the show, the audience can join Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy. Hosts invite viewers to participate in the action by guiding their companions through Disney stories on Mickey’s “mouse pad” and highlighting special moments from beloved classics.

As Moana shows bravery to preserve her island while on a high-seas adventure with the hero, Maui, families sail along with them.

Throughout the show, the audience can join Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy. Hosts invite viewers to participate in the action by guiding their companions through Disney stories on Mickey’s ‘mouse pad’ and highlighting special moments from beloved classics.

As royal sisters Anna and Elsa learn that genuine love is the most potent magic in the icy land of Arendelle in “Frozen,” families can encounter the enigmatic tricks of “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.”

Sergio Artigas, head of marketing at Feld Entertainment, said that he could not fully describe how magical this journey to Saudi Arabia was.

“I’m very excited to be here, Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofey are overwhelmed by the love and the warmth they have felt here in Saudi Arabia,” he said.

Keri Jones, the tour manager, said that Saudi Arabia had surprised her and she was excited to be here.

“I don’t know what I was expecting but everyone has been so welcoming,” she said. “We know that people are excited for ‘Disney On Ice’ and we are just really excited to bring this here.”

“The idea of coming to Saudi Arabia has been there for five years now and we started talking to production and we started conversations three months ago; we arrived two weeks ago and started a rehearsing period for the cast and the crew; now we are ready.”

The Arab News team spoke to the skaters who came from the US to perform in the Kingdom.

“We practice and spend a lot of time rehearsing the show so that everyone can come and enjoy the magic,” said Josh, one of the skaters.

“I am originally from Canada, so ice is something natural to me, especially skating, and on behalf of all of us, I can say we’re loving it here,” said Melina, another skater. “The food is amazing, we feel very welcome, and we hope you guys enjoy the show,” she said.

In the “Live Your Story” section, attendees join Disney princesses as they use perseverance, determination and hard work to inspire Mickey and children around the world to share their favorite Disney memories.

Two sisters, Lara and Aleen Al-Jumai’a, expressed their delight at the wonderful performance.

“I was blown away by the show and I’m happy that I got to see it since it was the first show in the Kingdom. We enjoyed seeing our favorite characters, especially Elsa from Frozen,” Al-Jumai’a said.

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia express solidarity with Pakistan after floods in the Asian nation claimed the lives of hundreds of people and prompted the government to call a state of emergency.

The Kingdom has offered sincere condolences to the families of the deceased and wished a speedy recovery for the injured, a Saudi ministry of foreign affairs statement said.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Friday requested international help in tackling the flood damage as rescuers attempt to free thousands who are stranded in flood-ravaged areas. Sharif who blamed the “horrors of climate change” for the tragedy said the scale of this flooding is worse than that in 2010, when nearly 2,000 people died.

TAIF: The government on Thursday launched the second edition of its Agricultural Extension Convoy to help support the rose industry in Taif.

The three-day event, staged by the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, is being held under the patronage of Taif Gov. Prince Saud bin Nahar bin Saud bin Abdulaziz.

According to local farmer Rashed Al-Qurashi, the ministry’s support comes at a crucial time for the industry, as the price of rose oil has been in steep decline.

“A 12-gram bottle of Taif rose oil used to sell for SR5,000 ($1,330) but is now just a fifth of that price, which is too low compared with the production cost,” he told Arab News.

Taif’s rose oil and rose water are regarded as being among the best in the world, but the industry is facing major challenges, including water shortages and a lack of skilled workers.

Farmer Mohammed Mufarij Al- Malki said that while farming had traditionally been a family affair, with relatives working together to grow crops, the industry had gone through many changes, including the introduction of social media to market and sell products.

“Taif’s rose farms are on top of mountains, which contributes to their high quality but water there is scarce,” Al-Qurashi said.

“The industry also needs support in tackling parasites and fungi that are harming rose trees, but the most important issue now is (the lack of) water.”

Saeed Al-Ghamdi, director general of the Makkah regional branch of the environment ministry, told Arab News that the aim of the agricultural convoy was to improve farmers’ knowledge and skills by changing their behaviors and implementing best practices.

“The convoy is so important as it allows farmers to share experiences and get the results of the latest agricultural research,” he said.

“Local farmers are keen to increase the quality and quantity of their production, and every other year, we reap the fruit of this convoy through the increases in agricultural production.”

He added that during the convoy, farmers were able to speak to experts who use “very simple language” to ensure they get their information across.

“The convoy also includes a mobile laboratory truck where farmers can learn more about the soil on their farms and get advice,” he said, adding that there were also specialist clinics and workshops, including ones to help beekeepers.

Farmer Mohammed Mufarij Al-Malki said that while farming had traditionally been a family affair, with relatives working together to grow crops, the industry had gone through many changes, including the introduction of social media to market and sell products.

“Their are new techniques and farmers can export their crops and market their products through electronic stores, said Al-Malki, who has 70,000 followers on TikTok.

“With Saudi Vision 2030, the Saudi Green Initiative and the Middle East Green Initiative, launched by King Salman and the crown prince, farming has a bright future,” he said.

RIYADH: Saudi Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdul Rahman Al-Fadli met Malaysian Minister of Agriculture and Food Industries Ronald Kiandee in Riyadh on Friday.

During the meeting, they discussed cooperation in food security and ways of encouraging the private sector to benefit from investment opportunities available in the two countries, aiming to promote partnerships and business.

Each minister highlighted the investment opportunities of the preferential advantage available in his country.

The meeting was attended by a number of senior officials of the two sides.

Noura Al-Juhaimi has been a community engagement specialist at the Diriyah Gate Development Authority since the start of the year.

Al-Juhaimi comes from Diriyah and is a highly experienced professional candidate, having managed and led teams in private and government sectors for more than 10 years, and has a strong track record in the project management office field, with efficient and effective performance.

Al-Juhaimi aims to overcome challenges and exceed targets; she is passionate about the field of engagement and communication within the organizations for both internal and external stakeholders, which highlights her competitive edge in her current position in the corporate communication department.

Since joining DGDA this year, she has worked on team capability and strength building, departmental strategy, oversight and management of community shared values initiatives, projects and events, relationship building with the Diriyah community, and collaborating with other departments on projects and initiatives.

Between 2019 and 2022, she worked at the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development as a project manager in the corporate communication department, including work on an identity change project for the ministry.

From 2014 to 2019, Al-Juhaimi worked as relationships and contracts manager at the internal communication department of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development.

She led the team to successful negotiation and final completion of more than 30 agreements with several organizations, and provided distinguished high-added value services to the ministry’s employees, reflected in high satisfaction levels.

Al-Juhaimi also managed key internal events and supervised successful implementation, ensuring full adherence to branding protocols and a positive impression of the events.

She was the director of the public relations department at Tuwaiq and its subsidiaries company between 2012 and 2014.

At MIND Engineering Consultancy, she worked as deputy executive director between 2010 and 2012, leading the contract design drafts and as a key account manager for all National Water Co. projects across the Kingdom.

Al-Juhaimi received her bachelor’s degree in business administration, specializing in facilities management, from the College of Administrative Sciences, King Saud University, in 2006.

She has done several courses including an administrative creativity course, a performance indicators course, and a change management course.