Allam Challenge honors AI innovators advancing Arabic language

JEDDAH: The Balad Beast music festival brought together more than 70 artists from across the globe, lighting up the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Al-Balad on two unforgettable days over Jan. 30-31.
The festival, organized by the Saudi-based MDLBEAST, took over four stages — Bab Square, Omda Square, Roshan Square, and Souq Square — with each designed to capture the spirit of the historic district.
The charm of Al-Balad was enhanced by mesmerizing projections of colors and patterns, transforming the district’s iconic buildings into a visual journey that bridged Jeddah’s rich past, dynamic present, and promising future.
Ahmad Alammary, the chief creative officer at MDLBEAST, who is also known by his stage name of DJ Baloo, told Arab News: “I think Al-Balad is organically, naturally unique.
“This is our third edition. While the first two were very similar, this time we made subtle changes to the layout. We moved a stage that was previously further back, bringing it closer to the other stages to create a better flow.
“The lineup is fresh every year, featuring both our local legends and emerging talents from around the world. There’s so much creativity in Balad that it provides endless inspiration for our graphics and projections. We even draw inspiration from the unique elements of the district, from the roundabouts to the cats running through the streets.”
The festival’s energy was further elevated by acts like Grammy-winning 21 Savage, Atlanta rap sensation Gunna, and the soulful Michael Kiwanuka, alongside regional favorites like Disco Misr, Dish Dash, and Gazi on Jan. 30.
Day two brought performances by hip-hop legend Wiz Khalifa, producer Metro Boomin, Ghostly Kisses, Tina Savage, and the energetic duo Hats & Klaps, with an exciting performance by Saudi Arabia’s all-female rock band Seera adding a local twist to the festivities.
The Saudi duo Hassan and Abbas Ghazzawi, also known as Dish Dash, told how the festival and its vibrant surroundings influenced their music.
They said: “Everything around us is a source of inspiration: the scene, the music, it all plays a role.
“We’re constantly exploring new places, and our upcoming track ‘Aiwa Aiwa,’ set to release in April, reflects this journey.
“We’re incorporating more Arabic vocals now because of the amazing response we get when we perform in Saudi Arabia or any Arabic-speaking country. Even with tracks that the crowd may not fully understand, they still sing along.
“We’ve been recording Arabic samples for some time now, and it’s been incredible to see how the audience connects. Our Jeddah slang track, in particular, has been a hit, and it’s thrilling to watch the crowd embrace something so locally authentic.”
For emerging artists, they advised: “Believe in yourself. What took us 10 years to achieve, people today could accomplish in one year or even less, as long as they put in the hard work and trust their instincts. Don’t be afraid to chase your dreams and show others what you're capable of.”
Korolova, another standout international performer, expressed her admiration for the cultural significance of Al-Balad.
She said: “It was amazing to perform for my friends from Saudi Arabia. It’s incredible to feel the energy from the crowd. When you share that energy, it means a lot.
“The inspiration comes from many places, not just in the moment, but also from my family, my daughter. They push me to keep creating.
“I played a few of my new releases here at the festival, one for the Tomorrowland label which is set to release on Feb. 7, and also another track I tested here for the first time.
“It was amazing to see how people connected with the music. I also respect the culture of this place, which is so rich and unique. It’s the first time I’ve performed in such a historic location, and it’s magical. I even played tracks from Saudi Arabian labels.
“I have a deep respect for the culture here, and performing in the old city was a truly magical experience. I have played at many great venues, but this one is a special place.”
The celebration was not just about the music but also the experience of Al-Balad itself.
Alammary added: “We have to do very little to change it from year to year. Balad is such a rich and healthy campus to play with, and each year we continue to create new experiences while honoring its essence.”

RIYADH: In a heartfelt farewell message, the outgoing Oman ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Sayyid Faisal bin Turki said: “My dearest Saudi Arabia, from the moment I landed in Riyadh to serve as the ambassador, you have felt like home.”

In an exclusive interview with Arab News before concluding his duty in Riyadh on Friday, Turki said: “It was an extraordinary journey of four years. I remember, back in early 2021 when I joined, it was the time of [the] COVID pandemic.

“It was my first appointment as an ambassador, and it turned out to be an amazing year because in the same year it was planned for the first state visit for His Majesty Sultan Haitham and in the same year, before the end of the year, we inaugurated the new road access between Saudi Arabia and Oman, and before concluding that year, we had the visit of the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as well, along with a big delegation.

“A number of agreements were signed at the personal as well as diplomatic level I spent a lot of time, along with my team, to strengthen the relationship and contribute to that.

“On an average, we had about anything between 80 to 115 delegations per year coming. There have been numerous agreements, MoUs signed between the two countries in various fields. And I think what we have been privileged to do is to contribute to this magnificent growth in the relationship between Oman and Saudi Arabia,” said the envoy.

He added: “There is much more that can be done. We have been putting a lot of emphasis on supporting the private sector in the past three years, we have seen at least about 20 to 25 Omani companies exploring opportunities and venturing into the Saudi market in various fields, whether it is IT, tourism, event management, oil and gas, you name it, which hasn’t been the case before.”

Saudi Arabia is the right place to be at the right time, he said, whether that was politically, diplomatically or for business.

Speaking about the Gulf Cooperation Council countries proceeding with the practical steps of the Gulf Railway Project, he said: “That is obviously at the level of the GCC, Oman is part of the GCC and we are more or less ready when the consensus happens in terms of building that network.

“For us, the railway network is very important primarily for the goods and trade between the Gulf countries and, beyond as well.”

GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Al-Budaiwi, speaking at the 26th meeting of the Committee of GCC Ministers of Transport and Communications in November last year, said the GCC had achieved practical steps for the Gulf railway project on the ground with advanced levels of implementation.

The outgoing ambassador said the latest of these achievements was the establishment of Hafeet Rail between the Sultanate of Oman and the UAE, which aims to design, develop and operate a railway network connecting Sohar to the UAE’s national railway network.

“We believe that Oman enjoys an excellent logistic positioning, but that needs to be strengthened through our bilateral relations as well,” said Turki.

“Saudi Arabia is a strategic market that needs to have a lot of emphasis. Saudi Arabia looks at Oman as well as a gateway, an access across to Asia, and we look forward to seeing the fruits of all these efforts.”

He added: “We have managed to get the [agreement of] key stakeholders from Oman to participate in annual cultural, economic events, such as the FII, the biggest investment forum that happens every October in Saudi Arabia and the Book Fair. We have as well a growing interest in LEAP, which is all about technology and getting more companies to participate.”