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Press Releases

“No to Single-Use Plastics” campaign cuts 92% of Plastic Water Bottle Use In a Single Year

Zahid Group’s commitment to sustainability spearheads a new standard for environmental responsibility

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Oct. 22, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — JEDDAH, KSA, 22 October 2023 — Zahid Group, a leading organization across multiple industries, announced the resounding success of its 2022 “No to Single-Use Plastics” company-wide campaign. Since its launch at the end of 2021, Zahid Group has made significant strides in creating a corporate-wide change that aligns with its commitment to the community and the planet.

Targeting specific items where lasting change could be achieved, based on pre-pandemic usage in 2019, Zahid Group reduced its overall single-use plastic (SUP) use by 61% in 2022 in its 1st-year rollout. The initiative started by focusing on SUP kitchen utensils, bags, wrapping, and water bottles. As part of the initiative, the Group distributed stainless steel water bottles, fabric tote bags, and ceramic mugs with the initiative logo to all employees across the group companies, encouraging the use of reusable alternatives and the active participation of employees across all locations in Saudi Arabia.

In particular, the use of plastic water bottles plummeted by 92%, saving an average of 30 water bottles per hour over the first year. This achievement alone prevents over 8 tons of SUP pollution every year. 86% fewer plastic kitchen utensils were used, reducing waste by around 1.2 kg per hour on average over the entire year. Furthermore, plastic bag/wrapping use was cut by 46%, reducing another 11 tons of SUP waste.

As the Group accelerates in post-pandemic activity and can see how valuable the campaign has already been, goals for 2023 have been set even higher. Zayd M. Zahid, CEO, stated, “As a leading organization with a relentless focus on quality, best-in-class practices, and unwavering commitment to delivering excellence in all that we do, it is through the combined impact of our efforts as well as driving wider change that we set an example for others in our communities, both personal and professional. This is for all of us.”

Zahid Group is now encouraging others to join the initiative to eliminate the use of single-use plastic in their organizations and offering a royalty-free creative license to use the campaign identity and logo. The word “pLAstic” in the logo emphasizes the word لا (LA), which means “no” in Arabic, saying no to single-use plastics for our community and our planet. The logo, internal campaign strategy, lessons learned, and all the awareness campaign material have also been freely available. These can be found at www.zahid.com/plastic/

Zahid Group’s successful implementation of the “No to Single-Use Plastics” campaign showcases the company’s commitment to environmental responsibility. Through the collective efforts of its employees, Zahid Group has demonstrated that businesses can effect positive change and contribute to a more sustainable future.

About Zahid Group:

Zahid Group is a privately held organization headquartered in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for over a century.  It employs more than 5,000 people and is a leading player in multiple industries, including energy & utilities, heavy machinery, financial services, industrial manufacturing, transport, and hospitality. The company is partnered with global brands such as Caterpillar, Volvo, Renault, and TotalEnergies.

Attachment

Fatmah Zawawi
Zahid Group
f.zawawi@anotherinkintl.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8963526

Categories
Government

Malaysian Prime Minister Visits MWL

Makkah, Prime Minister of Malaysia Anwar Ibrahim visited today the Muslim World League (MWL) office in Riyadh where he met with its Secretary-General and Chairman of the Organization of Muslim Scholars Sheikh Dr. Mohammad Al-Issa.

The two officials set the dates for the first session of the Council of Southeast Asian Scholars and of the Summit of World Religions Leaders in Kuala Lumpur, during which several initiatives that promote awareness among youths and advocate coexistence in the ASEAN region and elsewhere in the world are expected to be launched.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Categories
General

International Stuttering Awareness Day Is Observed Today

Jeddah, The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia marked the International Stuttering Awareness Day (ISAD), which is observed on October 22 every year, to raise awareness about stuttering and reach out to people who stutter and feel isolated.

Educational institutions, health sectors and various associations marked ISAD by organizing activities aimed at raising awareness to what specialists define as a speech disorder that may get worse when the person is excited, tired or under stress.

Specialists urge people to seek help if they notice stuttering, particularly the persistence of stuttering among children from 6 to 12 months, and in the case of families that have a history of stuttering.

The Ministry of Health said on its official website that there is premature stuttering, which is the most common and occurs while the child is still learning speaking and language skills, and delayed “acquired” stuttering, caused by a stroke, head trauma, or other type of brain injury.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Categories
General

Indonesian Cultural Consul Visits Hira Cultural District

Makkah, Consul for Cultural Affairs at the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in Jeddah Su Hario Tri Sasonko visited yesterday the Hira Cultural District in Makkah.

He toured the Revelation Exhibition and other venues in the district, and praised its role in enriching the cultural experience of pilgrims, Umrah performers and visitors.

Imam of the Istiqlal Mosque in the Republic of Indonesia Dr. Nasreddin Omar also visited the Hira Cultural District and the Revelation Exhibition, and expressed hope that this experience will be replicated in Indonesia.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Categories
General

Albudaiwi: A GCC-China Strategic Partnership Will Be Based on Political Trust, Mutual Respect, Strong Understanding

Guangzhou, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jassem Mohamed Albudaiwi said that a GCC-China strategic partnership will be based on political trust, mutual respect and strong understanding between the two sides, their weight in the global economy, and a true translation into practice of the outcomes of the first GCC-China summit, held in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on December 9, 2022, according to a press release form the GCC General Secretariat.

Albudaiwi made these remarks at the meeting held by the GCC ministers of economy and trade and the minister of commerce of the People’s Republic of China, which was held today in China, to discuss deepening economic cooperation.

According to the release, Albudaiwi said the leaders of the GCC countries aimed at building relations of love and peace with the friendly People’s Republic of China, built on trust and mutual respect, and at strengthening relations all levels, especially in aspects pertaining to economy.

Albudaiwi also said that “we hope that this meeting will contribute to strengthening the steps and efforts currently in place to implement the joint action plan for cooperation in the economic and trade field for the period 2023-2027, emerging from the strategic dialogue between the two sides, in addition to intensifying communication between the public and private sectors on both sides, to discuss economic, trade and investment opportunities, and translate them into concrete partnerships, and also to continue to enhance cooperation to achieve common goals in trade, investment, industry and advanced technology”.

Albudaiwi stressed that “the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the GCC countries and China, which is currently being negotiated, will be one of the important tributaries to strengthening GCC-Chinese relations in all fields, especially in the economic and investment field, and will significantly contribute to increasing the benefits gained and exchange of trade between the two sides, benefiting several countries and peoples, and serving as a real catalyst for many regional and international economic elements”.

Moreover, he said that this agreement, which was one of the outcomes of the “Framework Agreement for Economic Cooperation” between the GCC countries and China and was signed on July 6, 2004, has been the result of 10 rounds of technical negotiations and many meetings, and the two sides made many efforts, through continuous cooperation and flexibility in the course of negotiations, to achieve it and secure a close follow-up.

Albudaiwi said he hoped that the final signing of the FTA between GCC countries and China will be announced soon, the release said.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Categories
General

KSrelief Distributes 470 Shelter Bags to Victims of Pakistan Floods

Islamabad, The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) yesterday distributed 470 shelter bags to people affected by the floods in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan; 3,290 individuals benefited from the aid.

This assistance is part of the center’s undertaking of providing aid, including shelter bags and winter necessities to the victims of floods in Pakistan.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Categories
Athletic

Riyadh Season Tennis Cup coming up this December

Riyadh, Riyadh Season 2023 announced that Riyadh Season Tennis Cup will be held from December 26-27, and will bring together tennis champions from around the globe.

The female competition, which will be held on December 26, will feature Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka and Tunisian Ons Jabeur, African and Arab tennis stars, the best in the history of the International Tennis Federation and the Women’s Tennis Association, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

In the male competition, to be held on December 27, Serbian superstar Novak Djokovic, winner of 24 major championships, will compete against Spanish professional tennis player Carlos Alcaraz, who won two major titles.

The competitions will be held at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, which has a capacity of more than 40,000 spectators.

The venue is designed to host other international events, including the International Boxing Bout, to be held on the opening night of Riyadh Season, on October 28.

Source: Bahrain News Agency

Categories
Government

UAE President, Singaporean Prime Minister discuss bilateral relations

Abu Dhabi, UAE President His Highness Shaeikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan met here Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore.

According to Emirates News Agency (WAM), they discussed the deep-rooted relations and comprehensive partnership between the two countries and explored avenues for their development to serve mutual interests. Additionally, they addressed a range of regional and international issues and developments of shared concern.

Both sides reviewed cooperation and opportunities to develop relations, especially in the fields of economy, investment, education, and tourism, along with advanced technology, digital commerce, renewable energy, sustainability solutions, food security, and climate action, among other strategic sectors that contribute to creating new opportunities aligned with the comprehensive and sustainable developmental vision in both countries.

The discussion also touched upon the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference (COP28), which the UAE is hosting later this year. The two sides noted the conference’s importance in generating sustainable solutions that signify a substantial shift in global climate action for the collective benefit of all people, reflecting both nations’ interest in environmental, climate, renewable energy, and sustainability matters.

Furthermore, the two sides discussed the need to promote the values of tolerance, coexistence, and dialogue, given their close link with regional and international peace and stability. The leaders agreed these values are a foundation for achieving progress, development, and sustainable prosperity for their peoples.

Source: Bahrain News Agency

Categories
Government

BIPA, AGU discuss cooperation

Manama, Dr. Shaikha Rana bint Isa bin Duaij Al Khalifa, Director-General of the Institute of Public Administration (BIPD), received Dr. Saad bin Saud Al Fuhaid, Arabian Gulf University (AGU) President.

The two sides discussed ways to enhance BIPA-AGU cooperation and effective partnership to implement a number of academic programmes, as well as develop strategic plans and projects that would contribute to empowering and training AGU administrative and academic staff, in a way that would improve the quality of academic performance.

Dr. Shaikha Rana affirmed BIPA’s full support for AGU’s programmes and projects, praising AGU’s honourable achievements over the past four decades.

Dr. Saad bin Saud Al Fuhaid affirmed the depth of relations between AGU and BIPA, contributing to exchanging knowledge and expertise across various fields, as well as delivering the best training programmes for AGU staff.

He stressed the importance of deepening bilateral cooperation in the research, training and development fields.

It is worth noting that AGU signed a memorandum of understanding with BIPA to deepen their cooperation in the fields of training, consultations, human resources development and academic studies, in addition to the exchange of expertise.

Source: Bahrain News Agency

Categories
Information

Education Ministry participates in regional dialogue forum

Cairo, The Education Ministry has participated in the Regional Dialogue Forum on “The Future of Education and Education on Human Rights: for a new social contract”.

The forum was organised by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, in cooperation with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), in Cairo, Egypt, with the participation of 22 Arab countries.

The event, which was held within the framework of the keenness to hold regional consultations to discuss the and education in the field of human rights, coincides with the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the 30th anniversary of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action. It aimed to highlighting the best practices in education in the field of human rights.

Fatima Adel Sanad, specialist at the Education for Citizenship Unit in the Education Ministry’s Curriculum Development and Policies Directorate, presented a work paper on the kingdom’s experience in education for citizenship and spreading the culture of human rights through the educational system.

She highlighted the interest of the kingdom’s leadership in this field, as reflected in the national laws and legislation. She also reviewed the new and developed curricula that were introduced in schools.

She also shed light on the school project to promote citizenship and human rights, and made some recommendations regarding the future of education on human rights in the Arab region, based on Bahrain’s experience.

Source: Bahrain News Agency