Artists and visitors have praised an initiative to promote the historical and cultural significance of Al Balad, Jeddah's oldest neighbourhood and a Unesco World Heritage Site.
The Jeddah Historic District Programme last month launched the Balad Al-Fann project, which is to feature art exhibitions, music projects, theatrical performances, local culinary experiences and interactive events under the theme "Past Forward".
The project will run until March 9 and Abdulaziz Al Issa, director general of the programme, said it would help to contribute to the aims of the Saudi Vision 2030 drive, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Visitor Bayan Zahid, 28, told The National she had been to Al Balad, founded in the seventh century, with her siblings several times because "a visit here is always so wholesome".
Zawiya 97
Zawiya 97 is a permanent creative centre in the heart of the historic neighbourhood. It is home to cultural activities all year round and plays an integral part in the initiative.
Saudi artist Ahmad Angawi, who is taking part in the project, said he wanted to help to revitalise the rich heritage of the region. “If we return to the root of the word Jeddah, no matter how one pronounces it – which translates to 'grandmother' – we all belong to it. It is considered to be the mother of cultures and civilisations," he said.
Another initiative by Zawiya 97 is called Nass Al Balad, or People of Balad, and aims to showcase those who live in the district. “It is a celebration of the people who have shaped part of Al Balad’s heritage and charm, a craft, traditions and speciality are passed down to future generations while raising awareness of the importance of the craft,” Zawiya 97 said on social media.
Artists from around the world have participated in the project. Ricardo Andres Hinojosa Gonzalez, from Mexico, is creating art workshops for Zawiya 97 as part of Balad Al-Fann.
“I'm here in Balad festival teaching people how to fold Islamic patterns, using the art of origami – the ancient art of Japanese art of paper folding – while combining it with Islamic and Arab world of geometrical patterns. It's a match made in heaven,” he told The National.
The old town is something to behold. It's magical
Ricardo Andres Hinojosa Gonzalez,
Mexican artist
He said Al Balad was "something to behold. It's magical”.
“The more time I spend here, the more I learn every day around me. I have been looking at books to learn about the history of the place. As I learn more, it's revealed to be so much deeper in history, culture and art. Every day is such a revelation and something I am very grateful to be a part of,” he added.
Growing arts and cultural landscape
Balad Al-Fann will also offer people an opportunity to enjoy new styles of music. Visitor Salma Hashim, 36, said she was "most excited for the first ever jazz festival" in the neighbourhood.
"I used to travel to other countries to listen to jazz shows. No one could have seen all these changes coming if you asked them just 10 years ago," she said.
The “world has changed” in Jeddah since the announcement of Vision 2030, which aims to enhance the kingdom economically, socially and culturally, Ms Hashim said.
“Even then I have to say if there was one place in the whole country that was abuzz with life, and the celebration of our culture through art and poetry, it was Balad," she added.
Balad Al-Fann is also set to hold theatrical and improv classes in February. Performances will be written, directed and worked on by an all-female crew.
“I love films and now with the Red Sea Film Festival becoming the global hub for entertainment bringing in the biggest names to Balad in Jeddah really is a proud moment for us,” said Nihyan Badawi, 34.
In December, Hollywood stars including Johnny Depp, Halle Berry, Andrew Garfield, Gwyneth Paltrow and Nicolas Cage attended the Red Sea Film Festival in the Saudi city.
“To see the stars roam the streets of Balad, be it Messi, Will Smith or other international celebrities – we want to show them our real culture and heritage and I always feel Balad signifies that like no other place,” Mr Badawi said.
“The city has been at the crossroads of cultures for hundreds of years and with new projects to develop and restore Balad, I hope it continues to get even better."
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Karwaan
Producer: Ronnie Screwvala
Director: Akarsh Khurana
Starring: Irrfan Khan, Dulquer Salmaan, Mithila Palkar
Rating: 4/5
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IF YOU GO
The flights
FlyDubai flies direct from Dubai to Skopje in five hours from Dh1,314 return including taxes. Hourly buses from Skopje to Ohrid take three hours.
The tours
English-speaking guided tours of Ohrid town and the surrounding area are organised by Cultura 365; these cost €90 (Dh386) for a one-day trip including driver and guide and €100 a day (Dh429) for two people.
The hotels
Villa St Sofija in the old town of Ohrid, twin room from $54 (Dh198) a night.
St Naum Monastery, on the lake 30km south of Ohrid town, has updated its pilgrims' quarters into a modern 3-star hotel, with rooms overlooking the monastery courtyard and lake. Double room from $60 (Dh 220) a night.
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%3Cp%3EThe%20UAE%20flag%20was%20first%20unveiled%20on%20December%202%2C%201971%2C%20the%20day%20the%20UAE%20was%20formed.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EIt%20was%20designed%20by%20Abdullah%20Mohammed%20Al%20Maainah%2C%2019%2C%20an%20Emirati%20from%20Abu%20Dhabi.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EMr%20Al%20Maainah%20said%20in%20an%20interview%20with%20%3Cem%3EThe%20National%3C%2Fem%3E%20in%202011%20he%20chose%20the%20colours%20for%20local%20reasons.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EThe%20black%20represents%20the%20oil%20riches%20that%20transformed%20the%20UAE%2C%20green%20stands%20for%20fertility%20and%20the%20red%20and%20white%20colours%20were%20drawn%20from%20those%20found%20in%20existing%20emirate%20flags.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
Law%2041.9.4%20of%20men%E2%80%99s%20T20I%20playing%20conditions
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
