Speaking at the conclusion of his weekly Sunday prayer in Saint Peter’s Square, the pontiff said the annual observance underscored both the value of independent journalism and the growing threats faced by reporters carrying out their work.

“Today we celebrate World Press Freedom Day , unfortunately, this right is often violated, sometimes in blatant ways, sometimes in more hidden forms,” he told worshippers gathered in the square under clear skies.

The pope urged the faithful to remember journalists and correspondents who had lost their lives while pursuing facts and reporting from areas affected by war and violence.“We remember the many journalists and reporters who have been victims of war and violence,” he said.

World Press Freedom Day, supported by UNESCO and observed annually on May 3, serves as a global platform to defend media independence, highlight censorship and intimidation, and honor journalists who have died in the line of duty.

The Catholic leader has repeatedly described journalism as a pillar of democracy and social accountability, emphasizing that access to truthful information is a public good that must be protected from manipulation and political pressure.

In previous addresses, he has thanked reporters for their role in uncovering facts and holding power to account, arguing that journalism should never be criminalized and calling for the release of journalists unfairly detained or prosecuted around the world.

His remarks come at a time when press freedom advocates continue to warn of growing restrictions on independent reporting, particularly in conflict zones where journalists face heightened risks of detention, violence and death.

The Vatican has increasingly used global observances such as Press Freedom Day to reinforce broader appeals for human dignity, transparency and protection of civil institutions amid rising international instability.

A concrete deer sculpture created for a public park in eastern Ukraine has become one of the central works of Ukraine’s national pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale, carrying with it the story of war, displacement and the destruction of cultural landscapes during Russia’s invasion.

The sculpture, created by Kyiv-based artist Zhanna Kadyrova, began its journey in Pokrovsk, a city in Ukraine’s Donetsk region that has since become engulfed by frontline fighting. Originally commissioned in 2018 as part of a public park regeneration project, the work was designed to replace a decommissioned Soviet Su-7 fighter-bomber that had stood on a plinth in the park as a military monument.

Kadyrova said the idea was to create something accessible and peaceful for residents rather than another symbol of force. The artist submerged most of the old plinth in soil and turf and placed the geometric deer on top, designed with sharp folded lines resembling origami.

Cast in concrete, the sculpture created a visual contrast between fragility and permanence.“It wasn’t something too conceptual,” Kadyrova said during the sculpture’s recent stop in Paris at the headquarters of UNESCO.

“I wanted to make something for local people that they would love, something understandable, something contemporary.”Over time, the deer became a recognized landmark in Pokrovsk, a city that had already been living under the shadow of conflict following the seizure of parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions by Russian-backed separatists in 2014.

By mid-2024, however, Pokrovsk had moved closer to the center of active combat as Russia’s full-scale invasion intensified pressure across eastern Ukraine. According to Leonid Marushchak, a historian, educator and now co-curator of Ukraine’s pavilion in Venice, the city was rapidly emptying as artillery and drone attacks increased.

Marushchak was coordinating emergency evacuations of museum collections and cultural objects from frontline areas when he noticed the deer still standing in the park.“I saw the deer was still there and called Zhanna to ask if she agreed to evacuate it,” he said.

“The museum staff understood it had to be moved, but they had no practical way to do it.”Securing permission from local authorities proved difficult as civilian evacuation and military priorities dominated the city administration. Marushchak said he also proposed relocating a statue of Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych, known internationally for composing “Carol of the Bells,” to strengthen the case for action.

Permission was eventually granted. On Aug. 30, 2024, workers used angle grinders, drills, a crane and a flat-bed truck to detach the deer, which had been cast directly onto the structure, and move it out of the city.The removal was documented on film, which will also be shown at the Venice Biennale.

In interviews recorded during the evacuation, local residents described the park as one of the few remaining reminders of normal life before the war. Some residents preparing to leave permanently said they came to take final photographs of the site.At the time of writing, fighting continues around Pokrovsk, with large parts of the surrounding area heavily damaged.

Organizers of the Ukrainian pavilion say the sculpture may be one of the last surviving physical symbols of the city’s former public life.The Venice exhibition, titled Security Guarantees, uses the deer as its central image.

Curators say the title reflects the failure of international security assurances to prevent the destruction caused by Russia’s invasion and positions the sculpture as a metaphor for forced displacement.“We wanted to continue this journey as a metaphor, like so many Ukrainian refugees moving across Europe and the world,” Marushchak said.

Before arriving in Venice, the sculpture traveled by road through Warsaw, Prague, Vienna, Brussels and Paris. In each city, it was temporarily displayed in public spaces, often in prominent institutional or historic settings far removed from its original location in an industrial eastern Ukrainian town.

According to Kateryna Khimei, one of the public programme organizers accompanying the project, the deer has acquired new meaning for displaced residents from Pokrovsk and nearby communities.“The deer has become a symbol of hope and survival,” she said. “People come to touch it because it connects them to a place that no longer exists in the same way.”Khimei, whose own family left the region, said the sculpture now functions as a physical reference point for memory, especially as much of the city faces destruction.

“It’s important to speak not only about people who survived, but also about cultural objects that did not survive,” she said. “For many, this is the last surviving feature of their city.”The project arrives at a politically sensitive moment for the Biennale itself. This year, organizers invited Russia back to participate in its national pavilion after an absence since 2022. The decision has generated criticism in parts of the international art community and tension with Italian cultural officials.

Members of the Ukrainian team said they do not want their pavilion to be framed solely in opposition to Russia, but they argue that cultural representation cannot be separated from the wider consequences of the war.Ivanna Kozachenko, another curator of the public programme, said Russia’s return to the Biennale risks overshadowing broader discussions about cultural destruction in Ukraine.

“They destroyed so much cultural heritage in our country, in Syria and Chechnya, and now they are sending their culture to Venice,” she said. “Why should this happen?”In Paris, the deer was displayed beneath UNESCO’s flags with the Eiffel Tower visible behind it, a symbolic stop before its final transfer to Venice.

The timing was notable: Russia remains a UNESCO member state, while attacks on Ukrainian heritage sites continue. The day after the Paris event, a Russian drone strike hit central Lviv near the Bernardine monastery, part of the city’s UNESCO-listed historic center.At the Biennale, the deer will be installed near the entrance to the Giardini, the main exhibition grounds.

Rather than standing on solid ground, it will hang suspended from a crane, creating ambiguity over whether it is being placed into position or removed from it.For the curators, that uncertainty reflects the sculpture’s present condition: no longer belonging to the city it was built for, and not yet attached to any permanent future.

UNESCO is expanding efforts to protect living heritage across Small Island Developing States (SIDS), arguing that traditional knowledge systems are increasingly essential to disaster preparedness and climate resilience as island nations face rising environmental threats.

From the Pacific to the Caribbean, communities are using inherited practices such as cyclone-resistant housing, traditional medicine, oral storytelling, food preservation and weaving not only to preserve cultural identity, but also to respond to increasingly severe climate pressures including rising sea levels, volcanic activity, floods, cyclones and displacement.

UNESCO said these practices, often passed down through generations, represent both vulnerable cultural assets and practical tools for survival, particularly in remote communities with limited access to formal infrastructure.

Small Island Developing States account for less than 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions, yet remain among the most exposed to the consequences of climate change because of their geography, dependence on natural resources and vulnerability to extreme weather events.

In response, UNESCO, with financial support from the Government of Japan, launched a regional project involving communities in Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu, Belize and The Bahamas to strengthen the role of intangible cultural heritage in disaster risk reduction.

The project focused on documenting community practices, supporting transmission of traditional knowledge and connecting local communities with disaster management authorities so cultural knowledge could be integrated into formal resilience planning.

UNESCO said the approach reflects a broader recognition that living heritage can serve as both a safeguard and a response mechanism during emergencies.On Vanuatu’s Tanna Island, for example, community member Warau Frederick described traditional cyclone shelter construction as both cultural preservation and physical protection.

Vanuatu is among the countries most exposed to climate-related disasters in the Pacific, regularly facing cyclones, volcanic eruptions and displacement pressures. Communities there continue to rely on long-established building methods using local materials and inherited techniques to construct shelters capable of withstanding severe weather.

Frederick said he learned the process from his uncle and chose to build a shelter for his family before cyclone season, reflecting how traditional architecture remains embedded in everyday preparedness.Traditional weaving also remains economically significant in the same communities.

Eva Namri, a community member on Tanna Island and a knowledge bearer of traditional weaving, said the practice serves as a financial safety net during periods of hardship.“Weaving brings a great deal of income to my family,” Namri said. “It supports us whenever we face financial difficulties.

The biggest challenge for weaving comes from natural disasters.”UNESCO said such examples show how cultural practices operate simultaneously as economic resilience tools and heritage systems, particularly where formal income opportunities are limited.

Across the Caribbean, communities participating in the project focused on preserving food systems and traditional medicine as part of local resilience strategies.

In Fiji, where flooding and environmental changes increasingly threaten food security, communities relied on traditional fishing, farming methods and collective cooperation to maintain access to food.

In Vanuatu, people facing repeated displacement from volcanic activity and cyclones used early warning knowledge, gardening systems and traditional housing practices to reduce vulnerability.In Tonga, communities displaced by a volcanic eruption and tsunami emphasized the importance of oral traditions and craft practices not only for cultural continuity but also for mental well-being and livelihood recovery after disaster.

UNESCO said the project also created longer-term institutional foundations by identifying community members to serve as Intangible Cultural Heritage ambassadors, responsible for helping sustain and transmit traditional practices beyond the duration of the program.These local ambassadors were tasked with ensuring knowledge transfer, particularly in communities facing relocation or demographic shifts that risk interrupting intergenerational learning.

For many participants, the initiative also had direct economic implications.Feleti Akauola, a community member from Atata in Tonga, said relocation after disaster created uncertainty over how families could rebuild sustainable livelihoods.

He said guidance from Sitiveni Fehoko, a community trainer and intangible cultural heritage ambassador, helped communities think about traditional knowledge not only as preservation, but as a source of income and long-term stability.

“One of the key aspects of the project was that it strengthened me in many ways,” Akauola said. “It explained ways we could earn a living, especially for those of us who had been relocated. This was very encouraging, and it gave me and my wife the idea to start our work and make a living for our family.”UNESCO said this illustrates how cultural safeguarding increasingly intersects with economic adaptation, particularly in island states where environmental shocks can quickly translate into displacement, unemployment and food insecurity

.The agency has argued that disaster planning should not treat heritage solely as something to be protected after crisis, but as an active component of prevention and recovery strategies.As climate risks intensify globally, UNESCO said living heritage offers continuity that extends beyond formal emergency responses, helping communities retain identity while adapting to rapidly changing environmental conditions.

The organization said the project also raised awareness of vulnerable traditions that may otherwise disappear as migration, urbanization and repeated disasters disrupt local transmission systems.Even in cases of displacement, UNESCO found that communities continued practicing oral traditions, crafts and local environmental knowledge, reinforcing the adaptability of living heritage under pressure.

The initiative aligns with broader United Nations Sustainable Development Goals related to climate resilience, cultural sustainability and inclusive development, particularly in regions where environmental vulnerability and cultural preservation are closely linked.UNESCO said future efforts will continue to focus on integrating heritage protection into national disaster reduction policies while supporting local ownership of cultural safeguarding.

For Small Island Developing States, the agency said, resilience increasingly depends not only on infrastructure and funding, but also on whether communities can retain the knowledge systems that have helped them survive for generations.

There are places where travel feels less like movement and more like slipping into a dream. France’s Loire Valley is one of them a landscape of grand châteaux, endless vineyards, sunflower fields glowing under summer light, and medieval villages that seem untouched by time.

And perhaps the best way to experience it all is not from the window of a speeding train or the seat of a tour bus, but slowly, gently, on an electric bicycle.For travelers seeking beauty without exhaustion, an ebike tour through the Loire offers the perfect rhythm: enough movement to feel immersed in the countryside, but with enough ease to stop often for long lunches, local wine, and the occasional riverside beer.

The journey begins with a quick Eurostar ride to Paris, followed by a short TGV trip south to Saint-Pierre-des-Corps, the gateway to one of France’s most celebrated regions. From there, the Loire unfolds like a living canvas golden vineyards stretching into the horizon, villages built from warm honey-colored stone, and Renaissance castles rising unexpectedly from the countryside.

The first stop is Château du Rivau, a beautifully restored Renaissance château in the village of Lémeré. Legend says Joan of Arc once came here to collect horses before the Siege of Orléans in 1429, and the place still carries a quiet sense of history. Its gardens are lush and theatrical, while the château itself blends medieval grandeur with contemporary art exhibitions hidden inside ancient towers.

It is here that the cycling journey properly begins. Equipped with ebikes arranged through the company Cycling for Softies, the route covers nearly 100 miles over three days, winding through vineyards, riverside paths, and historic towns including Langeais, Azay-le-Rideau, and Fontevraud-l’Abbaye.

The beauty of the ebike is simple: it removes struggle without removing experience. Hills flatten, distances shrink, and the focus shifts from endurance to enjoyment. Within minutes of leaving Château du Rivau, the route passes through quiet vineyards, farmhouses wrapped in honeysuckle, and lanes lined with wildflowers.

Soon, cyclists join La Loire à Vélo, the famous 560-mile cycle trail following the Loire River from Nevers to the Atlantic coast. Opened in stages since 2005, it is one of Europe’s most scenic long-distance cycling routes, designed for leisure rather than speed.Along the way, every stop feels like a reward.

In Candes-Saint-Martin, an ancient river port town where the Loire and Vienne rivers meet, travelers can pause at a riverside café, watching sunlight shimmer on the water while local wine quietly extends lunch into late afternoon. The charm of the Loire lies precisely in these unplanned moments a second glass of rosé, an unexpected bakery, a village market too inviting to ignore.

The route then continues toward Fontevraud-l’Abbaye, one of France’s officially recognized “Most Beautiful Villages.” At its heart stands Fontevraud Abbey, a UNESCO World Heritage site and the burial place of Henry II, Eleanor of Aquitaine, and Richard the Lionheart.Staying beside the abbey at L’Hôtel de Fontevraud L’Ermitage offers a rare quiet elegance.

Modern and minimalist, the hotel feels almost monastic in spirit, especially at night when guests are allowed to walk through the abbey grounds after dark. The silence, broken only by footsteps and distant bells, gives the place an almost sacred stillness.By the second day, the journey settles into a delightful pattern: cycle for an hour, stop for a drink; cycle again, then pause for a long lunch.

There is no rush here. The countryside encourages slowness.The road toward Château d’Ussé offers one of the route’s most magical moments. With its towering turrets and fairy-tale silhouette, the castle is said to have inspired Charles Perrault’s Sleeping Beauty.

Nearby, quiet country roads pass ancient wine cellars carved into limestone cliffs, their doors half-hidden by ivy and time.The next overnight stop is Château de Rochecotte near Langeais, an elegant château hotel with sweeping valley views and the kind of dining that turns dinner into an event.

Fresh langoustine, locally raised pork, and classic French desserts arrive with the same care as the wines poured beside them.The final day leads through medieval towns and orchards heavy with apples and cherries, ending at Château de Villandry, one of the Loire’s most celebrated Renaissance castles.

Its geometric gardens are among the finest in Europe precise, ornamental, and almost impossibly beautiful. Box hedges shaped like harps, maze gardens, reflective pools, and floral symmetry create the feeling of walking through living architecture.Unlike traditional adventure cycling, this is travel built on pleasure rather than challenge.

It is not about conquering distance, but about surrendering to place. The ebike simply makes that surrender easier.The Loire Valley rewards those willing to slow down. It asks travelers not to rush past its beauty, but to sit with it beside a river, beneath a château wall, or in the middle of a vineyard road where sunflowers lean toward the fading light.

And by the end, it becomes easy to understand why artists like Leonardo da Vinci once chose this valley as home. Some landscapes are meant to be admired. Others are meant to be lived in, if only for a few golden days.

In the fading desert town of Chinguetti, where centuries-old stone alleys lead to libraries older than many modern states, Muhammad Gholam el-Habot spends his days preserving a fragile inheritance: rare Islamic manuscripts passed down through generations of his family.

Inside his cool, high-ceilinged library lined with steel bookshelves, el-Habot carefully pulls on white gloves before opening a thick Arabic manuscript. He turns its brittle brown pages slowly, inspecting them for damage before closing the volume, pressing his fingers gently across its worn leather cover, and placing it into a protective white box.

For the 50-year-old librarian, these books are more than historical objects. They are a sacred trust.“My relationship with them is like that of a father and his son,” el-Habot told Al Jazeera from his family’s library in Chinguetti, a medieval ksar, or fortified desert town, in Mauritania’s northern Adrar region. “We must protect them until God takes the land and all the people who are on the land.”

The el-Habot family library is among the few remaining private manuscript libraries still operating in Chinguetti, once one of the most important centres of Islamic scholarship and trans-Saharan commerce between the 13th and 17th centuries.

Today, much of the town stands abandoned as residents have gradually moved to larger cities in search of education, employment, and modern services.At its height, Chinguetti served as a major intellectual and commercial crossroads linking the Sahel with the Maghreb.

Camel caravans transporting salt, gold, and other goods passed through the town, while Muslim pilgrims travelling to Mecca on foot or by camel gathered there to prepare for their journey eastward through Cairo.The town became known across West Africa for its libraries and scholars. Islamic jurisprudence, hadith literature, mathematics, medicine, astronomy, and poetry were all studied and preserved there. UNESCO later referred to Chinguetti as the “Sorbonne of the Sahara,” while regional tradition described it as Islam’s “seventh holiest city.”

Much of that scholarly legacy came from local families such as the el-Habots. An ancestor of the current librarian, Sidi Mohamed Ould Habot, was among a group of Chinguetti scholars who travelled across the Muslim world between the 18th and 19th centuries, from Egypt to Andalusia, collecting and writing manuscripts.

Together, they amassed approximately 6,000 texts that were distributed across around 30 libraries in the town.The el-Habot family today maintains about 1,400 manuscripts, some written by their own ancestors. One of them focuses on the science of poetry.El-Habot said he did not originally intend to become the keeper of the collection.

He assumed responsibility in 2002 after his father became ill. In his family and community, the role was considered an honour rather than a career choice.“This is something that we have to do; it is a family obligation,” he said. “This is not even a question to be asked.”His ancestor left three conditions for future generations: the library must remain in Chinguetti, it must remain open to seekers of knowledge, and its keeper must be a male descendant considered religious and morally upright.

El-Habot says abandoning those principles would be a violation of both family duty and spiritual responsibility.Yet maintaining that commitment has become increasingly difficult.Mauritania is nearly 90 percent Sahara desert and has long faced desertification. Researchers say climate change is intensifying the problem.

Sandstorms and flash floods have become more frequent, while heatwaves and colder winter extremes place added pressure on ancient manuscripts and the traditional mudbrick structures that house them.Andrew Bishop, a researcher at the University of Wyoming who studies climate impacts on Saharan cultures, said the environmental threat to Chinguetti’s texts is growing more severe.

“Extreme heat and less predictable rainfall patterns means that texts are increasingly damaged by water or heat, making many manuscripts beyond repair,” Bishop told Al Jazeera. He added that the traditional mud libraries were never designed for sudden rainfall or prolonged temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius.

Annual rainfall in Mauritania has reportedly declined by 35 percent since 1970, making it harder for local communities to sustain herding and date palm agriculture. Economic decline has accelerated migration from Chinguetti, weakening the social systems that once supported the libraries.Today, many of Chinguetti’s roughly 4,500 residents live outside the original old town in newer cement buildings.

The historic ksar itself, built of dry stone and red mudbrick, faces the long-term threat of being buried by surrounding sand dunes, although no definitive timeline has been established.The fear is not theoretical. Just outside the town lie the excavated ruins of Abweir, believed to be the original Chinguetti, founded around 777 AD.

Local accounts say its residents relocated in 1264, likely after conflict, and over time the old settlement was swallowed by sand.Tourism, once a modest source of income for library owners, has also fluctuated sharply. Visitor numbers dropped significantly in the mid-2000s after armed groups targeted foreigners in parts of Mauritania. The COVID-19 pandemic further reduced travel.

Although security has improved and visitors are slowly returning, preserving manuscripts remains expensive. El-Habot must purchase chemicals to protect books from insects, improve storage conditions, and sometimes reprint or digitise manuscripts before they become unreadable.

The weather remains the greatest uncertainty.During the hottest months between April and December, the dry desert air makes old pages brittle. In colder months, the drop in temperature creates different preservation risks. To manage humidity during extreme heat, el-Habot sometimes places buckets of water around the library.

Flash floods pose an additional danger to books that have already survived centuries.In 2024, UNESCO launched a $100,000 restoration project supporting 13 family libraries in Chinguetti. The initiative provided air-conditioning units, shelving, storage boxes, computers, and printers to improve conservation capacity.Still, many libraries remain closed, with collections scattered among relatives or left vulnerable to neglect.

Researchers warn that the greater challenge may be generational rather than financial.Younger Mauritanians, many of whom leave for Nouakchott or abroad, are often less interested in continuing the difficult and low-income work of manuscript preservation.

El-Habot himself doubts that his two sons would accept the responsibility.Back in his library, he points to one of his favourite manuscripts. Its pages contain illustrations of the moon’s phases, an eclipse, and depictions of the holy cities of Mecca and Madina. His voice softens as he turns the pages.“I have to protect this heritage,” he said. “As mine, and also for all of humanity.”

Saudi Arabia is accelerating efforts to expand women’s participation in artificial intelligence through state-led reforms and private sector initiatives tied to Vision 2030, as officials and industry leaders point to rapid gains in training, workforce inclusion and investment in emerging technologies.

Government-backed programs and institutional reforms have supported a sharp rise in female participation in technical education and the labor market, with policymakers framing gender inclusion as central to economic diversification.

According to Areeb Alowisheq, vice president of AI research at Humain, the Kingdom has achieved the highest global female-to-male ratio in AI training, reflecting what she described as a long-term policy focus on education and workforce development.

Alowisheq said the current expansion builds on decades of public investment in education, including overseas scholarship programs. Since 2005, the King Abdullah Scholarship Program has funded more than 250,000 Saudi citizens to study abroad, contributing to a skilled workforce across science and engineering disciplines.

Domestic institutions have also played a central role. Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, described as the world’s largest women’s university, has produced graduates in science, technology, engineering and medicine for decades.

By 2017, female university graduates in Saudi Arabia outnumbered male graduates, according to Alowisheq.She linked these educational gains to structural reforms introduced under Vision 2030, launched in 2016 by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The program set a target to increase women’s workforce participation from 22 percent to 30 percent, alongside regulatory changes aimed at reducing barriers to employment.

These measures included lifting the ban on women driving in 2017, introducing workplace anti-harassment laws and amending the Civil Status Law to allow women to manage businesses, travel independently and act as heads of households.

Female labor force participation exceeded 36 percent by 2025, surpassing the initial target ahead of schedule, according to data cited by Alowisheq.

Saudi authorities have paired these reforms with targeted investment in artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure. Government spending on emerging technologies rose by more than 56 percent in 2024, while AI-focused companies secured $9.1 billion in funding, reflecting increased activity across the sector.

The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority has played a central role in scaling training programs and institutional capacity. In collaboration with Google Cloud, it launched the Elevate Initiative in 2022, a five-year program aimed at training more than 25,000 women in emerging markets in artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Saudi Arabia has also expanded its international engagement in the field. It became the first Arab country to join the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence and hosts the UNESCO-backed International Center for Artificial Intelligence Research and Ethics in Riyadh, positioning itself within global governance frameworks for emerging technologies.

Training volumes have increased sharply. According to the 2025 AI Index published by Stanford University, more than 666,000 women in Saudi Arabia received training in data and artificial intelligence within a single year. The report ranked the Kingdom first globally in women’s AI empowerment based on participation metrics.

Alowisheq said the scale of training is critical to building an ecosystem capable of supporting adoption and innovation. She described the expansion as creating a base of skilled users and professionals able to integrate artificial intelligence into economic activity

.Alowisheq, who has more than two decades of experience in the sector, said her own career path reflects changes in access and opportunity over time. After completing undergraduate studies in computer applications at King Saud University and pursuing graduate work focused on networking and distributed systems, she said early gaps in AI education motivated her to pursue the field independently.

She now leads initiatives focused on developing Arabic-language AI models, part of broader efforts to localize technology and expand regional capabilities. Within her organization, she said women and men work under equal expectations, reflecting changes in workplace participation following regulatory reforms.

Saudi Arabia’s push to expand women’s participation in artificial intelligence also addresses a broader global imbalance. Data from UNESCO and UN Women indicate that women account for about 22 percent of professional roles in the sector worldwide.Officials and industry participants have framed Saudi Arabia’s approach as a response to both domestic economic priorities and international benchmarks on gender inclusion.

By linking workforce reforms with sector-specific investment, policymakers aim to align labor market participation with growth in high-technology industries.

Alowisheq said the integration of women into the AI workforce reflects a convergence of economic and social policy objectives. She noted that expanding access to education, removing structural barriers and scaling training programs have contributed to measurable increases in participation across both public and private sectors.

The Kingdom’s strategy combines regulatory reform, education investment and international collaboration, with implementation led by government institutions and supported by private sector partnerships.

Officials have emphasized that workforce development remains central to sustaining growth in artificial intelligence and related industries.

The sites were inaugurated on Wednesday in the presence of Iraq’s Minister of Culture, Tourism and Antiquities, the President of the Sunni Waqf, the Governor of Nineveh, and the Chaldean and Syriac Orthodox archbishops. Local residents joined representatives of international partners who helped fund and carry out the restoration.

The projects were financed by the International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage in Conflict Areas (ALIPH) as part of its Mosul Mosaic programme, launched in 2019 with the Iraqi State Board of Antiquities and Heritage (SBAH). The initiative aims to rebuild the city’s cultural and religious landmarks destroyed between 2014 and 2017.

“These monuments, once symbols of Mosul’s diversity, now stand as symbols of its resilience,” said Bariza Khiari, chair of the ALIPH Foundation Board. “Their restoration shows what can be achieved through determination and cooperation.”

The Al-Tahira Chaldean Church, an 18th-century site revered by both Christians and Muslims, has regained its signature dome and ornamental carvings that were lost during the Daesh occupation.

The Mar Toma Syriac Orthodox Church, dating back to the seventh century, was rebuilt after being vandalised and partially destroyed during the battle for Mosul. Its thirteenth-century marble “Door of the Twelve Apostles” has been fully restored.

The Al-Raabiya Mosque, constructed in 1766 and badly damaged in 2017, now once again displays its distinctive Ottoman-era stone mihrab decorated with geometric motifs.

Since 2018, ALIPH has funded nearly 50 projects across Iraq, investing more than $25 million in Mosul alone. The Mosul Mosaic programme has also supported the rehabilitation of the city’s museum, scheduled to reopen in 2026, and several other historic sites including the Al-Masfi Mosque and the Beit al-Tutunji House.

Founded in Geneva in 2017, ALIPH supports the protection and restoration of cultural heritage in conflict zones. Backed by countries including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Morocco, and France, the foundation has financed more than 550 projects in 54 countries.

For the people of Mosul, the reopening of these sacred sites represents more than reconstruction. It marks, at last, the return of life to the city’s war-scarred heart.

Saudi Arabia’s rich cultural and scientific legacy is set to transcend Earth’s boundaries, with elements of its ancient and modern heritage included in Sanctuary on the Moon, a historic time capsule project supported by NASA and UNESCO.

The initiative aims to safeguard humanity’s collective knowledge, art, and science by storing them on the moon — a symbolic act of unity and endurance that celebrates the achievements of civilization.

French engineer Benoit Faiveley, the visionary leading the project, is visiting Saudi Arabia to collaborate with prominent cultural and scientific institutions in Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam.

His mission: to select and curate the facets of Saudi heritage that best reflect the Kingdom’s timeless traditions and its remarkable transformation under Vision 2030.

“With the extraordinary cultural dynamism taking place under Saudi Vision 2030, now is the perfect time to collaborate with Saudi museums and art institutions,” said Faiveley. “Saudi Arabia’s voice will represent not only its people but also the broader Arab civilization — past, present, and future.”

The Sanctuary on the Moon project brings together a distinguished team of international experts, including astrophysicists, paleontologists, historians, engineers, and artists.

Their shared goal is to design and deliver a “cosmic message” — a permanent record of human civilization preserved beyond the reach of time.

The time capsule will consist of 24 sapphire discs engraved with images, data, and diagrams that encapsulate humanity’s scientific and cultural achievements. From art and music to mathematics and literature, each disc will tell part of humanity’s story.

Among them, Saudi Arabia’s contribution will shine as the cultural beacon of the Arab world, symbolizing a bridge between ancient wisdom and futuristic innovation.

Saudi heritage sites such as the rock art of Hima, the ancient city of Diriyah, and the AlUla archaeological wonders are among those being considered for inclusion.

These landmarks, along with Saudi Arabia’s growing number of UNESCO World Heritage sites — now numbering eight — reflect the Kingdom’s deep historical roots and commitment to preservation.

Faiveley described the lunar archive as “a cosmic hello to our descendants, or perhaps to other intelligent life forms.” The time capsule’s design ensures longevity, with sapphire chosen for its durability and resistance to cosmic radiation.

Each disc will store vast amounts of information in image and data form, ensuring that even millennia from now, future generations — or perhaps future civilizations — can uncover humanity’s story.

Scheduled to travel aboard NASA’s CT-4 mission, the time capsule will land on the moon’s southern polar region — an area seen as ideal for future inhabited lunar bases. This region, rich in scientific potential and water-ice reserves, symbolizes hope for humanity’s next frontier of exploration.

By incorporating Saudi culture into the lunar archive, the Sanctuary project acknowledges the Kingdom’s vital role in shaping global civilization and innovation.

It also highlights Saudi Arabia’s ongoing transformation under Vision 2030 — a national plan that balances progress with preservation, tradition with technology, and heritage with innovation.

“The initiative ensures that Saudi Arabia’s cultural legacy — from its prehistoric art to its modern vision — will remain accessible for millennia,” the project’s statement noted. “It’s not just a record of human knowledge; it’s a celebration of diversity, creativity, and shared destiny.”

For Saudi Arabia, this participation marks another milestone in its journey toward global cultural leadership. From hosting world-class museums and restoring historic sites to empowering its creative industries, the Kingdom continues to position itself as a hub of heritage, innovation, and inspiration.

As humanity looks beyond Earth, Saudi Arabia’s inclusion in the Sanctuary on the Moon ensures that when the story of humankind is told among the stars, the Kingdom’s voice — echoing its ancient past and visionary future — will forever resonate across time and space.

The candidates, Egypt’s Khaled el-Enany and the Republic of Congo’s Firmin Édouard Matoko, bring diverse expertise and visions for the future of the Paris-based United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Both contenders are widely recognized for their dedication to advancing UNESCO’s mission and fostering international collaboration.

Khaled el-Enany, an Egyptian antiquities expert and former tourism and antiquities minister, is supported by the African Union and the Arab League. He brings deep experience in cultural preservation, education, and heritage management, having worked as a tour guide through Egypt’s historic sites and earned a doctorate in France.

If chosen, el-Enany is expected to prioritize UNESCO’s cultural programs, including the protection of World Heritage sites, promotion of historical education, and efforts to combat antisemitism and religious intolerance. His election would mark a historic milestone as the potential first Arab leader of UNESCO, highlighting the organization’s global inclusivity and commitment to diverse perspectives.

Firmin Édouard Matoko, a Congolese economist and longtime UNESCO official, offers decades of experience in education, peacebuilding, and international development. Having worked in Rwanda, El Salvador, Somalia, and beyond, Matoko has a proven track record in delivering practical, impactful solutions in challenging environments.

He emphasizes the importance of moving UNESCO toward technical solutions, ensuring that its programs are efficient, effective, and responsive to local and global needs. Matoko’s vision includes expanding private sector engagement, strengthening educational programs, and maintaining budgetary rigor, which will help UNESCO continue its vital work even amid financial challenges.

Both candidates face the opportunity to lead UNESCO at a pivotal time. While the recent withdrawal of United States funding presents a budgetary challenge, it also opens the door for creative solutions, stronger partnerships, and renewed international collaboration. Both el-Enany and Matoko have pledged to explore new funding avenues, including private sector partnerships and contributions from emerging economies, ensuring that UNESCO’s projects continue to flourish worldwide.

Their leadership promises innovative strategies to maintain and expand UNESCO’s influence, particularly in areas such as global education, scientific research, and cultural preservation.

UNESCO’s work has far-reaching global impact. The organization is renowned for protecting World Heritage sites, supporting education for girls, promoting Holocaust awareness, and funding scientific research in developing countries.

Previous initiatives, such as the rebuilding of Mosul after devastation by Daesh, demonstrate UNESCO’s role in restoring cultural heritage and fostering resilience. With new leadership, these programs are expected to grow, benefiting millions worldwide while encouraging cross-cultural understanding and peace.

The selection of a new director also provides a unique opportunity for modernization and reform. El-Enany’s fresh perspective outside the UN system and Matoko’s extensive institutional experience both offer complementary approaches to strengthening UNESCO’s governance, efficiency, and global reach.

By leveraging their diverse skills, UNESCO can continue to lead on critical global issues, from education and science to cultural preservation and climate awareness.

As the executive board deliberates, the world watches with optimism. The next director-general of UNESCO will have the chance to reinforce the organization’s relevance, inspire international cooperation, and ensure that its programs continue to make meaningful impacts for generations to come. With capable, dedicated leadership on the horizon, UNESCO stands ready to embrace new opportunities, strengthen partnerships, and continue its mission of promoting knowledge, culture, and peace across the globe.

Held in Washington, D.C., the event brought together dignitaries, faith leaders, human rights advocates, and prominent members of the diaspora to celebrate Maalouf’s decades-long career as a journalist who has fearlessly challenged authoritarianism, exposed extremism, and amplified the voice of Arab women on the global stage.

AMMWEC, known for its efforts to bridge Muslim and multifaith communities through civic engagement and dialogue, praised Maalouf as a “torchbearer of truth in journalism and a trailblazer for Arab women in media.”

“Maria Maalouf’s commitment to exposing radical ideologies and advocating for moderate voices is both courageous and transformative,” said AMMWEC President Anila Ali. “She represents the very essence of our mission—empowering women of faith to be global changemakers.”

In her acceptance speech, Maalouf struck a deeply personal and political tone, calling for renewed global attention to human dignity, justice, and women’s leadership.

“It is a tremendous honor to be recognized by AMMWEC at a time when the world urgently needs voices that unite rather than divide,” she said. “I accept this award not just for myself, but on behalf of every woman who has dared to speak truth to power, every journalist who sheds light on injustice, and every leader who believes peace is the presence of justice.”

Maalouf dedicated the award to Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, the revered Emirati figure widely known as the “Mother of the Nation.”

“She is a living symbol of compassion, wisdom, and women’s empowerment—not only in the UAE but across the Arab world,” Maalouf said. “I have personally witnessed her unwavering support for Lebanon, especially in times of crisis, and her steadfast commitment to humanitarian aid, education, and dignity.”

Sheikha Fatima, Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union and President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood in the UAE, has long been recognized by international institutions including UN Women and UNESCO for her leadership in advancing gender equality across the Arab world.

Maalouf’s tribute to Sheikha Fatima echoed her own advocacy across platforms like Al Arabiya, Sky News Arabia, and Future TV, where she has continuously pushed for democratic reforms, religious tolerance, and women’s representation.

Beyond her media work, Maalouf is known for her outspoken criticism of extremism in the Middle East and for advocating closer cooperation between Arab and Western democracies to foster pluralism and stability.

“Never underestimate your voice,” she said in her final message to women around the world. “Use it to challenge stereotypes, defend the voiceless, and shape the future we all deserve.”

AMMWEC’s recognition of Maria Maalouf comes amid growing calls for Arab women to play more visible roles in diplomacy, counter-extremism, and global governance—an area where Maalouf has consistently led with resilience and clarity.

As Maalouf concluded her remarks, the audience rose in a standing ovation—not just for her, but for the ideals she represents: integrity in journalism, courage in activism, and hope in the face of adversity.

The event drew a diverse audience of diplomats, human rights advocates, faith leaders, and representatives from leading international organizations. Among the attending institutions were the American Muslim & Multifaith Women’s Empowerment Council (AMMWEC), Hadassah – The Women’s Zionist Organization of America, UN Women, the UAE Ministry of Tolerance and Coexistence, the Combat Hate, Women Who Lead, and UNESCO.

These organizations, each playing a significant role in advancing global peace, social justice, and gender equality, came together in a show of solidarity to celebrate Maalouf’s contributions and reaffirm their shared commitment to empowering women and fostering interfaith and cross-cultural dialogue.