«عكاظ» ترصد أبرز محركات «جودة الحياة» في السعودية

The Quality of Life Program in Saudi Arabia recorded a direct contribution to the GDP of 74.5 billion riyals in 2024, achieving 102% of its target, while non-oil revenues reached 17.8 billion riyals, and the volume of non-governmental investment amounted to 21.6 billion riyals.

The program also contributed to providing 368.9 thousand new job opportunities, achieving nearly 93% of its target, reflecting its role in supporting economic diversification and expanding the production base.

In terms of performance indicators, the results showed the achievement of 7 strategic indicators with a full completion rate of 100%, while 23 indicators exceeded their interim targets, confirming the maturity of planning, the effectiveness of policies, and institutional integration.

The sports sector witnessed, in 2024, according to the detailed annual report of the Quality of Life Program 2024 (which "Okaz" obtained a copy of), a comprehensive movement at the level of infrastructure, events, and talents, in collaboration between the Quality of Life Program and the Ministry of Sports, where sports initiatives transformed into effective tools for improving lifestyles and enhancing the Kingdom's presence on the international sports stage.

As part of the "Vibrant Community" initiative, 16 community walking challenges were held, with more than 24,000 participants, while 103,000 new memberships were recorded in neighborhood clubs spread across 22 cities, contributing to raising the percentage of adults engaging in physical activity to 58.5%, thus exceeding annual targets.

Community interaction continued in the "Vibrant Sports Places" initiative, where the Sports Dome for All in Dammam attracted more than 35,000 participants. The "Development and Activation of Sports Facilities" initiative included the development of 7 sports facility gates in various regions of the Kingdom, including: Abha, Al-Baha, Al-Majma'ah, Makkah, Riyadh, Dammam, and Jeddah.

On the international competition front, the "Elite Athlete Development" initiative and the "Sports Academies Development" program resulted in a commendable participation of Saudi athletes in global events, with the total number of medals achieved reaching 94 international medals (23 gold, 33 silver, 38 bronze) during 34 championships in 13 countries, in various sports such as karate, athletics, judo, and taekwondo.

More than 1,100 sports talents were discovered through the Mahd Academy, along with the participation of Saudi players in professional programs at European clubs.

As a culmination of this rising movement, the Kingdom hosted several major championships as part of the "Hosting Global Sports Events" initiative, with highlights including the Spanish and Italian Super Cups and the AlUla Tour, amidst an audience exceeding 100,000 followers. This growing sports momentum embodies the program's vision of making sports a central tool for improving public health, building a vibrant community, and enhancing the Kingdom's status as a global sports hub.

Regarding the urban design sector, the Quality of Life Program continues in 2024 to implement quality initiatives that have contributed to enhancing the urban landscape in various regions of the Kingdom, where public parks, waterfronts, and green pathways have become a key component of daily community life. The "Humanizing Cities" initiative resulted in a tangible shift, marked by the inauguration of 149 new parks, the implementation of 62 urban interventions, and the planting of over one million trees. Meanwhile, the Abhur Waterfront was opened as part of the "Bahja" project, covering an area of over 205,000 square meters, including 27,000 square meters of green spaces, along with a 2,600-meter cycling path, forming an urban landmark that reflects the values of humanization and sustainability.

In support of the transition to more efficient urban environments, the year witnessed an expansion in the application of the "Sustainable Ajwad" certification for housing projects, with 22 residential projects obtaining this certification, reflecting developers' commitment to improving the quality of urban design, enhancing green infrastructure, and increasing efficiency of use, contributing to the construction of more interconnected neighborhoods, in line with the targets of Saudi Vision 2030 for developing sustainable urban communities.

The sector's achievements also extended to planning through the "Updating the National Urban Strategy" initiative, which resulted in the development of 6 design guides, 3 regional plans, and 4 local plans that support urban integration between areas.

On the investment front, the "Developing the Municipal Real Estate Investment System" initiative through the "Opportunities" platform offered more than 11,000 investment opportunities and successfully attracted 10,000 new investors, within a system valued at over 5.5 billion riyals, enhancing the diversity of opportunities in the municipal sector. This progress was accompanied by a notable development in digital transformation, through the "Digital Transformation in the Municipal Sector" and "Facilitating Municipal Service Procedures" initiatives, where the Baladi platform provided over 300 electronic services benefiting 4.8 million users. Together, these efforts form a solid foundation for building sustainable urban cities designed to meet human needs.

Culture and Heritage Sector in 2024

The cultural sector witnessed significant progress towards building a sustainable cultural system that empowers national competencies, provides modern infrastructure, and enhances Saudi presence regionally and internationally. This shift was manifested through several initiatives in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture.

In the field of heritage preservation, 13 houses in the Al-Khubar village were rehabilitated, and the Qasr Al-Qishlah was restored, in addition to listing the Al-Faw site on the UNESCO World Heritage List, as part of the "Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Program for the Care of the Kingdom's Cultural Heritage" initiative.

In terms of cultural qualification, the Royal Institute of Traditional Arts, as part of the "Arts Academies" initiative, conducted 15 short courses benefiting 726 trainees and participated in 36 local and international events. Additionally, 200 musicians from the Saudi Orchestra underwent an accredited international training program through the CLOCK program, which grants academic certificates equivalent to a master's degree from Middlesex University in the UK.

In cultural infrastructure, new cultural houses were opened in Dammam and Ahad Rufaidah as part of the "Developing Public Libraries" initiative, registering over 150,000 visitors.

The "Team Lab" museum was also opened in Jeddah under the "Developing Cultural Exhibitions" initiative, alongside the reopening of the King Fahd Cultural Center as part of its first phase of development and rehabilitation, in addition to activating the JAX Art Museum through the launch of the "At Night" exhibition.

In the cinema sector, based on the "Enhancing the Local Film Sector" initiative, 21 agreements were signed to support production, including cinematic and television works, among which was a joint collaboration with the Shahid platform to produce two local series, reflecting the transition from supporting the arts to the arts industry. These achievements reflect the program's vision of building a contemporary cultural system based on national identity, contributing to the development of the creative economy, and enhancing the Kingdom's position as a leading cultural platform.

Qualitative leaps in the tourism and entertainment sector

The Kingdom recorded qualitative leaps in the tourism sector last year as part of the Quality of Life Program initiatives, in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism, which focused on developing digital infrastructure, nurturing national competencies, and enhancing comprehensive knowledge of the visitor experience, in order to establish the Kingdom's position as a global destination with local experiences.

In the realm of smart solutions, 149 digital services were launched through chatbots and electronic platforms, in addition to improving more than 30 services in applications and platforms dedicated to visitors, as part of the development of the tourism digital system.

In the field of human capital development, the Coastal Tourism Excellence Program, in collaboration with the Saudi Red Sea Authority, along with other training initiatives, provided over 87,000 training opportunities, ranging from 49,500 in-person, 32,000 remotely, and 5,000 external training.

On the knowledge side, the "Tourism Data System" initiative was implemented, which included preparing visitor journey analysis in 16 destinations, a report on inbound tourism, and winter tourism in 10 cities, with the participation of thousands of visitors.

The first report for calculating the tourism sub-sector was also prepared as a tool to support tourism decision-making based on accurate data. These results highlight the program's contribution to the development of the Saudi tourism sector in terms of digital content, national capabilities, and reliance on knowledge analysis, supporting the establishment of a competitive tourism destination with global standards and authentic Saudi character.

Moreover, the entertainment sector was able in 2024, under the umbrella of the Quality of Life Program initiatives and in collaboration with the General Entertainment Authority, to achieve notable progress in developing local content and attracting global events, while empowering national competencies and expanding infrastructure.

At the level of events, 23 concerts and theatrical performances were organized in 13 Saudi cities, while the Kingdom attracted 40 unique global events, including the "Joy Awards," "UFC Night," and the African Super Cup. The Kingdom also witnessed a global heavyweight title fight between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury, with an audience exceeding 16,000 followers, as part of enhancing the Kingdom's status as a key hub for global sports and entertainment events.

In terms of cultural diversity, various events were held celebrating the cultures of 11 resident communities through the "Global Harmony Initiative to Enhance Resident Integration," attracting more than 3 million visitors, thus enhancing entertainment as a space for civil and social interaction.

At the level of human capital development, more than 16,000 young men and women benefited from the "Happiness Makers" initiative, 28 new leaders graduated from the Entertainment Leaders Program, and 38 trainees participated in the Entertainment Fellowship Program, while 110 participants received direct employment opportunities, reflecting the effectiveness of the programs in motivating national competencies.

In terms of infrastructure, the number of newly licensed entertainment sites exceeded 739, while 9,000 entertainment licenses were issued through the electronic entertainment portal. Collaboration with 11 major entertainment companies also contributed to enhancing the geographical diversity of activities and stimulating investment in various regions of the Kingdom.

The hobbies sector in 2024 represented one of the most prominent forms of social transformation led by the Quality of Life Program, as initiatives dedicated to this sector contributed to establishing the practice of hobbies as a key element in lifestyle and an economic and social tributary that expresses individual diversity and community belonging.

The year witnessed unprecedented growth in the number of hobby clubs, increasing by 113% to reach over 1,026 clubs covering 218 different hobbies, distributed across 77 cities and provinces. The "Hobby" portal also recorded more than 78,000 registered members, a clear indicator of the growing community awareness of the importance of practicing hobbies in an organized and institutional manner.

At the level of events, more than 1,171 specialized events and competitions were organized, including championships in baloot, chess, football, and a women's padel championship, providing interactive spaces for hobbyists across the Kingdom.

In terms of community motivation, the "Your Hobby Face" and "1,000 Hobbies" campaigns were launched, achieving more than 9 million views, in a step aimed at encouraging individuals to discover and develop their interests. On the partnership front, qualitative cooperation agreements were signed with private sector companies and specialized cultural entities, including the Libraries Authority and the Film Authority, to support training camps and developmental events, such as the Hobby Clubs Film Camp and the Libraries Ambassadors Initiative. This rising movement embodies a firm belief that hobbies have become effective tools in building a vibrant community that enhances participation, belonging, and integration.

Efficiency of Security and Judicial Authorities

The security sector continues in 2024 to achieve a qualitative shift in services and infrastructure through the Quality of Life Program initiatives in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior, which focused on accelerating response, employing modern technologies, and improving quality of life from a comprehensive security perspective.

In the regulatory framework, under the "Unified Crime Classification" initiative, statistical standards for crimes were unified in accordance with international classifications (ICCS), which enhanced the efficiency of coordination between security and judicial authorities and provided an accurate database for developing security policies.

In terms of infrastructure, the works of the leading police center in the Al-Sulaimaniya neighborhood of Riyadh were completed, and 6 mobile police centers were inaugurated, contributing to enhancing readiness and increasing response speed in several areas. At the technical level, the "Security" platform supported by artificial intelligence was launched, allowing for automated analysis of case data and tracking of enforcement and investigation procedures, enhancing the effectiveness of services and the speed of decision-making. This comprehensive progress in security performance has reflected positively on community trust, with a satisfaction rate of 99.85% for security services, which clearly indicates the integration of technical and administrative development in this important sector and embodies the concept of security as a fundamental pillar of quality of life.