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It was an overwhelming experience when I visited the 1001 Inventions exhibition in Jeddah. The exhibition has already gained popularity around the world and has traveled to many cities including Jeddah. Thanks must be given to Saudi Aramco and Abdul Latif Jameel for hosting such an event, but the most exciting part of the exhibition was its organization. Structured in a huge open space with green grass all around, the exhibition proved that with proper guidance and willingness, the youth of Saudi Arabia can put together a well-organized festival that promotes and celebrates the great contributions of the Muslim scientists who helped shape our world today. At the exhibition, I saw hundreds of young male and female volunteers making sure that all the visitors were properly guided as they visited the various pavilions. They were all very cooperative, energetic and bilingual (speaking English as well as Arabic) and were associated with the Saudi Aramco Corporate Volunteers Program, LetsAad. The 1001 Inventions exhibition was part of Saudi Aramco's iThra Knowledge Program, and I believe its successful organization can open up some of the following opportunities in the future: 1. Center to celebrate Muslim heritage in arts, culture and science and technology in Jeddah. A center can be opened in Jeddah to showcase the thousands of years of Muslim heritage in arts, culture and science. The center could also organize events, talks and conferences and invite international visitors to learn about Muslim contributions to the world, which will enhance the image of the Muslim Ummah.
2. Knowledge fair. King Abdul Aziz University together with academics and international organizations in Jeddah can host a yearly knowledge fair to promote science and technology education among the youth of Saudi Arabia. 3. Extensive youth volunteer programs. Like Saudi Aramco, other well-known corporations like Abdul Latif Jameel or SABIC could offer youth volunteer programs to equip young Saudi men and women with the necessary skills and knowledge to organize events and aid the local community in various services, e.g., charity programs, education/awareness programs on cleanliness, road safety, etc. 4. Youth conference. A yearly youth conference on various topics, such as education, society, social media, innovative technologies, etc., could be organized to inspire youth in Saudi Arabia to discuss and come up with new ideas and insights contributing to the development of the world. The iThra Knowledge Program was an eye-opener, and I hope many intellectual and knowledge-based events and activities will take place in Saudi Arabia in the near future, particularly in Jeddah. Naguib Chowdhury
