His Royal Highness Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Riyadh Region, patronized this evening the opening ceremony of the second edition of the Asbar International Forum 2017 in Riyadh, held under the title “Creativity and Innovation in the Context of the Knowledge Economy (the Fourth Industrial Revolution)”. The forum runs for three days with the participation of 66 local and international speakers representing government leaders, leading companies, innovators, and entrepreneurs.
In a press statement, the Governor of Riyadh Region expressed his pleasure at attending the Asbar International Forum 2017. He emphasized that Riyadh will not give up Asbar in any future forum, as it carries many events and elements that benefit the community and keeps pace with the path we aim for and aspire to in the Kingdom under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, may Allah protect them both.
The Chairman of the Forum’s Board of Directors, Doctor Fahad Al-Orabi Al-Harthi, welcomed the Governor of Riyadh Region in his opening speech, thanking him for his patronage of the forum, and also welcomed Their Excellencies and the guests.
Doctor Al-Orabi stated: “Here we meet again in the halls of the Asbar International Forum, and always in the field of the new economies built on knowledge and on the optimal investment in human capital inspired by the sparks of creativity and innovation.”
He explained that the theme of this edition of the forum is innovation and creativity, which builds on the outcomes of the previous edition. He reviewed the fruits of the previous edition, including the launch by His Excellency the Minister of Labor of the Future Work, or Freelance Work, initiative from this platform.
Doctor Al-Orabi revealed an award to be presented by the forum, as part of its events, in the field of innovation, in addition to holding an exhibition for innovators with the participation of the Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority “Monsha’at”. He described the forum as a platform for initiatives that has fulfilled some of its promises in this respect, so that the matter does not stop at the merely ceremonial formulas of such occasions, which will consolidate the forum’s outcomes and drive their achievement as far as possible.
The Chairman of the Forum’s Board explained that what distinguishes the Asbar International Forum is that it always brings together government leaders, leading companies, local and international expertise, and young talent to work together on preparing vibrant and useful formulations for the future. He praised the role of the strategic success partners, the scientific partners, and everyone who helped or supported the forum’s journey.
His Excellency the Minister of Labor and Social Development, Doctor Ali Al-Ghafis, delivered the speech of the forum’s strategic partner. He noted that the opening of the Asbar International Forum comes in the context of the interest and support of the Governor of Riyadh Region for the fields of creativity and innovation, and as an extension of the attention and generous patronage these fields receive from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, may Allah protect them both.
Doctor Al-Ghafis explained that working to achieve Saudi Vision 2030 in all fields requires more giving and achievement from everyone. He added that the focus of the second edition of the Asbar Forum on creativity and innovation is in line with the direction our country is taking toward global leadership in investing in national minds and advanced technologies, providing comprehensive support to the outstanding in various fields, supporting initiatives, enabling enterprises, and building a high-quality education, training, and knowledge system.

For his part, His Excellency the Governor of Monsha’at, Doctor Ghassan Al Sulaiman, said at the start of his speech: “There are common factors among the countries leading the world economy, including many intangible and tangible matters. Among the most important lessons of global best practice that we found within the concerns of similar ministries and institutions is that attention is focused on SMEs that concentrate on knowledge economies.” He noted that the authority has a role in turning innovative thinking into real projects.
In his speech, Doctor Al Sulaiman pointed to the authority’s launch of the Innovation Award in conjunction with the Asbar International Forum ceremony, noting that the authority will incubate the winners of this award, contributing to achieving Saudi Vision 2030.
For his part, the Senior Vice President of Operations and Business Services at Saudi Aramco, Muhammad Al-Saggaf, emphasized Aramco’s commitment to continuing its important strategic partnership with the Asbar International Forum. He reviewed the success the forum achieved in its first edition as a civilizational window onto an innovative society and a flourishing future, and noted that Aramco’s strategy for knowledge-based economic transformation rests on four pillars: supporting a culture of innovation, supporting entrepreneurship, sustainable investment in research and development, and a deep belief in human capabilities, which is what this forum seeks in its second edition.
The Vice President for Technology and Innovation at SABIC, Doctor Fahad Al-Sherehy, for his part considered the Asbar International Forum a real attraction for SABIC, noting that SABIC has begun establishing a unit dedicated to developing and localizing local industries, allowing SMEs to flourish and become a main engine of the economy.
As part of the opening ceremony, the Governor of Riyadh Region inaugurated the Ebtker exhibition, launched by Monsha’at in partnership with the Asbar International Forum, which will allow entrepreneurs with innovative ideas to present their projects to investors. The Innovation Award was also launched for the first time, after which His Royal Highness honored the forum’s strategic partners and sponsors.
The head of the media center of the Asbar International Forum, Waleed Al-Harthi, for his part explained that several speakers from among the world’s leading experts had been mobilized and invited, along with scientific partnerships with major specialized organizations, for this international gathering, within a scientific and methodical framework that will produce, Allah willing, a system of ideas and applied outcomes that will attract the attention of stakeholders and end beneficiaries.
On the details of the forum, he noted that 66 speakers will take part in 11 sessions and six specialized workshops with leading innovation and technology experts, accompanied by six public lectures, in addition to several discussion panels and interviews, over two days in addition to the opening day.
The forum’s workshops and scientific sessions will start tomorrow morning, with five sessions and three workshops held throughout the day, followed on Thursday morning, the third day of the forum, by three more workshops and five scientific sessions, in addition to the forum’s closing session. Registration begins at eight o’clock each morning, before the scientific sessions and workshops start at nine, on both days.