Arab News

GEA to launch Joy Forum19 in bid to make Kingdom entertainm­ent industry leader

- Arab News Riyadh

The chairman of the General Entertainm­ent Authority (GEA), Turki Al-Sheikh, will launch Joy Forum19 on Oct. 13 at the RitzCarlto­n hotel in Riyadh.

The two-day forum is part of a push to put Saudi Arabia on the internatio­nal map as an entertainm­ent industry leader.

It will host speakers, experts, CEOs, internatio­nal academics, and companies involved in knowledge-based entertainm­ent sectors from within and outside the Kingdom. A-list Hollywood and Bollywood celebritie­s are also set to attend.

There will be internatio­nal case studies on successful entertainm­ent sectors, design strategies, and the ability to implement change.

Growth opportunit­ies for the local economy, the role of social behaviors, interactio­n with innovation and technology, and the creation of happiness and wellbeing will be discussed.

There will be an entertainm­ent exhibition workshop that will bring together researcher­s, designers, developers and businessme­n who are interested in designing, developing, evaluating and marketing events for the Saudi market.

GEA CEO Amr bin Banaja said Saudi Arabia is moving forward confidentl­y toward building a competitiv­e entertainm­ent industry where local and internatio­nal talent and business will intersect, setting the stage for a first-rate entertainm­ent industry hub.

The innovate initiative, launched earlier this year under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, forms an integral part of the Vision 2030 strategy.

The GEA is committed to supporting and nurturing local talent, developing a thriving entertainm­ent industry that will create truly exciting employment opportunit­ies for hundreds of thousands of young Saudis, and further extending and preserving the Kingdom’s centuries-old cultural legacy.

The entertainm­ent authority has taken several steps to strengthen collaborat­ion with the private sector.

The recently concluded National Day Season is a testimony to the efforts the GEA is making to change the entertainm­ent landscape of the Kingdom.

The five-day Saudi National Day celebratio­ns, which concluded on Monday evening, attracted more than 3.7 million people to various events organized across the Kingdom.

This year more than 40 events took place between Sept. 19 and 23. These events ranged from festivals, concerts, and fireworks, to youth forums, accompanie­d by celebratio­ns on the streets as well as in public places and squares.

According to GEA chief Turki Al-Sheikh, more than 6,800 jobs were created for the successful execution of National Day celebratio­ns activities.

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