Under the patronage of the Acting President of King Khalid University, Prof. Saad bin Mohammed bin Dajam, the University's Vice President for Operations and Community Partnerships, Prof. Abdullatif bin Ibrahim Al-Hadithi, inaugurated the 11th seminar for Geography Departments in Saudi Arabian Universities, titled "Sustainable Development and Its Future Prospects in the Asir Region." Organized by the Geography Department at the College of Arts and Humanities, in collaboration with the Saudi Geographical Society, the seminar was held at the University's Conference Center in Al-Far'a, attended by a distinguished group of academics, researchers, and specialists in geography and sustainable development.

In his opening speech, Prof. Abdullatif Al-Hadithi welcomed the attendees and emphasized the seminar’s significance within the university's efforts to promote scientific research and organize high-quality conferences. He highlighted the role of Saudi Vision 2030 in driving sustainable development and reaffirmed King Khalid University's commitment to contributing to these national goals through knowledge enhancement and scientific research.

Al-Hadithi added, "This seminar is particularly important as it delves into the core of national orientations and the development strategy of the Asir region. By discussing opportunities and challenges related to sustainable development and raising awareness about preserving natural resources, ecosystems, and cultural heritage, we, at King Khalid University, are committed to harnessing all our capabilities to support development plans aligned with the Kingdom's Vision, with a focus on heritage, culture, and the environment as part of our educational and research objectives."

Al-Hadithi emphasized that the university aims to bridge the gap between scientific research and society through this seminar , highlighting the importance of showcasing Asir's potential and leveraging these resources to achieve comprehensive and sustainable development. He added, "This seminar seeks to find practical solutions to the region's development challenges and aims to enhance the role of scientific research in addressing environmental and societal issues, while providing innovative future visions that contribute to improving quality of life and economic and social prosperity."

Al-Hadithi also touched on the importance of utilizing modern geographic technologies such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing, noting their significant role in supporting decision-making and sustainable planning. He stated, "At King Khalid University, we believe that modern technologies are the key factor that helps us analyze available resources and direct them optimally to serve development goals. We are proud of our achievements in utilizing these technologies and are always striving for development and innovation in scientific research to serve our communities."