His Excellency the President of King Khalid University, Prof. Faleh bin Rajaallah Al-Solami, witnessed the programs celebrating World Arabic Language Day 2024, organized by the College of Arts and Humanities, under the slogan "Arabic Language and Artificial Intelligence: Enhancing Innovation while Preserving Cultural Heritage," at the University City Conference Center in Al-Fara'a.

In his speech on this occasion, the Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities, Dr. Khalid bin Saeed Abu Hikmah, affirmed that the Arabic language represents the core of our cultural and civilizational identity. It is not merely a means of communication but a link between the past and the present, carrying with it a rich intellectual and cultural heritage. He pointed out that Arabic is the language of science, literature, thought, and culture, and has influenced many other civilizations and languages. Dr. Abu Hikmah noted that World Arabic Language Day represents an opportunity to celebrate our language and work to enhance its use in education and all aspects of life.

The ceremony included a visual presentation showcasing the efforts of the Departments of Arabic Language and Literature and Teaching Arabic to Non-Native Speakers in keeping pace with technological developments and supporting the global presence of the language. Two scientific papers were also presented: the first, entitled "Models of Saudi Efforts in Serving the Arabic Language in the Age of Artificial Intelligence," was presented by Dr. Yahya bin Ali Al-Murai’, Associate Professor of Computational Linguistics and Natural Language Technology, and the second, entitled "Artificial Intelligence and Cultural Tourism," was presented by PHD student in the Department of Arabic Language and Literature, Shawqiyah bint Mohammad Al-Ansari. The papers addressed the most prominent areas of employing modern technologies to serve the Arabic language. This was followed by a "Poetry Across Cultures" segment, during which students Abdullah Salem Al-Qaisi and Abu Bakr Maroun presented examples of the beauty of Arabic poetry.

The ceremony included honoring a number of distinguished individuals and outstanding initiatives. His Excellency the University President honored the faculty members and students of the College of Languages and Translation who participated in the initiative "Translation of a number of books on camels," which coincided with the Year of the Camel 2024, for their contribution to the care of the Arabic language. The honoring also included participants in the "Allam" Challenge competition, organized by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) in cooperation with the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming, and Drones, in appreciation of their innovative projects in employing artificial intelligence to serve the Arabic language. In the same context, His Excellency the University President honored Master's student at the College of Computer Science, Lama Saeed Ayash, and her team, who won the Sustainability of Projects Award in the "Allam" Challenge competition, for their efforts in supporting the Arabic language using artificial intelligence techniques.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, His Excellency the University President launched a set of training programs that coincided with the celebration of Arabic on its World Day, including 23 specialized programs serving various age groups and presented by faculty members of the College of Arts and Humanities.