المملكة: Genes, medicine, and fashion… 9 research and projects that highlight the importance of camels

The scientific exhibition accompanying the International Camel Forum witnessed the presentation of the most prominent winning research in the Camel Studies Scholarship, which was launched by the Ministry of Culture, in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, and King Faisal University.
The exhibition aims to highlight the importance of camels in economic, social and cultural development, in addition to their environmental and health role, in addition to supporting researchers and encouraging studies in the fields of history, environment, economics, society, culture, and health.

The Director of the National Center for Giftedness and Creativity Research at King Faisal University, Dr. Adel Al-Shuaibi, said that the research grants focused on projects that were studied by the relevant local, regional and international committee, and huge projects from more than 15 countries were judged.
He added: The committee was able to identify the most important projects related to several fields, including historical and medical fields, and fields related to the economics of camels, and that this research will continue during the next stage, to achieve scientific and economic outcomes through it.

A complete study on the Kingdom

Dr. mentioned. Ibrahim Al-Jabri, from Brunel University in London in the United Kingdom: In the research, we proposed conducting a complete and comprehensive study on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on the camel sector, studying the components and difficulties faced by entrepreneurs in the unorganized sector, and presenting proposals and policies to the government. In order to take this important sector, which has a vital economic role, into consideration.
He thanked the Ministry of Culture for this wonderful scientific demonstration, and King Faisal University for hosting, noting that the presence of speakers from different countries indicates interest in the sectors of camels, culture, economy and environment.

Assistant Professor in the Department of Fashion and Textiles at Taif University, Dr. Samira Al-Otaibi said that her research discusses designing fashions for young men and girls, from 25 to 45 years old, which is the largest segment in Saudi society, explaining that these fashions depend on the use of fabric made entirely from hair or camel hair.

Benefit from camels

She added: The designs include symbols of some of the aesthetic connotations found in the “Year of the Camel” logo, which illustrate the human relationship with camels and the surrounding environment. My choice of this topic was to highlight the importance of camels to Saudi society, and to link them to cultural heritage.

Dr. said. Abdul Rahman Al-Asmari from the University of Tabuk: My project is to explore and study the unique genetic characteristics of camels in the Kingdom, by collecting samples from private farms, and trying to extract important samples, to find out which genes are specific or useful for improving the efficiency and breeding of camels, and increasing production in the Kingdom.
He added: We are working to identify important genes or traits through a technique called RNA genetic sequencing. We are also working to enhance understanding of the associated genetic pathways, based on these studies, then practical applications and understanding the summary adaptations of breeds in the Kingdom.
Professor of Human Nutrition at King Saud University, Dr. Ali Al-Shatwi: The project aims to raise the economic value of camels, by benefiting from camel remains, which include skins, hair, and bones. It is possible to benefit from camel remains using modern technologies, and converting them into high-value compounds, by converting gelatin and isolating it from bones, skin, and hair. Manufacturing biocomposites used in medical applications, including bioink in cell engineering and cultivation.

Various projects

Professor of Translation Studies at King Saud University in Riyadh, Dr. Abdul Hakim Al-Sinan said that the project talks about a social-cognitive approach to the word camel in the structure of proverbs and expressions in the Arabic and Persian languages, especially since many peoples of the region talk about camels with their characteristics.
He added: The study aims to identify the role of the word camel in preserving the cultural heritage of civilization in the Arabic or Persian languages, and to prove that camels were found in the desert of the Arabian Peninsula and the desert of Persia, and the rapprochement between these two cultures.
It is noteworthy that the exhibition included many researches, including recent discoveries of drawings and rock carvings of camels in the north of the Kingdom, and their role in reformulating the cultural and economic background of prehistoric civilizations, presented by Dr. Ahmed Nasr, and the project of treating camels through the ages, a comparative study in veterinary science by Dr. Muhammad Saif, and the Arabian Camel Project in Classical Writings, which is a comparative cultural study with archaeological evidence in the Kingdom by Dr. Mahmoud Abdel Basset, and the project of the image of camels in the Saudi cinematic film, which is a phenomenological reading of Dr. Maria Bakr Sandaqji.