Saudi Crown Prince Announces World’s First Non-Profit City
By Arab News
Saudi Arabia’s crown prince announced on Sunday the establishment of the first non-profit city in the world.
The city will be a model for the development of the non-profit sector globally and an incubator for youth and volunteer groups as well as local and international non-profit institutions.
“This will be the first non-profit city of its kind which will contribute to achieving the goals of Mohammed bin Salman Misk Foundation in supporting innovation, entrepreneurship and qualifying future leaders by defining non-profit work in its internal operational concept and in terms of opportunities and youth training programs it will provide,” Prince Mohammed bin Salman said.
“The project will provide services that contribute to creating an attractive environment for all beneficiaries of the city’s offerings,” the crown prince added.
Non Profit City will be located on land dedicated to the project by the crown prince in the Irqah neighborhood of Riyadh, adjacent to Wadi Hanifa, on an area of around 3.4 square kilometers.
The city’s masterplan embodies a human-centered, advanced digital metropolis designed to be sustainable and pedestrian-friendly, and more than 44 percent of the total area will be allocated to green open spaces to promote sustainable development.
The crown prince is the founder of the Mohammed bin Salman Foundation (MiSK Foundation) and the new city “will host academies, colleges, “Misk Schools,” a conference center, a science museum, and a creative centre offering a space to support the ambitions of innovators in sciences and new generation technology such as AI, IoT and robotics.”
“It will also feature an arts academy and arts gallery, performing arts theatre, play area, cooking academy and integrated residential complex. In addition, the city will host venture capital firms and investors to support and incubate innovative enterprises to drive community contributions from around the world,” the prince said.
The city is part of efforts to create a vibrant Saudi youth talent system to shape the future of the Kingdom and the world by encouraging learning and developing leadership skills among youth.
