Sessions of the 2nd International Symposium on Computers & Arabic Language (ISCAL) launched
Saudi and International Experts Diagnose Realities of Making Arab Content

 Dr. Turki Bin Saud:Using Arabic is a main pivot to develop components of Science and Technology Array.
Dr. Oudenaren: The World Digital Library comprehends rare and unique intellectual materials.
Dr. Meryati: Content Industry plays two economical roles; the first is as an important knowledge-based industrial sector and the second is as a generator of non- materialistic assets for the national economy.

Activities of the 2nd International Symposium on Computers and Arabic were launched today (11 October) in King Faisal Hall for Conferences in the Intercontinental Hotel in Riyadh where Dr. Turki bin Saud, KACST Vice President for Research Institutes started the sessions by the first opening talk titled “Knowledge Based Society and Content Enrichment in the National Science, technology and innovation Plan”. Dr. Turki detailed the National Science, technology and innovation Plan indicating that the Kingdom is considered one of the pioneer states to set a policy for science, technology and innovation in the area.
Prince Dr. Turki bin Saud reviewed the long-term vision of the National Science, technology and innovation plan, commencing by the first quinquennial plan, during which basic structure for the national  array of Science, technology and innovation would be completed by 2010,   while the second quinquennial plan targets the forefront of countries of the area in Science, technology and innovation by 2015; then moving to the third quinquennial plan that aims to place the Kingdom among the  leading Asian countries in  Science, technology and innovation by 2020; and  by the completion of the fourth quinquennial plan by 2025, the kingdom would occupy its place among advanced industrial countries.

Dr. Turki pointed that the first strategic basis of the Science, technology and innovation array calls for using Arabic as a main pivot to develop the various components of this array while not overlooking the other languages necessary to transfer what is new in the sources of scientific knowledge and technology. He also pinpointed the 10th strategic basis pertaining information (the content) that makes it necessary to foster and develop national bases for scientific information and technology, to secure an easy access to these bases and to continuously develop them, in addition to adopting national systems and programs that encourage producing, transferring, diffusing and exchanging information and facilitate using these information.
Dr. Turki cited the main programs of the national array of Science, technology and innovation as well as programs of advanced and strategic technologies. He then moved to the achieved works of the plan including forming the Plan Supervising Committee and the financial support for the plan where the sum of 7,9 billion SR has been assigned to boost the first quinquennail  plan, not to mention preparing and carrying out strategic  technologies programs.
His Highness spotted the light on Information Technology as one of the strategic technologies programs. Dr. Turki stated that the first program deals with processing the Arabic language including processing texts, processing voices besides treating Arabic documents, optical identification of its letters and other applications for those with special needs.
Concluding his lecture paper, Prince Dr. Turki cited Content Projects in the National Science, Technology and Innovation Plan out of which are the Interactive Computer lexicon, Conjugations   Analyzer for Arabic Language, documenting national and intellectual products electronically, competitions of enriching the Arabic content and the project of issuing arbitrated scientific magazines on strategic technologies.
Then, the first session chaired by engineer Abduljabbar Alabduljabbar from Information Technology Committee of Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, was held under the title of “Regional and International Content” Two work papers were presented in this session.
The fist paper titled “Arabic Content on the World Digital Library” was presented by Dr. John Van Oudenaren, Senior Advisor for the World Digital Library (WDL) affiliated to the library of the American Congress. He stated that Arabic language is one of the approved interface languages in the  World Digital Library, which means that all metadata, descriptive and interpretational materials, managerial data, surfing and navigation data in the World Digital Library all available in Arabic as well as in other languages such as English, French, Chinese, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish.   Dr. Oudenaren indicated that the World Digital Library comprehends rare and unique intellectual materials related to the Arab World including science manuscripts, Arabic calligraphy, books, maps and rare images.
The second paper in the first session was presented by Dr. Ahmed N. Tantawy, Chief Technical Officer, of mega Projects in IBM Software Group under the title of “Innovation in the Digitization of Arabic Cultural Heritage” where he stressed the importance of Arabic in developing and preserving culture. He added that the information technology, through processing the language, could facilitate numerous innovated techniques to support varied activities related to the cultural heritage. Tantawy gave some examples including archiving and publishing historical information. He also dealt with the culture heritage reminding that this heritage has varied challenges that people concerned with IT need to solve.
 The second session, chaired by Dr. Ahmed Yamani, CEO in the Saudi Arabia General Investment Authority, discussed Content Economies through three work papers.   Dr. Mohammed Meryati,   Senior Advisor in Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in UN-DESA and   Advisor in the Saudi ministry of Economy and Planning, presented the first paper titled “Content based Economies. Dr.Meryati emphasized that Content industry plays two economical roles; the first is as an important knowledge-based industrial sector and the second is as a generator o0f nom-materialistic assets for the national economy, wealth accumulator or knowledge-based capital.
Dr. Meryati analyzed the standing issues pertaining Arabic Content such as translation into Arabic as it is one of the main tributaries of the Arabic Content besides its special importance in keeping Arabic language alive interacting with the present and the future. He also tackled the issue of sectorial ignorance or weak circulation of Arabic language in modern economic sectors that consequently decreases the demand on Arabic Content in these sectors and the negative effects of this sectorial ignorance on the economy. Dr, Meryati suggests certain policies to treat such ignorance referring to some world practice in this context.
Dr. Osama Fayadh, the CEO in Open Insight Company, presented the second paper titled “Digital Content Marketing” where he discussed realities of the Arabic Content in various media means stressing some shortcomings in this effect. Meanwhile, he recommended the fastest means to remedy these shortcomings through the content generated by the user and platforms that allow exchange and publishing the Arabic content in means of social media via comparing models of the content growth by studying its growth in the other languages. Dr. Fayadh indicated challenges connected to public media and their potential role in marketing process. He concluded his paper by discussing components of the content, marketing researches and their role in directing developing and using the content.
The last paper in the second session was “Business models for search engines” was presented by Mr. Abdulkader Kamli, President and Research Director of Madar Research Group where he indicated realities of Arabic and world search engines on the internet. He explained shortcomings of these engines regarding search technologies through Arabic texts and services offered to users. He then shifted to five search engines that excelled the famous search engine Google in the countries whence they were launched. Mr. Kamli then talked about the social and civil benefits of building new Arabic search engine with high quality specifications explaining the economic feasibility of this project the expected growth of advertisements’ revenues on the internet in the Arab countries within the coming years and quota the new search engine may harvest. Mr. Kamli also indicated requirements of success for this project regarding specifications, human capital and financial capital.
Dr. Khalid AlGhoneim, the CEO of Al-elm Company for Information Security chaired the third and last session of the first day of the symposium. The session discussed Localization and Adaptation through three work papers.
The fist paper “Towards a Roadmap for Arabic Human Language Technologies” was presented by Dr. Mahmoud Rashwan,  Chairman of the Board & Managing Director of the Engineering Company for  Developing  Computer Systems.  Dr. Rashwan reviewed achieved progress in the Arab World in the field of the human language that is considered a comprehensive one that comprises activities aiming at enabling individuals to communicate with machines using means of natural communication. The field of the human language also includes research and development activities and symbolizing the language, identifying the language, analyzing it, translating it then generating it. Dr. Rashwan went through the current challenges in this scope, analyzing Arabic Language technologies and stressed the need to set a plan to organize efforts aiming at developing Arabic language technologies besides tasks and strategic aims in this effect.

“Arabic Domain Names” was the next paper that was presented by Dr Abdulaziz Alzoman, Consultant and Director of the Saudi Network Information Centre affiliated to CITC where Alzoman discussed these domains that are considered among the sensitive and crucial sources on the internet. He added that these domains are  updated from time to time and latest update was using the International Domain Names (IDN) among which are the Arabic Domain Names that came to existences because of the repeated requests to break the monopoly of writing domain names in Latin letters. Alzoman then talked about steps that have been taken to boost using Arabic in writing domain names besides the strategic development plan of Saudi Doman Names.

Dr. Heidi A. Alaskary, Deputy Executive Director for Research in Prince Salman Center for Disability Research, concluded the third session by her paper “Arabic Content for People with Special Needs”. Alaskary dealt with a definition of disability indicating ways in which disable people can use technology, highlighting various segments that would benefit from using technology in the Arab world, emphasizing meanwhile that the disabled are the most benefited people from using technology. Alaskary explained challenges met by the disabled in using technology concentrating on exerted efforts to develop and enhance technology for the disabled.
Activities of the first day of the symposium were concluded by detailed discussion session chaired by Dr. Saad Haj Bakry from King Saud University about the Digital Content Industry in Saudi Arabia. Activities of the symposium as a whole would be completed day by three other sessions where various working papers would be presented.