JEDDAH: The General Entertainment Authority (GEA) and Qiddiya Investment Co. signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to launch joint programs to develop human capital. It is part of the GEA’s scholarship program launched last week. The signing ceremony took place at the authority’s headquarters in Riyadh on Sunday. GEA Chief Executive Office Amr bin Ahmed Banaja and Qiddiya Investment Co. chief Michael Reininger signed the MoU on behalf of their respective organizations. The agreement will provide scholarships for 60 students to study at Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida in the US. The first batch of students will receive scholarships in event management and entertainment management degree programs. The program will begin in the autumn of 2019, lasting five years. It will include English language preparation and internships at the Six Flags Entertainment Corp. Through this ambitious scholarship program, the GEA is keen to achieve its strategic objectives in developing local content and creating a robust, diverse entertainment sector in line with Saudi Vision 2030. Moreover, the partnership aims to achieve Qiddiya’s goals in creating career paths for young Saudis to work at the companyHIGHLIGHTS The first batch of students will receive scholarships in event management and entertainment management degree programs. The program will begin in the autumn of 2019, lasting five years. It will include English language preparation and internships at the Six Flags Entertainment Corp. The registration process to win a scholarship opportunity will end on July 12. It has so far witnessed a large turnout by Saudi students eager to study and work in the Kingdom’s promising entertainment sector.   Interested candidates can get themselves registered by visiting https://www.gea.gov.sa/hr-development/qiddiya. The GEA is one of the key drivers of transformation in the Kingdom, with clarity of purpose to build a world-class entertainment industry that will put Saudi Arabia on the global tourism and entertainment map. Qiddiya, one of the three megaprojects, besides the Neom smart-city and the Red Sea Project launched by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, will be located about 40 kilometers from the city center. Upon completion, the prominent landmark is expected to be the world’s largest entertainment city. The project targets local, regional and international tourists and will be Saudi Arabia’s pre-eminent entertainment, sports and cultural destination that embodies the Saudi identity. It is expected to be the world’s largest entertainment city by 2030, with a total area of 334 square kilometers, surpassing Walt Disney World in Florida, which is only 110 sq. km. Investors hope the project will attract high numbers of international visitors.  The project aims to improve the quality of local life not only through entertainment, but also by providing around 57,000 jobs for citizens and opening new opportunities for the private sector in various industries. It will also serve the Kingdom’s goal of elevating Riyadh to become one of the world’s top 100 cities to live in.