MADINAH: Madinah Gov. Prince Faisal bin Salman on Tuesday launched Akhyar (the best) initiative to help students develop their talents. Speaking via ideoconferencing, the Madinah governor stressed the importance of using free time to develop new skills. He said such programs help promote moderate values and offer students an opportunity to discover their hidden talents. The region’s education department has implemented the initiative. It includes the Holy Qur’an competition, history of Madinah, and the history of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the service of the holy city. Saudi Arabia has launched several cultural initiatives to help people overcome difficulties caused by social distancing and lockdown imposed by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak. The cultural initiatives were launched under the slogan “Culture in isolation.” These initiatives include “Literature in isolation” launched by the Literature, Publishing and Translation Authority, in addition to the “Cultural hobbies” initiative. These initiatives seek to engage the public, young and old, in activities that can benefit them in the long run and help them make good use of their spare time.