RIYADH: The Saudi Light and Sound (SLS) Expo, the first dedicated event in Saudi Arabia for professional AV and lighting equipment, will be held next month from May 16-18 at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center. The first SLS Expo will also feature the SLS Summit, which aims to to host influential conversations that help the Kingdom become a global entertainment powerhouse through professional light and sound. SLS Expo will allow attendees to see, hear and experience the latest developments and innovations in lighting, sound and AV. Under the Saudi Vision 2030 program, the Kingdom plans to invest up to $64 billion to promote cutting-edge innovations in the entertainment sector. HIGH LIGHT The expo will allow attendees to see, hear and experience the latest developments and innovations in lighting, sound and AV. Commenting on the event, Sarkis Kahwajian, SLS Expo event director, said: “The Saudi Light and Sound Expo is a platform that will bring together system integrators and light, sound and AV installation distributors and wholesalers with retailers, AV production houses, real estate developers, venues, and end users such as hotels and restaurants, commercial spaces, amusement parks, entertainment and concert venues, stadiums, auditoriums, theaters and cinemas, airports, educational facilities, retail outlets and shopping malls, and even religious venues.” Kahwajian added that the event aims to make the Kingdom a hub for reliable lighting, sound, AV and on-site management solutions. He said: “We will host the most eminent leaders from the sector at Saudi Light and Sound Expo to share insights and experiences on how the region is tackling the situation, and where they foresee potential business opportunities.” Some of the confirmed speakers at the SLS Summit include Jasper Hope from the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, Abdulwahab Baghdadi of the Professional Events Industry Association, Majed Samman of the King Abdul Aziz Center for World Culture — Ithra and Tahani Al-Ghureiby of the Saudi Ministry of Culture. Commenting on the event, NMK Electronics Commercial Director Dino Drimakis said: “We are starting to see a lot more requests and requirements coming from the Kingdom. Saudi Arabia is at its transformational stage, and we are starting to see a whole different shift in mindset, both culturally and economically.”