“Math, the Language of Science” continues its journey, inspiring families and students in the Northern Borders Region through immersive STEM experiences.
Following its successful launch in Makkah in late 2025, the 1001 Inventions Maths Festival has now toured to Arar in northern Saudi Arabia, bringing its interactive learning journey to 44,287 visitors in Arar.
Created by 1001 Inventions for King Salman Science Oasis and the Ministry of Education of Saudi Arabia, the festival ‘Math, the Language of Science’ continues to transform mathematics from a difficult school subject into a live, hands-on journey through discovery, creativity and innovation.
Hosted in Arar from 17 January to 17 February 2026 at Prince Abdulaziz bin Musaed Hall (Al Ahali Hall), the festival welcomed the Northern Borders community into an experience that connected mathematical heritage with the technologies and opportunities shaping Saudi Arabia’s future.
Public festival information described the Arar edition as part of the Kingdom’s wider national initiative to discover passion and unlock capabilities in science and technology. It also highlighted a rich programme of interactive experiences, workshops, dialogue sessions and family visits designed to make mathematics feel relevant, exciting and full of possibility.
Ahmed Salim: “Maths should feel alive, relevant and full of possibility”
Ahmed Salim, Producer of the Maths Festival and Director at 1001 Inventions, said:
“After the powerful response to the festival in Riyadh and Makkah, it was deeply rewarding to support the Ministry of Education of Saudi Arabia in this journey continue and reach new communities in the Northern Borders Region. Our aim has always been to help young people experience mathematics not as something dry or intimidating, but as a living language that connects curiosity, creativity, science and future opportunity.”
“When students and families walk through the festival, they move from the story of great mathematical pioneers to the technologies shaping our world today. That journey helps them understand that maths is not only part of our history, but also part of their own future.”
“We are proud that this experience could travel and continue inspiring young people in different parts of Saudi Arabia, supporting a wider national culture of innovation, discovery and STEM learning.”
A Journey Through Maths: Past, Present and Future
At the heart of the Arar edition is a large interactive STEM experience built around the same core journey first launched in Makkah: Past, Present, Future and Opportunities.
Official event material presented the festival as a 90-minute visitor experience spread across multiple zones and interactive stations, taking students and families from foundational mathematical ideas through to real-world applications in science, engineering, artificial intelligence and future careers.
Past – Our Mathematical Roots
Visitors encounter the story of mathematics through the achievements of pioneering scholars from Muslim civilisation and beyond. The exhibition highlights figures such as Al-Khwarizmi, whose work on algebra and algorithms helped shape modern science and computing, while also celebrating the wider history of numbers, equations, geometry and measurement.
As in the Makkah edition, this part of the journey helps young visitors see mathematics not as something distant or abstract, but as part of a rich scientific legacy deeply connected to the region’s own heritage.
Present – Maths in Everyday Life
In the Present zone, children and families discover how mathematics quietly powers the world around them. Through engaging activities and interactive challenges, visitors explore movement, design, balance, speed, data and observation, revealing how maths shapes daily life in everything from engineering and sport to digital creativity and space science.
The official Arar festival page also described hands-on experiences that connected mathematics with augmented reality, digital racing challenges, physical balance, and scientific design activities, giving young audiences a practical feel for how numbers and patterns influence the modern world.
Future – Innovation, AI and Smart Technologies
The Future zone opens the door to artificial intelligence, robotics, smart systems and emerging technologies. Here, visitors begin to understand how mathematical thinking underpins the tools and systems that are transforming modern life and driving Saudi Arabia’s future-facing ambitions.
Public descriptions of the Arar edition highlighted AI, robotics, smart cities, advanced technologies and linear algebra as part of this journey, helping students see that mathematics is not only part of the past, but also a language of the future.
Opportunities – Pathways for the Next Generation
A dedicated Opportunities area helps students and families connect mathematics to future study and career pathways. From data science and engineering to AI, finance, research and technology, the festival shows how mathematical skills can open doors to some of the Kingdom’s most important growth sectors.
By ending the visitor journey with education and career opportunities, the festival sends a clear message: mathematics is not simply a classroom subject, but a foundation for the careers, industries and innovations of tomorrow.
A Festival for the Whole Community
The Arar edition builds on the same public-engagement approach that shaped the Makkah festival, combining school visits, family attendance, interactive learning and wider community participation.
Official coverage around the event highlighted a broad programme including workshops, dialogue sessions, competitions and educational activities, with strong participation from educational and community institutions across the Northern Borders Region. Public reports also pointed to active involvement from the General Directorate of Education, Northern Borders University, technical and training bodies, and local community partners.
This wider participation helped turn the festival into more than an exhibition. It became a community platform where learners, educators and institutions could come together around a shared message: that mathematics is a universal language connecting disciplines, unlocking curiosity and supporting innovation.
Riyadh, Makkah and Arar
The Arar edition marks an important next step in extending the reach of the Maths Festival beyond its original host city of Riyadh. After the strong response also in Makkah, touring the experience to northern Saudi Arabia demonstrates the wider potential of this festival model to engage audiences across the Kingdom.
By taking the same creative concept to a new region, the festival continues to show how large-scale public STEM experiences can be local, relevant and inspiring at the same time. Children in Arar were able to experience the same journey through the past, present and future of mathematics, while also seeing their own regional institutions and educational communities reflected in the programme.
1001 Inventions and the Story of Maths
Building on its international track record of exhibitions, festivals, films and educational experiences, 1001 Inventions developed the overall creative concept, narrative and visitor journey for the Maths Festival.
Through immersive storytelling, the festival connects audiences to the scientific legacy of Muslim civilisation while placing that heritage alongside today’s innovations in mathematics, technology and engineering. The result is an experience that shows mathematics as both a foundation of world civilisation and a living tool for solving the challenges of tomorrow.
The Arar edition continues that mission – turning numbers into adventures, equations into stories, and mathematics into a bridge between heritage and the future.
About 1001 Inventions
1001 Inventions is an award-winning international science, STEM education and cultural heritage organisation engaging more than 500 million people around the world. Since its founding, 1001 Inventions has produced major exhibitions, STEM festivals, films, books and educational programmes that have engaged millions of people worldwide, celebrating how men and women from different cultures advanced science and laid the foundations for many aspects of modern life.
The 1001 Inventions – Maths Festival touring in Saudi Arabia continues this mission – using the power of storytelling, interactive exhibits and playful STEM learning to turn mathematics into an inspiring public experience for new generations.
