Jetour, in exclusive partnership with Elite Group Holding in the UAE, has officially kicked off the Liwa International Festival 2026 with a dynamic brand presence designed to celebrate adventure, culture, and community. As the festival opens its doors for a 23-day celebration in the Al Dhafra region, Jetour stands front and centre, welcoming visitors with interactive displays, premium experiences, and thrilling off-road moments that embody the spirit of Travel+.

Recognised as one of the UAE’s most anticipated annual events, the Liwa International Festival welcomes thousands of visitors for an unforgettable celebration of heritage, motorsport, and entertainment. Set against the dramatic backdrop of Al Dhafra’s golden dunes, the festival features an extraordinary line-up of cultural showcases, high-energy competitions, nightly performances, and family-friendly attractions, all paying homage to the UAE’s deep connection to its desert traditions.

For the 2026 edition, Jetour will elevate the festival experience with a comprehensive presence across multiple zones, showcasing the brand’s innovation, exploration, and community engagement. Attendees can enjoy interactive test drives alongside lifestyle-driven hospitality experiences, with Jetour’s showcase crafted to highlight the versatility, capability, and premium comfort of its SUV line-up.

At the heart of the activation was the Jetour VIP Camp. During the first week, from December 12th to 14th, guests experienced a range of immersive cultural activities, including Arabic Tanoora performances, oud sessions, falconry, henna artistry, and traditional Dalla service. Additional weekends bring a world-music DJ fusion with international drummers and performers from December 19th to 21st, followed by an Eastern-inspired programme from December 26th to 28th featuring a Dragon show, Chinese calligraphy, Bian Lian performances, tea tasting, and more. Throughout the entire festival, the VIP Camp will boast a Majlis, outdoor cinema, refreshments, giant board games, neon installations, volleyball, and a photobooth, creating an elevated retreat for families and adventure-seekers.

In the Corporate Area, Jetour presents a fully branded showroom-style display active from December 12th to January 3rd, featuring flagship SUVs including the G700, T2 i-DM 4WD, T2 Luxury Plus, T1, and Dashing. As the festival reaches its peak, Jetour will also command attention at Tal Moreeb from December 31st to January 3rd, where the imposing G700 takes centre stage beside the grandstand culminating with a spectacular New Year’s Eve show and fireworks.

“Our participation at this year’s Liwa Festival reflects Jetour’s passion for connecting with communities through truly immersive experiences,” said Haroon Hayat, Group CFO of Elite Group Holding. “Moments like this remind us that personal achievements are only possible when backed by the dedication of an exceptional team. We are proud to bring Jetour’s adventurous DNA to one of the UAE’s most celebrated cultural gatherings.”

Jetour, under the exclusive distributorship of Elite Group Holding, continues to redefine the UAE’s SUV landscape with its Travel+ philosophy, delivering innovation, intelligent design, and powerful performance tailored for modern lifestyles. With a growing presence across the Emirates, Jetour’s premium SUV line-up is crafted for drivers who value capability, comfort, and discovery across both city roads and rugged terrain.

As Liwa International Festival 2026 begins its annual celebration of heritage and adventure, Jetour is ready to take attendees on a journey of excitement and discovery that captures the true essence of Travel+.

Exclusive Interview with Helen Olds- Director, BISJ

In what ways are schools in Saudi Arabia adapting their curriculum to support different learning styles, from academic-focused to practical, skills-based education?

Many schools in Jeddah tend to specialise in a single post-16 pathway.
BISJ is unique in offering all three leading pathways – the International
Baccalaureate (IB), A Level and BTEC: all under one roof. This breadth
allows us to cater to every type of learner, from those who thrive in
rigorous academic programmes to those who excel in practical, skillsbased learning.
Some of these pathways also allow for carefully designed
combinations, giving students opportunities to cross over and tailor
their studies even further. This added flexibility ensures that each
student can create a pathway that truly fits their strengths, preferred
way of learning and future aspirations.
By providing this range of options, BISJ gives students freedom to shape
their academic and career journeys with confidence and clarity.

BISJ hosts students from more than 60 nationalities—how does this cultural diversity shape the learning environment and overall school experience?

Our diversity is one of our greatest strengths. With over 70 nationalities
represented, BISJ is a truly international community where students
learn to appreciate different perspectives, traditions and worldviews.
We celebrate our diversity, leveraging the many things we share in
common to achieve our collective goals.
This cultural richness enhances classroom discussions, deepens
global understanding and helps students develop empathy and
intercultural competence; skills that are invaluable in today’s
connected world.
Beyond the classroom, diversity shapes our ethos, traditions,
languages, leadership opportunities and community events, creating an
environment where every student feels heard, respected and
empowered.

How does offering IB, A-Level, and BTEC pathways help students choose an academic path that best matches their strengths and future goals?

Every student learns differently. By offering three internationally
respected pathways, BISJ provides a personalised approach that gives
students the autonomy to choose the route that best suits their learning
style and future aspirations:

• IB for those seeking academic breadth, critical thinking and
  research-driven learning.
• A Level for students who excel when specialising deeply in a small
  number of subjects.
• BTEC for students who prefer applied, practical learning and wish to
  build industry-relevant skills.
  This personalised flexibility means students are not placed in a onesize-fits-all system. Instead, they can select the qualification that sets
  them up for success, whether that is admission to top global
  universities or preparation for a full breadth of career pathways.

How do you balance the need for global academic competitiveness with the cultural and regulatory requirements of operating in Saudi Arabia?

At BISJ, we see this balance as an opportunity rather than a challenge.
We provide a truly global education aligned with the expectations of
BSO, Cambridge International, CIS, COBIS, HMC, IB and NEASC, while
fully respecting and integrating Saudi cultural values and Ministry of
Education regulations.
Our curriculum offers a rigorous framework enriched by both local and
international contexts. It incorporates global best practice whilst
celebrating the Kingdom’s history, traditions and language.
We prepare students for success at leading universities around the
world, ensuring they graduate as culturally aware and responsible
members of the society in which they live. This dual commitment allows
our students to be both globally competitive and locally grounded.
Many BISJ graduates return to Saudi Arabia to make a positive
contribution to their communities and to the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
BISJ remains, at its heart, a true community school.

In what ways does BISJ ensure that students not only achieve academic success but also develop essential life and leadership skills?

BISJ’s Core Pillars – Learning to Live, Learning to Learn, Learning to Lead
underpin everything we do. Academic achievement is only one part of a
BISJ education.
We provide students with extensive opportunities to grow as leaders,
collaborators and global citizens through a broad and well-curated cocurricular programme that includes:

• Outdoor Learning
• A rich range of activities in the arts, sport, music and Science,
  Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics (STEAM)
• The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award
• Model United Nations and student-led conferences
• Community engagement opportunities
• Summer camps
• Leadership pathways
• Robust wellbeing and pastoral systems that support personal
  development
  This holistic approach ensures that our students leave BISJ not only
  academically prepared, but confident, grounded, and ready to thrive in
  any context.

The world’s largest autonomous car race will take place in Abu Dhabi on the 15th of November, as 11 teams from across the globe compete at the frontier of robotics, autonomy and AI for a US$2.25 million prize pool. A2RL Season 2 has been 18 months in the making, with the six fastest teams making it through the tough qualification process to the Grand Final. Ticket allocation for the Yas Marina Circuit event has once again reached full capacity of the main grandstand, as motorsport and technology enthusiasts excitedly prepare to witness an AI competition unlike any other.

Grand Final: Front row seat to AI history

The A2RL Grand Final will mark the first time that six fully autonomous racecars will compete wheel-to-wheel on track. The six teams – TUM, Unimore, Kinetiz, TII Racing, PoliMOVE and Constructor – were determined by a rigorous qualification process in October. Representing Germany, Italy, and the UAE, they will compete in a 20-lap, multi-car race to crown the A2RL Season 2 Champion. Reigning Champions, TUM, have qualified in pole position after a fierce ‘Multi-Car Qualification’ sprint race against rival Unimore, setting the stage for a historic showdown.

For the remaining five teams, A2RL will host a Silver Race, offering them the opportunity to push their algorithms to the limit and cement their overall position in the standings. The Silver Race teams are RAPSON, Code 19, Fly Eagle, FR4IAV and TGM Grand Prix.

Human vs AI: Performance gap closing

Pre-season build-up for the race has seen record-setting performance as the gap between human and AI performance narrows. During qualification, Italian team Unimore was the first to beat a benchmark lap time set by a human racing driver while testing.

This demonstration of machine precision versus human instinct, and the rapid evolution of AI performance, will be showcased on race day. Reigning champion TUM will have the privilege of racing against former F1 driver Daniil Kvyat in A2RL’s second Human vs AI showcase. A close battle is expected in this exhibition, following record-breaking pace from teams during qualifying.

Supercars, Fan Zone, and more

Kicking off the evening’s main events, Group 63 will take to the track for a spectacular Supercar Parade Laps display, setting the stage for the autonomous race. This will be followed by awards for the A2RL STEM Competition, which involved 140 students from across all seven Emirates racing AWS DeepRacer 1/18th-scale autonomous cars, a mirror of the A2RL competition.

This year’s world-class Fan Zone will offer an immersive experience for all ages. It will feature humanoid robot showcases, interactive games, hands-on tech activations, live entertainment, and family-friendly attractions that will bring the excitement of autonomous innovation beyond the track.

The race will be broadcast globally this Sunday, 16th November at 3pm GST, on the Abu Dhabi Media Network, StarzPlay, Motorsport TV and the official A2RL YouTube Channel. Once again, fans can step right into the action with A2RL’s live VR platform, experiencing the track, live car data, and high-speed action unfolding all around them, in real time.

A2RL is supported by SteerAI, alongside leading partner du; official partners AWS and Abu Dhabi Mobility; official supporters Wio and Castore; technical partners PACETEQ, Live in Five, Meccanica 42, and Vislink; as well as event partners Abu Dhabi Gaming, Miral and the UAE Cybersecurity Council.