What is Neom, Saudi Arabia’s futuristic city project?

On 4th October 2022, Saudi Arabia was named as host country for the 2029 Asian Winter Games. The event takes place every four years, bringing together 10,000 athletes from all across the continent. The 2029 event will take place at the Trojena resort within the futuristic city of Neom, which is being developed in the middle of the desert. The name is a contraction of neo, which means new in Greek, and mostaqbal, which means future in Arabic. The Neom project was launched in 2017 by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman himself, who also recently took over the role of prime minister from his father King Salman. It’s been grabbing attention for some time now, with development works expected to cost close to £450bn and reach completion by 2026. How can winter games be organised in the middle of the desert? Why is this project controversial? Where exactly will Neom be located in Saudi Arabia? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the latest episodes, click here: How can I tell if I’m at risk of ‘quiet firing’? Can jellyfish offer the key to immortality? What is quantum technology? A Bababam Originals podcast written and produced by Joseph Chance. In partnership with upday UK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices