Saudi crown prince announces world’s first non-profit city

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has announced the establishment of the first nonprofit city in the world on Sunday.

The city will be a model for the development of the nonprofit sector globally and an incubator for youth and volunteer groups, as well as local and international nonprofit institutions.

“This will be the first nonprofit city of its kind, which will contribute to achieving the goals of Misk Foundation in supporting innovation, entrepreneurship and qualifying future leaders by defining nonprofit work in its internal operational concept and in terms of opportunities and youth training programs it will provide. In addition, the project will provide services that contribute to creating an attractive environment for all beneficiaries of the city’s offerings,” the crown prince said.

“Prince Mohammed bin Salman Nonprofit City, which implements the digital twin model, will host academies, colleges, ‘Misk Schools,’ a conference center, a science museum and a creative center offering a space to support the ambitions of innovators in sciences and new generation technology such as AI, IoT and robotics. It will also feature an arts academy, art gallery, a performing arts theater, a play area, a cooking academy and an integrated residential complex. In addition, the city will host venture capital firms and investors to support and incubate innovative enterprises to drive community contributions from around the world.”

Prince Mohammed bin Salman Nonprofit City will be located on land dedicated by the crown prince, in Irqah neighborhood, adjacent to Wadi Hanifa, over an area of about 3.4 square kilometers.

The city’s master plan embodies a human-centered, advanced digital metropolis designed to be sustainable and pedestrian-friendly. It will allocate more than 44 percent of the total area for green open spaces to promote sustainable development.

The establishment of the city is in line with the goal of creating a vibrant Saudi youth talent system to shape the future of the Kingdom and the world, by encouraging learning and developing leadership skills among youth. Details surrounding development phases and progress of Prince Mohammed bin Salman Nonprofit City will be announced in the coming months.