Madar is a technology event announced for Dammam from 27 to 29 October 2026, bringing cybersecurity and artificial intelligence into an interactive setting. Tuwaiq Academy and Saudi Aramco presented the initiative as a way to introduce digital safety and responsible use of technology to a broad audience, including students, graduates, employees and technology enthusiasts.
This guide explains the programme described in the advance announcement and the registration status we could check on 27 October. A previously announced date does not prove that every activity has started or that places remain available. Before travelling, contact the organiser for current entry arrangements, venue information and any changes to the programme.
Madar 2026 dates and location
An advance report attributed to the Saudi Press Agency, published on 4 October, placed the event in Dammam from Tuesday, 27 October to Thursday, 29 October. An independent Saudi events listing identifies Al Dara Hall and gives hours of 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Those venue and hour details were not independently confirmed in a current organiser announcement during our review, so verify them before making travel plans.
The overall event dates do not establish that every workshop or contest is available throughout each day. Individual activities can have separate schedules or entry requirements. If a particular session is the reason for your visit, check its availability and start time with the organiser rather than relying on a general opening-hours listing.
Is registration open?
The advance announcement pointed visitors to Madar’s Tuwaiq Academy address. When checked on 27 October, that address redirected to the academy’s home page rather than presenting a dedicated registration page. A separate visitor registration form on Tuwaiq’s site stated that it was no longer available to complete.
These observations do not explain why the form is unavailable or establish whether another route or walk-in places exist. We therefore cannot promise that a new registration can be completed. Check the academy’s official channels for current instructions, including any fees, age restrictions or accessibility arrangements relevant to your visit.
- Match the event name, city and dates to the latest announcement from the organiser.
- If you registered earlier, review your confirmation and any instructions sent with it.
- Before providing personal information, check that a form is genuinely on the organiser’s domain.
- Ask separately about the workshop or competition you want: visitor entry and contest participation may have different requirements.
What was announced for the event?
The advance report described six interactive zones, digital-skills workshops and technical challenges. Its headline referred to 23 cybersecurity challenges. It also described a Capture the Flag competition with a total announced prize pool exceeding SAR 60,000. These figures describe the published plan; they do not establish the actual number of visitors, completed sessions or competition results.
We did not find a verified current timetable naming every workshop, speaker or interactive zone. Consequently, a visitor should not assume that a session with a particular title will take place at a particular hour. Ask the organiser for the latest programme and choose activities according to your experience and interests.
For a first visit, a useful objective might be understanding how to secure personal accounts. A software developer may instead want to explore a technical challenge, while a manager could focus on how digital practices affect a team. Those are suggestions for planning your visit, not a list of officially announced zone names.
What does Capture the Flag mean?
In cybersecurity education, Capture the Flag, often shortened to CTF, generally describes a set of authorised technical puzzles. A participant solves a task and submits an answer or token to demonstrate the solution. The tasks and scoring rules vary by competition, so the label alone does not tell you exactly what contestants will be asked to do.
The qualifying event on Tuwaiq’s challenges platform lists a stage that began on 17 October and ended on 18 October. It states that successful participants advance to a final in Dammam on 29 October. Do not assume that the qualifying stage remains open or that every exhibition visitor can enter the final.
The announced prize amount relates to the competition, not a payment to every visitor. Participants who already registered should use the contest rules and organiser’s messages to understand team composition, eligibility, scoring and the final schedule. General event information cannot replace those specific instructions.
Making the most of a first visit
If you are new to the field, start with a question you encounter in daily life. How can someone recognise a suspicious login message? What is the difference between protecting a device and protecting an online account? What should a small team do when an employee loses access to an account? An accessible explanation can be more useful than memorising unfamiliar terminology.
After an activity, write down the problem it addressed, one idea you understood and one subject you want to study further. Ask which resource is appropriate for a beginner and whether the activity is intended for independent practice. This is editorial advice for organising your learning, not a description of a particular official workshop.
If you attend with colleagues or family, compare notes afterwards. People with different roles may notice different risks: a student might be concerned about an account takeover, while a business owner may be thinking about access to customer information. A conversation can turn a short demonstration into a practical list of next steps.
Everyday habits that support digital safety
Start by reviewing important accounts, including email, banking and work services. Use a strong, unique password for each account and enable multi-factor authentication where it is available. Keep recovery details current and consider a reputable password manager that fits your needs. Reusing one password can turn a breach at one service into a problem across several accounts.
When an unexpected message demands urgent action, avoid assuming that its apparent sender is genuine. Go to the organisation through its known application or official website and verify the request there. Do not share one-time verification codes. Keeping devices and applications updated is another routine step, alongside making backups of important files and testing whether you can restore them.
No single setting removes every risk. Review the permissions granted to applications and remove access that is no longer needed. For shared work accounts, use your organisation’s approved process for adding or removing access, and report a suspected incident promptly through the designated channel.
Using AI with care
AI tools can help people organise information and explore ideas, but the data entered into a service may be subject to its own terms and settings. Before uploading a workplace document, customer record or private image, check your organisation’s policy and the tool’s privacy controls. Sensitive information should only be used in services approved for that purpose.
Check generated answers against reliable sources, especially when they contain figures, citations or instructions that will influence a decision. A fluent response can still be incorrect. Ask a clear question, examine the evidence and consult an appropriately qualified person when the stakes warrant it. These are general usage principles, not claims about a specific demonstration at Madar.
Exploring a study or career path
Consider the problems you most enjoy solving. Someone interested in systems and networks may choose a different learning route from someone focused on software development or data. Compare programme prerequisites, hands-on exercises and the time you can commit before applying. A single event does not itself guarantee a job, admission or a professional certificate.
SaudiWe’s guide to STC Wa’ed scholarships in AI and cybersecurity examines requirements for selected study opportunities. Those scholarships are separate from Madar; the link is offered as a further reading option for people comparing education routes, not as evidence of a partnership between the programmes.
Frequently asked questions
Is Madar only for cybersecurity specialists?
The advance announcement described a broad audience including students, graduates, employees and interested members of the public. Individual workshops and competitions may have their own conditions, so check those separately.
Can I still register as a visitor?
We could not confirm that. The visitor form checked was unavailable and the originally advertised address redirected to the academy’s home page. Ask Tuwaiq Academy about current options before travelling.
Are there certificates or admission fees?
The sources reviewed did not establish comprehensive certificate or fee details. Ask the organiser about the specific event or activity rather than assuming either is included.
Information reviewed on 27 October 2026. The schedule and programme above come from advance announcements and may change. Confirm current arrangements through the organiser before attending.
