BHUBANESWAR, India, May 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Art of Giving (AOG) is a life philosophy that inspires millions around the globe to practice kindness, compassion, and community engagement. It was conceptualised and led by Prof. Achyuta Samanta, educationist and social reformer. It has become a civic movement dedicated to fostering peace and happiness through selfless giving. The movement is based on a simple yet powerful truth: that human beings, in their essence, are wired to give. Happiness and peace, which are the most natural human aspirations, often get buried under material pursuits. Art of Giving calls people back to that natural instinct of sharing, helping, and loving without expectation or reward.
The seeds of AOG were sown long before it had a name. Prof. Achyuta Samanta, having grown up in abject poverty and adversity, began practicing the art of giving as early as the age of five—when he himself had little to give. This lifelong commitment to selfless giving transformed into a mission, and on 17th May 2013, he formally launched the philosophy of Art of Giving as a global movement. Since then, 17th May has been celebrated every year as the International Day of Art of Giving, with each year focusing on a specific theme.
Every year, Art of Giving selects a new theme that aligns with contemporary needs and emotional resonances. It started in 2014 with themes around Society, Spirituality, and Humanity. In 2015, the theme was Kompassion: The Garment Bank, which urged people to donate old clothes to those in need.
During the challenging pandemic period of 2020, the theme was AOG Fights Corona, focusing on supporting frontline workers and affected families. In 2021, My Mother My Hero became a deeply emotional campaign where participants wrote letters of gratitude to their mothers. In 2024, the theme Let's AOG broadened the idea of universal participation. And now in 2025, as AOG in its 12th edition compassion, the theme is Neighbour Good – Bringing Good to the Neighbourhood.
This year's theme focuses on taking kindness to the most immediate circle, our neighbours and local community. From 2nd to 16th May, people around the world observed the Fortnight of Happiness, by engaging in small, meaningful gestures—sharing snacks or tea, visiting elderly neighbours, organising apartment meetups, or participating in neighbourhood events. On 17th May, grand celebrations will take place globally.
Art of Giving has grown exponentially in the last decade. Today, the AOG family includes over 2.5 million active members. Additionally, the philosophy now finds representation in over 220 national federations of the FIVB (Fédération Internationale de Volleyball), extending its values through sports and youth movements worldwide.
Though AOG was formally launched in 2013, its values are timeless. Charity, or 'daan,' has always been central to Indian culture. Every major religion—Islam's zakat, Christianity's charity, Buddhism's acts of compassion, Jainism's saving lives and spreading knowledge, Judaism's tzedakah, and Zoroastrianism's call to fight poverty as a moral duty upholds giving as sacred. What Prof. Samanta has done through AOG is to modernise this wisdom, remove religious and geographical filters, and build a global, inclusive, and joyful movement rooted in humanity.
** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
Art of Giving: A Global Initiative for Peace and Happiness
- CATL opens Middle East's first NING SERVICE Experience Center in Riyadh —currently the largest new energy aftermarket facility outside China.
- The facility offers comprehensive full-lifecycle after-sales support, cultivates local technical talent and accelerates the deployment of advanced electrification and energy storage solutions.
- It also functions as a regional ecosystem hub linking diverse stakeholders and resources to drive industrial synergy and sustainable growth.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Jan. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- On January 10, 2026, CATL opened the Middle East's first and currently the largest new energy aftermarket facility outside China—the NING SERVICE Experience Center in Riyadh—strengthening its after-sales presence in the Middle East and supporting the region's shift toward cleaner energy systems.
The opening comes as Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East advance ambitious electrification and decarbonization goals under Vision 2030 and similar national initiatives. Taking Saudi Arabia as an example, The Kingdom has set a goal to transition 30% of all vehicles in Riyadh to electric by 2030, as part of a larger strategy to reduce emissions in the capital city by 50%. Sustainability policies are also driving the shift to electric equipment, such as promoting the use of electric forklifts, while encouraging the use of green energy on farms under the Saudi Green Initiative. However, progress is tempered by persistent challenges, including longstanding oil dependency, surging electricity demand, extreme climatic conditions, and limited charging and service infrastructure.
Strategically designed to overcome these obstacles, the Riyadh facility offers comprehensive full-lifecycle after-sales support, cultivates local technical talent and accelerates the deployment of advanced electrification and energy storage solutions.
Covering more than 7,000 square meters, the Riyadh center combines exhibition areas, diagnostics and maintenance zones, refurbishment facilities, training spaces, and a customer lounge. It is designed to serve not only as a localized service hub for the region and a showcase of CATL's system-level capabilities across electric mobility, energy storage, and intelligent electrification, but also as a platform that links diverse resources, fostering industrial synergy across the ecosystem.
A full-lifecycle approach to new energy services
Relying on CATL's deep R&D and extreme manufacturing capabilities, NING SERVICE Experience Center provides customers with full-lifecycle services that encompass battery diagnostics, repair, maintenance, rework, training, recycling, aftermarket logistics and warehousing. Its services span over seven major product categories—from passenger and commercial vehicles to energy storage systems—along with diverse repair scenarios, setting a new benchmark for new energy service delivery in the region.
Leveraging CATL's advanced diagnostics and repair expertise, along with established service processes, the center's comprehensive after-sales services
helps enterprise customers reduce downtime, lower maintenance costs, and extend asset life, providing greater certainty around long-term performance and residual value while reducing long-term ownership costs and delivering more cost-effective and reliable services for end users.
Advancing localized operations and capability building
The Riyadh center serves as a key platform for CATL's localized operations in the Middle East, supporting talent development and long-term local value creation. Through dedicated training facilities, CATL builds after-sales and technical expertise in the new energy sector, contributing to skilled employment and knowledge transfer across the Middle East. Globally, NING SERVICE operates 10 training centers, totalling 2,300 square meters, and has certified more than 9,700 new energy after-sales professionals through partnerships with vocational institutions.
Beyond talent development, CATL is deepening its localization strategy by reinforcing local infrastructure and building ecosystem partnerships. CATL is in discussion with top-tier local industry players—including fuel network operators to rapidly provide green electricity to gas stations and major infrastructure companies to electrify their truck fleets, as well as energy companies to deploy solar-plus-storage solutions.
These initiatives not only bolster CATL's local service capabilities and market confidence, but also by enabling key partners, jointly drive the scaled adoption of comprehensive new energy solutions across the Middle East.
"As a leading energy company in Saudi Arabia, we see tremendous opportunities in energy transformation. For instance, we plan to deploy solar-plus-storage solutions at our gas stations and electrify forklifts to reduce reliance on oil. We look forward to collaborating with top players like CATL to drive this transition forward," said Ahmed Ibrahim，Assistant General Manager For Procurement of Al Drees, a leading provider of petroleum and logistics services in Saudi Arabia.
"The launch of CATL's Riyadh aftermarket flagship underscores our shared commitment to driving the global energy transition. This milestone not only reflects the growing demand for sustainable solutions in Saudi Arabia but also embodies our collective vision for a cleaner, electrified future. As the investor behind the experience centre, we are confident that this partnership will accelerate electrification and strengthen the region's role in advancing the energy transition." said Lin Chaofan, CEO of F4S.
Part of a global network
The Saudi Arabia opening builds on CATL's global service footprint, which includes more than 1,200 professional service stations across 76 countries and 73 spare-parts warehouses worldwide. CATL ranks No. 1 globally in spare parts inventory stocked with 100% genuine parts, with a total warehouse area of more than 370,000 square meters. To date, NING SERVICE has supported more than six million electric vehicles, providing professional after-sales services for passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, and energy storage customers.
A long-term commitment to the Middle East
Bruce Li, President of Quality System, Aftermarket Business, Battery Management System Department at CATL, said the Riyadh center reflects a strategic, long-term view of the region.
"Our decision to establish this center in Riyadh is not only a commercial choice, but a long-term commitment," Li said. "As the first NING SERVICE Experience Center in the Middle East, it is more than a service facility. It is a new energy aftermarket ecosystem hub that brings together advanced technology, professional training, and industry collaboration—effectively connecting diverse stakeholders and resources to foster deeper synergy and sustainable growth across the region. Starting from here, CATL will continue to expand its after-sales service network across the Middle East, align closely with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, and support the region's energy transition through a reliable, end-to-end service system."
As the Middle East accelerates its shift toward electrification and energy storage adoption, CATL's expanded NING SERVICE presence is poised to deliver the technical reliability and sustained partnerships essential for this transformation.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Jan. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- On January 10, 2026, CATL opened the Middle East's first and currently the largest new energy aftermarket facility outside China—the NING SERVICE Experience Center in Riyadh—strengthening its after-sales presence in the Middle East and supporting the region's shift toward cleaner energy systems.
The opening comes as Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East advance ambitious electrification and decarbonization goals under Vision 2030 and similar national initiatives. Taking Saudi Arabia as an example, The Kingdom has set a goal to transition 30% of all vehicles in Riyadh to electric by 2030, as part of a larger strategy to reduce emissions in the capital city by 50%. Sustainability policies are also driving the shift to electric equipment, such as promoting the use of electric forklifts, while encouraging the use of green energy on farms under the Saudi Green Initiative. However, progress is tempered by persistent challenges, including longstanding oil dependency, surging electricity demand, extreme climatic conditions, and limited charging and service infrastructure.
Strategically designed to overcome these obstacles, the Riyadh facility offers comprehensive full-lifecycle after-sales support, cultivates local technical talent and accelerates the deployment of advanced electrification and energy storage solutions.
Covering more than 7,000 square meters, the Riyadh center combines exhibition areas, diagnostics and maintenance zones, refurbishment facilities, training spaces, and a customer lounge. It is designed to serve not only as a localized service hub for the region and a showcase of CATL's system-level capabilities across electric mobility, energy storage, and intelligent electrification, but also as a platform that links diverse resources, fostering industrial synergy across the ecosystem.
A full-lifecycle approach to new energy services
Relying on CATL's deep R&D and extreme manufacturing capabilities, NING SERVICE Experience Center provides customers with full-lifecycle services that encompass battery diagnostics, repair, maintenance, rework, training, recycling, aftermarket logistics and warehousing. Its services span over seven major product categories—from passenger and commercial vehicles to energy storage systems—along with diverse repair scenarios, setting a new benchmark for new energy service delivery in the region.
Leveraging CATL's advanced diagnostics and repair expertise, along with established service processes, the center's comprehensive after-sales services
helps enterprise customers reduce downtime, lower maintenance costs, and extend asset life, providing greater certainty around long-term performance and residual value while reducing long-term ownership costs and delivering more cost-effective and reliable services for end users.
Advancing localized operations and capability building
The Riyadh center serves as a key platform for CATL's localized operations in the Middle East, supporting talent development and long-term local value creation. Through dedicated training facilities, CATL builds after-sales and technical expertise in the new energy sector, contributing to skilled employment and knowledge transfer across the Middle East. Globally, NING SERVICE operates 10 training centers, totalling 2,300 square meters, and has certified more than 9,700 new energy after-sales professionals through partnerships with vocational institutions.
Beyond talent development, CATL is deepening its localization strategy by reinforcing local infrastructure and building ecosystem partnerships. CATL is in discussion with top-tier local industry players—including fuel network operators to rapidly provide green electricity to gas stations and major infrastructure companies to electrify their truck fleets, as well as energy companies to deploy solar-plus-storage solutions.
These initiatives not only bolster CATL's local service capabilities and market confidence, but also by enabling key partners, jointly drive the scaled adoption of comprehensive new energy solutions across the Middle East.
"As a leading energy company in Saudi Arabia, we see tremendous opportunities in energy transformation. For instance, we plan to deploy solar-plus-storage solutions at our gas stations and electrify forklifts to reduce reliance on oil. We look forward to collaborating with top players like CATL to drive this transition forward," said Ahmed Ibrahim，Assistant General Manager For Procurement of Al Drees, a leading provider of petroleum and logistics services in Saudi Arabia.
"The launch of CATL's Riyadh aftermarket flagship underscores our shared commitment to driving the global energy transition. This milestone not only reflects the growing demand for sustainable solutions in Saudi Arabia but also embodies our collective vision for a cleaner, electrified future. As the investor behind the experience centre, we are confident that this partnership will accelerate electrification and strengthen the region's role in advancing the energy transition." said Lin Chaofan, CEO of F4S.
Part of a global network
The Saudi Arabia opening builds on CATL's global service footprint, which includes more than 1,200 professional service stations across 76 countries and 73 spare-parts warehouses worldwide. CATL ranks No. 1 globally in spare parts inventory stocked with 100% genuine parts, with a total warehouse area of more than 370,000 square meters. To date, NING SERVICE has supported more than six million electric vehicles, providing professional after-sales services for passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, and energy storage customers.
A long-term commitment to the Middle East
Bruce Li, President of Quality System, Aftermarket Business, Battery Management System Department at CATL, said the Riyadh center reflects a strategic, long-term view of the region.
"Our decision to establish this center in Riyadh is not only a commercial choice, but a long-term commitment," Li said. "As the first NING SERVICE Experience Center in the Middle East, it is more than a service facility. It is a new energy aftermarket ecosystem hub that brings together advanced technology, professional training, and industry collaboration—effectively connecting diverse stakeholders and resources to foster deeper synergy and sustainable growth across the region. Starting from here, CATL will continue to expand its after-sales service network across the Middle East, align closely with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, and support the region's energy transition through a reliable, end-to-end service system."
As the Middle East accelerates its shift toward electrification and energy storage adoption, CATL's expanded NING SERVICE presence is poised to deliver the technical reliability and sustained partnerships essential for this transformation.
** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
CATL Opens Middle East's Largest New Energy Aftermarket Facility in Riyadh
CATL Opens Middle East's Largest New Energy Aftermarket Facility in Riyadh
CATL Opens Middle East's Largest New Energy Aftermarket Facility in Riyadh
