TABUK/DAMMAM, 16 December — Prince Sultan, second deputy premier and minister of defense and aviation, will inaugurate a number of cultural and charity projects ready for commissioning in the Tabuk region this week.
The projects, built at a cost of more than SR100 million, will become cultural landmarks of the region, Tabuk Governor Prince Fahd ibn Sultan said in a statement to Saudi Press Agency yesterday.
The first phase of a charitable housing project launched by Prince Sultan Foundation in Tabuk city is one of the projects to be opened on Tuesday. Keys of 30 villas completed in the first phase will be handed over to beneficiaries, carefully selected from the poor families in the region, at a function at the project site. Another 70 villas will be completed and handed over to deserving people within a few months, Prince Fahd said.
The housing compound will have all amenities such as schools, mosques and entertainment facilities.
Another project to be opened by Prince Sultan is Prince Sultan Cultural Center, which has been built according to the latest international architectural standards.
“The center, which will be the pride of every Saudi citizen, has been named after Prince Sultan as he had agreed to cover three-fourths of the cost of construction,” said Prince Fahd. The center aims at developing the cultural, literary and social talents of the people in the region.
Prince Sultan will also open Prince Fahd ibn Sultan Social Center. This center will provide facilities for the younger generation to usefully utilize their spare time.
Prince Sultan will arrive in Dammam later Tuesday to take part in Eid festivities organized by the armed forces.
Eastern Province Governor Prince Muhammad ibn Fahd and his deputy Prince Saud ibn Naif will accompany Prince Sultan to a civic reception at the Dammam Corniche on Wednesday. He will also be the chief guest at a fireworks show that will form part of the Eid celebrations on the same day. Wednesday morning, Prince Sultan will visit King Abdul Aziz Airbase in Dhahran, where he will inaugurate a new facility. On Thursday he will visit a charitable organization. The prince will remain in the Eastern Province until Saturday.
Meanwhile, the festivities committee said Eid celebrations would be organized at several points in the Eastern Province. There will be cultural shows at Half Moon Beach as well as fireworks from Tuesday onward on both Dammam Corniche and Alkhobar Corniche. An official of the committee said the program at Half Moon Beach has been designed to address the expatriate audience as well.
The Civil Defense department is geared up to meet any incident that may occur in the region. Director General of the Civil Defense in the Eastern Province, Abdullah M. Al-Gharsa, said four divisions of firemen will be posted at both Dammam and Alkhobar. The personnel will constantly patrol the areas.
