US Embassy marks 247th Independence Day in Riyadh

Special US Embassy marks 247th Independence Day in Riyadh
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The US embassy said that the Route 66 theme celebrates America’s connectedness, diversity and advancement through innovation. (Supplied)
Special US Embassy marks 247th Independence Day in Riyadh
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The embassy said that the Route 66 theme celebrates America’s connectedness, diversity and advancement through innovation
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Updated 15 February 2023

US Embassy marks 247th Independence Day in Riyadh

US Embassy marks 247th Independence Day in Riyadh
  • US Independence Day is celebrated annually on July 4, but Feb. 14 was chosen as a day to celebrate the first meeting between King Abdulaziz and President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1945
  • Denison Offutt: Tonight’s theme is Route 66, the most famous of America’s highways. It stretches 2,400 miles, 3,800 km across two-thirds of the North American continent

RIYADH: The US Embassy in Riyadh celebrated US Independence Day on Tuesday at Quincy house by taking visitors on a journey through America’s history and culture. 

“Tonight’s theme is Route 66, the most famous of America’s highways. It stretches 2,400 miles, 3,800 km across two-thirds of the North American continent,” Denison Offutt, charge d’affaires of the US Embassy said.

US Independence Day is celebrated annually on July 4, but Feb. 14 was chosen as a day to celebrate the first meeting between King Abdulaziz and President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1945.

“Feb. 14 marks another piece of history, the faithful meeting of a king and a president, between Franklin D. Roosevelt and His Majesty King Abdulaziz aboard the USS Quincy, in a day that changed history,” Daniel Benaim, US deputy assistant secretary of state for Arabian Peninsula affairs, said.

“Saudi Arabia is a country that is barreling ahead into the future impatiently, excitingly and excitedly, and we are proud to be a part of that story of progress,” Benaim said.

The embassy said that the Route 66 theme celebrates America’s connectedness, diversity and advancement through innovation, all of which have been and will remain characteristics of the US-Saudi relationship.

Guests at the celebration were taken through four cities along the Route 66 highway, including Chicago, St. Louis, Albuquerque and Los Angeles, highlighting their food, culture, architecture, history and music, in addition to a display of vintage American automobiles.

“Route 66 tells the story of an America in motion from the 1930s to the 1960s. This is also the timeframe of the bilateral relationship between Saudi Arabia and the US began and was nurtured,” the charge d’affaires said.

“What is unique about Route 66 is that it connected existing roads that existed throughout the US in small and large towns in America.”

Guest of honor during the reception was Abdulmajeed Alsmari, acting undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Protocol Affairs.


OIC praises Saudi Arabia’s continuous support to empowering women

OIC praises Saudi Arabia’s continuous support to empowering women
Updated 12 sec ago

OIC praises Saudi Arabia’s continuous support to empowering women

OIC praises Saudi Arabia’s continuous support to empowering women

CAIRO: The Organization of Islamic Cooperation expressed its appreciation and gratitude to Saudi Arabia for its continued support for women’s empowerment and generous patronage that enables the OIC to carry out its work in all fields to the fullest, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday.
The comments were made by Tarig Ali Bakheet, assistant secretary-general for humanitarian, social and cultural Affairs, on behalf of the head of the organization, Hissein Brahim Taha, during a high-level session of the Women Development Organization in the OIC member states in Cairo.
He praised the offer made by the Kingdom to host an international conference on women’s rights in Islam, in coordination with the OIC, with the aim of clarifying the rights and responsibilities guaranteed to them, especially the right to education and work, in accordance with the teachings of Islam.
Bakheet called for defending women’s rights in education, training and work, and employing their capabilities in social and practical life in member states, including economy, trade, and political and economic decision-making.
He stressed that the OIC harnesses all its capabilities to support the WDO to achieve its desired goals, praising the efforts of the team for the goals they set to empower women in the Arab and Islamic world.


Saudi minister of foreign affairs meets French counterpart

Saudi minister of foreign affairs meets French counterpart
Updated 19 min ago

Saudi minister of foreign affairs meets French counterpart

Saudi minister of foreign affairs meets French counterpart

RIYADH: Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan met his French counterpart Catherine Colonna on Thursday, on the sidelines of the ministerial meeting of the Global Coalition against Daesh in Riyadh.

They reviewed the strong relations between the Kingdom and France, and ways to enhance ties in various fields.

The two ministers also discussed the latest developments in the international arena and addressed prominent topics at the ministerial meeting.

The undersecretary of the Saudi Foreign Ministry for political affairs, Ambassador Saud Al-Sati, also attended the meeting.

 

 

 


Qassim police arrest man over alleged drugs offenses

Qassim police arrest man over alleged drugs offenses
Updated 31 min 18 sec ago

Qassim police arrest man over alleged drugs offenses

Qassim police arrest man over alleged drugs offenses
  • He was also found to be in possession of firearms, live ammunition, mobile phones, and large sums of money

RASS: Police officers in Rass governorate in the Qassim region have arrested a man for allegedly attempting to sell hashish, amphetamines, and narcotic tablets.

He was also found to be in possession of firearms, live ammunition, mobile phones, and large sums of money. His case has been referred to legal authorities.

Anyone with information concerning drug smuggling or trafficking can report it by calling 911 in Makkah, Riyadh, and eastern regions of Saudi Arabia, and 999 in the rest of the Kingdom.
 


European film festival underway at Riyadh’s Sahara Mall 

European film festival underway at Riyadh’s Sahara Mall 
Updated 39 min 14 sec ago

European film festival underway at Riyadh’s Sahara Mall 

European film festival underway at Riyadh’s Sahara Mall 

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s second European Film Festival is being held at VOX Cinemas Sahara Mall in Riyadh, with the screening of 16 films from different countries.

The festival, running until June 14, includes Oscar-nominee “Quiet Girl,” “I am Zlatan” by Jens Sjogren, telling the story of Swedish football star Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and “Sugar and Stars” by Riadh Belaiche, which will be screened for the first time in the Arab world at the festival. 

The event is held in cooperation with the embassies of the EU member states and Arabia Pictures Entertainment.

Patrick Simonnet, EU Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, said: “We are keen to be part of the growing cultural scene of Saudi Arabia through various events that foster cultural exchange and engage Europeans and Saudis on aspects of mutual interest such as film in this instance. 

“People-to-people engagement is an important pillar of the EU’s strategic partnership with the Gulf.”

Abdulelah Al-Ahmary, founder of Arabia Pictures Entertainment, said it was keen to make the festival “a special cinematic experience for all the film buffs in Saudi Arabia.”

The festival will also give European and Saudi filmmakers the chance to swap ideas and knowledge at dedicated side events.

Guests will include directors Nuno Beato, Sebastien Tulard and Isabel Fernandez from Portugal, France and Spain respectively, who will meet the audiences and run an open conversation with filmmakers and film enthusiasts.

All screenings and side events will take place at VOX Cinemas Sahara Mall.  The full festival list has films from Austria, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.
 


Saudi princess honored for UN-Habitat support

Saudi princess honored for UN-Habitat support
Updated 46 min 37 sec ago

Saudi princess honored for UN-Habitat support

Saudi princess honored for UN-Habitat support
  • UN-Habitat celebrated the reappointment of Princess Lamia bint Majed Al-Saud as its goodwill ambassador for the Arab region for a second term earlier this year

NAIROBI: The UN Human Settlements Programme, known as UN-Habitat, commemorated four years of cooperation with Princess Lamia bint Majed Al-Saud on Thursday.

It came at a discussion on advancing sustainable urbanization regionally, and on successful resource mobilization.

Earlier this year the UN-Habitat celebrated the reappointment of the princess as its goodwill ambassador for the Arab region for a second term.

The ceremony took place during the second session of the UN-Habitat Assembly in Nairobi, Kenya, where the princess participated in a side event discussing peace, development and humanitarian action in Yemen. The princess also engaged in a number of bilateral meetings, discussing future areas of cooperation.

“Being here today with our partner UN-Habitat will support our efforts to address issues around urbanization and its implications on societies, economies and environments,” the princess said. “We promise to continue building bridges for a more compassionate, tolerant and accepting future along with our key partners.”

The princess has supported UN-Habitat achieve a number of milestones, specifically through advocating for key urban areas through attending high-level events and highlighting key topics relevant to urbanization. She aims to mobilize resources and has supported important projects in the region, spanning Iraq, Palestine, Sudan, Yemen, Syria and Tunisia.

Princess Lamia “has successfully contributed to the resource mobilization and support, through AlWaleed Philanthropies, of crucial projects in the region, targeting COVID-19 response, housing for the most vulnerable groups and waste management,” Rania Hedeya, UN-Habitat regional representative for the Arab Region, said. “Her support enables UN-Habitat to reach various audiences and bring attention to urbanization topics in the regional and international agendas.”

The UN Habitat Assembly is the UN’s highest-level legislative body on sustainable urbanization and human settlements, comprised of 193 member states. The assembly convenes every four years by UN-Habitat and provides a platform for member states and stakeholders to share their views and adopt guidelines and recommendations to progress toward achieving sustainable urban development.