JEDDAH, 13 July 2007 — The World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY) recently organized a variety of Islamic recreational programs as part of the Jeddah Summer Festival. The programs were held at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), according to Dr. Mohammed Badahdah, secretary-general of WAMY.
“For the fourth consecutive year we are taking part in the festival by holding a variety of Islamic, cultural and educational programs,” Badahdah told Arab News. He added that groups of singers as well as poets from Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries took part in the program, which attracted a large number of people.
The Jeddah Summer Festival is organized by the JCCI and the 45-day festival is expected to attract three million tourists and holidaymakers from within Saudi Arabia and neighboring Arab and Gulf countries.
A total of 210 programs — including 85 recreational activities, 20 sports games and 19 cultural programs — are to be held during the festival.
The Jeddah Summer Festival is one of the major annual events in the Kingdom. Large crowds of tourists and holidaymakers attend the festival every year. Jeddah has many tourist attractions, including its 100-km developed coastline, museums, historical sites and recreational centers for families and children.
In a related development, WAMY organized a tour program for a group of 50 Canadian Muslims from the Islamic Center in the City of London, Ontario. The two-week program included a visit to Makkah for Umrah and to the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah in addition to a tour of major historical, cultural monuments and tourist attractions in the Kingdom.
“The program aims to strengthen the relation of Muslim youth in the West with their religion and culture and promote friendship between Saudi and Canadian people,” Badahdah told Arab News.
WAMY held a reception in honor of the Canadian group, which included 21 women, and gave them Islamic books in English, published by the organization.
According to official statistics, there are more than 650,000 Muslims in Canada, who account for two percent of the country’s population. Muslims play an important role in the country’s cultural, political, educational and business activities.
