Jamia Millia Islamia Alumni Association (JMIAA) Riyadh hosted a colorful literary and cultural evening alongside their Eid Al-Fitr get together providing an ideal platform for the alumni from across the Kingdom to exchange greetings and good wishes among each other.

In his welcome address Ghizal Mahdi, JMIAA president said: “Maintaining the established tradition of our association, we are celebrating the auspicious occasion with gaiety, despite the depressing global events besieging the entire humanity.”

He added that Eid is the occasion on which the benign human spirit must triumph and rise in spite of the horrors of war and carnage taking place in Gaza.

Mahdi welcomed the participants and stressed the need to strengthen social platforms in order to pool their resources and motivate people to render support to the needy and deprived sections. He also underscored how a small group of Jamiaites has grown in strength in the last six years and is now numbering over 250 members.

He maintained that “one of our main achievements is that new members are not homesick as the association makes them feel at home.”

He also requested the Jamiaites, employed in various cities of the Kingdom to send their contact details to include their name in the directory, which will be released during the Jamia foundation day celebration.

The event was attended by 150 alumni and their families from across the Kingdom on Friday.

The program commenced with a recitation of the verses from the Holy Qur’an by Mohammad Wisam Najeeb.

The evening was then lit up with the Baitbazee (poetry recitation), where two teams led by Shabbir Nadwi and Haroon Qasmi competed with each other in reciting poetic couplets and verses.

The lively exchange of couplets regaled the audience.

Notably, the sufferings of the Palestinians found special attention in the poetry recitation.

JMIAA general secretary Abid Aqueel read some couplets of the famous Indian poet Basheer Badar in his melodious voice.

The program was conducted by Abdurrahman while the vote of thanks was proposed by JMIAA vice president Ghayasuddin.

Najeeb Qasmi conducted the literary program for children, who were presented with gifts.