A group of young Saudi performers recently participated in a contemporary urban art show held by the Germany Embassy in Riyadh, which was aimed at bringing the two nations closer together.

The German Ambassador to the Kingdom Boris Ruge welcomed the participation of the Saudis. “When it comes to cultural work, our approach is not just to show German culture. Whenever possible, we prefer our people to come and work with local artists, share ideas and develop something new,” he said.

“We want to do this not just in the traditional and classical fields but also in contemporary arts. In a country where half the population is under the age of 25 that seems like a smart thing to do,” he said.

Ruge cited some examples of cooperation in the country recently, including a Hip-Hop Jam at the German Consulate in Jeddah in 2014, and a street art workshop in the same city last week.

The Riyadh show included three hours of non-rhythmic urban acrobatic and gymnastic movements, presented by a group of 22 members, mostly Saudis, and two German artists, the German Deputy Head of Mission Michael Ohnmacht told Arab News.

A major part of the show was the performance of one German artist who spoke about the dangers of racism. “One of my grandfather’s brothers fought in World War II and was a military leader, and the other joined an extremist Nazi organization,” the performer said.

“Today, my grandfather and my brothers are very proud of me, although I have one parent of color. This is proof that change can happen anywhere, as it has happened in Germany, where racism has been replaced by open-mindedness,” he said.