RIYADH: The Kingdom’s cultural attaché in the United States, Mohammed Al-Issa, has called on all Saudi scholarship students to stay away from political and religious controversies.

“Focus on your studies and on your main goal, which is to earn academic degrees and return home to contribute to the country’s development,” he said.

Al-Issa made the statement in an address to Saudi students during a ceremony organized by the Saudi Club, headed by Majid Al-Anzi, at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland.

“You should do your level best and be good ambassadors of good will on behalf of your country. You should project a positive image that bespeaks well of the Kingdom,” he said.

In September last year, Al-Issa met with Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman during his visit to Washington D.C. Accompanied by a group of outstanding Saudi students, Al-Issa reassured King Salman on the situations of Saudi students.

He stressed the importance of the diversity of the students’ specialties and keenness on education to serve their country and people effectively after graduation.

The king expressed his pride on the academic excellence of the students, stressing that they should display a good image while in the United States, “which is linked with Saudi Arabia in a longstanding and developed friendship.”

King Salman awarded all students in the United States with scholarships. They were included in the Custodian of Two Holy Mosques Program for Scholarship Students.

In an earlier report, Al-Issa cited statistics to say that there are 125,513 male and female students on scholarships in the United States.

Official killed

In a tragic event, A Saudi consulate official was killed Wednesday when a drunk driver drove onto a pavement and crashed into him.

Yaser bin Hayef Al-Muteiri was standing on a pavement with Fares Hamoud Al-Enizi and student Abdullah Abed Al-Nimri when the incident happened. Al-Enizi and Al-Nimri suffered light to moderate injuries.

The consulate has started processing the formal procedures with the American authorities, and has sent its condolences to the deceased man's family on behalf of the foreign minister and Saudi ambassador.