JEDDAH: “Yes, we (Saudis) are Najd, and we are Hejaz. We have got glory in here, and over there, we have got glory. And, we are the Arabian Peninsula that honorable generous individuals and fearless lions have sacrificed themselves for,” says a poem penned by the Saudi novelist Ghazi Al-Gosaibi.
The glory is only an element of limitless honorable criterions the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia holds and is commemorated and celebrated on the Saudi National day.
Ever since King Abdulaziz announced the proclamation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Sept. 23, 1932, the 23rd day of September is marked as the Saudi National day, a day that is commemorated and celebrated by everyone as they remember the unification of the Kingdom at the hands of King Abdulaziz and recall its profound history, manifold achievements and sustained progress.
A retired Saudi officer, Abed Al-Dossari in his mid-50s, told Arab News that the glory of the Kingdom has been made by the blood of those who founded the Kingdom, those who defended it with their lives, those who contributed to its development and prosperity, and made it one of the most influential countries on the world map today.
Al-Dossari added: “On the National Day, we celebrate the safety and security of our Kingdom.”
He further reflected, “… and this celebration is not only restricted to one day a year, but we must celebrate everyday by working hard and constructively participating in the development and prosperity of the Kingdom.”
Ahmed Al-Ghamdi, a Saudi school teacher, said that Saudi Arabia provides public schools from elementary to high school free of tuition fees for every resident of Saudi Arabia, and Saudi nationals could study up to the PhD level in public universities that are spread across the Kingdom.
He said that the Saudi government even goes farther to provide the citizens full scholarships to private local and international higher education institutions.
Al-Ghamdi followed by saying: “For a country that makes such enormous efforts to educate and increase the level of people’s knowledge level must be commemorated and celebrated, and the National Day is the day that people should show their appreciation of the Kingdom.”
Salwa Hatam, a Saudi university student, said: “Our country provides a great deal of humanitarian aid to a lot of people in desperate need all over the World. Along with that, Saudi Arabia has been making a lot of diplomatic and physical efforts to put an end to the conflicts in Palestine, Syria and Yemen.”
Hatam added: “Such a thoughtful action of Saudi Arabia makes me very proud of being a Saudi.”
Moreover, Saudi school teacher Majid Al-Khulaifi told Arab News: “The Kingdom’s glory has been contributed to by those who humbly took the responsibility to serve the two most important religious sites for all Muslims — the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, and serve the pilgrims and visitors.”
Al-Khulaifi added: “The Saudi National Day is an opportunity to show the love and appreciation of Saudi Arabia, the country, the people and the government… Therefore, the National Day should be celebrated not only by Saudis but rather by everyone who is a resident or who has something to do with the Kingdom.”
Al-Khulaifi said: “So, when we see these locally or individually organized people in their cars or as pedestrians of different backgrounds singing and dancing to national songs on streets all over the Kingdom on the National Day and in the night before, we get a glimpse of how much this country is valued and loved.”
On the other hand, Saad Al-Hamad, a Kuwaiti, said: “The Saudi National Day is truly a day of commemoration and celebration for everyone has visited or lived any time or residing now in the Kingdom for work, study or as a refugee, and experienced the warm reception and generosity of the Saudis.”
Al-Hamad, who comes from a Kuwaiti family that witnessed the Gulf War, said: “Every time my father tells me and my siblings about the brutal Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990-1991, he speaks extensively on the generous welcome and hospitality of the Kingdom’s government and people extended to the Kuwaiti refugees… he would mention how Saudi families welcomed Kuwaitis in their houses and shared food with them.”
He added: “… So when my family or other Kuwaiti families celebrate the Saudi National day, we are really celebrating the national day of our country.”
Aisha Fareed, a resident of Saudi Arabia, said: “I may not be a Saudi by origin, but I was born and raised here and became one of its people.”
Freed, who was also born on Sept. 23, said: “So, it’s Happy National Day and Happy Birthday to me. I’ll have a double celebration this year and get a green birthday cake.”
An Indian hairstylist, who has worked in Jeddah for nearly five years, Saabiq Muhammad, remarked: “I like the Saudi National day here. The National Day is a happy occasion where a lot of people play music from their cars and dance in the street, and the Saudi flags turn the environment into green.
Siraj Muhammad Ahmed, a Sudanese teacher in a private school in Jeddah, said: “I do celebrate and ccommemorate it; after all, Saudi Arabia has been a home for me and my family for the past several years.”
Ahmed added: “The Kingdom has the two holiest Islamic sites — the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque — and so commemorating and celebrating the National Day becomes a considered duty of every Muslim.”
Ali Abdulrahman, a Yemeni expatriate working in the Kingdom for more than 10 years, said: “The Saudi National day is a national day for all Arabs and Muslims as it is the leader and the main defender of both the Arabic and the Islamic Worlds from any external threats.”
The Saudi National day is also a national holiday.
Additionally, the Ministry of Civil Service has announced that if the National day comes on a Friday, then Thursday will be a day off for schools, government institutions and private businesses.
However, if it falls on a Saturday, the day off will be the following Sunday.
The glory is only an element of limitless honorable criterions the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia holds and is commemorated and celebrated on the Saudi National day.
Ever since King Abdulaziz announced the proclamation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Sept. 23, 1932, the 23rd day of September is marked as the Saudi National day, a day that is commemorated and celebrated by everyone as they remember the unification of the Kingdom at the hands of King Abdulaziz and recall its profound history, manifold achievements and sustained progress.
A retired Saudi officer, Abed Al-Dossari in his mid-50s, told Arab News that the glory of the Kingdom has been made by the blood of those who founded the Kingdom, those who defended it with their lives, those who contributed to its development and prosperity, and made it one of the most influential countries on the world map today.
Al-Dossari added: “On the National Day, we celebrate the safety and security of our Kingdom.”
He further reflected, “… and this celebration is not only restricted to one day a year, but we must celebrate everyday by working hard and constructively participating in the development and prosperity of the Kingdom.”
Ahmed Al-Ghamdi, a Saudi school teacher, said that Saudi Arabia provides public schools from elementary to high school free of tuition fees for every resident of Saudi Arabia, and Saudi nationals could study up to the PhD level in public universities that are spread across the Kingdom.
He said that the Saudi government even goes farther to provide the citizens full scholarships to private local and international higher education institutions.
Al-Ghamdi followed by saying: “For a country that makes such enormous efforts to educate and increase the level of people’s knowledge level must be commemorated and celebrated, and the National Day is the day that people should show their appreciation of the Kingdom.”
Salwa Hatam, a Saudi university student, said: “Our country provides a great deal of humanitarian aid to a lot of people in desperate need all over the World. Along with that, Saudi Arabia has been making a lot of diplomatic and physical efforts to put an end to the conflicts in Palestine, Syria and Yemen.”
Hatam added: “Such a thoughtful action of Saudi Arabia makes me very proud of being a Saudi.”
Moreover, Saudi school teacher Majid Al-Khulaifi told Arab News: “The Kingdom’s glory has been contributed to by those who humbly took the responsibility to serve the two most important religious sites for all Muslims — the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, and serve the pilgrims and visitors.”
Al-Khulaifi added: “The Saudi National Day is an opportunity to show the love and appreciation of Saudi Arabia, the country, the people and the government… Therefore, the National Day should be celebrated not only by Saudis but rather by everyone who is a resident or who has something to do with the Kingdom.”
Al-Khulaifi said: “So, when we see these locally or individually organized people in their cars or as pedestrians of different backgrounds singing and dancing to national songs on streets all over the Kingdom on the National Day and in the night before, we get a glimpse of how much this country is valued and loved.”
On the other hand, Saad Al-Hamad, a Kuwaiti, said: “The Saudi National Day is truly a day of commemoration and celebration for everyone has visited or lived any time or residing now in the Kingdom for work, study or as a refugee, and experienced the warm reception and generosity of the Saudis.”
Al-Hamad, who comes from a Kuwaiti family that witnessed the Gulf War, said: “Every time my father tells me and my siblings about the brutal Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990-1991, he speaks extensively on the generous welcome and hospitality of the Kingdom’s government and people extended to the Kuwaiti refugees… he would mention how Saudi families welcomed Kuwaitis in their houses and shared food with them.”
He added: “… So when my family or other Kuwaiti families celebrate the Saudi National day, we are really celebrating the national day of our country.”
Aisha Fareed, a resident of Saudi Arabia, said: “I may not be a Saudi by origin, but I was born and raised here and became one of its people.”
Freed, who was also born on Sept. 23, said: “So, it’s Happy National Day and Happy Birthday to me. I’ll have a double celebration this year and get a green birthday cake.”
An Indian hairstylist, who has worked in Jeddah for nearly five years, Saabiq Muhammad, remarked: “I like the Saudi National day here. The National Day is a happy occasion where a lot of people play music from their cars and dance in the street, and the Saudi flags turn the environment into green.
Siraj Muhammad Ahmed, a Sudanese teacher in a private school in Jeddah, said: “I do celebrate and ccommemorate it; after all, Saudi Arabia has been a home for me and my family for the past several years.”
Ahmed added: “The Kingdom has the two holiest Islamic sites — the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque — and so commemorating and celebrating the National Day becomes a considered duty of every Muslim.”
Ali Abdulrahman, a Yemeni expatriate working in the Kingdom for more than 10 years, said: “The Saudi National day is a national day for all Arabs and Muslims as it is the leader and the main defender of both the Arabic and the Islamic Worlds from any external threats.”
The Saudi National day is also a national holiday.
Additionally, the Ministry of Civil Service has announced that if the National day comes on a Friday, then Thursday will be a day off for schools, government institutions and private businesses.
However, if it falls on a Saturday, the day off will be the following Sunday.
