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February 24, 2006 |
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KING ABDULLAH CONDEMNS THE IDEA OF CLASHES OF CIVILIZATIONS AND CALLS ON ARAB THINKERS AND MUSLIMS TO EXERT ALL THEIR EFFORTS AND POTENTIALITIES FOR THE SERVICE OF THEIR RELIGION, HOMELANDS, SONS AND ARAB AND MUSLIM NATIONS. KING ABDUL AZIZ FOUNDATION FOR RESEARCH AND ARCHIVES ISSUES A DOCUMENTARY BOOK ON THE CUSTODIAN OF THE TWO HOLY MOSQUES. CUSTODIAN OF THE TWO HOLY MOSQUES KING ABDULLAH IBN ABDUL AZIZ PATRONIZES THE SAUDI ARDHA - MEN FOLK DANCE. SR7.5 MILLION ALLOCATED FOR FOOD AID TO VICTIMS OF PAKISTAN'S EARTHQUAKE AND A MESSAGE FROM THE KING IS DELIVERED TO THE INDIAN PRIME MINISTER. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz inaugurated the 21st Janadriya Festival, which began with an impressive camel race attended by 600 contestants from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries. "The festival has now become one of the landmarks of this country," said Prince Miteb Ibn Abdullah, Assistant Deputy Commander of the National Guard for military affairs. Prince Miteb said the festival, which started in 1985, was the brainchild of King Abdullah. "He initiated the national heritage and cultural festival to go along with the annual camel race," he told the gathering of a large number of Saudi and foreign dignitaries. "Unity of the Arab and Islamic Ummah" is the title of this year's festival. "Every year the festival gives an award, the King Abdul Aziz Medal of the First Order, to an outstanding Saudi cultural personality," he said. Abdullah Abdul Jabbar, a well-known Saudi man of letters who hails from Makkah, won the award this year. Muhammad Al-Arabi received the medal from King Abdullah on behalf of Abdul Jabbar. Abdul Jabbar was among the first batch of Saudis to receive a university degree in the Kingdom. He also established and managed the first Saudi school in the UK before dedicating his life to literature. He played an important role in developing secondary school education in the country. The mufti of Lebanon Muhammad Ali Judo gave a speech on behalf of the intellectuals attending the event. The mufti lauded the efforts of King Abdullah to defend the issues that concern the Muslim Ummah, saying that whenever a threat posed, "there was nobody better than the House of Saud to come to the defense of Islam." Judo called for the unity and solidarity of Muslims in the world, saying that it was for a long time that Muslims put aside their differences and united under one flag that represented Islamic faith with Quran as its holy book and Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Him) its messenger. "We and all Muslims of the world follow and appreciate the efforts you exert in the service of Islam. And your call made at the Islamic Summit held in Makkah is proof to that cause. This resembles the great burden put on your shoulders," he said. An opera performed by over 1,300 artists from all over the Kingdom was one of the main attractions of the opening day. Four of the top singers in Saudi Arabia took the main chorus: Muhammad Abdu, Rashed Al-Majed, Abbas Ibrahim and Abdul Majeed Abdullah. This year's opera was under the slogan "homage and unity." Representing the different cultures and traditions in the Kingdom, performers took to the stage and presented a variety of folklore dances, beginning with Najdi and then Najrani, the Eastern Province dance, the Asiri and the finale, the Makkan dance. Fifty young girls and boys sang "Baba Abdullah", which was a first in the history of the festival where children from both sexes sang together on one platform. The king applauded the performance of the young artists. King Abdullah shared the momentum of the dancing crowds as he got up from his chair and began to sing with them waving his sword high as the famous Najdi "Arda" song was played. Guests of honor were Sheikh Saeed Ibn Zayed Al-Nahayan, head of ports in the United Arab Emirates, and Sheikh Muhammad Ibn Eisa Al-Khalifa, head of the National Guard in Bahrain. Also attending were senior princes and other top Saudi officials. The camel race, which covered 19 km and lasted for an hour, began to pick up pace as several of the camels approached the finishing line. Finishing first was "Markhan", belonging to Ozayiz Al-Qurashi. "Hajr" came in second place, owned by Muhammad Al-Dosari, and "Muhajim" came in third place, owned by Fahad Al-Subaei. Winners were presented cars as gifts from the organizing committee. The Saudi Binladin Group also offered two jeeps for the first and second place winners. Sheikh Khalifa presented the winner of the first place with a golden sword, the winner of the second place with a golden dagger and the third place winner with a silver dagger. Mark Howell from the US Army Central Command in Kuwait, one of the international figures that attended the camel race, said that it was the first time he attended such an event in the Kingdom. "It was fantastic what I saw in the event, particularly the camel race which for me was the best," said Howell. He said that he noticed as he was watching the race how many camels were exhausted halfway due to the length of the race as only small numbers from the original number that first participated showed up at the same time at the finish line. Prince Mashari Ibn Saud, Deputy Head of the National Guard in the Eastern Province, said that the speeches and folklore activities performed in the festivity reflected the rich heritage of the Kingdom. He said that he believed the event should not be limited to just two weeks, adding that there are many suggestions to make it an event that would be open to the public all year long where citizens and residents could attend and see its cultural aspects. "There are many officials in the National Guard Organizing Committee who are working to make this event an-all-year-long one," he said. "Citizens should be aware of their past heritage and culture and the achievements made by their forefathers," he said. He said that the event could serve the national tourism interest of the Kingdom since it consisted of many folklore activities. Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz opened the 21st annual National Culture and Heritage Festival at Janadriya, with Saudi and foreign dignitaries in attendance. In a keynote address, Assistant Deputy Commander of the National Guard for Military Affairs Prince Gen. Miteb Ibn Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz remarked that King Abdullah conceived the idea for the festival 20 years ago. Prince Miteb Ibn Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Assistant Deputy Commander of the National Guard for Military Affairs and the Vice Chairman of the Higher Committee of the National Festival for Heritage and Culture Janadriya, said that the patronage of the Festival's opening ceremony by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz's, reflects the ever-lasting cohesion between the leadership and the people. Prince Miteb also said that the new thing in the folklore songs this year is the participation of children who looked like professionals although they have been trained for a short period. Answering a question about the possibility of writing the verses of the folklore songs by a female poet, he said that he would welcome whoever presents a poem and such a thing is allowed for women. Prince Miteb added that the success of the festival is attributed to the unlimited support of King Abdullah, his Crown Prince Sultan and Prince Badr Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Chairman of the Higher Committee of the National Festival for Heritage and Culture (Janadriya). Prince Miteb Ibn Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Assistant Deputy Commander of the National Guard for Military Affairs and Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Steering Committee of the Janadriya 21st annual Festival for National Heritage and Culture, inaugurated the festival's cultural activities at the Riyadh intercontinental hotel. At the venue, he was received by Minister of Culture and Information Iyad bin Amin Madani, and a number of officials. Key speeches and poetry were delivered at the event. In remarks to the press following the opening ceremony, Prince Miteb said the mission of Janadriya festival is clear and apparent as we extend love for all and acceptance to hold dialogue with every body. He said the Kingdom, home of Islam's two holy mosques, is keen to protect the religion of freedom. He drew the attention that we have to unite ranks in face of those recently blaspheming our prophet, noting that some guest coming from abroad to take part in the festival are marketing an idea to issue a statement in response to those foreign media insults against our religion. Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah declared the weeklong festivities open at a colourful ceremony attended by dignitaries from inside and outside the Kingdom, including senior princes, Cabinet members and intellectuals. The Janadriya Festival, in a location 45 km north of Riyadh, showcases Saudi Arabia's noble culture and traditions. In the past 20 years, it has hosted more than 125 seminars in addition to 45 lectures on regional and international topics and 40 poetry sessions with the participation of major figures. A combination of 13 songs, the 50-minute opera symbolized the unity and cohesion of Saudi society. Some 50 small children, 1,000 students and 300 members of folklore troupes took part in the program, one of the major attractions of the opening day. It was presented by leading Saudi singers Muhammad Abdu, Abdul Majeed Abdullah, Rashid Al-Majed and Abbas Ibrahim. The main seminar of the festival focused on the "Unity of Arab and Islamic Ummah: A Future Vision." Participants include Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, secretary-general of the 57-member Organization of the Islamic Conference, Dr. Abdul Aziz Al-Tuwaijeri, secretary-general of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) and Dr. Abdullah Al-Turki, secretary-general of the Muslim World League. Another seminar entitled "Charitable Work: A Futuristic Vision" with the participation by both Dr. Abdul Rahman Al-Suwailem, president of Saudi Red Crescent Society, and Dr. Saleh Al-Wohaiby, secretary-general of the World Assembly of Muslim Youth was held. Other programs include 22 dramas, poetry evenings, a book show, art exhibitions, and a Qur'an recitation contest. Abdullah Abdul Jabbar, a leading Saudi man of letters, was honored on the second day. There ae pavilions sponsored by major public corporations and regional governorates. "Women are playing an active role in the festival with a variety of programs," one source said. All their activities are held at King Abdul Aziz Historical Center in Riyadh. A painting exhibition and a lecture by Dr. Fadiya Al-Saleh were also held. The Janadriya Festival began in 1985 following a Royal Decree issued by King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz God Bless his soul. The festival itself owes its origin to the camel race which was, up to the mid-1980s, the only major activity that reminded the country of its heritage. The success of the first festival encouraged the late king to make it an annual event with a variety of attractive programs. The week-long festival, organized each year by the National Guard, showcases Saudi Arabia's rich cultural heritage with exhibits including traditional arts and crafts, poetry, singing and dancing, as well as the traditional camel race. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz received at his palace the guests of National Guard including scholars, men of letters, thinkers and mass media members from the Kingdom and abroad currently attending Janadriya National 21st Festival for Heritage and Culture. At the outset of the audience, they all listened to a recitation of verses of the Holy Quran along with their interpretation. Addressing the audience, King Abdullah welcomed them to their second country, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, wishing them a good stay and a safe return to their countries. He hoped that their contacts will yield good and useful results of ideas and opinions. Intellectuals and thinkers have a special responsibility in charting a future way of the nation, diagnosing its suffering and proposing solutions, the Monarch said and added that the unity of the Arab and Muslim nation is the cornerstone of the project of progress and glory. History has taught us that eras of the nation's unity have been golden and prosperous and periods of dissension have been eras of weakness, humiliation and submission to the enemies, King Abdullah noted and added that every political, economic and intellectual effort that makes approach among the sons of the nation will be blessed and thanked and every effort that sows dissension will be a setback that will bring us backward. In these circumstances in which our nation is subjecting to an attack targeting our religion, symbols and thought, the duty of our sons and thinkers in particular is to highlight the real image of the nation including tolerance, justice and moderation. They should clarify to the whole world that the actions of few individuals of fanatic extremists do not reflect the spirit of the nation, its heritage and originality, but they reflect the destructive illusions of these criminals, the King said. {Before these elite of thinkers and intellectuals, I condemn the idea of clashes between civilizations and I call on replacing it by a constructive and peaceful coexistence between civilizations.} I also demand that the next stage in relations between countries and nations should be a stage of real dialogue in which every party respects the other, its sanctities, religions and identity. You will be in the vanguard of speakers in the name of Arab and Muslim nation in this dialogue, the King addressed them and wished them all success. You have a special status in Arab and Muslim world and at present you are the vanguard of Muslim and Arab nation. I wish that you exert all your efforts and potentialities for the service of your religion, homelands, sons and Arab and Muslim nations. The King wished them a happy stay and looked forward to meeting them next year. The guests' speech was delivered by Clovis Maksoud, Arab League's former Representative to the United States of America and the United Nations and Professor of International Law.Then they all had dinner at the King's banquet. The audience was attended by Prince Miqren Ibn Abdul Aziz, Chief of General Intelligence; Prince General Miteb Ibn Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Assistant Deputy Commander of the National Guard for Military Affairs; Prince Dr.Bandar Ibn Salman Ibn Mohammed Al Saud, the King's Advisor; Iyad Ibn Amin Madani, the Minister of Culture and Information and a number of officials. Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz patronized the Saudi Ardha (men folk dance), held by the national guard within the activities of Al Janadriya 21st annual national festival for Heritage and Culture. Upon arrival at the venue, King Abdullah was received by Prince Salman Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Governor of Riyadh Region, Prince General Miteb Ibn Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Assistant Deputy Commander of the National Guard for Military Affairs and Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Steering Committee of the festival and a number of officials. Then Ardha started. Then King Abdullah participated in the Saudi Ardha. Princes attending the event also took part. Then the king graced the dinner party held in his honor by the festival's Supreme Steering Committee. The Ardha event and dinner party were attended by Prince Abdul Rahman Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, Minister of Interior, Prince Miqren Ibn Abdul Aziz, Chief of General Intelligence, other princes, senior officials and the festival's guests. The ardha has its roots in the Najd region of Saudi Arabia. It is an ancient tradition that combines singers, dancers and a poet or narrator. Men carrying swords stand shoulder to shoulder and, from their midst, a poet begins to sing verses or a short melodic line while drummers beat out the rhythm. Within the framework of the activities of the 21st festival for heritage and culture at Janadriya, a seminar was organized on the experience of the European Union (EU). Speaking on the occasion, Clovis Maksoud, the former representative of the Arab league to the United Nations, called on the Arabs to benefit from the experience of the EU. He noted that Europe was able to be united despite its various conflicting nationalities because Europe realized the important fact that it could never attain progress and development without the unification of its economic, political and commercial systems. On his part, Dr Mohammed Al Al-Sheikh, the Saudi ambassador to France, reviewed the stages being passed by the EU. He noted that the EU was called at its first stage as the European community, then it was developed into the European common market and later into its current form. He pointed out that the EU at the beginning of its march had focused on realizing the commercial and economic interests in various domains. Meanwhile, Dr Hakkar Mohammed Ahmed, the director of the office of the World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY) in Central Africa, urged the Muslim countries to give up their narrow national interests and to work for the unity of the Arab and Muslim nation. On the other hand King Abdul Aziz Foundation for Research and Archives has issued a documentary book on the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz Al Saud containing information, pictures and speeches illustrating aspects of his life and work. The book was issued on the occasion of the 21st National Heritage and Culture Festival. The foundation is handing out the book to visitors of its pavilion at the festival. Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz patronized horse races on King Abdullah's cups for domestic and imported horses respectively. At the venue, he was received by Prince Sultan Ibn Mohammed Ibn Saud Al Kabeer, Member of the Equestrian Club; Prince General Miteb Ibn Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Assistant Deputy Commander of the National Guard for Military Affairs and Chairman of the club's Technical Committees, other princes, members of the club's board of directors and Rashid Al Zinaidi, Director General of the club. Following the six-set race, King Abdullah gave away the trophies to winners. The Minister of Culture and Information Iyad Ibn Amin Madani held a lunch party in honor of the invitees for Janadriya annual national festival for Heritage and Culture. At King Fahd Cultural Center in Riyadh, the minister guided the guests across the contents of the center, including a special cultural exhibition. In a key address, the minister welcomed the guests in their second country: Saudi Arabia, noting that his ministry is planning to activate all cultural facilities to play their social and cultural roles effectively. He noted that the Kingdom is an open country proud of its heritage and values. On his part, Dr. Abdul Aziz Al Sibayel, Undersecretary of the ministry for Cultural Affairs, said there are 13 cultural clubs throughout the Kingdom. Editor-in-chief of Al Jazeerah newspaper Khalid Al Malik confirmed that there is wide room of freedom of expression for Saudi newspapers and magazines within the Islamic instructions. The function was attended by senior officials, a number of intellectuals, literates and media representatives. On the other hand Prince Ambassador Mohammed Ibn Saud IbnKhalid, Director General of Studies and Information Center at the Foreign Ministry and General Supervisor of the Ministry's pavilion at the 21st National Festival for Heritage and Culture stressed that the Ministry's participation this year is different from the previous years. In his remarks at a press briefing, the Prince said the Ministry has not only presented some of the Kingdom's documents and historical treaties, but it has organized lectures and invited prominent ambassadors and politicians from the Kingdom within the framework of a cultural program titled ''Ambassador's Expertise'' prepared by the Ministry this year. Visitors of the pavilion have been briefed on the Ministry's historical march since its foundation in 1924, as the oldest ministry in the Kingdom, by late King Abdul Aziz Ibn Abdul Rahman Al Saud, Prince Ambassador Mohammed Ibn Saud Ibn Khalid said, noting that the Ministry was called at that time Directorate of Foreign Affairs. He emphasized that the Ministry has continued development and modernization up to now. The Prince said that the tent established by the Ministry in Al-Janadriya includes an auditorium for holding the program's lectures; a pavilion for the Ministry's Diplomatic Institute displaying publications; a screen for projecting the Institute's achievements and electronic projection for illustrating information on the Institute. The tent also includes a screen displaying the activities of the consulate section including advanced ways of issuing job visas, commercial visits, family visits as well as the properties pavilion which includes its own screen that reflects replicas of Saudi embassies in some countries around the world and another pavilion for the ministry's electronic gate, a qualitative step to further modernize the ministry's performance. Proud of the ministry's achievements, Prince Mohammed Ibn Saud Ibn Khalid said the electronic gate has been awarded the International Regional Prize for the Electronic Government for 2005 in addition to the First Digital Distinction prize for the best Saudi electronic site given away by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. The source of our pride is that the electronic gate was designed and implemented by Saudis, he said. He added that the electronic gate has contributed to shedding light on the role of the ministry, citing the record number of 16446000 visitors at a rate of 60000 visitors per day. He said the applications dealt with by the ministry through the electronic gate reached 62480000. He extended thanks to Prince Saud Al-Faisal, the Foreign Minister, for his interest and valuable instructions to highlight the ministry's pavilion at Al-Janadriya festival. On the other hand the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz has issued an order allocating SR7.5 million of the donations raised by the Saudi Popular Campaign to Aid Victims of Pakistan's Earthquake for providing food aid to the victims of the earthquake disaster in Pakistan. The food aid will be provided within the framework of campaign's cooperation with the United Nations' World Food Program. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz has sent a message to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh pertaining to the bilateral relations between the two countries and issues of mutual interest. Saudi Foreign Minister, Prince Saud Al-Faisal handed today the message to Manmohan Singh in New Delhi. Prince Saud, who was accompanied by a number of senior officials left New Delhi later in the day. |
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