Janadriya festival showcases Saudi Arabia’s rich culture, heritage
Mohammed Rasooldeen in Riyadh
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah received two Sri
Lankan delegates, who came for the National Heritage and Culture
Festival in Janadriya on his invitation.
|
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia
receives Sri Lankan delegate Rizmi Reyal, Chairman and Managing
Director of the Traveller Globe at his Yamamah Palace in Riyadh,
during the weekend. |
The Sri Lankan delegates, social worker Rismi Reyal, Chairman and
Managing Director of the Traveller Globe and Mohammed Muzaffar, Director
Foreign Relations of the Makola Muslim Children’s Orphanage met the
monarch at the Yamamah Palace in Riyadh.
King Abdullah asked the guests to carry a message of good will from
Saudi Arabia to their respective countries. The King thanked the guests
and told them to convey the greetings of the people of Saudi Arabia to
their fellow countrymen.
“I welcome you all with the greetings of Islam to Saudi Arabia” King
Abdullah said. The King received a commemorative gift from the delegates
on the occasion of the silver jubilee of the Janadriya festival.
The festival is designed to portray the variety of cultural aspects
of the Kingdom’s different regions. A wide range of activities,
including sword dances, heritage and history exhibitions, culinary
specialties and stunts are organised to educate and entertain visitors.
The Sri Lankan delegates also attended a luncheon hosted by Culture
and Information Minister Abdul Aziz Khoja in honor of the foreign guests
after Friday prayers. The Minister told the participants that Saudi
Arabia wanted to let the world know about its rich culture and heritage.
The Minister said that interaction would lead to understanding
between Saudi Arabia and other countries.
Thanking the monarch for the opportunity given to participate in the
mega cultural event in the Middle East, Sri Lankan delegate Mohammed
Rizmi Reyal said that the show presented the correct image of Saudi
Arabia. What we hear in the media is not what we see here, Reyal said,
describing Saudi Arabia as a country with a rich heritage of which every
Saudi citizen could be proud.
Reyal said that the event gave a platform for the foreign
participants to interact with the local intellectuals, academicians,
artistes, poets and playwrights. Muzaffer said the opportunity gave the
foreign participants a better picture of the Kingdom in terms of culture
, heritage and unique Arabian hospitality.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa also attended the Janadriyah function in
January 2002 on behalf of the Sri Lankan Palestinian Friendship Society
when Ibrahim Sahib Ansar was Sri Lanka’s Ambassador in Saudi Arabia. |
