July 2010
Saudi Ambassador to the United States Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir hosted a luncheon at the Embassy
in Washington today for a group of visiting Saudi Boy Scouts. The scouts are in town to participate in the 2010 National Scout Jamboree, to be held from July 25 to August 3 at Fort A.P. Hill in Virginia. The Jamboree marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Boy Scouts.
(WASHINGTON, DC) – Today, the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in coordination with Dar Al-Hekma College is opening a photo exhibit entitled “Photography Through the Eyes of Saudi Arabian Women.” The exhibition is the first of its kind, portraying a collection of work from dozens of Saudi women photographers to be exhibited in the United States. The exhibit will run from July 27-August 6 at the Embassy in Washington, D.C.
The Saudi Embassy in Washington, D.C., in cooperation with Dar Al-Hekma College, today opened a photo exhibit by Saudi women photographers. The 37-piece exhibition, entitled “Photography Through the Eyes of Saudi Arabian Women” is the first of its kind to be exhibited in the United States.
The initial showing of the exhibit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in April 2010 was organized by Saudi photographer Rania A. Razek, showcasing photographs by amateur and professional female photographers.
Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz began the Cabinet session at Al-Salam Palace in Jeddah today with a briefing on the contacts made by both himself and the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz with foreign leaders last week. They included a meeting between King Abdullah and Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, a telephone call between the King and Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and a message received by the Crown Prince from Burkina Faso President Blaise Compaore.
French President Nicholas Sarkozy received visiting Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal at the Elysee Palace in Paris today. During their talks, Prince Saud conveyed the greetings of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, which were reciprocated by the French leader. Bilateral relations and international issues of mutual concern were also discussed.
Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal met in Paris today with French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner. Their talks centered on international developments and bilateral relations, according to a statement released by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The meeting also touched on the Saudi exhibition “Roads of Arabia,” to be opened on Tuesday at the Louvre Museum.
The Board of Directors of Saudi Students Clubs in American universities held its 30th meeting at George Mason University in Virginia under the chairmanship of Saudi Ambassador to the United States Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir. The session included Saudi Cultural Attaché in Washington and Deputy Chairman of the Board Dr. Mohammed Al-Issa; Director of Cultural and Social Affairs and Secretary of the Board Dr. Moody Al-Khalaf; and fifty-seven Saudi Club presidents and representatives.
With entrepreneurship and innovation expanding rapidly in the Kingdom in the past decade, Saudi Arabia has set a goal for itself: to be among the top ten most competitive nations in the world by the end of 2010. That goal is not far from being achieved: In 2005, Saudi Arabia was ranked 67th in the Doing Business report published by the World Bank; by 2009, it had climbed the ranks to the 13th spot.
A U.S. Senate delegation, accompanied by U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom James Smith, visited the King Abdulaziz Center for National Dialogue (KACND) in Riyadh yesterday. The group met with KACND Secretary General Faisal bin Muammar and other officials, who briefed them on the center’s role in promoting the culture of dialogue and the values of moderation and tolerance. The delegation members praised the positive results achieved by KACND regarding the spread of the culture of dialogue and welcomed its youth programs, which are aimed at narrowing the gap between cultures.
The total amount of donations announced by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Pakistan and Afghanistan is SR 27,673,301,921 [$7,379,547,178]. The breakdown is as follows:
The total amount of loans and aid given to Pakistan by Saudi Arabia is SR 26,083,711,496 [$6.95 billion]. Between 2006 and 2009, Pakistan received SR 5,702,597,325 [$1.52 billion] in loans and aid, including SR 2,625,000,000 [$700 million] pledged at the donor conference in Tokyo on April 17, 2009.