Sunday, September 23, 2012 8

At 82, the Kingdom is proud of its allround achievements

JEDDAH: ARAB NEWS

Saudi arabia, which has made unprec-edented progress under the leadership of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King abdullah, marks 82nd anniversa-ry of its National day today (Sunday).

it has been playing a significant role on the world stage as a peacemaker to bolster global security and stability.

“On the occasion of the National day, we are proud of the comprehensive development achieved by the Kingdom in various sectors,” said Tawfiq al-Rabiah, minister of commerce and industry in a statement.

He commended the efforts of King abdullah and Vice Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Prince Salman in enhancing the standard of living of Saudi citizens by carrying out massive welfare projects across the country.

“The National day, marking the Kingdom’s unification by King abdul aziz, reflects the unity and cohesion of Saudi people and their leadership. it also gives a strong message to the world about the Saudi political and economic stability,” al-Rabiah said.

He said the Kingdom’s industrial strategy aims at doubling the sector contribution to the gross domestic product (GdP) by 2020. Saudi accession to the World Trade Organization was instrumental in boosting its trade relations with other countries. The total number of licensed and operating industries in the Kingdom reached 5,324 by the middle of this year, al-Rabiah said.

in a similar statement, Haj Minister dr. Bandar Hajjar highlighted the importance of celebrating the National day, which he says strengthens the national unity and spirit. “This is essential to confront challenges facing the

country with force,” he added. He commended the efforts made by King abdul aziz to reinforce security and stability all over the Kingdom, by

unifying warring tribes.Hajjar noted King abdullah’s efforts in the

educational sector by constructing schools, col-leges and universities all over the country. “King abdullah also promoted constructive dialogue among the various groups of Saudis,” he added.

Hajjar highlighted the Saudi government’s efforts to enhance services for pilgrims, by expanding the Two Holy Mosques, introducing modern transport systems and implementing the high-tech Jamarat in Mina. The Kingdom receives more than six million foreign pilgrims who come for Haj and umrah.

according to Labor Minister adel Fakeih, the National day gives Saudis an opportunity to think about their past to work earnestly for a bright future. He commended King abdullah’s directives to fight unemployment in the Kingdom and create more jobs for Saudis. More than 1.3 million Saudis currently benefit from

the unemployment allowance introduced by the King. He said the Nitaqat program helped in employing more than 300,000 Saudis includ-ing 54,000 women in less than a year.

Health Minister dr. abdullah al-Rabeeah spoke about the Kingdom’s remarkable strides in the health sector. He said the 10-year health strategy introduced by the ministry aims at providing quality health service to all citizens in the country. al-Rabeeah’s ministry currently runs 251 hospitals and 2,109 primary health care centers. its home medicine program cov-ers more than 17,000 patients.

agriculture Minister Fahd Balghunaim con-gratulated the Saudi leadership and people on the occasion of the National day while high-lighting the unprecedented progress achieved by his sector, which contributed SR 44.1 billion to the GdP in 2011. The sector makes a 11 percent annual growth.

Tawfiq Al-Rabiah Bandar HajjarFahd BalghunaimAdel Fakeih Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah

The National Day, marking the Kingdom’s unification by King Abdul Aziz, reflects the unity and cohesion of Saudi people and their leadership. It also gives a strong message to the world about the Saudi political and economic stability.

Sunday, September 23, 2012 9

US committed to broadening partnership with Kingdom

On behalf of the US government and the people of the United States, I extend my warm congratula-

tions to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah, Vice Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Prince Salman and the people of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on your national Day. Let me reaffirm that the United States value Saudi Arabia as a close friend and ally.

C o o p e r a t i o n between the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia spans many decades and many fields, and the United States takes pride in the coop-eration between our two countries. It ranges from trade to educa-tion, science, tech-nology and health — including rais-ing awareness on breast cancer, helping Haj pilgrims stay healthy and our shared goal of expanding opportunities for all Saudis, including women and youth. It is evident in our work together through international organiza-tions and the humanitarian assis-tance our two countries provide around the world, including help-ing the tens of thousands of Syrian

refugees and supporting the new government in Yemen.

On this special occasion, I am delighted to report that there are hundreds of US businesses that work hand in hand with business-es in the Kingdom to provide jobs and prosperity for Saudis and Americans. We are committed to producing new opportunities for the citizens of both of our coun-tries. Of special importance, we want to put a new emphasis on

student exchang-es and educa-tional partner-ships. I know this is something close to King Abdullah’s heart.

On this occa-sion, I salute King Abdullah’s initiative to invest in Saudi youth through the King A b d u l l a h S c h o l a r s h i p Program, which has sent more than 100,000

Saudi students to study overseas. We are honored that more than half of those students have cho-sen to study in the United States.

These students will receive an outstanding education and come back to their country prepared to take it to new heights on the global stage.

I also laud the King’s leader-

ship on the many initiatives he has taken both on the local and international scenes. His estab-lishment of the King Abdul Aziz Center for national Dialogue has promoted a culture of dialogue, moderation, and tolerance in the Kingdom and beyond. These pos-itive initiatives have cemented the unity of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and put the coun-try and the region on a path

toward a stronger, more prosper-ous, and more secure future.

As we join you in celebrating this special day, we reaffirm the commitment of the United States to broadening and deepening our partnership with Saudi Arabia in the years to come. We wish you a safe and joyous national Day.

James B. SmithUS Ambassador

National Day a proud moment for all Saudis

KIng Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al-Saud founded modern day Saudi

Arabia on Sep. 23, 1932. On this day we celebrate our national Day, a day of pride for all Saudis. Our country achieved great feats in a very short time. King Abdulaziz united a fragile country and build one of the fastest growing econo-mies in the world. When oil was discovered eight years after Saudi Arabia was founded, it became a major player in politics and eco-nomics.

Last week I started writing a piece about our national Day, and I wanted to write about how our youth would celebrate it. In the Kingdom, the youth will drive around the streets, flying the Saudi flag, singing and dancing. Later on, I decided to write about how our youth living abroad are celebrating it. How would they present the history of Saudi Arabia to the people abroad?

Just when I had put down the main points for the article, I received an e-mail from Saleh Hunaitem Al-ghamdi, a Saudi Aramco employee. His e-mail was full of many encouraging stories about what Saudi students and

trainees have done while in Houston, Texas, to give the American instructors and their classmates a better idea of the Saudi culture. Saudi Aramco-Total Petrochemical Company (SATORP) sent the trainees to Port Arthur, Texas for an on-the-job training.

The Saudi trainees decided to have an open introduction party for the American staff. Many activ-ities took place. They played the Saudi national anthem, drank Arabic coffee, ate traditional Saudi food and danced a traditional Saudi dance. The students were there for three months, but the best impression the students made in Port Arthur was during the party they threw for everyone. All had a good time, and a show of patriotism was the best impres-sion the students gave to instruc-tors and staff.

Celebrating Saudi national Day abroad is a remarkable and joyful event for Saudi students, especially in the US. The genuine love for a country is an amazing sensation. And when you are cel-ebrating your national Day abroad, then it becomes a differ-ent feeling, because it reminds us

of our homeland and families whom we miss.

I saw many Saudi students at American campuses that initiated national Day celebrations on their own. I met two Saudi students, Faris Alsaydalani and Abdullah Alatiq, at george Mason University in Virginia.

They told me they started prep-arations to celebrate Saudi national Day and had invited many of their classmates from different nationalities. Saudi stu-dents mark this day as an oppor-tunity for public relations and to speak about Saudi Arabia and its culture.

However, with the celebrations there are certain duties which young Saudi men and women abroad have to fulfill. The young Saudis have to know that showing patriotism by celebrating national Day must be in parallel with their hard work. Saudi Arabia is in need of highly qualified graduates to run the complex infrastructure in many areas of the Kingdom. Patriotism is also proving others your seriousness in pursuing higher education and potential for hard work. Upright behavior is another way to show how patriotic you are.

When you treat people of other cultures with integrity and respect, they will respect you and respect your culture, and will gladly join you in celebrating your national Day.

Abdulateef Al-Mulhimalmulhimnavy@hotmail.com

Cooperation between the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia spans many decades and many fields, and the United States takes pride in the cooperation between our two countries.

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Sunday, September 23, 2012 10

Elaborate arrangements made for N-DayRIYADH: MUHAMMAD RASOOLDEEN

The Kingdom made extensive arrangements for citizens and residents to celebrate the Kingdom’s 82nd National Day today.

The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs instructed all its local bodies to decorate their cities and towns with illuminations and national flags to observe the day in a fitting manner.

Riyadh is fully dotted with national flags, banners with National Day slo-gans and digital displays conveying greetings to people on this day. Large banners carrying the picture of Custodian of the Two holy Mosques King Abdullah and Vice Custodian of the Two holy Mosques Prince Salman are prominently displayed all over the capital.

This year, the National Day celebra-tions in the capital city are held under the direct supervision of the new Mayor Abdullah bin Abdulrahman bin Muhammad Al-Meqbel

The city will be fully illuminated to give a festive atmosphere.

The government declared today a public, bank and mercantile holiday to enable citizens and residents to have their celebrations with their friends and relatives in the Kingdom.

The Ministry of education closed all schools in the Kingdom on Saturday and Sunday on account of the National Day. Public servants would also enjoy Saturday and Sunday as holidays.

The Ministry of education issued directives to all government schools to hold National Day celebrations in their institutions. Students will be celebrat-ing for a week, commencing Monday.

Governorates throughout the Kingdom will hold their celebrations, while the state television and radio will carry programs related to the National Day of the country.

The Riyadh municipality has arranged seven locations in the city for people to take part in the National Day celebrations. Three of those sites will be for men only, three for families and children, and one for people with spe-cial needs.

There will be cultural shows includ-ing Ardha dance and folk dances at the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium in

Malaz, which can accommodate 15,000 men. The show is confined only to men.

A total of 300 parks in 15 districts within the Riyadh municipality are well illuminated with billboards of the king’s image and national flags of the country.

Major parks such as Al-Salama at Oteiga, Manaaq Abdulaziz, near Saqr Al-Jazeera, King Abdulaziz historical Center on the West Ring Road and Kindi Plaza in the Diplomatic Quarter will be opened for families today till 12 midnight.

The Ministry of Culture and Information will hold a cultural show at the King Fahd Cultural Center in Riyadh. The show, coupled with an exhibition, is scheduled for four days. The exhibition will highlight the

Kingdom’s progress during the past eight decades.

Saudi Telecom Company has announced that all MMS messages within the STC network could be sent free-of-charge today.

The Foreign Ministry said all its mis-sions abroad would hold National Day celebrations in their countries.

Meanwhile, a number of officials, citizens, and foreign organizations have expressed their greetings and wishes to the king and his government on the National Day.

Traffic police have upped their oper-ations during these two days. Special squads have been allocated to control the heavy flow of traffic before and after cultural events.

Lulu hypermarkets have lined up a series of activities to mark the day. The

program includes photo exhibitions, free medical check-ups and a blood donation campaign.

The hypermarket has arranged these programs in collaboration with organi-zations such as the Saudi Commission For Tourism and Antiquities, (SCTA) Central Blood Bank and the Shifa Al Jazeera Polyclinic.

Almarai, the largest integrated dairy foods company in the world, has orga-nized its Saudi National Day Open Golf Tournament on Sept. 25.

Meanwhile, expressing his greetings and good wishes to King Abdullah, his government and people, US Ambassador James B. Smith reaffirmed that the United States values Saudi Arabia as a close friend and ally.

Kuwait’s Ambassador to the Kingdom Sheikh Thamer bin Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah congratulated Saudi Arabia, its leadership and people on the eve of the day.

Speaking on behalf of Kuwait’s emir, the envoy hailed the great contribution made by the Kingdom’s founder, the late King Abdulaziz bin Abdul-Rahman Al Saud, for the unification of the Kingdom and laying out a solid foun-

dation with Islam and the Sunnah as guidelines of the government. The ambassador also extolled the great achievements of King Abdullah that won the appreciation and admiration from all nations of the world.

Sri Lankan Ambassador Ahmed A Jawad said: “ Saudi Arabia has come a long way since its founding. This is in significant measure due to the vision of its rulers. Under the wise leadership of King Abdullah, the country has developed in leaps and bounds in all areas of the econ-omy. There has also been a significant development in the social sphere too. King Abdullah is without a doubt one of those rare leaders who have fundamentally altered the course of his country’s history and Saudis are extremely fortunate to have such a visionary at the helm. I am confident that this development stride will continue in the future as well and that Saudi Arabia will occupy a place of impor-tance in the committee of nations.”

Bangladesh Ambassador Muhammad Shahidul Islam has said that this is a memorable day in the annals of the Kingdom. “We hope to strengthen our bilateral relations with the Kingdom to reach new heights,” the envoy added.

arab news staff

Riyadh is fully dotted with national flags, banners with National Day slogans and digital displays conveying greetings to people on this day.