By Baron Henri Estramant .
To mark the foundation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, HE Ambassador Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Abohaimed, recently hosted a reception at the Steigenberger Kurhaus Hotel in Scheveningen.
Saudi Arabia celebrated its 85th National Day (youm al-watani/اليوم الوطني) but what distinguished celebrations this time around is that it fell on the same day as Eid al-adha, one of two Islamic holidays celebrated annually.
This was the first time both occasions coincided according to the astronomical calendar and not according to moon sighting as Saudi Arabia declared the first day of Eid al-adha to be on 24 September. In all cases, many Saudis regarded the two occasions coinciding with one another as a good omen.
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The country’s National Day is fêted yearly on 23 September commemorating the date in 1932 when King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud (aka Ibn Saud) unified the Arabian lands into the the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Since then seven of his sons have succeeded him to the throne, the incumbent one being The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
Ambassador Abohaimed’s reception was well-visited by members of the diplomatic corps but likewise by Dutch officials of the Foreign Minister as well as by a plethora of business people with interests in Saudi Arabia. Likewise the Managing Director of Saudi Aramco Overseas Company, Mr Fahad Al Abdulkarem honoured the event with his presence.
All Gulf Cooperation Council ambassadors except for Bahrain, which is accredited from London to The Netherlands, were present as were their senior staff members, moreover the Director-General of the OPCW, HE Ambassador Ahmet Üzümcü.
In Brussels, HE Ambassador Abdulrahman bin Sulaiman Alahmed and his deputies Counsellor Abnan Bamagoos (bilateral embassy to Belgium and Luxembourg) and Director Thamer Algosaibi (Saudi delegation to the EU) hosted an event for the kingdom’s National Day on 28 September at the prestigious business club Cercle de Lorraine.
This event was attended by the Qatari Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage, HE Dr. Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al Kuwari who was on a visit to Belgium wherein his son-in-law, HE Ambassador Sheikh Ali bin Jassim bin Thani Al Thani serves as head of mission to the EU, Belgium and Luxembourg. The latter is married to artist and philantrophist Sheikha Iman Al Kuwari.
Youm al-watani: www.youtube.com/
