Congratulatory Message by Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia H.E. Ahmad Y. Al Barrak
The national day anniversary of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia comes at a time when the comprehensive development renaissance, the foundation of which were laid by the Kingdom’s Founder King Abdulaziz Al Saud, is continuing apace. Building on the intellectual, institutional and management foundations laid by the Founder King, and guided by his ideas and practices in development planning and economic management, his sons and successors have continued the efforts that have resulted in remarkable achievements and successes, reflected in the continued rise of living standards, improvement in the quality of life, comprehensive construction and industrial renaissance, and advanced economic and social services throughout the country.
Remarkably, the Founder King adopted modern methods for developing agriculture and water resources, as well as for the management of oil exploration, building transportation and communication networks, provision of educational services and healthcare, and building the institutions of the State; utilizing the expertise at home and abroad. Following in the footsteps of the Founder King, the Kingdom seeks to expand the use of science and technology in all productive and service fields. Thus, following a tradition of looking to the future set by the Founder King, his worthy sons are using development planning as an effective means for building the socioeconomic future of the Kingdom on sound, scientific bases. I would also like to acknowledge the important diplomatic relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Korea. The seeds of cooperation were planted more than fifty years ago in 1962. The Saudi-Korea bilateral relaions in the early stages had witnessed a number of achievements, with the participation of Korean experts and manpower in the Kingdom to modernize its infrastructure, mainly with the implementation of projects of roads, public buildings, water desalination, power generation, information technology and many other various industrial projects.
In the field of trade, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is one of the major trading partner to the Republic of Korea, where the Kingdom is the fourth largest trading partner to the Republic of Korea, while Korea is the Saudi’s fifth largest one. Notably, both countries this year have made significant strides in the field of pharmaceuticals by signing memoranda of understandings for cooperation on the establishment of Saudi-Korea Pharmaceutical Complex in Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, a number of Saudi students have been enrolled in pretigious Korean universities and the Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission in Seoul has been opened, as the first Arab, Islamic cultural office accredieted to the Republic of Korea, to guide and follow up the Saudi students’ education procedures.
Finally, we ask God Almighty to bless the efforts of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and his Crown Prince to raise the status of the Kingdom and ensure the happiness of its people.
Overview of Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the largest country in the Arabian Peninsula. Saudi Arabia’s population is 27 million, including 8.4 million foreign residents (2010 census), and its capital city is Riyadh. It’s located in Southwest Asia, at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa; extending from the Red Sea in the west to the Arabian Gulf in the east. It has a religion of Islam and a language of Arabic, but English is widely spoken in urban areas. National day is September 23, commemorating the foundation of the modern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1932. Rulers were King Abdulaziz bin Abdelrahman Al-Saud, the founder (1932-1963), followed by his sons: King Saud (1953-64), King Faisal (1964-75), King Khalid (1975-82), King Fahd (1982-2005) and the current ruler is Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz. Government consists of Islamic state based on principles prescribed by the Qur'an (Islam's Holy Book) and the Shari'ah (Islamic law), Provincial Council System, Consultative Council (Majlis Al-Shura), and Council of Ministers, while the national territory are composed of the 13 provinces. Saudi Arabia is a founding member of Gulf Cooperation Council, affiliated with UN, OPEC, WTO, and several significant organizations. National currency is Saudi Riyal (SR) pegged to U.S. dollar ($1=SR3.745). National flag contains green background, with in white letters the Muslim creed in Arabic: "There is no god but God: Muhammad is the Messenger of God.", while emblem is a date palm, representing vitality and growth, and two crossed swords, symbolizing justice and strength rooted in faith.
Culture & Art
The culture of Saudi Arabia is a rich one that has been shaped by its Islamic heritage and its historical role as an ancient trade center. However its society has experienced tremendous development and peoples have taken their values and traditions and adapted them to the modern world.
The Crossroads of the World
Saudi Arabia is Located at the center of important ancient trade routes as the Crossroads of the World, the Arabian people were enriched by many different civilizations. As early as 3,000 BC, Arabian merchants served as a vital link between India and the Far East on one side, and Byzantium and the Mediterranean lands on the other.The introduction of Islam in the 7th century AD further defined the region’s culture and Islam had spread west to the Atlantic Ocean and east to India and China. Therefore, it fostered a dynamic period of great learning known as the Islamic “Golden Age”. And every year for the past 14 centuries, Muslim pilgrims from around the world travel to holy sites in Makkah and Madinah, further enriching the region’s culture. When the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was formed in 1932, the Founder King Abdulaziz dedicated himself to preserving Arab traditions and culture, and his sons and successors have done the same.
Arab and Islamic Traditions
Saudi traditions are rooted in Islamic teachings and Arab customs, which also play an important role in Saudi life. The highlights of the year are the holy month of Ramadan and the Hajj (pilgrimage) season, and the national Eid-Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha holidays after them.
Calligraphy
Dating back 1,400 years to the first century of Islam, calligraphy is a revered art in Saudi Arabia and is considered to be the quintessential Islamic art form as well as primary subject matter for the Holy Qur’an.
Folk Music & Dance
A living piece of the country’s history, Saudi folk music has been shaped by the nomadic Bedouins and the pilgrims. There are various kinds of music such as al-sihba, Makkah and Madinah, depending on region and form. Also, Saudi people like traditional dance like men’s sword dance known as the ardha, which is a combination of singers, dancers carrying swords and a poet or narrator.
Historical Sites & Sightseeing Places in Saudi Arabia
Madain Salih
In 2008, the Archaeological Site of Al-Hijr (Madâin Sâlih) was enlisted to the UNESCO’s list of the world cultural heritage as the first UNESCO’s World Heritage property to be inscribed in Saudi Arabia.
Al-Masmak Palace
Al-Masmak was the starting point for King Abdul Aziz to recover the capital of his grandfathers.
by Cheon Tae-un (ctu@koreaittimes.com)
