Diriyah flies the flag for 90th Saudi National Day celebrations
Culture and heritage showpiece in Riyadh is center of festivities with a raft of special events
All roads led to Diriyah on Wednesday, as the Saudi capital’s culture and heritage showpiece became a hub for celebrations of the Kingdom’s 90th National Day.
Salwa Palace, the UNESCO World Heritage Site in the historic Turaif district, was decked out with the Kingdom’s flag and visitors sang popular songs.
A National Day movie filmed in Turaif documented the history of Diriyah, the “Jewel of the Kingdom,” capital of the original Saudi state and home of the royal family. Among other activities, seven
teams of “knights” wearing the Saudi Najdi uniform and the logo of Diriyah visited seven neighborhoods in the region, met residents, distributed gifts, and supplied information on National Day, Diriyah, and the Kingdom’s history.
There were also music and dance performances, bicycle shows, an exhibition of Arab art, and a display by Arab horsemen.
“The celebration of Saudi National
Day this year coincides with its presidency of the G20, which includes the most important and powerful economies in the world,” said Jerry Inzerillo, chief executive of the Diriyah Gate Development Authority. “This affirms the Kingdom’s influential and leading role globally. It has the economic potential, natural resources, and human capabilities, and its ancient historical and cultural legacy has formed the basis, principles, and values of the Kingdom, and contributed to disseminating humanitarian values regionally and globally.”
The Kingdom’s legacy of culture and heritage was as important as its economic influence in determining Saudi Arabia’s international status, he said.
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