Presentation held to show strong Saudi-African cultural ties

RIYADH: The Ethiopian Embassy has expressed its appreciation for the fifth African-Saudi cultural show presented by students recently in the presence of the mission’s Director of Diaspora Affairs, Faysal Aliye.
“It‘s heartwarming to watch a presentation on the cultures of Saudi Arabia and the African countries of Ethiopia, Sudan, Egypt and Eritrea,” Aliye said. Aliye is also an adviser to Ambassador Amin Abdulkadir, who assumed his post in the Kingdom recently.
The Ethiopian Embassy official added that the show strengthens the cultural and bilateral ties between the Kingdom and the African countries mentioned: “I’m sure many of us are already hoping that the Ethiopian Community School will present the same show with a different motif next year,” he said.
Abdulbasit Jemal, the Ethiopian Community School principal, said that some 70 students wore colorful costumes as they presented “a unique picture of socio-cultural values of Saudi and African countries” during the performance.
“Their performances have been improving over the years as they seek to show different aspects of culture belonging to various countries in the African continent as well as in Saudi Arabia,” the school principal said.
Jemal added that the impressive performance of the students in relation to their academic subjects made their parents happy and proud. “I’d like to see them again next time garbed in colorful costumes as they share knowledge about their respective countries’ rich and colorful cultures,” Jemal said.
Beshir Shemsu Mohammed, school spokesman, expressed his happiness over the presentation, saying that “it warmed the hearts of those watching as the students showed their artistic skills on stage.”
“The students presented on the diverse yet harmonious cultures shared between the two countries, even if they were away from their respective countries at the the time,” said Mohammed, who coordinated the preparations for the presentation, and added that the “presentation reminded the guests of many things back home.”
He said that even though it is still early, he is looking forward to the sixth cultural presentation of the school next year.