Billionaire bash: India’s lavish Ambani nuptials

People walk past the venue decorated with lights ahead of billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s son Anant Ambani’s wedding to Radhika Merchant at Jio World Convention Center in Mumbai on July 11, 2024. (AP)

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Updated 12 July 2024

AFP

July 12, 2024 09:11

Billionaire bash: India’s lavish Ambani nuptials

Ambani, 67, chairman of Reliance Industries, has a fortune of more than $123 billion, and is the 11th wealthiest person in the world
His younger son Anant and fiancee Radhika Merchant, both 29, are set to marry in three-day Hindu ceremony in Mumbai starting Friday

Updated 12 July 2024

AFP

July 12, 2024 09:11

MUMBAI: Billionaire Indian tycoon Mukesh Ambani celebrates the lavish finale of his son’s wedding this week, highlighting his staggering wealth, as well as India’s rapid economic growth and stark financial inequalities.
Ambani’s younger son Anant and fiancee Radhika Merchant, both 29, are set to marry in a three-day Hindu ceremony in India’s financial capital Mumbai starting Friday.
Asia’s richest man is no stranger to throwing a costly wedding.
He held the most expensive wedding in India to date for his daughter in 2018, which reportedly cost up to $100 million and saw US singer Beyonce perform.
This week’s opulent celebrations are set to raise the bar, with celebrities, politicians and business elite jetting into the monsoon-hit megacity of Mumbai.
Pre-wedding parties for his son included multi-day galas, a European cruise for 1,200 guests, a specially built Hindu temple and entertainment provided by pop stars ranging from Rihanna to Justin Bieber.
Ambani, 67, the chairman of Reliance Industries, has a fortune of more than $123 billion, and is the 11th wealthiest person in the world, according to the Forbes billionaires list.
He is a key ally of India’s right-wing Hindu nationalist leader, Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Ambani inherited a thriving industrial enterprise spanning oil, gas and petrochemicals.

Billionaire and Chairman of Reliance Industries Mukesh Ambani (R) with his wife Nita Ambani attends a mass wedding ceremony of underprivileged couples ahead of their son Anant Ambani’s wedding to Radhika Merchant, at Reliance Corporate Park in Navi Mumbai on July 2, 2024. (AFP)

He grew it into a commercial behemoth with lucrative interests in retail, telecommunications and an Indian Premier League cricket team.
Ambani’s family home Antilia is one of Mumbai’s most prominent landmarks. The 27-floor building reportedly cost more than $1 billion to erect and has a permanent staff of 600 servants.
Merchant is the daughter of pharmaceutical moguls.
Wedding celebrations began in March with a three-day gala for 1,500-plus guests in Gujarat state.
Rihanna performed her first concert since last year’s Super Bowl for wedding guests including Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and ex-US president Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka.
David Blaine did magic tricks.
Festivities also involved a trip to the Ambani’s “animal rescue center” housing exotic animals, and a specially built Hindu temple complex.
A second leg in June was a four-day Mediterranean cruise with 1,200 guests, Merchant told Vogue.
Singer Katy Perry performed at a masquerade ball at a French chateau in Cannes, while the Backstreet Boys and US rapper Pitbull also provided entertainment.
DJ David Guetta played at a toga party at sea.
The cruise ended in Italy’s Portofino, where tenor Andrea Bocelli serenaded the party in the town square.
The wedding invitation was an intricate chest incorporating a mini silver temple.
Merchant’s multiple dresses have been as elaborate.

Radhika Merchant (R) and her fiancé Anant Ambani, son of Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani, pose for a picture during their sangeet ceremony in Mumbai on July 5, 2024. (AFP)

They have included custom designs from Versace, Dolce & Gabbana, and a vintage Yves Saint Laurent for Dior, she told Vogue.
Another was a sweeping chiffon dress printed with a love letter from her fiancee, the magazine reported.
“I want to be able to show it to my kids and grandkids, and say that ‘this is what our love was’,” Merchant said.
India is the fastest-growing major economy, and the world’s fifth largest.
But despite massive advances, the world’s most populous country has a jobs crisis to match.
National per capita income is just $1,174, according to government data.

Nita Ambani (L), wife of Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani and chairperson of the Reliance Foundation, greets underprivileged couples during a mass wedding ceremony ahead of her son Anant Ambani’s wedding to Radhika Merchant, at Reliance Corporate Park in Navi Mumbai on July 2, 2024. (AFP)

India was ranked 111 of 125 countries in the Global Hunger Index report last year, a peer-reviewed measure calculated by European aid agencies.
One percent of India’s 1.4 billion people earn more than a fifth of its wealth, according to the World Inequality Lab, an income share “among the very highest” in the world — greater than South Africa, Brazil or the United States.
Perhaps to preempt criticism, Ambani provided a feast for 50,000 people in his hometown of Jamnagar in Gujarat during the first round of parties.
Ambani also organized a mass wedding for 52 “underprivileged” couples near Mumbai, promising to support “hundreds more such weddings” across India.

Topics: Anant Ambani Mukesh Ambani

Moldova’s pro-Western president wins 2nd term in runoff overshadowed by Russian meddling claims

Updated 26 sec ago

November 04, 2024 02:27

Moldova’s pro-Western president wins 2nd term in runoff overshadowed by Russian meddling claims

Sandu had 54.7 percent of the vote, compared to 45.3 percent for Alexandr Stoianoglo, a former prosecutor general who was backed by the pro-Russia Party of Socialists
Turnout stood at more than 1.68 million people, with Moldova’s large diaspora casting ballots in record numbers of more than 325,000 voted, heavily in favor of Sandu in the runoff

Updated 26 sec ago

November 04, 2024 02:27

CHISINAU, Moldova: Moldova’s pro-Western President Maia Sandu has won a second term in a pivotal presidential runoff against a Russia-friendly opponent, in a race that was overshadowed by claims of Russian interference, voter fraud, and intimidation in the European Union candidate country.
With nearly 99 percent of votes counted in the second round of the presidential election held Sunday, Sandu had 54.7 percent of the vote, according to the Central Electoral Commission, or CEC, compared to 45.3 percent for Alexandr Stoianoglo, a former prosecutor general who was backed by the pro-Russia Party of Socialists.
The result will be a major relief for the pro-Western government, which strongly backed Sandu’s candidacy, and her push for closer Western ties on Moldova’s path toward the EU.
“Moldova, you are victorious! Today, dear Moldovans, you have given a lesson in democracy, worthy of being written in history books. Today, you have saved Moldova! In our choice for a dignified future, no one lost,” Sandu said after claiming victory after midnight.
But she went on to claim that her country’s vote had faced an “unprecedented attack” through alleged schemes including dirty money, vote-buying, and electoral interference “by hostile forces from outside the country” and criminal groups.
“You have shown that nothing can stand in the way of the people’s power when they choose to speak through their vote,” she added.
When polls closed locally at 9 p.m. (1900 GMT), turnout stood at more than 1.68 million people — about 54 percent of eligible voters, according to the CEC. Moldova’s large diaspora, which cast ballots in record numbers of more than 325,000 voted, heavily in favor of Sandu in the runoff.
In the first round held Oct. 20, Sandu obtained 42 percent of the ballot but failed to win an outright majority over the second place Stoianoglo. The presidential role carries significant powers in areas such as foreign policy and national security and has a four-year term.
Allegations of vote-buying and Russian interference
Moldova’s diaspora played a key role in the presidential vote and in a nationwide referendum held on Oct. 20, when a narrow majority of 50.35 percent voted to secure Moldova’s path toward EU membership. But the results of the ballots including Sunday’s vote have been overshadowed by allegations of a major vote-buying scheme and voter intimidation.
Instead of winning the overwhelming support that Sandu had hoped, the results in both races exposed Moldova’s judiciary as unable to adequately protect the democratic process.
On Sunday, Moldovan police said they had “reasonable evidence” of organized transportation of voters — illegal under the country’s electoral code — to polling stations from within the country and from overseas, and are “investigating and registering evidence in connection with air transport activities from Russia to Belarus, Azerbaijan and Turkiye.”
“Such measures are taken to protect the integrity of the electoral process and to ensure that every citizen’s vote is cast freely without undue pressure or influence,” police said.
Moldova’s foreign ministry said on Sunday afternoon that polling stations in Frankfurt, Germany, and Liverpool and Northampton in the UK had been targeted by false bomb threats, which “intended only to stop the voting process.”
Stanislav Secrieru, the president’s national security adviser, wrote on X: “We are seeing massive interference by Russia in our electoral process,” which he warned had a “high potential to distort the outcome” of the vote.
Secrieru later added that the national voter record systems were being targeted by “ongoing coordinated cyberattacks” to disrupt links between domestic polling stations and those abroad, and that cybersecurity teams were “working to counter these threats and ensure system continuity.”
Moldova’s Prime Minister Dorin Recean said that people throughout the country had received “anonymous death threats via phone calls” in what he called “an extreme attack” to scare voters in the former Soviet republic, which has a population of about 2.5 million people.
After casting her ballot in Chisinau, Sandu said “today, more than ever, we must be united, keep our peace, keep our vote, keep our independence.”
“Thieves want to buy our vote, thieves want to buy our country, but the power of the people is infinitely greater,” she told reporters.
Outside a polling station in Romania’s capital, Bucharest, 20-year-old medical student Silviana Zestrea said the runoff would be a “definitive step” toward Moldova’s future.
“People need to understand that we have to choose a true candidate that will fulfill our expectations,” she said. “Because I think even if we are a diaspora now, none of us actually wanted to leave.”
Moldovan police expose a scheme allegedly plotted by a convicted oligarch
In the wake of the two October votes, Moldovan law enforcement said that a vote-buying scheme was orchestrated by Ilan Shor, an exiled oligarch who lives in Russia and was convicted in absentia last year of fraud and money laundering. Shor denies any wrongdoing.
Prosecutors say $39 million was paid to more than 130,000 recipients through an internationally sanctioned Russian bank to voters between September and October. Anti-corruption authorities have conducted hundreds of searches and seized over $2.7 million (2.5 million euros) in cash as they attempt to crack down.
In one case in Gagauzia, an autonomous part of Moldova where only 5 percent voted in favor of the EU, a physician was detained after allegedly coercing 25 residents of a home for older adults to vote for a candidate they did not choose. Police said they obtained “conclusive evidence,” including financial transfers from the same Russian bank.
On Saturday, at a church in Comrat, the capital of Gagauzia, Father Vasilii told The Associated Press that he’s urged people to go and vote because it’s a “civic obligation” and that they do not name any candidates.
“We use the goods the country offers us — light, gas,” he said. “Whether we like what the government does or not, we must go and vote. ... The church always prays for peace.”
On Thursday, prosecutors raided a political party headquarters and said 12 people were suspected of paying voters to select a candidate in the presidential race. A criminal case was also opened in which 40 state agency employees were suspected of taking electoral bribes.
Moldova’s EU future at stake
Cristian Cantir, a Moldovan associate professor of international relations at Oakland University, told AP that whatever the outcome of the second round, it “will not deflate” geopolitical tensions. “On the contrary, I expect geopolitical polarization to be amplified by the campaign for the 2025 legislative elections.”
Moldovan law enforcement needs more resources and better-trained staff working at a faster pace to tackle voter fraud, he added, to “create an environment in which anyone tempted to either buy or sell votes knows there will be clear and fast consequences.”
Savlina Adasan, a 21-year-old economics student in Bucharest, said she voted for Sandu and cited concerns about corruption and voters uninformed about the two candidates.
“We want a European future for our country,” she said, adding that it offers “many opportunities, development for our country … and I feel like if the other candidate wins, then it means that we are going 10 steps back as a country.”
A pro-Western government has been in power in Moldova since 2021, and a parliamentary election will be held in 2025. Moldova watchers warn that next year’s vote could be Moscow’s main target.
In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Moldova applied to join the EU. It was granted candidate status in June of that year, and in summer 2024, Brussels agreed to start membership negotiations. The sharp westward shift irked Moscow and significantly soured relations with Chisinau.
Since then, Moldovan authorities have repeatedly accused Russia of waging a vast “hybrid war,” from sprawling disinformation campaigns to protests by pro-Russia parties to vote-buying schemes that undermine countrywide elections. Russia has denied it is meddling.

Topics: Moldova Maia Sandu

Trump talks about reporters being shot and says he shouldn’t have left White House after 2020 loss

Updated 13 min 17 sec ago

November 04, 2024 01:38

Trump talks about reporters being shot and says he shouldn’t have left White House after 2020 loss

With Election Day fast approaching, Trump continues to promote falsehoods about elections and argue that he can only lose to Democrat Kamala Harris if he is cheated
That’s what he did four years ago, kicking off a process of fighting the election results that culminated in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the US Capitol

Updated 13 min 17 sec ago

November 04, 2024 01:38

LITITZ, Pennsylvania: Donald Trump gave a profane and conspiracy-laden speech two days before the presidential election, talking about reporters being shot and suggesting he “shouldn’t have left” the White House after his 2020 loss to Democrat Joe Biden.
In remarks Sunday that bore no resemblance to his standard speech in the campaign’s closing stretch, the former president repeatedly cast doubt on the integrity of the vote and resurrected old grievances about being prosecuted after trying to overturn his defeat four years ago. Trump intensified his verbal attacks against a “grossly incompetent” national leadership and the American media, steering his rally in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, at one point on to the topic of violence against members of the press.
The GOP nominee for the White House noted the ballistic glass placed in front of him at events after a gunman’s assassination attempt in July at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Trump talked about places where he saw openings in that protection.
“I have this piece of glass here,” he said. “But all we have really over here is the fake news. And to get me, somebody would have to shoot through the fake news. And I don’t mind that so much.”
It was the second time in recent days that Trump has talked about guns being pointed at people he considers enemies. He suggested former Rep. Liz Cheney, a prominent Republican critic, wouldn’t be willing to support foreign wars if she had “nine barrels shooting at her.”
With less than 48 hours before Election Day, Trump continues to promote falsehoods about elections and argue that he can only lose to Democrat Kamala Harris if he is cheated, even though polls suggest a tight race.
Some of his allies, notably former chief strategist Steve Bannon, have encouraged him to prematurely declare victory on Tuesday even if the race is too early to call. That’s what Trump did four years ago, kicking off a process of fighting the election results that culminated in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the US Capitol.
For much of this year, Trump has run a relatively disciplined campaign that emphasized the issues and voters his aides believe could deliver him victory, even as he clung to false theories about voter fraud and went on frequent digressions stirring controversy. But that discipline is increasingly collapsing.
Trump in recent weeks has joked about golfer Arnold Palmer’s genitalia, continued using gendered or sexist language in his efforts to win over women and staged a rally at New York’s Madison Square Garden that included crude and racist insults that dominated headlines.
Trump co-campaign manager Susie Wiles, long credited with bringing order to his often-chaotic political operation, watched the former president silently from off stage Sunday.
His campaign later sought to clarify his meaning in talking about the media.
“President Trump was brilliantly talking about the two assassination attempts on his own life, including one that came within 1/4 of an inch from killing him, something that the Media constantly talks and jokes about,” campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement. “The President’s statement about protective glass placement has nothing to do with the Media being harmed, or anything else.”
Harris was campaigning Sunday in Michigan, where she told a predominately Black church congregation in Detroit that God offers America a “divine plan strong enough to heal division.”
The two major candidates offered starkly different tones with the campaign almost at an end, as Harris said voters can reject “chaos, fear and hate.”
Trump usually veers from subject to subject, a discursive style he has labeled “the weave.” But outside the Lancaster airport, he went on long tangents and hardly mentioned his usual points on the economy, immigration and rote criticisms of Harris.
Trump referred to John Bolton, his former national security adviser and now a strident critic, as a “dumb son of a b— .” And he repeated familiar and debunked theories about voter fraud, alleging that Democrats could only win by cheating. Public polls indicate a tight and competitive race across the battleground states that will determine the Electoral College outcome.
“It’s a crooked country,” Trump said. “And we’re going to make it straight. We’re going to make it straight.”
Harris pushed back at Trump’s characterizations of US elections, telling reporters after the church service that Trump’s comments are “meant to distract from the fact that we have and support free and fair elections in our country.” Those “good systems” were in place in 2020, Harris said, and “he lost.”
The vice president said she trusts the upcoming vote tally and urged voters, “in particular people who have not yet voted to not fall for this tactic, which I think includes, suggesting to people that if they vote, their vote won’t matter.”
“Trump’s unhinged ramblings and dangerous rhetoric confirm what those closest to him have already told us: he is completely unfit to lead and would put our democracy and the rule of law at risk if given a chance,” Alex Floyd, a spokesperson for the Democratic National Committee, said in a statement, referring to former Trump aides who have warned against returning him to the White House, including retired military officers who said he’s a fascist.
Trump, for his part, acknowledged that he was sidestepping his usual approach with his conspiratorial speech. He repeatedly talked about disregarding the advice of his aides, repeating their feedback in a mocking voice and insisting that he had to talk about election fraud despite their objections.
Trump at one point suggested that he wouldn’t deliver this version of his speech again: “I hope you’ve enjoyed this,” he said, “because I’m only doing this one time.”
Indeed, his next speech a few hours later at an airport in Kinston, North Carolina, drifted between prepared remarks and familiar stories. Trump praised David McCormick, the businessman running for Senate in Pennsylvania, appearing to briefly lose track of his location but quickly recovering.
“Where’s David? Is he around some place?” Trump said. “You know we just left him. He’s a great guy.”
Some rallygoers began leaving almost immediately. One of them was Whitney Riley, 60, who said she desperately wanted to stay but had another event. She noted Trump started late.
“I got to see him land. I got to see him open,” said Riley, wearing Trump’s signature “Make America Great Again” hat and an American flag scarf. “And that’ll have to be enough.”

Topics: US Election 2024 Donald Trump

Cyprus is committed to expanding defense ties with the US, says president

US President Joe Biden shakes hands during a meeting with President of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides, left.

Updated 03 November 2024

November 03, 2024 19:42

Cyprus is committed to expanding defense ties with the US, says president

Centerpiece of security cooperation is the US-funded center for port and maritime security known by its acronym CYCLOPS
Officials from neighboring countries including Libya, Yemen, and Lebanon, receive key training ranging from cybersecurity to ship inspections

Updated 03 November 2024

November 03, 2024 19:42

NICOSIA: The president of Cyprus said Sunday his administration is committed to expanding defense and security cooperation with the US, as his meeting with American President Joe Biden last week charted a course for the “next ambitious steps” in bilateral relations that are currently at a “historic high.”
President Nikos Christodoulides says his government’s “clear foreign policy orientation” has resulted in deepening the Cyprus-US strategic partnership over the first 18 months of his five-year term in fields including law enforcement cooperation on countering money laundering and sanctions evasion, as well as energy.
A centerpiece of that security cooperation is the US-funded center for port and maritime security known by its acronym CYCLOPS where officials from neighboring countries including Libya, Yemen and Lebanon, receive key training ranging from cybersecurity to ship inspections.
Christodoulides said his Oct. 30 visit to the White House “is proof and recognition of the geostrategic role of Cyprus and the country’s potential and capabilities.”
“Cyprus can be a reliable ‘port of stability’ and at the same time a country that has a vision to transform its immediate region, alongside its partners, into a region of promise, stability, cooperation and prosperity,” Christodoulides said in an email response to an Associated Press questionnaire.
The Cypriot president said his administration is “certainly considering” procuring US-made weapons following the 2020 lifting of a decades-long arms embargo. But what must precede such purchases is for the US Congress to lift its embargo for an extended period. Currently, that is renewed annually.
Christodoulides said Cyprus’ geostrategic role is highlighted by the fact that since Sept. 27, some 3,635 third-country nationals from 29 countries have been repatriated through the island nation following their evacuation from Lebanon. He said several countries consider Cyprus an “assisted departure hub and a Temporary Safe Location (TSL)” where the island’s ports, airports and designated temporary accommodations are used for civilian or military-led departures. He did not specify those countries.
He said Cyprus is ready to respond if and when a mass evacuation from Lebanon is set in motion.
Another key initiative for which Cyprus has gained international plaudits and was singled out by Biden is the so-called Amalthea plan that saw the establishment of the Cyprus-Gaza maritime corridor through which some 20,000 metric tons of aid flowed into the Palestinian territory earlier this year.
Most of that aid reached Gaza through a US-built, $230 million temporary pier project that lasted about four months after being beset by turbulent weather, security threats and sweeping personnel restrictions.
Christodoulides said work is underway in cooperation with the US, the UK, the United Arab Emirates, and the European Union, to re-activate the maritime route to Gaza through the Israeli port of Ashdod. Collected aid will be security-screened in Cyprus and shipped to Ashdod “for swift onward delivery to Gaza.”
“We maintain excellent, longstanding relations with our neighboring countries, underpinned by trust, and we have consistently acted as the region’s voice in the European Union, and as a reliable interlocutor and partner with all the states of the region,” Christodoulides said.
On his decision to invite FBI and US Department of Justice officials to help Cypriot law enforcement to halt Russian sanctions evasion through Cypriot lawyers and accountants, Christodoulides said, “we are strongly determined to clear our country’s name internationally and prove that Cyprus is a state fully aligned with the principles and values of the West.”
He said “several cases” of possible sanctions evasion are under investigation” and the aim is to bring them to justice as quickly as possible.”
Regarding energy cooperation, Christodoulides said the fact that both US energy giants ExxonMobil and Chevron are active in the search for hydrocarbons in Cyprus’ offshore economic zone is “a vote of confidence” in the island nation.
He said next year will be a “milestone” for both energy companies. ExxonMobil and partner QatarEnergy, which discovered a sizeable natural gas deposit in one of two areas, or blocks, they hold exploration licenses for, are scheduled to drill two additional wells in January of next year.
Chevron is expected to complete fine-tuning a revised development plan for its Aphrodite gas field, estimated to hold around 4.2 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.
“As the first gas from the Aphrodite is directed to the market, this automatically makes Cyprus a gas seller, which is extremely important not only in monetary terms but also for geopolitical reasons,” said Christodoulides.

Topics: Cyprus US

With community meals, Indian village keeps loneliness away from its elderly

Updated 03 November 2024

Sanjay Kumar

November 03, 2024 19:09

With community meals, Indian village keeps loneliness away from its elderly

Chandanki village’s community kitchen initiative was launched about 15 years ago
The initiative was a ‘lifeline’ that kept elderly connected with village, senior resident says

Updated 03 November 2024

Sanjay Kumar

November 03, 2024 19:09

NEW DELHI: In Chandanki, a village tucked away in India’s Gujarat state, lunches and dinners are often a communal affair for its elderly population.

Every day, some 40 people gather in the community kitchen to share their meals, benefiting from an initiative that was designed to serve an aging group.

“It all started some 15 years ago,” Poonam Chunnilal Patel, the head of Chandanki village, told Arab News.

“Most people are old here. I am 60 years old, other people are 80, 90 and 95 years old,” he said.

“They were having problems arranging their lunches and dinners, so the villagers decided to do something about that. The kids who settled abroad or outside of the village decided to pitch in and open a community kitchen for these elderly people.”

Officially, Chandanki is a village of about 1,000 people, but most of the younger population reside in other parts of India or abroad, leaving behind their senior parents.

With two cooks on duty, the kitchen makes preparations for around 40 people every day and makes extra for the children who visit from time to time. They serve mainly Gujarati food, such as the Gujarati Thali, an assortment of dishes comprising rice, bread, fried snacks and vegetables.

“We take care of the cooks and we provide houses to them and give them good salaries,” Patel said.

The community kitchen has since served as a space to connect with others for many of the village’s elderly, like 86-year-old Raddilal Somnam Patel.

“The community kitchen is a lifeline for us. For people like us, it not only provides food but also keeps us connected with the people in the village,” Patel told Arab News.

Patel joined the community kitchen nearly a decade ago, not long after the death of his wife and only family. Since then, he has also been celebrating festivals and holidays with the rest of the village.

“It all started close to 15 years ago, and I really appreciate that this idea stuck with the people that time,” he said.

“By dining together, we remain connected, and the sense of loneliness does not impact us.”

Topics: India

London event to highlight religious tourism opportunities ‘beyond Umrah’

The holy Kaaba can be seen at the Grand Mosque in Makkah. (@AlharamainSA)

Updated 03 November 2024

Zaynab Khojji

November 03, 2024 19:01

London event to highlight religious tourism opportunities ‘beyond Umrah’

Discussions to focus on significant religious sites for pilgrims to visit

Updated 03 November 2024

Zaynab Khojji

November 03, 2024 19:01

LONDON: Religious tourism opportunities in Saudi Arabia for Hajj and Umrah pilgrims will be discussed at a London event for travel professionals and industry leaders on Monday.

The Umrah+ Connect business-to-business event will highlight significant religious sites that pilgrims can visit, and activities that promote understanding of the Kingdom’s cultural heritage.

Organized in association with Saudi Arabia’s Pilgrim Experience Program, the Visit Saudi platform, and the Umrah & Ziyarah Forum, the event aims to meet the expanding demand for religious tourism among British Muslims.

Rashid Mohammed, the organizer of Umrah+ Connect, said Monday’s event would focus on “inspiring a more immersive experience for pilgrims through a ‘beyond Umrah’ theme.”

Mohammed told Arab News: “Umrah+ Connect is more than an event: It’s a transformative opportunity for travel professionals to deepen their knowledge, connect with key partners, and discover innovative ways to serve pilgrims.

“We’re excited to bring the global Umrah community together in London to spark collaborations that enhance both the journey and experience for travelers worldwide.

“We aim to showcase the diverse religious tourism opportunities available, enriching each pilgrim’s journey and adding new dimensions to their visit.”

The annual event, which is in its fourth year, will feature presentations by industry leaders, workshops on religious tourism, and networking sessions with global industry professionals.

It is sponsored by Taiba Investments, Makkah Hotel & Towers, Al-Balad Hospitality by Al-Balad Development Company, Hajj and Umrah tour operator Mawasim, which is part of Almosafer, and ABT Hospitality. Aroya Cruises is an event partner.

Topics: hajj Umrah London

Billionaire bash: India’s lavish Ambani nuptials

Billionaire bash: India’s lavish Ambani nuptials

Moldova’s pro-Western president wins 2nd term in runoff overshadowed by Russian meddling claims

Moldova’s pro-Western president wins 2nd term in runoff overshadowed by Russian meddling claims

Moldova holds presidential runoff election amid claims of Russian meddling

Moldova EU vote too close to call, president blames ‘foreign interference’

Trump talks about reporters being shot and says he shouldn’t have left White House after 2020 loss

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Cyprus is committed to expanding defense ties with the US, says president

Cyprus is committed to expanding defense ties with the US, says president

Biden, Cyprus president discuss administration push to win ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon

Jordan’s King Abdullah meets European leaders at MED9 Summit in Cyprus

With community meals, Indian village keeps loneliness away from its elderly

With community meals, Indian village keeps loneliness away from its elderly

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London event to highlight religious tourism opportunities ‘beyond Umrah’

London event to highlight religious tourism opportunities ‘beyond Umrah’

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Billionaire bash: India’s lavish Ambani nuptials

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