COLOMBO : Khaled bin Hamoud Alkahtani
Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia hosted a reception at the Shangri La Hotel in Colombo on Thursday,Feb.22 to mark the Founding Day of the Kingdom
Members of the Saudi community, members of the diplomatic corps, public servants and ministers such as foreign minister Ali Sabry, Media Minister Bandula Gunawardene, Ports and shipping minister Nimal Siripala De Silva,former governor Azath Salley were present during the celebrations.
A cake was cut to mark the occasion ,the Saudi ambassador and the ministers joined the envoy in the cake cutting ceremony
In his brief welcome speech, Ambassador Alkahtani recalled that the founding day of Saudi Arabia represents the unification of the three Saudi states, marking a significant historical journey. It all began on February 22, 1727, when Imam Muhammad bin Saud laid the foundation of the first Saudi state, with its capital, Diriyah. Subsequently, in 1824, Imam Turki bin Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Saud established the second Saudi state, choosing Riyadh as its capital. Finally, in 1902, King Abdulaziz bin Abdul Rahman initiated the third Saudi state, with its capital as Riyadh, under which the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was unified in 1932.
The celebration of Founding Day is evidence of the keenness of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to highlight the rich legacy and historical significance of the Kingdom since its founding and reaching this prosperous era; the era of progress, construction and development, in addition to the developmental renaissance that the Kingdom is witnessing in various fields today.
In the light of the above, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, issued a royal decree designating the twenty-second of February of each year an official holiday for both public and private sectors, and a national holiday to be celebrated throughout the country.” photos : Mohamed Saleem
