LONDON: A visit by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman drew to a close on Friday after a three-day official trip that helped redefine the priorities for both countries. The crown prince’s visit resulted in new agreements with the British government and the signing of a raft of business deals.
Prime Minister Theresa May’s own words captured the mood that surrounded the visit: “The link that we have with Saudi Arabia is historic, it is an important one, and it has saved the lives of potentially hundreds of people in this country.”
The prime minister was referring to the importance of Saudi Arabia as an ally with a special relationship linking the two kingdoms over the past eight decades.
The crown prince and the delegation of Saudi officials and business leaders held talks with the PM at Downing Street, where May extended a warm welcome to the Kingdom’s heir apparent.
That meeting saw the launch of the UK-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council; a broad understanding was agreed for a £65 billion ($90 billion) mutual trade and investment target, which would include direct investment in Britain and new Saudi public procurement from British companies. This would be spread across sectors including finance, education, health care, renewable energy and defense, May’s office said. Britain is also vying to land the stock market listing of state oil firm Saudi Aramco, but no decision emerged during the visit.
“This is a significant boost for UK prosperity and a clear demonstration of the strong international confidence in our economy as we prepare to leave the European Union,” a spokeswoman from May’s office said after the meeting.
On Wednesday, the first official engagement for the crown prince was a visit to Buckingham Palace to see Queen Elizabeth II — a rare honor usually reserved for heads of state.
After lunch with the Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William, second and third in line to the British throne, held a dinner party at Clarence House in honor of the crown prince.
On the second day of the visit, the crown prince established a milestone in demonstrating a tolerant and inclusive Saudi Arabia by visiting the Archbishop of Canterbury at Lambeth Palace in south London. The Archbishop showed the prince a rare copy of an ancient Qur’an manuscript that was discovered a few years ago at Birmingham University. The crown prince extended an official invitation for the archbishop to visit the Kingdom, another step demonstrating an open and tolerant Saudi Arabia.
Defense and security are at the heart of bilateral relations between Britain and Saudi Arabia. The crown prince discussed strategic cooperation with UK Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson, in addition to discussing the latest developments in the Middle East and the war on terror, and the fight against extremism everywhere in the world.
During this meeting, the crown prince and defense secretary signed two memorandums to improve Saudi defense capabilities and to increase cooperation and partnership in the fields such as knowledge transfer, manufacturing partnership, training, research and technical support, as detailed by Vision 2030.
“The crown prince’s visit has opened a new chapter in our two countries’ historic relationship,” Williamson said.
The crown prince’s itinerary in London was largely private, including meetings with bankers, executives and lawmakers, and he did not speak publicly during the trip. However, his first visit was accompanied by a large campaign that included adverts promoting the crown prince and Saudi Arabia in national newspapers, on taxis ndon, and praising the “United Kingdoms.”
Saudi crown prince’s UK visit draws to close
Saudi crown prince’s UK visit draws to close
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Riyadh school enters Guinness World Records with Book Bloom 500
- Pravin Patel: This remarkable literary milestone that captured our attention was held as part of the largest creative writing lesson
- Veteran Saudi media doyen Khaled Almaeena was the chief guest at the Book Bloom 500 ceremony
RIYADH: Hundreds of schoolchildren in Riyadh have made history after reaffirming that books still matter in an age of disruptive technologies and fleeting distractions.
The Saudi capital recently witnessed the simultaneous launch of 500 works authored by students of Alif International School, a collective record for the highest number of student-authored books launched in a single, collaborative effort.
The achievement has earned the students a place in the Guinness World Records, a milestone marked by an impressive ceremony titled Book Bloom 500.
“This remarkable literary milestone that captured our attention was held as part of the largest creative writing lesson,” said Pravin Patel, the official adjudicator for Guinness World Records.
He praised the Book Bloom 500 initiative and said the successful project fulfilled all the specifications required for the record.
Veteran Saudi media doyen Khaled Almaeena was the chief guest at the Book Bloom 500 ceremony, which was attended by prominent members of the Saudi and expatriate communities, along with parents and teachers.
Addressing the gathering, the former editor-in-chief of Arab News congratulated the young authors and expressed the hope that many of them would grow into great writers contributing meaningfully to shaping the world and advancing the betterment of humanity.
He also reminded parents and teachers of their vital responsibility in nurturing children to achieve holistic development.
The little authors were delighted as dignitaries unveiled their books. Their radiant smiles reflected the joy and pride of setting a world record through their journey as published authors.
Sheikh Ali Abdurahman, the chairman of the Alif Group of Schools, praised the teamwork that had made the historic accomplishment possible.
Luqman Ahmed, the CEO of the Alif Group of Schools, talked about the year-long efforts undertaken by school authorities, teachers, and parents to realize the feat.
He said: “Our dedicated teamwork has been instrumental in nurturing new writers and authors, and followed relentless efforts to instill a reading habit among all 1,300 students of the school without exception, eventually guiding more than one-third of them into the world of authorship.”
He added that this had resulted in the publication of books across diverse subjects in English, Arabic, and five other languages.
Mohammed Mustafa, Alif International School’s principal, highlighted the school’s project of introducing students to the world of reading while pursuing its mission of transforming education into a joyful journey with the motto “A School With a Smile.”
He said: “We introduced the Read and Rejoice program as part of co-curricular activities to bring students closer to stories and help them embrace books as companions in sharpening their thinking, enriching their language, calming their minds, and enhancing their emotional intelligence.”
The ceremony also included captivating performances from young children.
