RIYADH: All the hype surrounding Formula E sent a wave of excitement through the streets that you could sense as you approached the Allianz E-Village, an electronic village with reality toys galore that will take you to the another world. Thrilled visitors who had come early had the advantage of avoiding the crowds and the busy queues as they paced their way through the village.
The Formula E-Prix took up the whole of Ad Diriyah, a family zone and cultural village. The best way to move around was by one of the many buses that transports visitors to the security checks.
On the ride to the cultural village at dusk you could see the place all lit up with twinkling fairy lights. It was magical and beautiful. One person on the bus gushed at the beauty of it, the mixing of the old and the new, the cultural and the technological.
“In my day everything was open; we had cinemas and foreigners walked around without abayas. This reminds me of the old days. I’m very happy that we have this again. This is normal life. It’s nice to go back to that,” Um Faisal, a Saudi citizen said from the crowd.
People were dancing in the crowds singing to the lyrics, and once the DJ stopped the music you could hear the crowds scream with excitement.
“This is ridiculous!” was overheard from one concert-goer who was watching the show. The huge crowd was jumping up and down to the beat. There were no limits to age, gender or race; everyone participated.
First-time concert-goer Yara Saud, an 18-year-old college student, had been waiting for this event since it was announced. Being a huge fan of Jason Derulo, she said: “I can’t believe that I’m attending my favorite artist’s concert in my home town. This is Crazy!”
“Saudi whassap. This is a dream come true for me! Since we are in Saudi Arabia I want to do things a little different,” said Jason Derulo.
As a special treat for his Saudi audience he gave the first performance of a new song, stating on the stage that his mother taught him to never visit empty handed: This was his gift to Saudi Arabia.
It was truly a night to remember as for the first time in Saudi Arabia we could witness the people of Saudi mingling, dancing, singing and enjoying themselves in a huge outdoor area.
Formula E at Ad Diriyah: An experience of a lifetime
Formula E at Ad Diriyah: An experience of a lifetime
- The 2018 Ad Diriyah E-Prix gets off to a thrilling start
Saudi FM joins Arab counterparts in talks with Slovenia on Gaza, regional stability
- Prince Faisal and Tanja Fajon later signed general cooperation agreement aimed at enhancing ties between Kingdom and Slovenia
LJUBLJANA: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan held talks with Slovenia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon in Ljubljana on Friday, as he joined Arab counterparts for an expanded meeting focused on Gaza and wider regional developments.
Prince Faisal met Fajon separately to review Saudi-Slovenian relations and explore ways to strengthen cooperation across various fields, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The two sides later signed a general cooperation agreement aimed at enhancing ties between the Kingdom and Slovenia and intensifying joint efforts to support further progress and prosperity for both countries, SPA added.
The expanded ministerial meeting also brought together Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al-Zayani and Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan Al-Muraikhi.
During the talks, ministers discussed ways to bolster regional and international security and stability, with a focus on the situation in Gaza.
They stressed the need to uphold the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, ensure its full implementation and deliver sufficient and sustainable humanitarian aid to the enclave.
The officials also reviewed efforts to advance US President Donald Trump’s peace plan and reiterated the importance of achieving a clear political horizon leading to an independent and sovereign Palestinian state along the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, based on the two-state solution.
They addressed developments in the occupied West Bank, calling for an end to illegal, unilateral Israeli measures and violations against Islamic and Christian holy sites in occupied Jerusalem, warning that such actions undermined de-escalation efforts.
The ministers praised Slovenia’s support for Palestinian rights and its recognition of a Palestinian state, and also discussed broader regional developments, ways to reduce escalation through dialogue, and efforts to resolve the Russia-Ukraine crisis.
