RIYADH: The European Music Week in Riyadh is bringing audiences classical, pop, folk and jazz sounds to celebrate the “dynamism and richness of relations” between Saudi Arabia and the EU.
The EU delegation, in partnership with the embassies of EU member states and the Saudi Music Commission, inaugurated the event on Nov. 11.
Running until Nov. 20 at the Saudi Music Hub, the festival is hosting a rich selection of artists from Portugal, Denmark, Spain, Germany, France, Italy, Estonia, Greece and the Netherlands.
Christophe Fernand, ambassador of the EU, told Arab News: “Tonight is the launch of the European Music Week. It is a unique occasion; it is an event that did not exist before. This is a very important moment for Saudi Arabia and the EU. It reflects the dynamism and richness of the relations. The economic partnership must be strengthened by a cultural partnership.”
The ambassador added: “We live in a world where trade is increasingly important. It is fundamental that people learn to know each other, to better understand each other and this goes through culture in the general sense of the term. Tonight, it is the turn of music to bring together two cultures as rich and diverse as each other.
“Music today is an opportunity to have a good time together and also to know each other.”
Faisal Al-Gain, director general of the Saudi Music Hub, told Arab News: “This is an important event because our goal is to celebrate culture. It is, therefore, an incredible opportunity that allows us to celebrate musical art, and to promote new co-creation and new content.
“So, we could really embrace this art and look at best practices and how we can work together, whether it’s in the form of performances or from an educational perspective, to see how we can improve the quality of music.”
Since Nov. 11, the Saudi public and music enthusiasts at the festival have explored European music, including contemporary Portuguese sound, courtesy of the group Almanata, a collective made up of Portuguese friends living in Riyadh.
Louise Tuxen, a Danish singer and composer, showed her rich and emotive repertoire at the festival. Whether singing in Danish or English, her melodies explore themes of life, family, friendship, happiness, sadness and death.
Tuxen captivated the audience with her warm voice, offering a delightful musical journey through a small corner of Denmark.
The Arcis Saxophone Quartet brought German sounds to the event through its four talented members: Claus Hierluksch, Ricarda Fuss, Anna-Marie Schafer and Jure Knez.
French-Maltese singer Cynthia Queenton blends charm and talent, and is widely recognized for her vocals through advertising jingles aired on French television.
Queenton blends “swing poppy jazz” with a “French touch.” Raised on the sounds of Ella Fitzgerald, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Cole Porter and Michel Legrand, she honed her craft at the Academie de musique et de danse Classique de Paris.
Audiences will also have the opportunity to attend concerts featuring artists from Italy, Estonia, Greece and the Netherlands.
From jazz to classical: European Music Week takes center stage in Riyadh
https://arab.news/ckmpn
From jazz to classical: European Music Week takes center stage in Riyadh
- The EU delegation, in partnership with the embassies of EU member states and the Saudi Music Commission, inaugurated the event on Nov. 11
- Envoy says festival is ‘very important moment’ for Saudi Arabia and the EU
Ramadan brings local communities together to engage in volunteering activities
- For the Jeddah Volunteer group, local volunteers head out to lower-income neighborhoods to distribute meals
- Supervisor Ahmed Al-Hamdan told Arab News that the iftar project is among the group’s most significant Ramadan initiatives
JEDDAH: Since the start of Ramadan, charities, mosques, restaurants, generous individuals and young volunteers across Saudi Arabia are coming together to make a tangible difference to the lives of those in need.
Volunteering activities usually peak in the weeks preceding Ramadan, with several initiatives taking place across the country.
“Every Ramadan, we are proud to see citizens and residents step up as volunteers across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in Riyadh, Jeddah, Damam, Tabuk, Hail, Najran, Qassim and the rest of cities, embodying the spirit of giving and solidarity during this holy month. The people’s dedication and compassion have been a true reflection of Saudi Arabia’s values,” Sheikh Mansour Al-Shareef, imam of Al-Tawheed Mosque in Jeddah, told Arab News.
Al-Shareef underscored the spiritual essence of volunteerism, saying: “Volunteerism in Ramadan is not only about helping the needy but also about showing unity within communities.”
He noted the remarkable rise in community engagement in recent years. “Volunteering is on the rise with individuals from all walks of life contributing their time and resources to foster social solidarity, particularly during Ramadan.”
For the Jeddah Volunteer group, local volunteers head out to lower-income neighborhoods to distribute meals.
Supervisor Ahmed Al-Hamdan told Arab News that the iftar project is among the group’s most significant Ramadan initiatives.
He noted that the program aims to strengthen social solidarity and ease the burden on needy families, adding that every day during Ramadan, more than 100 volunteers arrive at the various iftar sites by the afternoon Asr prayer.
They work together to prepare special meals which include water, dates and rice, and later they distribute meals by hand. For many, the reward of helping those in need is what drives them to participate in volunteer campaigns.
It is becoming an act of duty for volunteer Noura Abdulaziz, who has been involved in such initiatives for the last two years.
She said: “I dedicate myself to this cause because it is the month of giving and it is our duty to give a hand in this special month. I really enjoy every minute of it.”
She pointed out that she sacrificed her time spent with her family to hand out meals to those who are in need.
“The number of iftars I have with my family is minimal, but they have no complaints as they understand the greater purpose,” she said.
Under the slogan “Ramadan Kareem,” fulfilling its annual commitment to community service, Kayani Event Management launched its annual “Iftar for the Fasting” campaign in the heart of Al-Balad district (historic Jeddah) for the fifth consecutive year, creating a scene of social solidarity within the ancient city.
The aim was to deliver Iftar meals to needy families and charitable organizations in the area, reinforcing the spirit of compassion embodied by the holy month.
Rana Bajouda, CEO of Kayani, told Arab News: “Our continuation for the fifth year is a confirmation of our commitment to our neighbors and our people in Jeddah, and our belief that giving is the true engine of success for any organization.”
From individual acts to organized government efforts, the General Directorate of Education in the Makkah Region launched a broad community initiative to provide Iftar meals for fasting visitors to the Holy Mosque, aiming to distribute 5,000 meals daily throughout the holy month of Ramadan.
Behind this initiative stands a team of 500 volunteers from the education sector, who work side by side, in a scene of faith that embodies the spirit of cohesion and clearly reflects the leading community role of the education sector in serving those who visit the Grand Mosque.
