DGDA Holds Eid Al-Adha Festivities

DGDA Holds Eid Al-Adha Festivities
TT

DGDA Holds Eid Al-Adha Festivities

DGDA Holds Eid Al-Adha Festivities

As part of its commitment to strengthening bonds with the local community, the Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA) is holding a series of festive events in mosques, parks, and gardens across the city of Diriyah to celebrate Eid Al-Adha.

DGDA’s participation in the Eid Al-Adha celebrations reaffirms its commitment to engaging in social activities and events. With the residents of Diriyah as crucial partners, the authority aims to involve them in the realization of its vision to transform Diriyah into a dynamic global cultural and tourist destination.

Diriyah will also spread the spirit of Eid by deploying a fleet of "Fun Busses" that will travel across the neighborhood and parks, bringing joy to locals and visitors alike. The buses will travel through Al-Khalidiya Park, Al-Faisaliah Park, and Jax Park during the first three days of Eid. Each evening throughout the four-day Eid Al-Adha holiday, cultural and heritage events will take place at 8:00 pm in conjunction with the local municipality, traffic authority, police department, Diriyah Hospital, and other local entities.

The authority has also collaborated with the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture to oversee the organization of Eid meals. This collaboration helps to prioritize sustainability across Diriyah by ensuring proper waste disposal and utilization at the Diriyah abattoir.

Furthermore, DGDA launched “The Good Neighbor” initiative, which works to distribute special bags for first aid kits and Eid decoration boxes. The goal is to increase public awareness of the significant role that family activities play in bringing Diriyah’s rich and dynamic local culture to life, SPA reported.

In addition to these festivities, Bujairi Terrace will be celebrating this year’s Eid Al-Adha holiday, with its, breathtaking views overlooking the UNESCO World Heritage Site of At-Turaif. From the 28th of June to the 1st of July, visitors can enjoy traditional sounds entertainment and activities for the entire family while dining at any of its 20 restaurants.

In the spirit of celebration, DGDA will also actively serve pilgrims during the Hajj season through the Diriyah’s Scouts program. Organized by DGDA’s Society Participation Department, in collaboration with the Saudi Arabian Scouts Association and several other entities, a dedicated team of more than 18 Diriyah Scouts provides support to pilgrims throughout their stay.



Britain's King Charles Meets Cheering Australian Crowds, Says 'Great Joy' to Return

Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla attend Church on a tour of Australia St Thomas' Anglican Church, North Sydney, Australia, October 20, 2024. Ian Vogler/Pool via REUTERS
Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla attend Church on a tour of Australia St Thomas' Anglican Church, North Sydney, Australia, October 20, 2024. Ian Vogler/Pool via REUTERS
TT

Britain's King Charles Meets Cheering Australian Crowds, Says 'Great Joy' to Return

Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla attend Church on a tour of Australia St Thomas' Anglican Church, North Sydney, Australia, October 20, 2024. Ian Vogler/Pool via REUTERS
Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla attend Church on a tour of Australia St Thomas' Anglican Church, North Sydney, Australia, October 20, 2024. Ian Vogler/Pool via REUTERS

Hundreds of well-wishers greeted Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla in Sydney on Sunday as the royal couple attended church, with the king saying it was a "great joy" to return to Australia in his first visit to an overseas realm as sovereign.

Charles' 16th official visit to Australia, where he attended school for six months as a teenager in 1966, is also his first major foreign trip since being diagnosed with cancer, according to Reuters.

"What a great joy it is to come to Australia for the first time as sovereign and to renew a love of this country and its people which I have cherished for so long," he said in a speech at the New South Wales parliament.

New South Wales state lawmaker Kellie Sloane, whose electorate covers some of Sydney's most famous beaches, wrote on social media platform X after chatting with the king that he "sends his best to the 'amazing' surf clubs at Bondi Beach".

The royal couple were earlier greeted at St Thomas' Anglican Church by the archbishop of Sydney, Kanishka Raffel, and children from the church's Sunday school who waved Australian flags.

Camilla was given a flower bouquet by the minister's wife, Ellie Mantle, who asked if they had recovered from jet lag after the long flight to Australia on Friday. "Sort of," Camilla replied.

Inside the church, Charles and Camilla signed two bibles, including one that belonged to Australia's first minister and chaplain of the First Fleet of ships that took convicts from Britain to the penal colony of Australia in 1788.

Outside, the royal couple shook hands and chatted with a large crowd of cheering fans, some singing "God Save the King".

It was the public's first opportunity to meet Charles and Camilla since they arrived in Australia's biggest city on Friday night, and several hundred well wishers outnumbered a dozen protesters.

Travelling across Sydney Harbour, Charles visited the New South Wales parliament, marking the 200th anniversary of Australia's oldest legislature.

The king presented the lawmakers with an hour-glass to time their speeches, and highlighted the fundamental role of strong parliaments to democracies that serve today's diverse societies.

"Democracy has, I believe, an extraordinary capacity for innovation, compromise and adaptability as well as stability," he said.

The royal couple will travel to Canberra on Monday to meet Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the national parliament and visit the Australian War Memorial.

Albanese met the couple on Friday at Admiralty House, the historic government harbourside residence where they are staying, for what he said was an informal drink and chat.

The king will attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa after the six-day Australia tour.

Charles had made a significant personal donation to create a skills program to tackle climate change and boost higher education in small island states, including the Pacific Islands, the Association of Commonwealth Universities said on Sunday.

Mid-career professionals and civil servants will benefit from the fellowships, in a program that aims to retain talent in small island states and bolster resilience to the impacts of climate change such as rising sea levels.