Samar Yahya Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — The Algerian Consulate General organized a cultural evening at the consulate premises with the theme the Algerian Revolution in Saudi Poetry on Wednesday. Dr. Bou Abdullah Gholam Allah, Algerian minister of religious affairs and endowments, and Algerian Ambassador in Riyadh Dr. Abdul Wahab Derbal attended the cultural evening that hosted the lecture by professors Mohammad Abdullah Al-Dossary and Abdullah Bin Awdah Al-Atwy. Many diplomats, prominent Saudi writers, poets and media personnel attended the event. Consul General Saleh Atiyah and consulate staff were on hand to receive the guests. Arab and Gulf diplomats who were invited to the event included UAE Consul General Ahmed Mohammed Mangoosh, Consul General of Palestine Dr. Emad Sha'at, Consul General of Sudan Khaled Al-Taras, Egypt's Consul General Adel El-Alfy and Omani Consul General Jumaah Al-Rashdy. The cultural ceremony honored participants from diverse fields including poetry, research and media. Those honored include the late great writer Abdul Qudoos Al-Ansari from Al-Manhal magazine, Al-Dossary, Al-Atwy, Dr. Zaher Bin Awwad Al-Almaey, poet Saad Bin Abdul Rahman Al-Bawardy and Ibrahim Talea Al-Almaey. In his speech, Atiyah praised Saudi Arabia's support for the Algerian people and their uprising against the French colonialists (1954-1962). He said: “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was the first Arab country that called for listing Algeria's issue in the UN decolonization committee. “No one can forget King Saud's decree to stop all celebrations in 1956 and to send all expenses of the celebrations to aid Algeria. “Also King Saud set Shaaban 15 as an annual date for solidarity with Algeria.” The ceremony began with a Qur'an recitation followed by the national anthems of Algeria and Saudi Arabia. Mohammad Ahmad Tayeb, director general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Makkah province branch, delivered a speech where he recalled memories of Algerian colleagues in Saudi Arabia during the time of colonization. He said: “The Algerian people's struggle against colonization is a historical landmark for Arabs and humanity in general. “The Algerian struggle against colonization was for liberty and pride and to preserve their identity, land and religion. “The Algerian liberation war continued for over six years and over 1.5 million martyrs sacrificed their souls to offer the Algerian people the liberty that they lacked and sought for over a hundred years under French colonization.”
