Riyadh Gov. Prince Turki bin Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz cuts a cake at Indonesia’s 69th Independence Day and Armed Forces Day celebrations in Riyadh.

Indonesians celebrated their country’s 69th Independence Day at their embassy in the Diplomatic Quarter in Riyadh on Monday.

Riyadh Gov. Prince Turki bin Abdullah was the chief guest at the event.

The celebrations commemorated Indonesia’s independence, which took place on Aug. 17, 1945, and Armed Forces Day on Oct. 5, 1945.

Prince Turki accompanied Ambassador of Indonesia Abdurrahman Mohammad Fachir and heads of mission of various Asian countries, in cutting a ceremonial cake.

In a speech, Fachir thanked Prince Turki and the other guests for attending the event. He said that bilateral relations between the two countries were solid.

“As the world’s largest Muslim nation, Indonesia places the Kingdom at the center of Islam because it hosts the two holy mosques. Last year, nearly 1 million Indonesians visited the Kingdom to perform Haj and Umrah and the number will increase this coming year. The pilgrimage helps to widen people-to-people contacts with tremendous social and economic benefits.”

Moreover, the presence of another million Indonesians, residing and working in the Kingdom, continues to contribute significantly to its productivity and development, he said.

Fachir hoped that the new government in Indonesia would further boost bilateral cooperation for the benefit of the two countries.

The celebration was attended by over 300 guests including diplomats from several embassies in Riyadh, high-ranking officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other ministries in Saudi Arabia, top business personalities, journalists and community leaders.

Students of the Indonesian School in Riyadh performed the national anthems of the Kingdom and Indonesia. A group of Indonesian students performed a “Giring-Giring” dance that originates from Kalimantan Province.

A documentary film highlighting the diplomatic relationship between Saudi Arabia and Indonesia, including the cultural heritage and scenic beauty of the host country, was screened.

 
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