Prince Turki bin Abdullah Honors GCC Ambassadors to KSA

RIYADH - Saturday, November 15th 2014 [ME NewsWire]

The emirate of the Riyadh Region launched the celebrations for the 22nd Arabian Gulf Cup. The football tournament is held in Riyadh, the capital of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with eight GCC countries participating.

For the occasion, a dedicated website (www.gulfcupevents.com) and social media channels have been launched.

These events will continue through 26 Nov. alongside the tournament matches that are taking place in various locations across Riyadh. An executive team from the emirate of the Riyadh Region is responsible for supervising the events and ensuring their success in the best ways possible.

HRH Prince Turki bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Riyadh, delivered a speech during a dinner gala for the occasion and said: “The Kingdom is proud to host the 22nd Arabian Gulf Cup. It is an important event for all of the GCC countries and their citizens, and has a loyal following of millions of viewers locally, regionally, and internationally. The emirate of the Riyadh Region is keen to express its appreciation of this event by organizing such activities, which include events that are both modern and authentic in Arab heritage. We are delighted to welcome our brothers from the GCC to their second home, as we present Riyadh, in its finest manner, to the world.”

Prince Turki added: “Sporting events, such as the Arabian Gulf Cup which gathers athletes from all over the GCC countries, offers a unique opportunity to exchange sporting expertise. Honest competition in sports establishes noble values, ethics, and civilized behavior. Sportsmanship has the ability to make a ‎sizeable effect on new generations.”

At the gala, HRH Prince Turki welcomed the ambassadors of the GCC countries participating in the cup and presented the sponsors with honorary shields.

Before the end of the gala, and under the supervision of the emirate of the Riyadh Region, the attendees and the tournament cup were photographed at the King Abdul Aziz Historical Centre.

Welcoming the participating teams at the start of their matches, each of the eight GCC countries reflected their unique heritage through their own traditional bands and performances. The championship will commence on 13 Nov. at the King Fahd International Stadium, with the flag of the GCC flying over the stadium and the neighborhood by plane.

On 14 Nov., the bands will perform at the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium, and at the King Abdullah Park at Al Malaz and Salam Park at Al-Dirah on 15 Nov. During the performances, each band will represent their countries by wearing the colors of their flags and waving their flags amidst the masses of the audience.

In honor of HRH Prince Turki and of the heads of the participating delegations, a luncheon will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, 15 Nov., at the Alhekm Palace (in the emirate of the Riyadh Region) and will include a tour of the palace.  

From 8 to 10 p.m. on the same day, an evening of poetry featuring GCC poems has been organized at the Prince Salman Social Center in the emirate of the Riyadh Region in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and Information and the Riyadh Literary Club.

A dinner will be held for the delegation heads in honor of HRH Prince Abdullah bin Mosaad bin Abdulaziz, General President of Youth Welfare, at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, 18 Nov. The Governor of Riyadh will also attend the dinner. Former Arabian Gulf Cup players will be honored at the dinner gala held at the King Fahd Cultural Center, and the honoring will be followed by a folklore ceremony and an operetta.

On 20-22 Nov., the Arabian Gulf E-Cup will take place in the green halls. Champions from each country will compete in a tournament for 100,000 SR, with a second place prize of 50,000 SR, and a third place prize of 25,000 SR.

For the first time ever, a family activity will take place on the side lines of the Arabian Gulf Cup. From 14 to 20 Nov., the Gulf Food Festival will be held in various locations, including the Panorama Mall, Granada Mall, Al Qasr Mall, and the Kingdom Center.  The King Abdullah Park will host the food festival on 21-22 November. During the festivity, seven professional chefs representing seven GCC countries (United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, and Yemen) will prepare national dishes live for audiences who will be able to sample the foods.

Former GCC national team players will be invited to take part in the activities. Billboards on main roads will feature main destinations of Riyadh and welcome the participating delegations. The Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) will organize tours for the delegations and media persons in Riyadh.  

Dr. Abdulaziz bin Saqr of the Gulf Research Center, will organize a seminar to discuss the history of the Gulf region. Interested people from across the GCC will attend the event that will be held at King Saud University.

The Arabian Peninsula Center at King Saud University will also hold an event highlighting the history of the Arabian Peninsula, complete with theatrical performances. Hospitality tents will be raised in locations near the Kempinski Hotel and the Holiday Inn Hotel where the delegations are staying.

The Al-Qadisiyah Park, near King Fahd Stadium, will host a number of entertainment and shopping events in line with the Arabian Gulf Cup, from 13 to 26 Nov. The activities will include:

    Live broadcasts of tournament matches
    Traditional and folklore shows
    Entertainment competitions and activities
    Sports analyses for the matches
    Local families showcasing their products
    Family shopping festival, highlighting a number of the specialized stores and companies with Saudi accessories and products

News and videos of the events will be shared on the social media websites: Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.  

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Feras Adel Al Maddah

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Email: fmaddah@headlineme.com

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