[gallery td_select_gallery_slide="slide" td_gallery_title_input="We Are With You Saudis say in unison" size="medium" ids="112178,112177,112179"] By Hanan Alnufaie Saudis in large numbers renewed their pledge of allegiance to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman at a grand event held at Riyadh International Conventions and Exhibitions Center over a course of three days from Jan. 5 The ceremony with the theme "We Are With You" was organized by Luxury KSA in cooperation with the General Authority of Entertainment. Speaking about the event, Fahad Al-Muiabid, public relations manager of Luxury KSA, said, "We in this company had the honor to organize this huge event to make it a public celebration of Saudi citizens to renew their pledge of allegiance to the King of Determination and Decisiveness. The event was immensely welcomed and liked by the public. On the first day we had 9,200 visitors, 22,000 visitors on the second, and on the last day we had 15,000 visitors. All of them were happy and hundreds of them asked us to extend the activities into one more day. We expected this event to succeed, but not to this extent. It was a celebration to express the Saudis' feelings toward our beloved King and our country in a unique way that differs from our traditional festivals. In our event, we did our best to show our roots and heritage but at the same time we did it in a modern trendy way." Al-Muiabid said the harmonious combination of the valuable past and the modernity of today was alluring to both family visitors and single men. Speaking of the goals of the event, he said: "Our target was everyone in society. It was a national occasion, and we wanted each and every Saudi to celebrate their life under our King's rule. We put up programs to attract all family members and the youth from both genders. Thanks to Allah Almighty, we did our best and we saw happiness in visitors' eyes. All participants of this event were Saudis as it was an exclusively Saudi celebration." When asked about the different activities of the event, Al-Muiabid said: "We had more than 65 professional dancers performing all types of Saudi folk dances including Ardah. Each hour, we had one folk dance. We had two singers who performed patriotic songs; we also used 3D mapping for the singers Ayed and Almoanna. Before they started, we displayed a documentary on the Kingdom and all the Saudi kings from the late King Abdulaziz, the founder of modern Saudi Arabia, to King Salman, May Allah protect him. For each king we showed remarkable quotes along with some of his achievements. I cannot describe how the audience reacted to this documentary. Some were crying. These were truly unforgettable moments showing the love and loyalty of the Saudis to the Kingdom and all its rulers." There was also a standup comedy show. Furthermore, there were nearly 55 booths for productive families who showcased homemade products varying from food to perfumes and soap. Some 55 talented artists, including Noura Binsaidan who broke the Guinness World Record of drawing King Salman, displayed their art works on the King and the Kingdom and on the time-honored Saudi traditions. More than 20 fashion designers showcased their collections. In the children's section, simple documentaries about the King, the Kingdom and the Saudi culture were screened. One of the unique things was 50 food trucks lined up in the outdoors areas. "We cared about the quality of the products. I can safely say that all we had in this event was of excellent quality. Charity organizations were there to participate and to share these moments. Last but not least, we had a new service this time, which is valet parking. We distributed more than 30,000 white and green balloons along with caps and flags." About the entry fee, he said: "We normally charge entry fees for all our activities but this being a special occasion of national importance, we waived all entry fees except for the standup comedy, the price of which varied from SR70 to SR200. Al-Muiabid said the families of martyred soldiers who sacrificed their lives protecting the nationa were specially invited to the event and were met and welcomed at the VIP gates. "Their children were happy and were proud of being daughters and sons of someone who gave his soul and body to save our Kingdom," he said. Finally, Al-Muiabid thanked everyone who participated and volunteered to make this dream come true. He especially noted the contributions of the General Authority of Entertainment, the police, security guards, and some 250 male and female volunteers, and on top of all Prince Khaled Bin Mansour Bin Saud, the chief executive of Luxury KSA Company.
