German Cultural Days in Riyadh and Jeddah

German Cultural Days

Waqar Naseem Wamiq, Riyadh – From 8 to 16 November, the German Embassy in Riyadh and the German Consulate General in Jeddah will host German Cultural Days, bringing together a variety of art exhibitions and musical performances.

“With the upcoming German Cultural Days we aim not only to highlight the rich and diverse cultural scene in Germany but to explore the huge potential that lies ahead of us when Saudi and German artists or musicians work hand in hand to create something new and unique,” explained Ambassador Jörg Ranau.

The cultural days will begin in Riyadh on 8 November with the opening of four exhibitions. An architecture exhibition will shed light on the German architects, planners, and landscapers who have left their traces in the Kingdom over the past decades.

Among others, the masterplan of the Diplomatic Quarters by AS+P, the public gardens in Riyadh by Bödecker and the King Fahad National Library by Gerber are a testimony to the longstanding fruitful cooperation between Saudis and Germans in the cultural field.

Another exhibition will showcase scientifically relevant but equally appealing “images of science” from the research of the Max-Planck institutes, Germany’s foremost group of institutes for fundamental scientific research.

In addition, two arts expositions will feature a German and a Saudi street artist and the works of Casa Magica, two German light and virtual reality artists. In Riyadh, all of the events will take place in the King Fahad National Library.

Ambassador Jörg Ranau

On 9 November a Saudi German peoples’ festival will celebrate 30 years of fall of the Berlin wall and 90 years treaty of friendship between Germany and Saudi-Arabia (at that time still the Kingdom of Hejaz and Najd). “We believe that people to people ties and more broadly dialogue and exchange between our two societies are just as important as political and economic cooperation: they are the backbone of true friendship,” said Ambassador Jörg Ranau and he went on to commend the positive effect tourism has on people to people ties: “Many Saudi tourists have spent their summer vacation in Germany and gained first-hand insights in our way of life.

Now the Kingdom has opened its doors to tourists from all over the world including Germany and I am sure that many Germans will come to Saudi Arabia to explore this fascinating country on their own.”

Consul General Holger Ziegeler in Jeddah will also celebrate the fall of the Wall exactly on its 30th anniversary, 9 November, with a surprise happening in the local reception for the Day of German Unity and performance of the 80s and 90s music.

Programs

The German Cultural Days will encompass a diverse musical program with daily performances between 9 and 16 November. The Brass Band “Blechreiz” will bring traditional Bavarian as well as classical and modern pieces to Riyadh and Jeddah. A classical piano trio will play a repertoire of European classical music and the Bigge Jazz Trio will perform together with two Saudi singers. Last but not least, the pop group YEY will bring their own genre, which they describe as an organic deep house with Mediterranean and Oriental influences to Riyadh. In Jeddah, DJ Saint Error from Halle will join forces with Saudi heroes of the electronic music scene in Jeddah.

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