German Cultural Days in Riyadh and Jeddah

Waqar Naseem Wamiq, Riyadh. The German Cultural Days came to an end with a concert by the German pop group YEY. In the park of the King Fahad National Library. From 8 to 16 November the German Embassy in Riyadh. And, the German Consulate General in Jeddah presented a diverse programme with four exhibitions. As well as concerts and film screenings on a daily basis.

German Ambassador Jörg Ranau

“We are grateful to the Ministry of Culture and the King Fahad National Library for the opportunity to present the diverse cultural scene in Germany”. “This is our first event in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and our first on a public square in the middle of Riyadh. We are thrilled by the interest of the general public in the concerts and exhibitions.”

German Cultural Days in Riyadh and Jeddah

The German Cultural Days launched on 8 November by German Ambassador Jörg Ranau and H.E. Tareq Al Fares, CEO of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City with the opening of four exhibitions. An architecture exhibition sheds 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 Quarter by Albert Speer and Partners, the public gardens in Riyadh by Bödeker 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 showcased 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. Urban art a universal phenomenon a street art exhibition co-presented works of the German artist CREN / Michel Pietsch. The Saudi artists Talal Al Zeid and Turki Alromaih also performed. The German team Casa Magica presented a series of visual panels and objects linked to augmented reality content. Which could be accessed through a smartphone application.

On 9 November a Saudi-German peoples’ festival celebrated 30 years of fall of the Berlin wall. And, 90 years Saudi-German treaty of friendship with a panel discussion with Ambassador Jörg Ranau. Above all, street-art live performance, and a concert by a Bavarian brass band. In the following days, three other musical groups offered daily concerts.

Firstly, The Trio Adorno brought classical European music for piano, violin, and cello and the Bigge trio, a Jazz trio from Germany. Secondly, they partnered with the Saudi singers Nawaf and Nourah. Lastly, the pop group YeY from Mannheim played their original music combining electronic music with oriental influences.