25 Jul 2024 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Rashida Rehmanjee
Sri Lankan Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ameer Ajwad who marked his first official visit to the’ Holy City of Madinah Al-Munawwarah from July 17 to 18 July presented Sri Lankan ‘bougainvillea’ plant sapling to its governor, to be planted there as a goodwill gesture in support of Saudi Arabia’s target to plant 10 billion trees across the country, according to a media statement from Foreign Ministry yesterday .
In light of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia approaching, the Sri Lankan envoy highlighted the historic relations between the two countries, the Ministry said.
He recalled that while modern diplomatic relations were established in 1974, ancient diplomatic relations date back to the 7th century CE, when the Sri Lankan King of the Anuradhapura Kingdom, Aggabodhi III (623–640 CE), dispatched an envoy to Madinah during the time of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in response to the request of Arab communities living in Sri Lanka, known as "Serendib" by Arabs, pointing out that his visit to Madinah held sentimental value, particularly at a time when the two countries commemorate this milestone in their diplomatic relations, according to the Ministry .
He also met with the President of the Islamic University of Madinah, Dr. Saleh bin Ali Al-Aqla, to discuss enhancing educational cooperation between the Islamic University and Sri Lankan universities. According to the media released by the Public Diplomacy Division, he also engaged with Sri Lankan students studying there on scholarships.
During his visit, he addressed the Madinah Chamber of Commerce, where First Deputy Chairman Nayef Al Saedi and the Board members hosted a special meeting. The Ambassador's presentation highlighted potential B2B collaborations in trade, investment, tourism, agriculture, and IT sectors.
The Ambassador also visited historic museums in Madinah city, as well as the Prophet’s Mosque and the King Fahd Holy Quran Printing Complex.
07 Sep 2024 7 hours ago
07 Sep 2024 07 Sep 2024
07 Sep 2024 07 Sep 2024
07 Sep 2024 07 Sep 2024
07 Sep 2024 07 Sep 2024