Shemaine Bushnell Kyriakides
Saudi Arabia marked its 96th National Day with an evening reception at the Saudi residence in Cyprus on Wednesday, Sept. 23, hosted by Ambassador Fawaz A. Alshubaili.
Cyprus was represented by Nicodemos Damianou, deputy minister of research, innovation, and digital policy. Arab ambassadors serving in Cyprus also attended, alongside senior officials, other diplomatic representatives, academics, and business figures.
The celebration carried the national theme “Our Pride Lies in Our Nature,” highlighting values associated with Saudi society, including courage, determination, generosity, and hospitality.
Saudi National Day commemorates the unification of the kingdom in 1932 under King Abdulaziz, bringing its regions together under the name Saudi Arabia. Celebrated each year on Sept. 23, it is an occasion to honor the country’s history, heritage, and national identity.
The reception came alongside further cooperation between the two countries. The following day, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and his Cypriot counterpart, Constantinos Kombos, met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, signing a cooperation program on diplomatic training.
