RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s efforts to promote dialogue both regionally and globally have been highlighted at a celebration in the Kyrgyz Republic to mark World Arabic Language Day.
The Saudi Embassy organized the event at Bishkek State University in the Kyrgyzstan capital.
Ibrahim Radi Al-Radi, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic, attended the celebration along with a number of officials, academics and students.
Al-Radi highlighted the Kingdom’s pioneering role and its efforts to serve the Arabic language locally, regionally, and globally.
“The directives of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to pay attention to the Arabic language with regard to learning and teaching aim to build bridges of communication between cultures and peoples through its multiple contributions to knowledge and various sciences, and to strengthen identity, cultural diversity, dialogue and world peace,” Al-Radi said.
He told Arab News that the Kingdom’s efforts to promote Arabic in the Kyrgyz Republic in the past year included four training courses to teach the language.
“These training courses were held in the presence of professors from the Islamic University of Madinah, Umm Al-Qura University, and the King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language, in the Kyrgyz universities in the cities of Bishkek and Osh,” he said.
Saudi Arabia offers scholarships to Kyrgyz students to study in the Kingdom’s universities in a number of specializations, including the Arabic language, Al-Radi said.
The Kingdom provides about 130 scholarships annually, with about 500 male and female students benefiting in recent years.
“The embassy, in cooperation with a number of universities, annually celebrates World Arabic Language Day and supports events and activities related to it, this in addition to other development efforts provided by the Kingdom, such as grant aid and loans to a number of sectors in Kyrgyzstan, including education, where the total amount provided so far has reached about $350 million, he said.