Saudi National Day celebration at UVU educates, entertains and unites

Students and faculty alike gathered together outside the UVU Grand Ballroom on the afternoon of Sept. 21 to celebrate Saudi National Day.

Members of the Saudi Students Union (SSU) organized the celebration that consisted of a variety of exhibits and activities with the purpose of introducing the student body to Saudi culture.

As the name suggests, Saudi National Day is a holiday that celebrates Saudi Arabia’s societal traditions. The SSU shared the beauty of their culture with attendees through traditional music and cuisine, as well as interactive booths.

Some of the booths featured presentations about the nation’s geography and history while others taught attendees basic Arabic phrases and writings. Henna artists displayed their creative prowess at their station as participants at a nearby post delighted in dressing up and taking photos in traditional Saudi attire.

Several stands featured VR headsets where patrons took virtual tours of famous Saudi Arabian sites, like Mada’in Saleh and the Holy City of Mecca.

Senior information technology major and SSU President, Naif Alanazi, expressed that he was pleased with the attendance of the event, especially considering that the union is only comprised of seven members.

Alazani emphasized that the event beautifully reflected the SSU objective, “to foster relationships and cooperation with the [faculty] and student community at UVU.”

With Alazani at the helm, the Saudi Students Union was recently renamed from its former title (the Saudi Students Club) to emphasize this sense of unity and connectivity.

“This is one of our three big events of the year” Alazani said, “the other two are the Holy Days (Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr)” which will both be celebrated in upcoming summer months.

Photo Credit: Ali Alanazi