His Excellency Filip Vujanović, President of Montenegro, honoured HRH Prince Khalid Al-Faisal, President of Painting & Patronage, by decreeing and investing His Royal Highness with the insignia of the National Order of the Montenegrin Grand Star, First Class Grade, in recognition of Prince Khalid Al-Faisal’s contribution to inter-cultural exchange.
The ceremony was held at the King Faisal Royal Palace in Riyadh and attended by senior members of the Royal Family, the Royal Government of Saudi Arabia, and by leading cultural and educational figures from Saudi Arabia, Europe and North America. President Vujanović and Prince Khalid Al-Faisal delivered speeches.
Speech by HE PRESIDENT FILIP VUJANOVIC OF MONTENEGRO
Your Royal Highnesses, Highnesses, Excellences and distinguished guests,
It is my honour to be here today, as the first ever Head of the Montenegrin state visiting the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
It is particularly appropriate to celebrate this event by a ceremony which reflects, better than anything else, the universal understanding which exists through art, culture and heritage.
Whichever high function or public office anyone of us might have, we are committed to the welfare of humans. Our understanding and patronage of art is an expression of that common humanity and something that connects humans and peoples.
His Royal Highness Prince Khalid Al-Faisal bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud is widely recognised as a pioneer in development of this dialogue and understanding. His foundation of the Painting and Patronage Initiative in 1999 set a standard in relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Europe and I am proud to be able to greet him and his work on behalf of my people and my country.
His Royal Highness entails dignity of his high position as the Governor of the Makkah Province, where the holiest city of Islam, Makkah is located, as well as the most important marine port of the Saudi Arabia and the second biggest city, Jeddah, by its role of artist who exhibits, a famous poet and patron of art at home and abroad. It is the founding stone of the Painting and Patronage Initiative and compliments to his double role, as a general director of the King Faisal Foundation – one of the greatest philanthropic foundations in the world.
It is my great wish for my country and its artists to be more closely included in these initiatives and for our bilateral relations to develop upon these solid foundations of friendship and artistic understanding which currently exists between us.
It is my honor to award His Royal Highness Prince Khalid Al-Faisal bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud with the Order of the Montenegrin Grand Star, an Order for special merits which is awarded for development and strengthening of cooperation and friendship between Montenegro and other countries.
Speech by HRH PRINCE KHALID AL-FAISAL BIN ABDUL AZIZ AL-SAUD
Mr. President, Your Royal Highness, Ministers, Excellencies,
It is a great honour to receive the Montenegrin Order of the Grand Star, as a gesture of the Government and people of Montenegro. This distinction is one that I value and appreciate and I accept it with humility.
The arts and their promotion are dear to my heart and it is fitting that it is art, culture and education that have brought us together. They are the catalyst for a new relationship, founded on a common principle, and one that I am confident will grow and develop.
During your stay in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia I hope you will learn more of this culturally rich and diverse nation as well as come to appreciate more the work of several organizations which are devoted to furthering cultural, artistic and educational understanding between the peoples of our world.
In particular I was pleased you were able to visit the King Faisal Foundation yesterday and today you will see for yourself the new Alfaisal University that is emerging around this historic palace.
I am also delighted that together with the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, Your Excellency will honour us with your presence this evening at the King Faisal International Prize which will celebrate the achievements of our winners who have come from Australia, Canada, Turkey, Algeria, Germany, the United States and Lebanon.
Mr. President, I know you are already familiar with the aims and activities of Painting & Patronage. Montenegro has a proud tradition in artistic expression. Your own Minister of Culture, here today, is an acclaimed Theatre Director. Among your previous rulers, were an internationally respected poet and your last King Nicholas was a published playwright.
Cetinje, your ancient capital and today the seat of your Presidency, is at the centre of artistic development with its academic institutions filled with young artists of the future. Some of them, I hope, will also soon become participants in the Painting & Patronage programme and thereby become cultural ambassadors for your country here in Saudi Arabia and further afield in Europe.
The message they will bring will be one understood by all who appreciate creativity and the power that it gives to individuals and to all society.
Mr. President, thank you once again for your presence here today and your kind words. May I add my own voice to the many welcoming you to Saudi Arabia.
Riyadh – March 2010.
