Princess Hussa Bint Salman was the guest of honor at a reception hosted by Mrs. Huda Mujarkech Collis, the wife of Simon Collis, British ambassador to the Kingdom, in celebration of his performing the Haj pilgrimage this year.

The event was attended by a number of wives of ambassadors and doyennes of the Diplomatic Corps accredited to Riyadh, as well as by a number of prominent women in Saudi society, and notable personalities in the fields of media and culture.

Mrs. Collis lauded Princess Hussa’s continued noble endeavors to support the active role of Saudi women in the fields of culture, knowledge and charity. She also highlighted the important cultural tradition of celebrating the return of pilgrims from the Haj pilgrimage.

Expressing his happiness, Princess Hussa noted that the event in itself was a clear reflection of British society’s diverse cultural, religious and ethnic composition, and a testimony to the communality felt by British Muslims and Muslims all over the world, as part of the Ummah (Muslim community). She said their excellencies, the ambassador and Mrs Collis were the embodiment of the longstanding pluralism in the British society.

Referring to the event itself, Princess Hussa said that the reception further highlighted the leading cultural role played by British embassies in the capitals of Arab, Islamic and Muslim countries.

“This gathering of wives of ambassadors and prominent women of Saudi society emphasizes the considerable outreach that the British Embassy in Riyadh enjoys, she added.

Princess Hussa commended the Damascene touch that marked the event and that represented the culture from which Mrs. Collis descends: “The Damascene tradition and Levantine touch that mark this event are a true reminder of this age-old Arab culture, with all its depth and beauty; yet, it also reminds us of the current, desperate reality of Syria. Our hearts are filled with hope and prayers that peace will return and prevail there and that Syria will reclaim its historical place as a great civilization and a cradle of culture,” she said.

Source: Saudi Gazette