U.S. Consulate General Celebrates National Day

The Consulate General of the United States of America in Jeddah celebrated the 234th anniversary of America’s independence with a National Day event at the Consulate on March 16, 2010.  The event also celebrated the 65th anniversary of the historic meeting on February 14, 1945 between King Abdulaziz and President Franklin Roosevelt aboard the U.S.S. Quincy.

U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia James Smith, U.S. Consul General Martin Quinn, and Saudi Foreign Ministry Director General, Mekka Region, Ambassador Mohammed Al Tayeb welcomed and delivered remarks to the approximately 400 guests who attended the National Day event. 

Consul General Quinn noted that several senior U.S. officials came to Jeddah over the past year, including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, and Secretary of Energy Steven Chu.  He also highlighted the fact that a number of the President's Special Envoys had come to Jeddah to advance President Obama's call for a new relationship with the Muslim world, one based on mutual respect and mutual interest.  These included Science Envoy Dr. Elias Zerhouni, Special Representative to Muslim Communities Farah Pandith, and Special Envoy to the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Rashad Hussain.   

The event featured visual displays highlighting American culture and heritage.