saudi
Flags will be flown at half-mast in Saudi Arabia as a mark of respect for Shaikh Khalifa. Image Credit: Wam

Dubai: Saudi Arabia has postponed all the recreational and sporting events and festivities scheduled to be held till Monday, May 16, in all regions of the Kingdom following the death of the UAE President Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

This comes after Saudi Arabia announced three days of mourning to mark the passing of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Flags will be flown at half-mast during this time.

The Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Sports, and the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) announced that all their activities and events have been suspended following a directive from the higher authorities.

The Ministry of Culture stated that the suspension of its cultural activities includes the concert of the legendary Arab singer and musician from Iraq Kadim Al Sahir and the renowned Saudi singer Zena Emad, which was scheduled to be held on Friday. “The new date of the event and the mechanism for refunding the amount of tickets for those who wish to have it will be announced soon,” the ministry said.

The Ministry of Tourism also announced the suspension of all tourism events and activities from Friday till Monday. The Ministry of Sports announced that it has suspended sports competitions for a period of three days, starting from Friday. Based on this decision, the remaining matches of the 27th round of the Professional League have been postponed, the ministry said in a statement on its Twitter account.

The General Entertainment Authority suspended all concerts and entertainment shows from Friday until Monday as a token of respect for the departed UAE leader.