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Layan Damanhouri
Saudi Gazette
The first ever Singaporean food festival in Jeddah was launched on Thursday at Crowne Plaza, bringing together Singaporean residents, diplomats, local prominent guests and Saudi friends to get a traditional culinary experience.
Chefs were flown in from Singapore to partake in the festival that will run until Oct. 31. The festival aims to introduce Singaporean culture through its cuisine, known for its multicultural richness.
Singapore, a multiracial nation mainly comprised of Chinese, Malay, Indian and Eurasian communities, celebrated its 50th anniversary this year.
The mix of ethnicities in Singapore creates a cuisine uniquely influenced by different origins, said Raziff Aljuneid, Singapore’s consul general in Jeddah, addressing guests at the launch.
“Singapore is a multiracial country. We feel the diversity has enriched our Singaporean identity,” Aljuneid told Saudi Gazette.
“We have four major races — Chinese, Indian, Malay and Eurasian. We also have a lot of people from other countries who have made Singapore their home,” he added.
“Food always brings people together. It’s also something that can allow people to understand each others’ cultures and origins,” Aljuneid said.
“What’s significant is we are also celebrating Singapore’s 50th anniversary,” he added.
The festival seeks to introduce Singaporean culture to locals by commemorating the country’s 50th year of independence.
To mark the independence jubilee, Singapore hosted numerous events and festivities this year, making it the top country to visit in Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2015. The country is a favorite holiday destination for many Saudis.
The food festival in Jeddah was organized by the Singapore Tourism Board, the Crowne Plaza Changi Airport and Crowne Plaza Jeddah with the support of Singapore Airlines and the Consulate General of Singapore.
