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Jeddah - Yasmine El Tohamy - LONDON: Saudi student clubs in the UK have been holding activities during the holy month of Ramadan to enhance the spirit of communication, cultural engagement and community for youngsters studying abroad, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The Saudi Students Club in London is one of the oldest such organizations and has this year laid on various programs in addition to its annual iftar held in cooperation with the University College London Saudi Society.

Attiya Al-Shammari, its president, said: “The club seeks to address the needs of scholarship students and overcome all difficulties, whether academic or psychological, through specific initiatives and activities that leave a positive impact.”

Since the start of Ramadan the Saudi Students Club in Liverpool has held science workshops, volleyball and football training sessions, as well as the “Your Health is in Your Steps” initiative, which aims to encourage people to walk 5,000 steps a day throughout the holy month.

It has also hosted an iftar gathering, a Ramadan dewaniya and events for the students’ families, including Qur’an memorization sessions for children and courses in fine art.

Salem Al-Otaibi, head of the social committee in Liverpool, said the club held meetings to support both male and female scholarship students during Ramadan to help them deal with the demands of fasting and being far away from their families.

“There is no doubt that fasting in the homeland and among our family and loved ones is unmatched, but our presence outside our country and in pursuit of our dreams will help in serving our homeland,” he said.

“This makes us patient and we struggle and strive to turn these dreams into reality.”

Rayan Al-Mozan, an electrical engineering student at the University of Liverpool, said the activities arranged by the club and the Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission in the UK had helped to bring Saudis together.

Hamza Khalil, who is studying for a doctorate in mechanical engineering at the University of Sheffield, said the atmosphere in England’s fourth-largest city during Ramadan was vibrant.

He said he had invited classmates of different nationalities to experience an iftar meal and drink Saudi coffee and spoken to them about the Kingdom’s customs and traditions.

The Saudi Students Club in Bristol has also been organizing activities for students and their families, including preparing Ramadan iftar tables and a Qur’an recitation competition.

Hamzah Aldali, its president, said the club organized a range of activities, not just those related to the holy month.

Other Saudi student clubs in the UK — in Birmingham, Manchester, Brighton, Coventry, Edinburgh and elsewhere — will continue hosting events until the end of Ramadan next week, after which they will begin the celebrations for Eid Al-Fitr.