"The entire GCC [Gulf Cooperation Council] has the same culture, and Saudi Arabia and the UAE share stronger cultural bonds which bridge the differences", said Dr Abdullah M. Al Tayer, the Cultural Attach at the Embassy of Saudi Arabia in the UAE.
He added that the differences like the dispute related to GCC central bank would be resolved soon thanks to the strong links.
The official spoke to Gulf News on the sidelines of a reception hosted by the Embassy of Saudi Arabia as part of the 79th National Day celebrations of Saudi Arabia at Intercontinental Hotel in Abu Dhabi on Sunday evening. Dr Hadef Jua'an Al Daheri, the UAE Minister of Justice was the chief guest at the function. (p)(p)Mohammad Al Shugairan, Charge'd Affaires at the Saudi Arabian Embassy and Shaikh Waleed Al Ibrahim, Chairman and CEO of MBC group (Middle East Broadcasting Corporation) received the guests including top UAE government officials, ambassadors and senior diplomats of various countries.
The cultural attach said both counties are trying to maintain a good communication in academic, cultural and intellectual arenas. "About 1,000 Saudi students are studying in the UAE and more than half of them - about 600 receive scholarships from the Saudi government".
Al Tayer said the Saudi government also provides scholarship to the UAE students but the number of Emirati students studying in Saudi Arabia was not readily available with him.
"Most Saudi universities offer free scholarships to Emirati students. We announce scholarships for them every year".
Saudi Arabia has 24 universities. About 60,000 Saudi students are studying in 24 countries across the world, Al Tayer added.
Ambition: Scaling heightsSaudi children want to scale the heights of higher education to serve the country.
A group of Saudi children in Abu Dhabi told Gulf News that they think higher education is the only way to contribute to the development of their country.
Ali Ali Qhafani, 14, an eighth-grader, said he would like to join the higher ranks of Saudi Army to defend the country from terrorist and external threats.
"I would like to join the newly-established King Abdullah University of Science and Technology [KAUST] at Thuwal in Jeddah for higher studies". Fahd Bin Mohammad Al Ardan, 12, a seventh-grader also said he wanted to join the Saudi Army, echoing the same reasons.
Faisal Bin Mohammad Ebrahim Shugairan, 12, also a seventh-grader would like to become a businessman to contribute to the Saudi economy. "I would like to do my higher studies in business in the US," he said.
By Binsal Abdul Kader, Staff Reporter
Gulf News 2009.All rights reserved.
