JEDDAH, 24 March 2008 — Our seas and oceans are the earth’s vital life-support system. Our planet would not be able to sustain life without oceans. The protection, preservation and conservation of the wealth and balance of our oceans is therefore of prime importance.
This is the theme of an underwater photography exhibition hosted by German Consul General Dr. Michael Zickerick and businessman Khaled Juffali, which Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Secretary-General Mustafa A.K. Sabri opened at the Hilton on Saturday night. The exhibition by Udo Carsten, a German photographer and a resident of the Kingdom for many years, focuses on the beauty of the Red Sea.. “All 72 exhibits of the artist are exquisite and should remind every visitor of the need to protect the environment in general and marine life in particular,” Sabri said.
Juffali Automotive Company and Mercedes-Benz, aside from the Hilton Hotel and the German Consulate, are among the sponsors of the event which runs concurrently with a German Cultural Week through March 29.
Befitting the occasion, the upper lobby level of the hotel displays a true replica of the Karl Benz “Paten Motorwagen” built in 1885 and widely regarded as the world’s first purpose-built automobile. It features a 954cc single-cylinder four-stroke engine producing 1.5 horsepower at 400 rpm. The display, organized by Juffali Automotive Co. Ltd. also includes the latest McLaren-Mercedes SLR cabriolet with a body made of 100 percent carbon fiber and a special racing Mercedes-Benz CLK DTM originally driven by Mika Hakkinen in the DTM racing series in Germany.
German chef Christian Koenig has been specially flown in from the Hilton Munich City to prepare a daily lunch and dinner buffet of authentic German food at the hotel’s Al Safina Restaurant. His specialties include traditional “Schnitzel” (breaded veal fillet), “Rindsrouladen” (braised beef rolls), “sauerkraut” (marinated cabbage), “kalbsbratwurst” (fried veal sausage) and “kartoffelkloesse” (potato dumplings) among many others. The buffet also features a daily variety of German influenced soups, salads, and cakes and desserts.
“I am delighted and proud to celebrate along with the support of Hilton Hotels, Juffali Automotive Company as well as Lufthansa German Airlines-Swissair this exciting event here. I do sincerely hope that the residents will enjoy a taste of Germany at this impressive location,” the consul general said.
“We are very pleased to host this exhibition and food festival for both the city residents and the visitors staying at the hotel and at the adjoining Qasr Al Sharq Palace,” Wolfgang Maier, general manager of Jeddah Hilton and Qasr Al Sharq, said.
