Welcome

The American Community of Riyadh

Bringing people together in the pursuit of happiness

ACR exists to enrich the lives of the American and broader expatriate community. We understand the challenges of living here and work to balance those challenges by creating a unique community and making the “Riyadh experience” a positive one. We offer social and cultural events, educational programs, and an opportunity to experience all that Riyadh has to offer.

ACR Programs and Services:

Social activities, events and programs for adults, children, and families.
Cross-cultural programs and events
Heritage tours of local attractions
Registry of community organizations and resources
Opportunities for networking and the development of special interest groups
The Desert Link, our monthly newsletter of events and community resources
Membership program with access to our community forum and special events

Join Us!
All expatriates are welcome to sign up for our programs and utilize our services. You and your family can apply to be a member of ACR for a nominal annual fee and reap the benefits of membership. Whether you choose to be a member or not, sign up to be included on the ACR e-mail list to receive our newsletter, The Desert Link, and other program announcements.

Director's Corner - May 2012

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Dear ACR Friends,

The ladies will be pleased to know that our Mother’s Day Celebration on Sunday, May 6th is going to be a special evening full of fun, fondue, friendship and festivity. Please make your reservations and prepayments early to avoid disappointment.

We were happy to see many of you attend our Tower Heist Movie Night in April. May’s film will be the popular Puss In Boots family feature. Gather your families and come and join us on Thursday, May 24th, for a wonderful afternoon in a cool, theater setting. We promise to have hot dogs and popcorn!

Our Heritage Tour to Ushaiger and Shagraa bus was filled to capacity as we hit the road and munched our way through delicious donuts generously donated by Krispy Kreme. Everyone had a fabulous time visiting the salt beds and seeing firsthand the salt manufacturing process here in the kingdom. In the historic village of Ushaiger, we were greeted by the Governor and treated to a genuine taste of Saudi hospitality in their renovated mud homes of a bygone era. Together, we strolled through the winding streets and shopped at the Heritage Souq. Forward bound, we were on the road to Shagraa where we toured the ancestral mud palaces owned by prominent families from this area and feasted on a delectable lunch of traditional dishes and delicacies made by the ladies of the region. What a day full of sights, sounds, scents and smiles; a wonderful memory of the culture and traditions of this amazing kingdom. ACR is looking forward to our next journey of exploration. ACR extends their deepest gratitude to Rima Hindo, who facilitated our fascinating itinerary and to Mr. Mehteb our informative and engaging tour guide, who shared his extensive knowledge of the history of this region. And thanks to our Event Sponsor, Krispy Kreme, who made sure we did not go hungry along the way.

This month also featured a Saudi calligraphist who began his training at the age of fourteen. The artist shared his passion in his words when he said that the instrument gliding against the paper “was music to a calligrapher’s ears”. Each attendee took home a beautiful memento of her name in Arabic calligraphy. ACR thanks Mr. Saleh for offering his time and enthusiasm in educating us on this ancient Islamic art.

Our Kid’s Craft Class continues to bring out the little “Picasso” in our enthusiastic artists. Each artist was able to take home their masterpieces and a coupon for a free kid’s meal or dessert, which was generously donated by our Event Sponsor, Outback Steakhouse. ACR extends our thanks for Outback Steakhouse’s continual support!

ACR was proud to present An Evening with Felicity Heathcote. Where does one begin about the life journey of this amazing woman? Felicity shared her stories of her life as a teacher, writer and clinical psychologist. Passionate about inner peace, Felicity lives by example and has touched many people’s hearts through her humanitarian efforts. ACR extends our sincere thanks to Felicity for bringing awareness to our lives. May we all practice peace and learn to live by example.