- Greeks in Saudi Arabia
The Greek presence in Saudi Arabia predates the formation of both the Greek and Saudi states. It is mainly concentrated in the
Hejaz region, bordering theRed Sea and centered around the city ofJeddah . In addition to the old immigrant community there have been new arrivals in the 20th century,drawn by employment prospects in the regions successful oil industry.Many
Greeks and Italians have been living in Jeddah City, the main port of Hejaz on the Red Sea (Western modernSaudi Arabia ). A famous merchant in the beginning of the 20th century wasAquily Yenni Christos (AKA. Khawaja Yenni). Yenni had a famous grocery store atQabil Avenue (the main commercial street in the early decades of 1900s) . Yenni lived and died in Jeddah. His daughter was born in Jeddah as well, she married the son of an Italian-Jew merchant, Marco, who had a neighboring store in Souq Al-Qasbah/Old Jeddah for selling fabrics and textiles [1]Yenni is a much respected character in the Jeddawi memory. A novel by Mohammed sadiq Diab, is soon to be published narrating the story of his biography in Jeddah. It will carry the name of (Khawaja Yenni) .
References
* Malamih Al-haya Al-Ijtimaa'iya Fe Al-Hejaz Fe Al-Qarn Al-rabie' Ashar Lil-Hijra. by Mohammed Ali Maghrabi.
ee also
*
Jeddah
*Saudi Arabia
*Greek Diaspora
*Greek-Saudi Arabia relations
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