SAUDI ARABIA: Al-Qassim province promotes its cultural heritage at the Al-Janadriyah festival

Record ID: 188912

  • Title: SAUDI ARABIA: Al-Qassim province promotes its cultural heritage at the Al-Janadriyah festival
  • Date: 23rd February 2012
  • Summary: PICTURES OF SAUDI KING ABDULLAH WITH US PRESIDENT BARAK OBAMA FRENCH PRESIDENT SARKOZY
  • Embargoed: 9th March 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia
  • Country: Saudi Arabia
  • Topics: Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVADLN2K2QJCVB043AXWK9595154
  • Story Text: The Al-Janadriyah Heritage and Cultural Festival is held annually 45 kilometres from the Saudi capital Riyadh.
    The festival, which draws around a million visitors each year, gives individual Saudi regions the opportunity to showcase the best of their arts and crafts.
    This year many of the festival's guests paid a visit to the al-Qassim pavilion.
    Visitors could get a taste of the region's home made food, poetry, folklore and games.
    The festival goers included expatriate workers from all over the world, for whom it was a chance to learn more about the country they live and work in.
    "I have been living in Saudi Arabia for around 13 years now, but it is the first time I have seen like this, it is really wonderful," said Hoon Ki Kang, the general manager of a South Korean company based in Riyadh.
    "I like it how we can learn about it and it is really fun to learn more about Saudi Arabia," said Jessica, a South African girl.
    "We wanted to see more of the culture. We've been living in Saudi Arabia for five years and we wanted to see how every one actually lives," said Tracey, also from South Africa.
    For Mohammed al-Harbi, a member off the al-Qassim organising committee, the al-Janadriyah festival was an ideal opportunity to showcase what his region has to offer.
    "We wanted to market some of the highlights of the al- Qassim region, so we have the date festival site, the Antara bin Shaddad site with some of the events and activities. We have also adopted the hospitality and generosity for which the people of Qassim are well known," said al-Harbi.
    As well as displays of traditional dances and children's games many visitors were drawn to the photography exhibition in the al-Qassim pavilion.
    The gallery contrasted images of well known global leaders with photos of people from the poorer sections of Saudi Arabian society.
    This appealed to one man who had brought his children to the pavillion.
    "Actually, the photographer was creative in his selection between the leaders and presidents and kings and moved to a class which is dear to our hearts who are the poor and miserable in the world," said Muhanad al-Ghanim.
    Another highlight of the al-Qassim pavillion was an actor reciting the works of the pre-Islamic poet Antara al-Absi who lived in the al-Qassim region.
    Antara grew up in servitude due to having an Egyptian mother but went on to became a famous poet and warrior.
    "We wanted to show the personality of Antara for the new generation, the poetry and his style of performance, dress, and character in a general in every sense of the word. We want to bring this idea close to the new generation and we hope that the message has been received by them," said Abdulhamid Saleh, an actor performing at the festival as Antara.
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