RIYADH, 17 January — On behalf of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd, Crown Prince Abdullah, deputy premier and commander of the National Guard, will inaugurate the 16th National Culture and Heritage Festival today at Janadriya, 45 kilometers north of Riyadh.
Prince Miteb ibn Abdullah, assistant deputy commander for military affairs at the National Guard, said the traditional camel race and a glittering poetry and lyrical ballads’ session would be the highlights of the Janadariya festival this year. Several high-ranking officials and scholars from the Gulf states will take part in the event.
The camel race will be followed by a 55-minute lyrics session to be participated by many prominent singers of Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries. The folklores in rhythm and rhyme will shed light on the heritage and culture of the Arab world.
A plastic art exhibition featuring Al-Quds and Palestinian intifada will also be organized at the festival grounds to demonstrate Arab solidarity to the Palestinian cause. A book exhibition will also be held on the sidelines of the festival. Many publishers, government agencies and private organizations will exhibit their publications at the show.
Predicting over one million visitors to this year's Janadriya festival, Prince Miteb said all preparations had been made to make the fortnight -long festivities a grand success. This year, elaborate arrangements have been made by the National Guard to hold the opening and closing ceremonies in the Janadariya village auditorium.
Referring to the support extended by Crown Prince to the cultural festival, he said Prince Abdullah had granted permission to invite a number of men of letters including artists and poets from the GCC countries to participate in the event. Moreover, several cultural programs to be presented this year will be different from the previous celebrations.
Prince Miteb said singers from Gulf states had been invited to take part in the festival with their Saudi counterparts for the first time. Some 15 plays from various regions of the Kingdom will be staged. More than 100 delegates from far-flung areas of Saudi Arabia and other GCC countries have already arrived in the festival village.
A royal directive was issued in 1985 to promote the annual camel race at Janadariya and develop it into the all-encompassing cultural festival. The event lays considerable emphasis on the principles of Islam and cultural values of the Saudi society.
The festival, according to Sultan A. Al-Bazie, National Guard’s director for public relations; will also feature a range of rare antiques as well as arts and handicrafts of the Kingdom and the Gulf states. This will be in addition to the traditional folk dances, poetry sessions and children's programs. The event will also feature toys, sweets and a range of Arab and Saudi cuisine representing various regions.
Folk dances will be presented by a professional troupe. Over 200 artists and men of letters, dancers and singers will also take part. The National Heritage and Cultural Festival will be open to the visitors daily in the evening.
