Al-Ahsa Gov. Prince Bader bin Muhammad bin Jelawi, chairman of Al-Ahsa Tourist Development Council, will launch the 3rd edition of the Hajr Souk heritage market dubbed “Al-Gerrha: The Lost City” today. The event will run for 10 days at the Ibrahim Palace in Al-Hofuf.

The event is organized by Al-Ahsa Chamber of Commerce and Industry in collaboration with Al-Ahsa Tourist Development Council and with the participation of various public and private agencies.

Saleh Al-Afaleq, chairman of Al-Ahsa Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that preparations for the festival have been completed to ensure the convenience, security and safety of visitors.

“The Hajr Souk is of great importance for the chamber since it is the only cultural program held at the level of the Eastern Province as a heritage market. Due to the importance of maintaining and preserving cultural heritage, the Al-Ahsa Chamber is working to shift focus on such events that highlight the historical importance of the region in cooperation with the Tourist Development Council,” Al-Afaleq said.

For his part, Abdul Latif Al-Afaleq, chairman of the Executive Committee of Souks and chairman of the Tourism Committee in Al-Ahsa Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that this year’s festival is unique as it had expanded and benefited from its previous editions.

He stressed that the souk’s activities address the region’s history in order to attract visitors from all segments of society. Indeed, the souk in its 3rd edition aims to revive the ancient history of the Al-Ahsa region and strengthen the sense of national identity and belonging while highlighting the cultural accumulation of different civilizations in this region.

The Chairman of the Executive Committee of Souk pointed out that the souk is making its first steps in contributing to the development of cultural tourism in Al-Ahsa.

The major events of the souk are the epic “Al-Gerrha: The Lost City” that will be performed at the opening ceremony and re-run four times throughout the festival and an operetta entitled “It is Al-Ahsa,” an exhibition and a workshop of photography, in addition to daily activities that include King Shozbi’s cultural cafe and various exhibitions and shows related to the Al-Gerrhian civilization, such as wedding rituals and traditional crafts, clothes and arts. There will also be a corner devoted to fine arts consisting of studios for children and artists.