'Kleja,” a specialty of the Qassim province, is made of flour, sugar or honey, vegetable ghee and milk powder besides adding some spices.
“The objective of organizing the festival is to promote self employed families by opening for them a venue to market their products particularly the traditional dish of Kleja,” said Mayor of Qassim Ahmad bin Saleh Al-Sultan.
Al-Sultan added that more than 600 women representing 350 families would participate in the annual event. He said his office chose winter to celebrate the festival as the season was more suited for eating traditional food items such as Kleja.
“However, the festival is not limited to ‘Kleja’ only. Other local dishes including maamoul (cookies prepared from dates), rural food items, spices and pickles, woolen handicrafts manufactured by the Qassim Women’s Handicrafts Society will also be displayed and sold there,” he said.
“It is with the aim of creating job opportunities for women working at their homes that the festival, which carries the theme ‘Family employment — self-sufficiency and fulfillment,’ is being organized,” said executive president of the festival Fahd bin Ibrahim Al-Oayri.
He added that participating women also displayed sewing and embroidery skills and several other handicrafts and painting with henna. The festival will also offer opportunity for women to get trained in bridal make-up, organizing wedding functions, dress-designing and photography, he said.
Lessons are also given on candy and sweets making, graphics and gift-wrapping, he said.
It is a custom in Qassim to serve 'Kleja' to bridegrooms on the wedding night. Aged people give it as a present to children and passers-by besides offering it to people in rural mosques.
