Nineteen teachers took part in the first round of the competition. The competitors worked on a single theme, related to heritage and nature. A judges’ panel of art teachers selected nine excellent works. The winning painting will be selected in the second round. Each artist displayed her work and explained its fine points to the viewers at the stall.
Assistant Director General of the ministry’s wing in the festival, Jauharah Al-Matrak, thanked Education Minister Prince Faisal bin Abdullah for organizing activities to encourage women’s talents.
She added that ministry stressed the importance of teachers in the development of the society.
The ministry also strives to develop teachers’ skills, especially this academic year, which is celebrated as the Teachers Year. Workshops in the festival targeting skill development of teachers and students include themes such as learning with toys, family participation in education and the role of teachers in developing students’ skills.
Workshops also focused thought development, building self-esteem, brain mapping, (digital) arts and the basics of photography.
One stall of the ministry focused on preschool education, and included a program on children’s care. It also displayed methods to train children to handle safety operations during emergencies. Visitors could see children taking on the roles of doctors and nurses.
King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals is participating in the festival as part of the Eastern Province’s pavilion. Its displays include university publications and documentaries on its growth and achievements, research studies and community activities. It also gives a brief account of the study courses and programs offered at the university and at other universities in the Kingdom and abroad.
One of the major displays at the stall of the Prince Sultan Chair for the Study of Charity Works is a book about the policies of King Abdul Aziz and its continuity up to the reign of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah. The Prince Sultan Chair is at Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University. A member of the chair, Prof. Rashid Al-Baz is the author of the book, which fathoms the depth of relations between rulers and subjects, a factor that maintained the integrity and stability of the Kingdom against all odds.
The book illustrates King Abdul Aziz’s deep concern for the welfare of the people quoting from a number of letters, talks and anecdotes that bring out different aspects of the personality of the late founder.
“The life of King Abdul Aziz and his reaction to varying situations provide plenty of lessons and morals for later generations. The late king was not only a farsighted political leader and great military commander but also a social and economic thinker,” the author said in his book. The Hail pavilion welcomed visitors with kahwah, dates and confectioneries. Other major showpieces of the pavilion included heritage, archeological and folk art items. The additional items introduced in the pavilion this year are the women’s souq where clothes, condiments and candies, such as kleja, are sold. Hail University showcased mostly archaeological relics from an academic perspective. The relics included primitive weapons and agricultural tools recovered during archaeological operations in the region.
