Speaking to the Saudi Press Agency, Saeed Al-Murdima, president of the club and general supervisor of the festival, said more than 70 prominent men and women cultural figures from within the Kingdom and other Arab countries, as well as Saudi writers, thinkers, artists and media persons will take part in the event.
Saleh Al-Sedran, director of the festival, said that the festival would feature a wide variety of cultural activities. A special program on Al-Ukhdud will be the major highlight of the opening day’s cultural program. There will also be a book fair and modern art exhibitions, in addition to lectures, poetic evenings and discussions as part of the ‘Cultural Café,’ he said. Lectures and deliberations would be focused on three pivotal topics of “Qussu bin Saeda Al-Iyadi: Biography and speeches,” “Impact of cultures and religions on human beings and places in Najran,” and “the movement of pre-Islamic poetry in Najran.”
It is noteworthy that Qussu bin Saeda was one of the notable Arab wise men and orators during the pre-Islamic period. Qussu, one of the prominent orators who addressed the annual Okaz fair, died around 600 A.D, nearly 23 years before the Prophet’s Hijrah (migration from Makkah to Madinah).
In another development, Riyadh Municipality is completing preparations for Riyadh Spring Festival, which will be kicked off at the exhibitions ground on the northern ring road next Wednesday. A number of government departments and agencies as well as agricultural companies will take part in the event.
The festival will feature an exhibition for gardening and various recreational activities and awareness programs for all segments of the society. There will be several pavilions and stands at the festival and these include those for flower mat, children’s theater, electronic games, and drawing cartoons and coloring, according to the municipality sources.
