RIYADH: A galaxy of 30 prominent Arab intellectuals will participate in the cultural seminars to be held during the historic Souq Okaz festival, a unique tourism landmark organized annually by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTNH) to promote the arts and crafts in the Kingdom.
The tenth edition of the weeklong festival, to be patronized by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, will open Wednesday on the outskirt of the resort city of Taif.
“Thirty prominent Arab intellectuals and men of letters will participate in seven cultural seminars, beginning Aug. 11 on the sidelines of the festival, which has become a major tourist attraction in the Kingdom,” an organizing committee member said Sunday.
Besides intellectuals, national and international poets and academics will participate in the six-day festival, he said.
On the topic of the cultural seminars, he said they will focus on critical studies on pre-Islamic poetry of Urwat bin Al-Ward and Abdullah bin Khamees, prestigious translation works, cultural identity during this digital era and protection of privacy on social media.
Some of the prominent intellectuals participating in the festival will be Maqboul Al-Alawi (winner of Souk Okaz Prize for Novel), Ali Al-Shadwi, Ammar Ali Hassan, Awad Al-Asmari, Abdul Rahman Al-Mohsini, Jihad Al-Amri, Faris Al-Hamzani, Mohammed Al-Rabie, Saud Al-Yousuf, Abdullah Al-Haidery, Haya Al-Samhary, Edrian Litz, Mohammed Al-Bashrawi, Khaled Al-Ghazi, Khaled Al-Ghamdi, Saleh Al-Dosh, Mohammed Aziz Shamsul Haq.
The popular festival, organized during the summer break for schools and universities, allows a large number of tourists to have a date with history.
The festival is unique as it not only revives the past heritage and culture, but also promotes modernity and accelerates future progress.
According to an official from the SCTNH, Souq Okaz serves as a meeting point for poets, artists and historians.
“It is a destination for people with a fascination for literature and culture, who appreciate the cognitive and cultural value offered by the souq via seminars, lectures and other events,” he observed.
The festival was a major rendezvous for poets in pre-Islamic Arabia and was popular as a unique social forum with commercial market space inclusive of all types of activities. Merchant caravans from as far as Rome, Syria, Persia and Yemen visited the souq.
Keeping in view its growing popularity, the area known as Souq Okaz Avenue, on the outskirt of Taif, where the activities during the festival take place, was increased to 14 million square meters from 10 million square meters last year.
Saudis and GCC citizens, especially youths, visit the unique tourism landmark in order to see its facilities, monuments and intellectual activities.
The tenth edition of the weeklong festival, to be patronized by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, will open Wednesday on the outskirt of the resort city of Taif.
“Thirty prominent Arab intellectuals and men of letters will participate in seven cultural seminars, beginning Aug. 11 on the sidelines of the festival, which has become a major tourist attraction in the Kingdom,” an organizing committee member said Sunday.
Besides intellectuals, national and international poets and academics will participate in the six-day festival, he said.
On the topic of the cultural seminars, he said they will focus on critical studies on pre-Islamic poetry of Urwat bin Al-Ward and Abdullah bin Khamees, prestigious translation works, cultural identity during this digital era and protection of privacy on social media.
Some of the prominent intellectuals participating in the festival will be Maqboul Al-Alawi (winner of Souk Okaz Prize for Novel), Ali Al-Shadwi, Ammar Ali Hassan, Awad Al-Asmari, Abdul Rahman Al-Mohsini, Jihad Al-Amri, Faris Al-Hamzani, Mohammed Al-Rabie, Saud Al-Yousuf, Abdullah Al-Haidery, Haya Al-Samhary, Edrian Litz, Mohammed Al-Bashrawi, Khaled Al-Ghazi, Khaled Al-Ghamdi, Saleh Al-Dosh, Mohammed Aziz Shamsul Haq.
The popular festival, organized during the summer break for schools and universities, allows a large number of tourists to have a date with history.
The festival is unique as it not only revives the past heritage and culture, but also promotes modernity and accelerates future progress.
According to an official from the SCTNH, Souq Okaz serves as a meeting point for poets, artists and historians.
“It is a destination for people with a fascination for literature and culture, who appreciate the cognitive and cultural value offered by the souq via seminars, lectures and other events,” he observed.
The festival was a major rendezvous for poets in pre-Islamic Arabia and was popular as a unique social forum with commercial market space inclusive of all types of activities. Merchant caravans from as far as Rome, Syria, Persia and Yemen visited the souq.
Keeping in view its growing popularity, the area known as Souq Okaz Avenue, on the outskirt of Taif, where the activities during the festival take place, was increased to 14 million square meters from 10 million square meters last year.
Saudis and GCC citizens, especially youths, visit the unique tourism landmark in order to see its facilities, monuments and intellectual activities.
