RIYADH: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman will patronize the 10th edition of the historic Souq Okaz festival, a unique tourism landmark event organized annually by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTNH) for the promotion of arts and crafts in the Kingdom.
Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, who is also the chairman of the supervisory committee of Souq Okaz, thanked the king for patronizing the cultural event next month.
Souk Okaz, located on the outskirts of the resort city of Taif, will open on Aug. 10. Popular as a cultural festival located in a prime destination, and being held during the summer break of schools and universities, the souq becomes attractive for a large number of tourists to come and have a date with history.
Keeping in view its growing popularity, the area where the activities during the festival take place was increased to 14 million square meters from 10 million last year.
Souq Okaz annually features a number of artisans presenting various types of handicrafts, besides marketing their products to the visitors to the souq.
Since it is very popular due to its deep historical and cultural roots, intellectuals, poets and academics from within the Kingdom and abroad participate in the week-long festival.
Theater shows are also presented where hundreds of local artists participate.
Every year, members of the public wait patiently for the theater show because it depicts historical events of an important juncture of Islamic and pre-Islamic history.
The Souq in its current format makes a unique balance of rich tradition and modernity, and reveals the glorious past and the present. Its importance lies in its historic symbolism as the original source of Arabic culture as a destination for ancient Arab intellectuals, poets and people passionate about culture and literature.
A senior SCTNH official earlier said that the commission is keen on creating added value with its participation in this year’s souq with the best programs to further develop the event to become rich and attractive and distinct from other tourism events and achieve an increase in its attraction, as well as good economic and social returns.
Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, who is also the chairman of the supervisory committee of Souq Okaz, thanked the king for patronizing the cultural event next month.
Souk Okaz, located on the outskirts of the resort city of Taif, will open on Aug. 10. Popular as a cultural festival located in a prime destination, and being held during the summer break of schools and universities, the souq becomes attractive for a large number of tourists to come and have a date with history.
Keeping in view its growing popularity, the area where the activities during the festival take place was increased to 14 million square meters from 10 million last year.
Souq Okaz annually features a number of artisans presenting various types of handicrafts, besides marketing their products to the visitors to the souq.
Since it is very popular due to its deep historical and cultural roots, intellectuals, poets and academics from within the Kingdom and abroad participate in the week-long festival.
Theater shows are also presented where hundreds of local artists participate.
Every year, members of the public wait patiently for the theater show because it depicts historical events of an important juncture of Islamic and pre-Islamic history.
The Souq in its current format makes a unique balance of rich tradition and modernity, and reveals the glorious past and the present. Its importance lies in its historic symbolism as the original source of Arabic culture as a destination for ancient Arab intellectuals, poets and people passionate about culture and literature.
A senior SCTNH official earlier said that the commission is keen on creating added value with its participation in this year’s souq with the best programs to further develop the event to become rich and attractive and distinct from other tourism events and achieve an increase in its attraction, as well as good economic and social returns.
