Makkah Emir inaugurates Jeddah summer fest By Adel Al-Malki Saudi Gazette Jeddah – Prince Khalid Al-Faisal, Emir of Makkah, inaugurated the 29th Jeddah Summer Festival here on Wednesday. More than 4,000 people witnessed the opening ceremony at Obhur beach. The festival events started with colorful fireworks that lit up Jeddah night sky. Prince Mesha'l Bin Majed, Governor of Jeddah, in his address to the audience at the inaugural ceremony said, “This year Jeddah Festival represents a new stage in the progress of tourism in the Red Sea city, which has a long history of diverse cultural heritage.” “The city achieved many accomplishments in promoting global cultural and economic events. It is now a source of attraction for international conferences and forums,” he said. A Saudi folklore band performed shows representing different cultures and traditions from different regions of the Kingdom. A musical drama on the history of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was also staged by popular artists. “The musical drama tells the history of Arabian Peninsula before and after Islam and the changes that happened after the unification of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” Abdullah Al-Barakati, the writer of the play said. The festival will be different this year in terms of programs and activities, which will be witnessed by more than three million visitors from within the Kingdom, and other Gulf countries. A variety of activities and events have been planned aiming to provide public entertainment in the Kingdom's melting pot. Events are divided into three parts: family activities, activities for young women, and those for children; all of which include educational and recreational activities like sports, marine and cultural events”. Fun events at parks, poetry competitions with the participation of international poets, and art workshops for children with special needs, will also be organized on the sidelines of the festival. A gold festival which offers more than 300 prizes, under the auspices of the Committee of Gold and Jewelry in the JCCI and Jeddah Governorate World Gold Council will be another attraction of the event. According to Saleh Al-Turki, Director of Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a new mechanism has been chalked out for promoting Jeddah as a city of ancient beauty and magnificence”. __
