JEDDAH — The 2nd Ramadan festival “Ramadanana Kida” (Our Ramadan Was Like This) will be launched in downtown Jeddah on the first day of the holy month and will continue until the fourth day of Eid Al-Fitr, according to organizers. “The festival includes commercial, social, cultural, religious, sport, environment and heritage activities of the Hijazi heritage in the old Balad area,” said Abdullah Bin Dhawi, director of local affairs at Jeddah Governorate and president of the executive committee. He said: “The festival aims to promote the Kingdom as the house of culture, literature and Arabian and Islamic history, while preserving the heritage and the cultural treasures of Jeddah city. “It links the glorious past of Jeddah with its prosperous present, allowing the people of Jeddah and visitors to touch the episodes of last century, and it introduces new generations to the heritage, culture, traditions and history of the residents of the Historic Jeddah area.” Dhawi said that the first edition of the Jeddah Historic Festival attracted more than 1 million guests and this year more visitors are expected. The festival features various events each year, including dozens of programs and activities in addition to forums and shows that aim to revisit the social scene of historic Jeddah. Mohammed Al-Waffi, deputy Jeddah governor and supervisor of the festival, added that this year's festival path has been extended to 1,000 meters. He said the event is one of the best ways to experience the traditions and customs of the Hijazi people. “Under the supervision of Prince Mishaal Bin Majed, governor of Jeddah and president of the executive committee, all technical preparations for the establishment of the festival at its 2nd edition is completed and it will be held in coordination and cooperation with a number of departments, agencies and relevant government institutions in Jeddah,” Al-Waffi said. More than 1 million visitors are expected to throng the area daily in Ramadan to witness around 50 cultural, heritage and entertainment activities to be held in various parts of the area commonly known as downtown Jeddah (Balad). The Historic Jeddah Festival is considered the first of its kind event in the city.
