The new logo of the Jeddah Summer Festival 2009, which was launched by Prince Mishal Bin Majed, Governor of Jeddah, and approved by Prince Khalid Al-Faisal, Emir of the Makkah region, was designed to give the world a new image of the city. The festival opens on July 16 with a display of fireworks and traditional dancing. “We launched the new logo with a publicity campaign on all the large TV screens on the streets and avenues of the city. We decided that after 10 years it was time to change the logo of the Jeddah Summer Festival to reflect the event's new theme and ideas,” said Fahad T. Al-Muhalhal, the project manager of both the summer festival and of MBC events in an exclusive interview with Saudi Gazette. “We changed the logo because we want to launch the Jeddah Summer Festival 2009 with a new identity and with a new theme. The new logo features Jeddah Gate which is a unique structure,” he said, adding that “ the main idea of the new logo is to show that Jeddah is a unique place, a modern city with Islamic structures and celebrations.” The new logo represents various aspects of the importance of Jeddah as a gateway city. “We tried to present five facets of the identity of the city: Jeddah the gateway to Makkah and Madina; Jeddah the symbol of the economic progress of Saudi Arabia; Jeddah the hope of those who come for medical treatment; Jeddah the home of people from many cultures; and in the vision of Prince Mishal, Jeddah as a gift for the guests who visit the city,” explained Al-Muhalhal. “The new logo reflects changing ideas about Jeddah, as the city is visited by more and more people. According to the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) website, five million people visited Jeddah last year with investment in summer activities reaching SR 2.7 billion, which is a lot of money,” Al-Muhalhal added. There are currently 136 activities planned for this year's summer festival, although not all of the events are confirmed. “We will not publicize the events until all of them are finalized. At the moment we don't know how many of them will take place,” said Al-Muhalhal. “This year we are not so concerned with the number of events, but instead have emphasized the quality of what the public is being offered, so I am sure people will feel the difference,” he added. There are two types of summer festival events: those under the supervision of the municipality and those held by private individuals or companies that have received permission from the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI). “When people cancel programs without letting us know, it creates problems so that's why we have decided to finalize all the activities in a week's time,” he said. “The festival's events are divided into three categories - sports, cultural and entertainment. These programs will be held in different malls and other locations which people can get to easily,” Al-Muhalhal explained. “According to Prince Mishal, the Jeddah Summer Festival is an event for local people and guests,” Al-Muhalhal said. “Jeddah municipality is giving us three major locations at north Obhur, Balad Maidan Al-Baiah and King Abdul Aziz Cultural Centre in Abruq Al-Raghama for families and individuals. This year we have very special activities which will be supervised by the municipality of Jeddah,” he added. “There are separate locations and facilities for families, such as, food courts, children's play areas, and handicraft displays. At the same time, we have arranged something for young men to enjoy, such events as, car shows, car racing, and street basketball. All of these activities will be available in the summer festival and in Ramadan and Eid as well,” he said.
