The American International School of Jeddah (AISJ) organized Thursday a one-day carnival with the aim of highlighting the role of schools – educationally, socially and culturally – in society. “School is not only a place of education, but also of social responsibilities, cultural exchange and tolerance between generations and nations,” said Dr. Mark A. English, superintendent of AISJ. He said the carnival reflected the “good role of AISJ in the community” and that “income generated from the event would be used for the community and the school”. The carnival, that was first held five years ago, was attended by American Consul General Martin R. Quinn, who later distributed prizes to the winners, participants and sponsors of the event. Activities in the event, from 10 A.M. to 8 P.M., included performances by a Hijazi folklore troupe, a Saudi traditional dance group and a local English singer. Martiza, from Argentina, who was one of the enthusiastic girls attending the carnival, said she liked the music bands at the event, as “they sang the best songs from all over the world”. Stalls offering food and drink, clothes, women's accessories, face-painting, etc., were a hit with the audience. A special attraction was a stall called ‘Arabian Village', where visitors enjoyed the taste of Arabian coffee with fresh dates. “This is a wonderful carnival for all of us in Jeddah, especially for families. It serves as a platform to learn about the different tradition and cultures of various countries,” said Koli, an Argentine man, who was attending the event with his family. Last year, the income generated from just one day of the carnival totaled more than SR800,000. This year it is expected to hit one million Saudi riyals. Moreover, the number of visitors is on the rise with every passing year, with only 500 persons in attendance at the first such carnival and over 8000 persons at the event last year. The carnival, which continues to gain popularity, especially with expatriates in Jeddah, had over 10,000 visitors this year. In addition to families from India, Pakistan, Brazil, the Philippines, Malaysia, Argentina and Ethiopia, the fair was also attended by a good number of Saudi families.
