RIYADH: King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, opened Wednesday at Janadriya Village, 43 km north of Riyadh, the 26th National Festival for Heritage and Culture, popularly known as “Al-Janadriya”. King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa of Bahrain also attended the festival's opening ceremony. Organized by the National Guard, the annual event brings to life Saudi history, culture and traditions. The opening ceremony was attended by princes, dignitaries and guests from a number of Arab and other countries. Japan is the guest of honor for this year's festival, which has become one of the most important events of its kind in the Arab World. First held in 1985, a large number of Arab and international guests have been invited to attend and take part in the cultural and intellectual events organized on the sidelines of this year's festival. The highlight of the inaugural ceremony was the 20-km Grand Camel Race that took place despite a heavy sandstorm that hit Riyadh and its suburbs including Janadriya Village. Also King Abdullah decorated Sheikh Abdul Wahab Abu Suleiman with the King Abdul Aziz Medal First Class. Sheikh Abdul Wahab is a member of the Board of Senior Ulema. The medal was given to him in recognition of his role in the preservation of Saudi culture. Janadriya Village is spread over 1.5 sq. km and houses more than 30 replicas of the culture of different regions of the country. Hamad Al-Qadi, writer and member of the Shoura Council, described the Janadriya Festival as a major national event that serves as a cultural platform showcasing Saudi heritage and Arab culture. “It has become a world-class event with a variety of programs attended by a large number of guests from the Kingdom and abroad,” he said. Naif Al-Boqami, a Saudi dramatist, described the Janadriya Festival as representative of “a glorious past and a prosperous future”. — Saudi Gazette/SPACaption: King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa of Bahrain at the inauguration of the Janadriya Festival, Wednesday. The opening ceremony was attended by several senior princes. (SPA photo) __
