day “Made by My Hands” exhibition that ended Tuesday attracted as many as 1,000 visitors. On show were handicrafts and paintings by more than 120 females – students and faculty from King Abdul Aziz University, where the exhibition was held, and from Girl's Educational Colleges and schools. The exhibition held at the KAAU conference center featured oil paintings, handmade gifts, children's toys and illustrated stories, photographs, fashion designs, handmade cards and accessories, clay sculptures, ceramic and wood drawings. “The amazing thing I saw was the work of a blind student, said Ru'ya Abdullah, an attendee. “Their work shows that even disabled people can be as creative as others, even more,” she added. The exhibition is aimed to project the creativity and diligence of Saudi females. “Instead of going outside the country to sign a contract with foreign designers we should see how these girls are creative enough,” said Najah Al-Akhtar, director of Student Activities at the Ministry of Education. This should be a call to businessmen to invest in our own girls, not to go outside, she added. “If we invest in our own women, we can bring down the number of unemployed women in Saudi Arabia just by giving them the chance to prove themselves,” said Azza Al-Mehdar, director of KAAU's social supervision office. According to statistics from the Ministry of Commerce, the percentage of women in the Saudi work force is expected to increase from 5.4 percent to 14.2 percent in 2009. For Budour Al-Qahtany, last year's art student at KAAU, the exhibition helped attract some great offers. “This will give me the ability to open my own art gallery some day,” she said. “A lot of people were impressed. They even asked me to sell it to them.” Ameera Sheikh, 11, from Al-Bayan school said, “My classmates came running to my corner as soon as they arrived. They liked my handmade cards, it suits all occasions.” Dr. Reem Al-Tuwairqi, dean of KAAU Student Activities, said participation in the exhibition is getting stronger every year. Areej Niyaz from the organizing committee said, “So many people attended, even more than the last two years. Schools students' attendance will open a new door for more creativity and more participation next time.” __
