RIYADH: The Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH) is gearing up for the 12th edition of the historic Souq Okaz.
The SCTH is preparing to host the popular annual festival in Taif with a range of new events to promote tourism, arts and crafts.
The historic festival that will continue for over 15 days will open on June 27, said SCTH spokesman Majed Alshadeed.
“The 12th edition of the Souq Okaz, to be held under the patronage of King Salman, will witness more than 150 events on a daily basis,” he said.
He said a number of new events and performances this year will be a major attraction.
The new attractions will include presentations of stories from the life of the poets such as Amr bin Kalthoum, Antra bin Shaddad, Zuhair bin Abi Salma, Emre’o Al-Qais, Tarafa bin Al-Abd, Al-A’sha and Qais bin Sa’eda, and many more.
Souq Okaz, which is considered one of the most important tourism tributaries in the Kingdom, last year introduced a new event, “Narrator’s Tent” under the supervision of the King Abdul Aziz Research Center (Darah), in which six narrators, four from the GCC countries and two from Saudi Arabia, recounted historical stories about the most important historical events of the Arabian Peninsula.
Okaz Avenue, where most of the events and performances are organized, is considered the most important element of the Souq Okaz. It also includes a number of cultural and heritage events, and theater performances.
The Souq Okaz over the years has witnessed comprehensive development due to the efforts of Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal.
Besides the SCTH, the partners for the successful organization of the Souq Okaz include Makkah governorate, Taif municipality, Taif University, the Ministry of Culture and Information, the King Abdul Aziz Foundation (Darah), Al-Taif Literary Club, the Saudi Arts and Culture Association and branches of the Ministries of Transport, Health, and Agriculture as well as the Technical and Vocational Training Corp. and the Saudi Electricity Company.
Earlier, a scientific study conducted by the SCTH on the history of Souq Okaz said the findings include rare archaeological discoveries by the excavation teams, which indicate that it has seen civilizations dating back to the Stone Age. The Souq was an important chapter in the history of Arabs before Islam. It was more than a trade fair. It served as a cultural, social, economic and political gathering of Arabs, the SCTH said.